Types of Computer Hackers

There are various types of computer hackers that all have different malicious intent. It's important to know these different types of hackers so you can properly defend your data.

The term hacker is a generic term to describe attackers. Not all have intent to steal your data. Below is a list of various types of hackers.

White Hat

White hat has the skills to break into computer systems and do damage. However, they use their skills to help organizations. For example a white hat might work for an organization to test for security weaknesses and vulnerabilities in the network.

Black Hat

Black Hat also known as a cracker uses his skills to break into computer systems for unethical reasons. For example, steal user data like, username and password, credit card numbers, bank information.

Grey Hat

This type can be thought of as a white hat attacker who sometimes acts unethically. They could be employed as a legit network security administrator. But, during this person's duties, he may find an opportunity for gaining access to company data and stealing that data.

Phreaker

A phreaker is simply a hacker of telecommunications. An example of this is tricking the phone system into letting you make free long distance calls.

Script Kiddy

A Script Kiddy is someone who lacks the skills of a typical hacker. They rely on downloading hacking programs or utilities sometimes calls scripts to perform an attack.

Hacktivist

This is a person with political motivations, such as someone defacing a website and leaving messages on the hacked site for the world to see.

Computer Security Hacker

This is someone who knows the technical aspects of computer networking and security. This person could attack a network protected by a firewall or IPS by fragmenting packets.

Academic Hacker

This type is typically an employee or student at an institution of higher education. They would use the institutions computing resources to write malicious programs.

Hobby Hacker

This is someone that tends to focus more on home computing. Such as, modifying existing hardware or software, use software without a license, unlock Apple iPhone.

Matt has been practicing computer security for over 5 years now. You can check out his latest website Active Directory Tools which provides a list of useful tools for Network Administrators.

Hackers Target Online Brokerage Firms In Latest Cyber Scam

Every time the public thinks it has a handle on cyber crime, hackers come up with something new to throw into the mix. Reports this week name the newest targets for cyber criminals: online brokerage houses, which have lost millions of dollars in an online fraud that is apparently the latest in the world of hacker couture.

Reports from online broker E-Trade Financial Corp state that the company has been compromised by hacker attacks originating from crime rings in Thailand and Eastern Europe. The hackers recently cost E-Trade clients up to $18 million through tactics that include hacking into customer accounts and making unauthorized stock trades. The scam starts with the hackers installing keyloggers either on a victim's unguarded personal computer or on a public computer station, such as those found in a library or hotel. The keyloggers are used to gain access to a customer's brokerage account, at which point the hacker will wait until the customer logs off, log himself in with the victim's user name and password, and use the account to sell the customers existing stock shares.

The money made from the sale of those stocks is used to purchase microcap stocks, which are low value stocks that are inexpensive and usually are not traded in large volume. The purchase drives up the value of this stock, shares of which the hacker has already bought at a lower price through another account. The hacker is then able to sell his own stock and make a profit. Meanwhile, the victim is left with an account full of unwanted, low value stock and has lost any money earned from their previous portfolio.

E-Trade and other companies affected by the scam, such as DT Ameritrade, plan to reimburse the money their customers lost, though the companies are not required by law to do so. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are investigating the issue, and many online brokers are stepping up to the plate and offering customers information on internet security and access to security software.

In the spirit of this gesture, the E-Trade Financial Corp website lists some tips that can help you protect your account and personal information both on and off their site:


Use anti-virus software.
Use a personal firewall package.
Use current versions of software and operating systems (and keep them patched/updated).
Secure your wireless network.
Use your own computer.
Choose strong passwords and change them regularly.
Use a unique ID and password.
Protect yourself against identity theft.
Use the strongest encryption available.
Empty your temporary Internet files or cache folder when finished.
Test your system for vulnerabilities.
Be prepared for problems.

