How to become Web Wise
The
Internet has rapidly become a part of our daily lives. It has
erased borders between communities and has changed the whole globe
by becoming a single entity. It is a significant tool offering
an unconstrained quantity of information and services from around
the globe. By using your PC, you can read a newspapers, order
books, input and process data, view pictures or listen to radio
stations from around the planet; with countless web sites and
services added daily. It can be overpowering; and at times, it's
difficult to find the precise information you want. Knowledge
is what keeps you surfing safely, and protecting your information,
and so ignorance of the hazards is no excuse. Some of these threats
can take the form of viruses, hackers, spyware, malware, worms,
trojans and new to the scene, of internet threats, phishing. If
you are not sure what they mean then you must take the time to
educate yourselves and how they can affect you.
Computer Viruses
A program or piece of code that is loaded onto your computer without
your knowledge and runs against your wishes. Even a simple virus
is dangerous because it will quickly use all available memory
and bring the system to a halt. An even more dangerous type of
virus is one capable of transmitting itself across networks and
bypassing security systems.
Hacker / Hacking
Hackers have an ability to bypass or override password protection
and other security strategies. Hackers often work at a distance
from their target computers by abusing the facilities of the internet
for the purpose of gaining unauthorized access to steal and/or
corrupt data.
Spyware
Spyware is software that covertly gathers information through
the user's Internet connection without his or her knowledge, usually
for advertising. Once installed, the spyware monitors user activity
on the Internet and transmits information in the background to
someone else.
Malware
Short for malicious software, software designed specifically to
damage or disrupt a system, such as a virus or a Trojan horse.
Worms
A worm is a program or algorithm that replicates itself over a
computer network and performs malicious actions, such as using
up the computer's resources and possibly shutting the system down.
Trojans
A Trojan is a benign destructive program that hides as an application.
One of the most dangerous types of Trojan horse is a program that
claims to rid your computer of viruses but instead introduces
viruses onto your PC.
Phishing
The act of sending an e-mail to a user falsely claiming to be
an established legitimate enterprise in an attempt to defraud
the user into surrendering private information that is used for
identity theft. The e-mail directs the user to visit an illegitimate
Web site where they are asked to update personal information that
the legitimate organization already has. The bogus Web site, however,
is set up solely to steal the user’s information.
An unwanted computer virus, and/or PC problem can harm hardware, software and productivity. Learning how to browse the web safely, keeping informed and protected is always the best policy.
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