Another Day With My PC

When somebody tells you that your old neighborhood hacker took the weekend off to go fishing, don’t be surprised when you see him bringing a laptop instead of a hook, line, and sinker. You could bet your hard drive’s last kilobyte that he will not be looking for his next meal or a new addition to his aquarium. Unless he’s really fishing with an “F,” what he’ll probably do is phish for data rather than fish for, well, fish.

Phishing is the term used to describe the illegal or fraudulent act of acquiring personal information through deceptive means. Hackers usually do this by sending deceptive e-mails or other electronic messages that ask users for certain information about themselves. Many have already been deceived and victimized as criminals use methods which lead people to believe that the sender and the message are legitimate ones.

Not Just by e-mail Alone

While e-mail service providers have already rolled up their sleeves and took on the challenge of putting a scarlet letter on bogus or fraudulent e-mail senders or addresses, hackers have found another way of phishing passwords, account numbers, and other sensitive details from unsuspecting persons.

e-commerce is growing at a tremendous pace, and thousands or even millions now send out credit card numbers, bank passwords, and other financial details on the Internet. These information are usually asked for by and entered into e-commerce Web sites, such as e-Bay, Amazon, and other businesses or institutions, such as banks. Criminals are aware of this and have built numerous Web sites which replicate the ones where people usually go to shop or do financial transactions. As a result, a good number of people unsuspectingly types in sensitive data that the bogus site asks for, practically giving it to hackers on a silver platter.

Seemingly Unimportant Questions

Pop ups are also used as phishing instruments. PCs infected with spyware, adware, and other forms of malware are usually prone to phishing activities since hackers already have a hold on the unit. Pop ups might ask you for certain personal details. Some of the questions may seem harmless and you might not suspect it to be malicious, especially if it’s not asking for your social security or credit card number. However, be very wary on the questions that you answer, whether they come from dubious pop ups or seemingly legitimate e-mails. Questions asking you as to your favorite food, the name of your pet, or your mother’s maiden name might seem inconsequential. However, take note that these questions are usually the ones that are also being asked by e-mail service providers or e-commerce sites in case you’ve forgotten your username or password.

Nip the Problem at the Bud

Keep your PC safe and secure at all times. Malware oftentimes monitor Web surfing activities. If the malicious software detects that you’re a frequent user of online banking services or an occasional customer of e-shops, then you’ll probably be subjected to all sorts of phishing tactics or methods. Keep your PC from being infiltrated by installing security tools, such as registry cleaners and antivirus programs. These applications will ensure that everything that you do or send on the Internet will not be made known to anyone.

Do you still have time for shopping?

With the advent of mobile computers, working hours have virtually doubled. While your boss may seem to be too nice in accommodating your request for shorter working hours, chances are is that he’ll be asking you to just take home some of the tasks that you should be doing at the office. The proposition may seem tempting. However, you’ll soon realize that taking home an hour’s worth of office chore would have an exponential effect as far as the time that it would need to accomplish the same is concerned.

Biggest Department Store

It’s not surprising then why the crowd at the mall is getting thinner. Many people just want to stay at home during their free time. However, shopping cannot altogether be ignored and set aside. One still needs to eat and dress up, you know?

eBay and Amazon recognized this need and soon created a virtual mall for everyone to shop in. A considerable number of people welcomed the thought of being able to buy things without having to endure long lines at the counter or flirting with a crippled wrist or fingers from juggling 10 shopping bags with just one hand. Online stores would seem to be heaven-sent. But are they?

Unhealthy

Many would contend that going out to shop exposes a person to all sorts of danger. For one thing, purse shoppers might decide to take your bag for free. Pollution might also rob you a few days or years of your life. You could also be a traffic accident statistic.

However, shopping at home might be a health hazard to. We all know that obesity is a bulging problem in the United States. More and more people are taking in huge quantities of food without burning it. The most common way of burning fat or getting rid of excess calories is by walking. Unfortunately, many are too lazy to get their feet reacquainted with the sidewalks. An improved health is just not a compelling incentive for them to go out and walk. However, shopping is. But with the way people are becoming enamored with e-commerce, the prospect of a fatter America is something that would seem already inevitable.

Virtual Snatchers

You may think that you’ve outwitted snatchers by just shopping at home. However, the virtual world is just as full of predators as the real world. Countless hackers are always lurking in cyberspace to steal sensitive financial information, such as credit card numbers, online store passwords, and other details which could facilitate a commercial transaction on the Net.

Be very careful then when shopping online. It’s just as dangerous as when shopping at an actual department store. Make sure that your PC is not vulnerable to malware attacks by activating your firewall. If malicious programs have already broke through your defenses, then you will definitely need an antivirus to rid your hard drive of any unwanted application, and a registry cleaner to wipe out instructions in the Windows registry that could make your PC execute unauthorized or damaging tasks or functions.

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