A computing virus is a piece of
programming code introduced into a system to corrupt it or destroy data. Virus
is used as a generic term for malicious programs, which spread from one
computer to another. More specifically a virus spreads by attaching itself to a
normal program file, and will only be executed or propagated when the user
takes some action. Worms, a kind of
virus, are programs that can transmit themselves through a network by exploiting
security loopholes, as opposed to viruses proper which need a “host”. It is
able to replicate itself over a computer network and usually performs malicious
actions, not unlike computer viruses. Email is a common transit route for worms
but not the only one.
Let’s
admit it; we all are interested in downloading free applications (movies,
musics, etc). And many times we allow the temptation of gaining access to these
software without having to purchase it overrule the common sense nagging at the
back of our head- that it might not be legitimate
in terms of the law as well as the nature of the software itself. There are an abundant
number of risky sites that proffer infected software to the users, and as
expected, oft times we are attacked by Trojan
virus exactly
through such platforms. Of course, another common way Trojan are spread to
users is through e-mails. Trojan is
a “destructive program that masquerades as a benign application”. It appears to
be harmless but it is NOT. Unlike viruses though, Trojan horses do not
replicate themselves but are equally (or even more) destructive. Trojan can be extremely
lethal as it may disguise itself as an anti-virus software yet actively starts
to destroy useful folders and files once downloaded.
The past
week’s lesson imparted new knowledge to me with regards to the difference
between the three terms above, all of which are destructive programs that threaten
internet security- virus, worms, and Trojan. Additionally, while most people
are mindful of keeping their computers virus-free, they fail to recognize that
there are other dangers out there on the internet which can create more
detrimental implications and consequences, say for example, online fraud and
cybercrimes. Before I talk about that in depth, here are a couple of important new
terms introduced to me that relates to the above:
Phishing- a form of Internet
fraud that aims to steal valuable information such as credit cards, social
security numbers, user IDs and passwords. Victims are usually scammed into providing personal
information (including login credentials that can be used to gain access to
bank accounts and other financial assets) after opening emails with enticing headings
meant to provoke reactions, before succumbing to cyber-criminals’ trap.
Spyware- it is a software that tracks
your actions and/or your Internet use. It can capture what you type on your
keyword, including passwords and send it to the spyware creator. (How scary is
that!!!)
CYBER-CRIMES IN SINGAPORE
Early last year in 2012, “National University of
Singapore (NUS) confirmed that hackers had infiltrated the university’s backend
systems and stolen a trove of information – including staff usernames, domain
information and hashed passwords. Even though the affected data was not deemed
confidential by NUS, the university had to work carefully to inform the public
and reset the passwords of all the affected accounts.”
And the
above example is just one out of many. According
to the Norton Cybercrime report for 2012, 72 per cent of
online adults in Singapore have been a victim of cybercrime in their lifetime. http://sg.news.yahoo.com/%E2%80%98new%E2%80%99-forms-of-cybercrime-rising-in-singapore--survey.html
As
expected, with the
rapid advancement of the internet and its uses, cybercrimes are becoming
progressively more rampant today. Singapore is no exception. Individuals and
organizations are susceptible to perpetuators who are motivated to hack into
their accounts, gather confidential information, and cause deceptions for
various purposes- from financial goals to spreading ideology, the reasons for
committing cybercrimes are innumerable. Yet we all know that there is some
truth in the saying “money is the root of all evil” and that is precisely why
there is an exceptionally high number of cybercriminals on the go- the greed
for money.
Woman cheats 230 buyers of
S$53,000 in online forum scam
Published last year on Jun 22, 2012, this article is
about a woman who goes by the name of “Pauline Ong” and her involvement in
online frauds. She has cheated at least 230 buyers of more than $53,000 in a
series of online forum scams. Attached below is a screenshot of her apology to
the buyers after being caught red-handed.