Additionally, it is recommended that online traders avoid trading or checking brokerage accounts from public computers and avoid opening or clicking links in any emails sent from an online broker, as the email could easily be part of a phishing scam. If you think you have been a victim of online trading fraud, contact the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at http://www.ic3.gov/.

http://home.stopsign.com

Cyber Stalkers And Hackers Evolving

This Is Only The Beginning

One million women and 400,000 men were stalked online last year in the United States alone. Are you a desirable candidate? Are any of us? Do any of us really care? Or is it because we haven't the time to concern ourselves? So, why are the numbers so high? And who are the culprits? Do you think because you're an adult you're not vulnerable?

THINK AGAIN!

It used to be known that the average hacker was some brilliant University grad and the average online stalker, a prankster out for the thrill of causing trouble or some jilted lover. However, statistics reveal hackers and stalkers of today are far more advanced, intelligent and much older. Large corporations online and off have become vulnerable. And residential computer systems have become targeted for other reasons.

But on might believe otherwise if they haven't money to attract a hacker. However, it's the little guy's computer that attracts their attention. Using it and the IP address to hack into larger systems, they avoid being traced, very clever indeed. If a hacker is inside ones computer and they're not aware, Trojans and Keyloggers can be installed with advanced software, hindering the computer's ability to detect and uninstall the vicious spy ware. Attaching themselves to one's anti-virus programs and hard drive programs, the problem can only get worse.

Whether or not we accept it the internet is expanding at an amazing rate. And we're all fully aware with the enormous impact the internet has had on life as we know it. Present and future generations have and will benefit from this informational highway, this exciting off world of enjoyment, business and education. We've become so absorbed with this modern way to conduct business, this instant worldwide socializing that it's possible we've become oblivious to what's really going on out there.

Technology and wealth is a very powerful combination when it's utilized by very powerful people. For them the internet has become a free for all of opportunity to enhance the way they conduct their business whether it's legal or not. Information on any individual regardless of where they live or work can be obtained with ease. And the age barrier doesn't exist when money or a targeted computer is concerned.

On a different note, you may believe your banking information is completely secured by your banking institutions, however are your passwords? Are your passwords to anything completely secured? If someone wants them bad enough, no they are not. Now here's a scary thought, can one be monitored when using messenger? You can be monitored doing just about anything. The more exposure we allow ourselves the higher the risk.

Kellie Hastings copyright 2006

FDA/Drug Industry Partnership For Profit-why homeopathic remedies take so long to approve and the billions generated from cheap counter drugs. View news videos on the shocking ingredients they use to keep meat red, factory farm diseased animals and more [http://www.discovery-health.org]

Research writer of articles pertaining to health, anti aging, pollution, public awareness

Internet Security Versus Social Media, First Amendment Rights and Hackers

Social media, First Amendment and data security issues are interwoven in recent accounts of current events that raise fascinating concerns and questions.

In San Francisco, attempts were made to foil protesters planning to disrupt public transportation services when the Bay Area Rapid Transit authority temporarily interrupted cell service at several subway platforms. This unleashed a barrage of reaction and debate on both sides of the issue. Perhaps the most notable and certainly the most vicious group to take exception to BART's action was the hacker group Anonymous, which attacked myBart.org, defacing the site and releasing personal information for 2,400 BART riders, and even organizing a subsequent demonstration.

It's not only the vigilante group that is acting in the wake of BART's decision to thwart protesters by disrupting cell service, however; the Federal Communications Council has also launched an investigation into the matter.

Was BART's temporary shutdown reasonable given the public safety concerns of the transit authority, which designates free speech areas for public protests safely outside of its train and subway platforms? Were the free speech rights of the protesters violated? What about other riders who may have tried to reach a child, parent or even emergency services during the period cell service was disrupted? Was it worth the cost to attempt to prevent potentially dangerous protests?

While all these issues are sorted out, BART's professional reputation has certainly been damaged. Policy-makers are questioning the organization's decision-making and lack of leadership, some even comparing BART to former Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak, who shut down cell service in Tahrir Square in response to peaceful protests earlier this year.

