The Internet has revolutionized the way we shop and bank and
communicate. But this global network also presents a golden opportunity
for the criminal element.
There's a
new—and alarming—report just out from the security software
firm, Symantec. It
says that hacker attacks against online shopping sites have soared 400
percent in the first six months of 2004.
The company's biannual survey predicts that the trend will continue.
It's getting to the point that some people might consider going back to
using the mail and the telephone to conduct business, but not Symantec's
vice president of security response Grant Geyer.
"You can be safe online," said Geyer. "I personally do all of my banking
and transactions online. You can be safe online, but you just
need to be smart about it."
Geyer recommends installing all the latest patches from your operating
system vendor and reinforcing your computer against intruders by using
regularly-updated
firewall and antivirus software.
According to Symantec's report, Internet fraud cost business and
consumers $1.2 billion last year, and now hackers are refocusing their
targets.
"Hackers are going after e-commerce applications. They're trying to
break into businesses online," Geyer said. "No longer are they just
trying to disrupt activity and simply wreak havoc. They're trying to
steal confidential data."
This kind of theft often occurs with the full cooperation of the victim.
"You need to be careful of hackers trying to trick you," Geyer said. "A
lot of times, hackers try to look like legitimate businesses online, and
if you click on a link you can go to a site, put in your confidential
data, and you actually have just given it to a hacker."
Geyer said this type of scheme worked on about 1.78 million computer
users last year.
Symantec offers a
free online security scan for your computer. It checks for viruses and
threats from potential intruders.
"Fundamentally, hackers are getting smarter, and you need to get smarter
as well," Geyer said.
Watch Computer Corner Wednesdays at noon on WFAA-TV Channel 8.
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