Ten technologies cybercrooks love to exploit
Debra Littlejohn Shinder
Published: 14 Jul 2008 16:13 BST
…set up their own fake e-commerce sites and lure you into giving them your credit-card number and other information under the pretence of selling you something.
To protect yourself when buying or banking online, do business only with well-known sites and ensure that your web traffic is encrypted (your browser will indicate when a site is secure). Navigate to those sites directly; don't click a link in email to get there. Don't save your credit-card information on the websites either; type it in each time. Keep a close watch on your credit-card statements and bank statements and immediately report any suspicious or unauthorised activity.
9. Mobile computing
Computing has become increasingly mobile and devices ranging from small PDA phones to full-sized laptops are being used to store important data and connect to home and company networks. Because of their mobility, however, these devices can easily be lost or stolen, and the data goes with them.
If the device contains your personal information, you could be subject to ID theft. If it contains client information for your company, you could put those clients at risk and possibly put your company in violation of regulatory compliance requirements. Luckily, there are a number of ways to protect yourself from these threats.
Many portable computers today come with built-in TPMs (trusted platform modules), which are hardware-based cryptography chips that work with software technologies such as Microsoft's BitLocker (included in some editions of Windows Vista and Server 2008) to encrypt the drive and prevent a thief from being able to log on or access any of the files.
More and more laptops also include fingerprint-recognition software and other extra security measures. You can also install tracking software that will cause the laptop to 'phone home' when connected to the internet if you fail to enter the correct password.
Many PDA phones provide for password protection and you can buy third-party programs to encrypt data on the phone. The latest versions of Windows Mobile allow you to encrypt the information on the storage card without a third-party program, and you can also remotely wipe the device and card.
10. Universal connectivity
Closely related to mobility is universal connectivity. We are putting not just our computers but our entire lives online. There are now kitchen appliances and laundry machines that can connect to the internet; pool and spa equipment that can be accessed online; and so forth. Many of us have surveillance cameras with built-in web servers, which we can monitor from anywhere in the world as long as we have an internet connection. All of this connectivity is great, but it opens up avenues by which criminals can invade our homes without ever setting foot inside.
We also put ourselves online in another way. We have personal websites; MySpace, FaceBook and Second Life accounts; and other venues where we reveal much more about ourselves than we might realise. Criminals love these social-networking tools because it makes it easy for them to pick victims and get to know them, sight unseen.
Reasonable precautions
What is the solution then? Should we disconnect from the global network, erase our presences from the web and hide in our rooms? Even if that were possible, the cure would be worse than the disease. In today's world, functioning without technology is becoming increasingly difficult and, once you've taken the technological plunge, the information is out there; there's no going back.
The key is increased awareness and constant vigilance. Use common sense, as you do in the real world. Don't automatically trust strangers. Don't wander into places (virtual or physical) where you're unfamiliar with the terrain. Don't divulge sensitive information — such as credit-card and bank-account details, social-security numbers and birthdays — that can be used to steal your identity.
Most cybercriminals are like most other predators: they go for the easy kills. By taking some precautions, you can still use the technologies that they exploit — so long as you use them wisely — without becoming a victim.
Debra Littlejohn Shinder is a technology consultant, trainer and writer.
Credit: 10 technologies that cybercriminals love to exploit from TechRepublic.com
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