Days before the San Francisco incident, social media was cast first as the villain and then as the hero across the pond in London. First, rioters utilized BlackBerry Messenger to organize days of extremely destructive and disturbing lawless acts. In the wake of the riots, however, volunteers have been recruited and massive cleanup efforts have been mobilized via Twitter and Facebook, redeeming social media's role in this unfortunate episode in the eyes of Londoners and other observers.

Back in California, Anonymous is again making threats, this time in Fullerton where the vigilante organization seeks retaliation for the alleged beating death of a homeless schizophrenic man by Fullerton police. The Anonymous YouTube video is both fascinating and disturbing with its masked spokesperson, computer-modulated voice and demands.

So where will this tale end? Its conclusion is yet to be written. The debates surrounding the use of social media platforms to incite action, the use of cyber-attacks to exact vigilante justice and the threats to First Amendment rights and data security are too important, however, for any of us to ignore. Where do you stand on these issues? Which of these threats do you find most disturbing?

Based in Nashville, Tenn., Lovell Communications Inc. is a national marketing and public relations firm that protects brand reputations and works with companies to build and grow their businesses. We specialize in public relations, crisis communications and healthcare marketing services.

Cyber Hackers Can Mess With Google - Are You Afraid For Your Business?

If you have been reading the news lately and picking up on all the commotion around hack attacks on some of the big guns like Google, Yahoo and Adobe you may be experiencing a twinge of anxiety over the security for your own business. You may have believed your network was invincible so this news could leave you feeling shaky. You have good reason to feel this way - according to an article in the Sydney Morning Herald the number of hackers tampering with private financial information belonging to Australian business is on the rise. Obviously using the internet and intranet for business has become a viable solution to accomplishing company objectives, but on the downside the criminal faction sees just as much opportunity.

Australia is a Frequent Target for Cyber Crime

Symantec, a data security firm reported that Australian and New Zealand businesses suffer 75% more security breaches than the global average with 89% of the companies polled in the last 12 months admitting at least one intrusion. Hackers are not necessarily going after the major companies where they can make off with large sums of money. Like any other thief, they go where the risk is low and they can get in and out of a system quickly and without detection. The fact is you don't have to be at any particular level of business profitability to be targeted. Smaller companies tend to use less comprehensive IT security making them more susceptible. In general, hackers are interested in easy money.

Google and Other Large Corporations are Not Exempt

The threat does not always revolve around banking information or sensitive intellectual property. As Google discovered in December 2009, issues such as human rights are at stake in cyber attacks. The advertising and search giant was appalled that a highly organized effort dubbed "Aurora" was being made to hack into the Gmail accounts of Chinese human right activists. They managed to infiltrate only two accounts and were not able to see the account holders' actual correspondence. The action put Google in the position where it felt it necessary to warn the Chinese human rights community of the attack and to prepare to withdraw business ties with China. Officials at Google did not directly accuse the Chinese government of being the perpetrators but they decided to review doing business with the country based its attempts to limit free speech on the internet. Google stated concern for the safety of the Chinese citizens and the potential for them to be interrogated and imprisoned.

There were at least 20 other large internet, media, finance and technology companies included in the attack: Yahoo, Adobe, Symantec, Dow Chemical and Northrop Grumman to name a few. It was accomplished through a technique called "spear phishing." This resembles an attack against 100 IT companies in July 2009 where company employees were targeted with infected email attachments.

Small and Midsize Businesses have Minimal Defense

Most businesses are totally defenseless against these sophisticated attacks. They use instant messages and emails that seem innocent at first because the senders appear to be friends and trusted colleagues. The messages are fine-tuned to evade the anti-virus programs designed for these applications. Evidently the best practices for IT security that have successfully held attackers at bay for many years are no longer sufficient. There is an innovative caliber of attacks circulating around the globe using custom malware written specifically for individual companies. The hackers don't seem to mind if it takes longer to get around the antivirus software in use by the large corporations. They continue painstakingly to tweak their malware until it is effective. Smaller companies that don't have the budget for a large scale security have not stood a chance. The hackers have the ability to commandeer only one employee's laptop and make it a gateway for total administrative access to the company's entire network.

