The Internet has become a playground for cyber criminals claiming innocent victims each day. It is no longer safe to browse the Internet or use a computer on a network, connected to the Internet, without proper protection against viruses and spyware. But a total cyber security outfit consists of more than just having anti-virus and anti-spyware software installed on your computer. You also need protection against spam and hackers. With so many security software to choose from, it is not always easy choosing the right spam filter and firewall, not even to mention configuring them to provide adequate and effective protection against cyber criminals.
No security software can substitute for common sense. Software is there to assist us, not to take over our lives or think on our behalf. The human mind plays a vital role in the battle against cyber crime. It has the ability to reason, something that software cannot do very well. Software can only reason within the boundaries it was programmed to operate in. When something happens outside these boundaries, the software can no longer serve its cause. This is when you need to be able to identify threats before they claim you as a victim. The latest generation of browsers include anti-phishing filters to protect people against phishing scams. But this technology mainly relies on the Internet community to report phishing sites. This is a big disadvantage because a phishing site can claim several victims before it is reported and to make things even worse, people are afraid of reporting cyber crime.
Security software is not yet able to assist people in identifying phishing scams and advance free fraud (419 Nigerian scams) effectively. This is why it is of the utmost importance for Internet users to be able to identify online fraud without relying on incompetent software. The Internet community should stop trusting everything on the Internet and take on an attitude of questioning everything they encounter on the Internet. Cyber criminals constantly create new methods of deceiving people, new variants of viruses and spyware appear each day and security experts are always one step behind them. It is therefore important for every Internet user to be vigilant and aware of the threats threatening our online safety today. Take a stand against cyber crime, make your contribution to a safer Internet, REPORT CYBER CRIME!
Computer Crime Research News
Daily news from www.crime-research.org
Support site for victims of cybercrime set to closeFri, 13 Aug 2010 05:04:14 +0100
An independent organisation set up three years ago to help the victims of online crime will close next month due to lack of funds. Over the years...
Apple devices are vulnerable to attack, say German security officials
Fri, 06 Aug 2010 10:14:03 +0100
Several Apple devices including the iPhone and iPad have two critical security weaknesses for which no patch exists, the German government warned last...
Cybercrime costs firms $3.8 million yearly
Tue, 03 Aug 2010 06:47:56 +0100
Cybercrime costs American companies a median loss of $3.8 million a year, according to a study released Monday by security firm ArcSight and the...
Bulgarian police shut down websites
Mon, 02 Aug 2010 18:04:40 +0100
The entertainment industry is continuing its mission to clamp down on suspected illegal filesharing websites around the world. Four sites have been...
Cyber crimes cost organizations $3.8 million per year
Wed, 28 Jul 2010 06:58:33 +0100
The study, sponsored by IT security vendor ArcSight, surveyed 45 US companies for a window of four weeks, over the course of nine months. While the...
