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Avoiding Internet fraudsters Scammers and hackers
By Amit Dhoodwallah Internet analyst and scamhunter
There are many ways an account can be compromised/hacked. A few
(but by no means all) of the common ones follow some what
in order of frequency used:
Phishing
* Never respond to an e-mail that requests your login:password. Never
follow a link that doesn't go to to a known url (for example: http:\\gmail.google.com\ is NOT
the same as http:\\gmail.google.com.junk.ru\).
Be aware that the url printed in the message may
not be where the link actually goes so verify before you click.
Common password usage
* Using the same password for multiple accounts so if someone breaks
into one (like Facebook) they can get into
others. Getting access to an e-mail account can often lead them to Paypal, Ebay, YouTube and many
other accounts.
* Make sure you use a unique password for every site where you have an
account. Especially critical for financial sites, or sites with links
to other accounts (like social networking or e-mail sites).
Linked accounts
* Related to the above in that one account has information leading to
other accounts. If they gain access then they know about the other
accounts too. This is hard to protect against when a forum or social
networking site requires an e-mail address (if they break into the one site,
look at your settings, they know your e-mail address too).
* Do not store login:password
information in an e-mail account where it can be accessed should the account
be compromised. Also consider a "junk" e-mail address for all
forum/web-site registrations so it does not lead back to your primary
account.
Failing to log out
* Failing to close your account on a computer that others have access
to (like at work, school, or library) so that anyone else can access your
account.
* Always close your account when you walk away from your computer (even
at home for some people).
Browser auto-fill enabled
* Like the above, having the browser configured to enter your
login/password automatically so anyone using the computer can gain access to
your account.
* Never use the browser's auto-fill capabilities unless you're on a
100% private, secure, and trusted computer.
- Clear saved data:
* Any computer accessible by others can have a keylogger installed which will capture your
login/password for any site you visit.
* Never log into your account on a public computer (like at a library)
and be very cautious using any computer that others have access to (like at
work or school).
Trojan/Virus/Malware
* While not strictly used to steal an account, could do damage to your
account or use it to send spam while you're logged in.
* Always keep virus scanners enabled, and using up-to-date definition
files. Regular use of malware type scanners is good too.
Password
guessing
* A brute-force method of guessing someone's password, made easier if
they know you in real-life, especially if you use a weak password (like a
kid's or spouse's name).
* Follow standard password generation safeguards: no common words
or proper names, no patterns (1234 or qwerty), use mixed case and include
numbers or punctuation, etc.
Server attack
* When someone compromises a company's server gaining access to account
or private information for a large number of users. This is typically
seen in large identity-theft cases.
* Nothing you can really do about this except deal with only reputable
companies with good privacy policies.
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