The security firm, iSec Partners that investigated the attack on Google and ensuing corporations recommend we make fundamental changes to the way we protect our networks. They say we have simply not been prepared for the level of sophistication demonstrated by the new cyber criminals.

Hacker Stories in the Australian News

Internet news sites report the direct effects of cyber hacking on Australia. Today Online posted a news article about a hacker called "Ghostbuster" that has been targeting Melbourne businesses as a response to violence against Indians. The person behind the attacks has been sending threatening emails stating Australian servers will be hacked until racism against Indian nationals is ended. The action came in the wake of the murder of a 21-year-old Punjabi student in January 2010. Several Melbourne businesses were victimized when their entire networks were thrown into chaos.

In the technology section of The Age is a report describing the effects on government websites by hackers associated with the group "Anonymous", known for its attacks on Scientology. This is the same group that temporarily blasted pornography across Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's website. On the morning of February 10, 2010 a number of government sites were down. The attack was in opposition to the government's plans for internet censorship. Communications Minister Stephen Conroy was not happy with the fact that Australian citizens could not obtain needed services online and felt it was irresponsible on the part of the hackers.

In the Sydney Morning Herald one journalist mentions the statistics that there are now more mobile devices in the country than Australians. It is not unusual for an individual to own two or three. The rising use of wireless broadband provides accessibility and convenience for subscribers but it also expands the territory for cyber criminals. Currently there are more barriers to cyber hacking wireless devices than terrestrial networks, such as the cost of making a phone call. However with the advances in mobile device technology to the point where it can replace the need for owning a laptop computer the potential for being targeted by hackers exists. The actual devices may be secure but the Wi-Fi network, often free and faster for users in public places is a temptation for cyber criminals. You may believe you have connected to a site operated by an airport, hotel or coffee shop, but there is no way of knowing for sure who controls the IP address that now has access to everything in your computer or mobile device. It is not that difficult for hackers to present a fake website you feel you can trust that they can use to steal from your network at any time in the future.

Millions of dollars are stolen everyday from individuals and businesses that use the internet. We are warned frequently about viruses, worms and phishing scam but somehow we get caught anyway. The situation is getting worse as hackers become better adept at breaking down the unique systems designed to keep them out. If you are still experiencing discomfort about the vulnerability of your network it will pay off to attend to your gut feeling.

Adam Rippon is the owner of Sydney Technology Solutions, Australia's leader in managed IT solutions for small and midsize businesses.

Understanding Computer Risk, Hackers, and Cyber-Terrorism

In today's environment, millions of people rely on computers to do business, homework, and to dispatch information to others. It is therefore very important to secure the information that we have on our computers. If you are using a computer exclusively, it is your duty to do all you can to reduce computer risks, prevent data loss, and to reduce computer abuse. In the business world, data protection is paramount because a company's data is fast becoming one of the most value asset that any company owns. Keeping your electronic data secure from hackers is therefore most important.

A computer security risk is any action, deliberate or otherwise that could cause lost of information, damage to critical software, or data corruption. Computer security risks also extend to program incompatibilities, or computer hardware obsolescence. Many instances of computer loss or computer damage are planned and are therefore not accidental. Any intentional breach in computer security is said to be a computer crime which is slightly different from a cyber crime. A cyber crime is really an illegal act perpetrated through the Internet, whereas a computer crime will be any illegal behaviour which involves the use of a computer.

There are several distinct groups of people involved in computer crimes and understanding who they are is important. The most popular form of criminal computer acts is broadly known as hacking. In this case, a person uses a network or the Internet to gain illegal access to a computer. Hackers too, have gained much notoriety over the last 10 years because they are seen as representing people who are in rebellion against the systems of society. Some of the more recent names assigned to people posing computer security risks are cracker, cyber-terrorist, cyber-extortionist, unethical employee, script kiddie and corporate spies.

