Demons of the Digital Age

Viruses, Zombies & Worms: Worries of the World Wide Web

“Remember when” seems to be a common theme these days, in both country western lyrics and everyday conversations. Well, the same is being said about the cyber world. Remember when a virus was just a cold, a worm was something you put on a hook to go fishing, the Trojan Horse was ancient mythology and a zombie was a Saturday night horror flick. Unfortunately today, these words take on entirely new meanings.
A computer virus is attached to a program or file so it can spread from computer to computer, leaving infections everywhere it goes. A worm also travels computer to computer, but it can travel without any help from a person. It has the capability to create copies of itself and send those copies to everyone in your databases or address books. A trojan horse, much like the myth, usually comes disguised as a legitimate software program or file. Once opened, though, it wreaks havoc with its host computers, ranging from annoyances like moving icons around and making bogus files to causing serious damage such as deleting files and destroying information. Zombies or botnets are a collection of compromised computers under the remote command of a criminal. What these criminals do is gain control of personal and business computers and unleash one or more of the malicious software mentioned above.
Phishing scams are so frequent it’s hard to keep up with them. In computing terms, phishing describes a criminal activity that takes advantage of social engineering techniques, like deception and fear. Phishers request sensitive information such as user names, passwords or banking information by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication such as e-mail. Because they mimic legitimate sites, they look like a site you would normally think was safe, which makes them increasingly hard to catch. Some of the biggest phishing scams in 2007 mimicked the Better Business Bureau, the IRS, and even hometown banks. Now we’re even being inundated by scams masquerading as election campaigns.
And the damages are adding up. The FBI, which recently wrapped up the second phase of Bot Roast (an ongoing investigation against botnets),   uncovered more than $20 million in economic losses and more than a million victimized computers.
What can you do?

We have been informed of the dangers of the Internet. We have seen the sobering statistics. We are following the rules to protect ourselves by not giving out our personal information over the phone and not opening suspicious e-mails. Unfortunately it is not enough. What else can we do? Where do we go for help? How do we fight to protect our businesses and our homes, our families and our most valuable assets?

Be diligent in watching your online activities. Keep the following guidelines in mind:
1. Never give out your personal information over the phone or online. Legitimate entities will never ask for your information unless you are the one who initiated the call.
2. Security for your computers must be multi-layered. This way
you are placing obstacles in the way of the criminal and making it difficult to access your computer.
3. Know where to look for information and solutions on new scams.
Large corporations like Fortune 500 companies protect themselves by locking down their computers and installing layered protection that requires the management of an entire information technology team. They hire companies to manage their security for them. But what can the small-business owner or home user do to manage the security of his computer?
Managed Security Services are available for individuals and small businesses too. With managed Internet security services, a company provides the security software, installs it and maintains it for you. Computer repair companies are offering hands-on monitoring through remote access. Consumers are educating themselves on layering their protection. Managed security services are available to everyone now. Service like these translate into several comforts like saving time and money, peace of mind and better protection.
Whether you choose to do it yourself, hire a technician or secure your systems with the help of a managed service, comprehensive protection is the only way to keep your computer, data, and identity safe.