Man loses $97,000 in online cybersex scam
Another case of cybercrime
committed in an attempt to obtain money happened last February, 2012. A group of six who was believed to have
extorted money from their victims by threatening to expose their naked photos had
been arrested. The 22-year-old victim lodged a police report on 26 February
only after numerous times of succumbing to their demands and ended up losing
$97,000 in total. http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest+News/Singapore/Story/A1Story20120228-330697.html
Police in Singapore are reporting what appears to be a ring (or rings) of online scam artists who use attractive women to "friend" victims on social sites, seduce them into cybersex on webcams and then threaten to post images or videos of them online if they don't pay up.
"They would commence a webcam conversation with the victims and initiate cybersex by undressing themselves first before persuading the male victims to appear nude or perform sexual acts in front of the webcams," the Singapore Police Force wrote in a post on its website.
"Unknown to the victims, the suspects had recorded the acts."
According to the police, more than 50 such cases were reported in 2012, up from 11 the previous year. Singapore Police warn potential targets to be wary of strangers befriending them on social networks and to avoid giving away personal details or "performing compromising acts" with people you barely know. The police also urge users to call authorities immediately if someone tries to extort money from you.
It is
really interesting to discover so much about internet security that I never
before took the time to find out about. It goes to show that the things we take
for granted every day (healthy computer and presumed “safe” internet surfing)
can actually be used against us in an unbelievably vicious and harmful way. Thus
there is a need for us (now that we know the threats to internet security and
the major consequences that could arise from it) to be constantly on alert for
any possible threats that are sent to us through emails or seemingly normal
downloadable applications. More than that, I find it imperative that we not
only be equipped with the knowledge of these harmful viruses, but also to learn
to protect our computers against them, just as the saying goes “prevention is
better than cure”.
As such,
I have done collated some information on protection and risk-prevention tools,
as well as methods against Virus, Worms, and other threats to internet
security:
Prevention
methods:
- - Don’t reply to email addresses which require our personal information, especially if they belong to strangers
- - Don’t click on the links sent; type out the URL manually
- - Ensure that the Web has encryption (“lock” symbol) and trust certificate
- - Implement firewalls, which act as security protection
- - Update system software regularly so that viruses cannot attack possible weaknesses of the software
- - Install an anti-virus software which can render viruses ineffective after scanning the computer for destructive programs
Popular
prevention tools:
- Ad-Aware; it now features download
protection (blocks malicious files before being written to disk), sandboxing
(keeps unknown apps running in a virtual environment) and advanced detection -
it's our most powerful free antivirus yet.
Source: http://www.lavasoft.com/
-
Norton
Antivirus, Virus and Spyware Protection; Basic antivirus protection that
stops viruses and spyware, so you can safely go online and share. There are five patented layers of protection
quickly and accurately detect and eliminate viruses and spyware. One can easily
download and share files without getting or passing on viruses. Additionally,
it protects privacy and prevents passwords and identity of the user from being
stolen while surfing the Web
Source:
http://us.norton.com/antivirus/
I have also provided the URL of an article below which gives a more in depth explanation on
how to prevent viruses from attacking our computers. Hopefully all of you will
learn something new as have I! J
In
addition, I have also found a site which talks about the symptoms one needs to
be aware of when the computer system is infected with virus! Below are few of
the more important ones:
·
Anti-virus program
reports that your computer is currently infected by virus(es)
·
Computer system
suddenly slows down. It takes very long time to respond (i.e. to open up a new
window or respond to your Click)
·
Your computer takes a
long time to start. It may stop responding before your desktop icons &
taskbar appear.
·
Error message
regarding missing file(s)/ program(s) pops up frequently
·
Strange messages
appear on screen
·
Your computer stops
responding whenever you attempt using Microsoft Office
·
Your computer reboots automatically
every few minutes/ restarts automatically and functions strangely
·
Document-based files
(i.e. Microsoft Office) are corrupted or lost.
·
One or more programs
in your computer disappear without you uninstalling.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53lwsPzbYTU
So this is quite a long post!! Goodbye for now, and
EVERYONE PLEASE STAY (CYBER)SAFE!!! :)
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