The term hacker was actually used in reference to ordinary people with the ability to break into computer systems legally. However, with the wide-spread use of the Internet, a hacker has now become known for illegal actions. A hacker is defined as someone who accesses a computer or computer network unlawfully. They often claim that they do this to find leaks in the security of a network. Recent developments in computer programming have spawned the term Ethical Hacking. This is an IT-related term for posing as a thief to catch loopholes in your own computer systems. The term cracker has never been associated with something positive this refers to someone how intentionally access a computer or computer network for unlawful or unethical purposes.

A cyber-terrorist is someone who uses a computer network or the internet to destroy computers, websites, or systems for political reasons. The intention here is to cause harm to important systems such as a banking system or a military computer network in order to score political points. Unlike a regular terrorist attack, cyber-terrorism require highly skilled individuals, thousands of dollars to implement, and many months of planning. The term cyber extortionist is used to refer to someone who uses emails or other electronic communication media as an offensive weapon. As an example of this, a cyber-terrorist can access a web-based database, confiscate it, and erase other available copies. They can then demand a ransom for the release of this information.

They could carry out their illegal act by doing other things such as sending a company a very threatening email. The information they may have could be trade secrets, company data, or even personal information about one of the senior officers of the company. By demanding a ransom for not releasing such information through the Internet, they are participating in cyber-terrorism against the company or persons.

Many computer security risks are related directly to disgruntled employees. It is for this reason why many of the top companies in the USA have adopted sections of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Executives of each public company must take personal responsibility for the security of a company's data in addition to truthfulness in accounting practice. All stake-holders must be assured that the data which a company has about a person such as credit cards must be secure at all times. As the Internet grows, only time will tell what other measures will become necessary to reduce computer risk, thwart cyber-terrorism, and mitigate against the impact of hackers and crackers all over the globe.

Anthony writes technology and protecting your computer from online attacks, at: computer risks and writes on many other fascinating subjects as well. Visit him to learn the latest trends, in motivation, personal development. See his fast-rising working from home blog.

A Effective Method to Protect Network From Hackers

In the last 20 years the world has evolved to be known as the "Cyber-World." The Internet and its depth of information and knowledge help everyone to connect with one another around the globe and to expand our endless limits of information. It is also useful to global business platforms. Every year our knowledge base of Internet technology increases and are increasingly implementing it in every field from small to large business' in every aspect of life; Meaning we are surrounded by the Internets presence both directly and indirectly, from small to large scale business.

Every situation has two sides; in the generation of Internet technology also motivates online fraud, also known as hacking. Cyber crimes have peaked to the highest levels in the last 10 year. The data stealers/Hackers have the ability to steal data from a user's computer or network and abuse them. Due to this type of trouble, users feel unconfident and vulnerable and this deters them from transferring online secure information.

To resolve these problems SSL Certificates have been initiated. SSL were created and implemented at the onset and incorporate rules for SSL (Secure Socket Layer) by Netscape in 1994. Netscape used encryption and decryption methods to make data secure and unreadable for hackers. Hackers do still get data but they cannot read it or get accurate data due to the encryption of the data.

Nowadays technology is recognized and secured by SSL certificate standards and authorized. Few authorities authorize SSL like VeriSign, GeoTrust, Thawte, and RapidSSL. All these CAs (Certificate Authorities) are legal for issuing web trust certificates. SSL certificates started supporting up to 256 bit encryption to save online data.

The SSL set of rules is used in e-commerce to protect these online transactions and to remain classified. Sites install and utilize SSL encryption to protect all data; including login query, credit card transactions, or any confidential detail. All browsers have capabilities to identify SSL secured sites from authorized certificate authorities such as VeriSign.

