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In 2007, cybercriminals will explore new territory.
They'll launch attacks using consumer-collaborative sites such as
MySpace and YouTube, instant messaging, image spam, send more targeted
phishing scams and launch networks of zombie computers.
If you're not careful, you could install malicious software -- malware -- that will open up your PC to criminals. Or fall for a money-making scam.
Malware
Malware
is an umbrella term for various types of malicious software or programs, including
viruses, Trojan horses, worms and spyware. Most of what malware targets is confidential
information, says David Marcus, security research and communications manager for
McAfee Avert Labs. Malware writers look for data they can steal for a profit or
use themselves, he says. "It's very financially motivated."
Unfortunately, cybercriminals can profit off consumers
in a host of ways whether they're stealing money or information.
Malware can search for passwords on a user's computer or install
keystroke-logging software, among other exploits. Fraudsters generate
revenue when someone clicks on their spam or through renting out
networks of compromised computers called "botnets"
to other cybercriminals. People duped into entering credit
card or account information into phishing Web sites provide money-making
resources for criminals.
Plus, these crooks make money buying and selling consumers'
identities in the underground market.
"Identities are being sold on the Internet every
day," says Ronald O'Brien, senior security analyst with Sophos
Plc, an Oxford, England-based Internet security firm. "The
more complete a profile is, the more valuable that profile becomes."
Happily, it's not hard to protect your computer from
these schemes. "People don't need to be security experts,"
says Marcus. They need to be aware of security threats and what
can happen, and then take the appropriate precautions, he says.
"We don't think it's doomsday."
For starters, however, understand that anti-virus software
protects your computer pretty well as long as you update
it frequently, but it's not all you need to do.
"Anti-virus
software is not always 100 percent," says Paul Wood, a senior analyst at
MessageLabs. "It depends on how new the attack is," he says, adding
that anti-virus software can only protect users from malware it already knows
about. Given that malware writers can simply download anti-virus software from
the Web like anybody else, they can test their attacks to see if the software
detects it. They can then tweak their malware until it escapes discovery.
That's where awareness comes into play. We asked Internet
security experts what they predict to be the biggest security threats
in 2007 and how you can best protect yourself against these threats.
They listed six scams to watch out for.
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6 types of Internet scams on the prowl: |
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