Globally customers, shoppers, and bank user reviews communicate that they trust SSL Certificate issued websites. Truly effective and legit business' display and utilize SSL Certs to secure private customer information. By doing so customer satisfaction and retention levels soar and profit margins do too. So, trust and invest in only SSL Certificate secure websites.

SSL products that will enable you to display and provide proof of your site's identity and level of security. This in turn is accessible to users and increases user confidence and site reliability and safety for your live online business.

TheSSLstore.com is one of the largest SSL Certificates providers globally. Join the Reseller SSL Certificate program and SSL Certificate Affiliate to join with us. Among the Internet security solutions TheSSLstore.com offers are SSL products from VeriSign, Thawte, GeoTrust, and RapidSSL. We buy SSL certs in large quantities and pass the savings to you. To learn more about SSL visit https://www.thesslstore.com

Computer Security - How to Stay Safe in a World of Hackers

Consider the latest - Die Hard. Some teenagers, few masterminds and trillions of dollars being siphoned off the federal fund that has been deposited against people's social security benefits. Do not think that it is a simple cinematic flick! Today hackers are so sophisticated that they can actually bring a law abiding citizen down on the streets. With the advent of technology making life easier for most of us, getting to shop from the comfort of our homes or transfer money from the safety of our living rooms, the fact remains that the nameless faceless cyber world is dotted with criminal minded people whose sole intention is to rob you off your identity, get access to all your important details and use those for their own benefits. How do you fight that?

Install an anti-virus. An anti-virus protects your computer from malicious viruses that tend to lodge themselves deep into your hard drive and copy all your data and transfer those to servers where you would not want your confidential information to be - a hacker's server. If someone sends you a virus intentionally or unintentionally, the anti-virus detects the virus and destroys it. Keep your anti-virus up-to-date. Set your anti-virus such that there is a weekly scan scheduled for all the hard drives in your computer.

Install a firewall: A firewall will always keep a check on the information that is exchanged between your computer and other computers every time that you are logged on to the internet. That way you will be protected from any unwanted code or application getting downloaded on to your PC inadvertently. Any data that do not meet the security requirement set by the program developer will be barred from entering your computer by the firewall. Always keep your firewall updated as well.

Act Smart:

o Do not store personal information in your computer. Information like your social security number, credit card number, pins, bank account numbers, telephone numbers, addresses, etc.

o Do not click on links that look suspicious. Most spam mails have links that should be avoided. These can lead to downloading of applications that may erase your hard drive.

o Always scan all attachments using your antivirus before opening it or running it or installing it on your computer.

o Do not exchange personal information in chat rooms, through mails or instant messages. Divulge your credit card details or social security details only to secured sources or through secured websites.

o Do not buy pirated products, software or programs. These may send messages over the internet when you are working with the particular software.

o Do not download executable files to your PC from unknown sources. Be extremely cautious while exchanging information over the internet.

Keeping the above points in mind will help you in keeping your computer secure. Although every day a number of Trojan viruses or worms are coded and let loose over the internet, we must always do the best that we can in order to ensure security. A computer is an expensive device. A simple insecure download can render the whole machine useless.

Gregg Hall is an author living on the Emerald Coast of Florida. Now that you know a little more about computer security be sure that you get quality computer accessories by going to http://www.nsearch.com

Are Hackers Really Targeting Me?

One of the questions I hear all of the time is "who are these hackers, and why are they targeting me?" Most people erroneously assume that hackers are poorly behaved super-smart kids--geeks that get a kick out of manipulating the system and causing mischief. They envision poorly supervised teenagers sitting around a computer trying this and that until they crack into a system. Many of us remember the movie "War Games" where Matthew Broderick plays a lovable, super-smart high school student who hacks into the school's computers to manipulate his grades, and who accidentally hacks into the Defense Department's war games computer and nearly starts a nuclear war.

Today, hacking is no longer kid's stuff, but a multi-billion dollar industry that spans the globe. Some experts believe that as many as 25% of all computers are infected by hacker's software. Visualize a robot. Mindless, emotionless, silent unless it comes to life. A big part of what hackers do is to turn your computer into a robot. The tech name for this is a BOT-network, actually. Suppose you go on the Internet and download something--perhaps a song, some freeware, a game--you will never know that download is infected. When you click download, you not only get your music, but the download will install hidden software deep inside your computer that will turn your computer into a robot. This software is called a virus, a worm, spy ware, malware, or a Trojan horse. The hackers gather thousands of bot computers into a bot network, and these computers are used to send infected files to thousands of other computers. If the attack is caught and traced, it is traced to you, not to the hacker. There are a few symptoms that your computer is a BOT--mainly that it slows down because the hacker is using your resources, but often you get pop-ups, and the computer starts performing unusually and locking up. Often the ISP (Internet Service Provider) will catch this, and shut down your Internet connection. We have people come in our business all of the time who are incensed because their ISP has shut them down for sending spam. They are always understandably upset, and don't understand until we explain to them that they have been hacked. Once we fix their computer, the ISP will hook them back up. Don't worry, the Internet Police are definitely not going to show up at your door and arrest you for sending spam, everyone knows what is going on here, but your computer MUST be cleaned up before it is put back on the Internet. Your computer is being used to steal identities, and rob people--by a person who may be on the other side of the world! There are actually businesses who sell time on their bot-nets, for bad guys to send their malicious software to thousands of unsuspecting computers! This leads me to the next type of hacker--the phisher.

The main goal of hackers is to gather information to steal money. Phishing is pronounced fishing--and it is the same thing--fishing for information. The phishers have a variety of ways to steal your information, all of which require YOUR action--clicking on something. A main way for phishers to gather your banking information is to send you an email (through a bot-network) that tells you that your banking information needs updating, and that your account has been frozen until you resolve this. You may have gotten such an email, it may be confusing because it is not from your bank. These guys know that among the thousands of phishing emails that are sent, some of the recipients will be customers of that bank. According to the FBI, as many as 3% of the recipients of these phishing emails actually input their bank passwords and pins. With one click, their identity is stolen, and their bank account drained.

Another type of phishing works like the bot-network, you download a file, and get hidden software installed deep in your computer, hidden from view. This type of software is called a Key logger. This creepy software allows the hackers to see everything you type-and remotely see, and go through your computer files. The goal is to find passwords, credit card numbers, names, addresses, social security numbers, email passwords--in other words, your identity. When you log onto your bank account, or type in your credit card number, it is as though the hacker is looking over your shoulder. These identities are gathered and sold on websites to bad guys who will steal your identity and rob you. They are sold in groups--like complete identities (including name, address, passwords, credit cards, and mother's maiden name), partial identities, or just credit card numbers. Sometimes these creeps even have buy-one-get-one-free sales of people's identities! The FBI has a whole department that monitors these websites, and works diligently to catch the cyber-crooks. However, many of them are in places in the world where extradition to the US for prosecution is complicated, often Russia or Nigeria.

I do not mean to give you the impression that you are helpless in this, and that you should never use your computer again! There are ways to out-smart them. First, if you haven't read my articles about hackers and cyber-intrusions, read them. However, I am finding that one of the best new tools to combat key loggers is software where you enter your log-ins and passwords (and credit card numbers), and when you need to log in or enter your passwords, pins, credit card numbers, name, address--anything that can be stolen from you, the software automatically enters it in an encrypted format. You never type this on your keyboard so the keys can't be captured, and if the bad guys can see your computer, what they see is encrypted. We also recommend that the time has come to make your passwords tough to crack--long, a combination of numbers and letters, unpredictable. For example, your first grade teacher's name followed by a number combination followed by the name of a river you know. I know this is hard, but it is important to have unpredictable and long passwords as a part of your cyber-safety routine.

This problem is not going away, in fact it is slated to get worse. Hackers are not only targeting individuals, but governments, banks, and large companies. So strap on your cyber-pistols and meet those creeps on their own turf--knowledge!

Dennis Kilcrease brings extensive experience in some of the finest military installations in they country to his clientele. This experience includes Chief Network Engineer for Army Space Command at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado, the SIPRNET email project for top military brass at the Pentagon, as well as industry experience with international companies such as General Dynamics and SI International.
Dennis now owns Computer PRO, located in Silsbee, TX, where he offers a full range of computer services.
http://www.computerprotexas.com

Understanding Computer Risk, Hackers, and Cyber-Terrorism

In today's environment, millions of people rely on computers to do business, homework, and to dispatch information to others. It is therefore very important to secure the information that we have on our computers. If you are using a computer exclusively, it is your duty to do all you can to reduce computer risks, prevent data loss, and to reduce computer abuse. In the business world, data protection is paramount because a company's data is fast becoming one of the most value asset that any company owns. Keeping your electronic data secure from hackers is therefore most important.

A computer security risk is any action, deliberate or otherwise that could cause lost of information, damage to critical software, or data corruption. Computer security risks also extend to program incompatibilities, or computer hardware obsolescence. Many instances of computer loss or computer damage are planned and are therefore not accidental. Any intentional breach in computer security is said to be a computer crime which is slightly different from a cyber crime. A cyber crime is really an illegal act perpetrated through the Internet, whereas a computer crime will be any illegal behaviour which involves the use of a computer.

There are several distinct groups of people involved in computer crimes and understanding who they are is important. The most popular form of criminal computer acts is broadly known as hacking. In this case, a person uses a network or the Internet to gain illegal access to a computer. Hackers too, have gained much notoriety over the last 10 years because they are seen as representing people who are in rebellion against the systems of society. Some of the more recent names assigned to people posing computer security risks are cracker, cyber-terrorist, cyber-extortionist, unethical employee, script kiddie and corporate spies.

The term hacker was actually used in reference to ordinary people with the ability to break into computer systems legally. However, with the wide-spread use of the Internet, a hacker has now become known for illegal actions. A hacker is defined as someone who accesses a computer or computer network unlawfully. They often claim that they do this to find leaks in the security of a network. Recent developments in computer programming have spawned the term Ethical Hacking. This is an IT-related term for posing as a thief to catch loopholes in your own computer systems. The term cracker has never been associated with something positive this refers to someone how intentionally access a computer or computer network for unlawful or unethical purposes.

A cyber-terrorist is someone who uses a computer network or the internet to destroy computers, websites, or systems for political reasons. The intention here is to cause harm to important systems such as a banking system or a military computer network in order to score political points. Unlike a regular terrorist attack, cyber-terrorism require highly skilled individuals, thousands of dollars to implement, and many months of planning. The term cyber extortionist is used to refer to someone who uses emails or other electronic communication media as an offensive weapon. As an example of this, a cyber-terrorist can access a web-based database, confiscate it, and erase other available copies. They can then demand a ransom for the release of this information.

They could carry out their illegal act by doing other things such as sending a company a very threatening email. The information they may have could be trade secrets, company data, or even personal information about one of the senior officers of the company. By demanding a ransom for not releasing such information through the Internet, they are participating in cyber-terrorism against the company or persons.

Many computer security risks are related directly to disgruntled employees. It is for this reason why many of the top companies in the USA have adopted sections of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Executives of each public company must take personal responsibility for the security of a company's data in addition to truthfulness in accounting practice. All stake-holders must be assured that the data which a company has about a person such as credit cards must be secure at all times. As the Internet grows, only time will tell what other measures will become necessary to reduce computer risk, thwart cyber-terrorism, and mitigate against the impact of hackers and crackers all over the globe.

Anthony writes technology and protecting your computer from online attacks, at: computer risks and writes on many other fascinating subjects as well. Visit him to learn the latest trends, in motivation, personal development. See his fast-rising working from home blog.