Malware...A New Threat

By: Scott Jarvis
Submitted: 2008-01-11 17:45:07
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The Internet and to some extent you email can contain hazardous materials that pose a risk to your computer.  As time passes these threats become increasingly dangerous as they can be programmed not just to steal data and files from your computer and/or networks but programmed with the intent and ability to steal your personal information as well, making you a victim of identity theft.

The key to safety on online safety is not just strong antivirus and antispyware utilities but education as well.  Though the majority of antivirus applications update their definitions on a regular basis these programs more or less perform such updates in response to newly discovered threats so in this sense you’re security software may not be enough to ward off possible threats.

One should be equally as cautious when dealing with emails.  Many unscrupulous emails these days are masked to appear as though they come from someone you know.  As such is the case even more experienced users may have a difficult time in discerning which emails are legitimate contacts and which are not.  As with browsing the internet, Desktop Security programs may not be enough to stop such threats.

Take for example one of the newest and most dangerous threats.  This new phishing email was designed with one sole purpose, which is to mimic the Salesforce Identity Confirmation feature and collect usernames along with passwords that will allow devious individuals to access online bank accounts and even credit agencies.  This new threat functions as many others have in the past by coaxing the recipient into opening an attachment that might appear to some as legitimate and then by installing malware into the recipients computer..

These attachments have commonly been reported as being one of the following, “form.zip” or “UpdateIElink.zip”, though other names are likely to be reported at some point.  As a general rule attachments from even valid contacts should be scrutinized to avoid any problems they may cause but identifying these two types of attachments should prompt you to delete the email immediately.  Once deletion of the email and attachment has been completed one should consider running a thorough scan using their elected Security Management software.  This will serve as a double check and should pick up any problems the email may have caused.

Should a user already have saved and opened the attachment, disconnection from any network said computer is on should be top priority.  This can help prevent infection from spreading and limit any possible damage to one machine.  Once this step has been completed passwords to banking, credit, and shopping websites should promptly be changed and kept not on the computer but on a notepad somewhere as most Internet Security publishers will not offer a solution to a new threat for close to 72 hours.

In cases like this where PC Security programs may not be able to detect such a threat, knowledge is the best defense against such things.  Though there may be no solution that will remove a threat like this as of yet, one should always have security protocols in place and running as a first line of defense.  If and when any of these should fail for an individual it is advisable to take the measures mentioned previously and utilize another computer temporarily, at least until your programs definitions receive the update it needs to detect and eradicate a threat such as this.

Internet users be wary.  Though many of us now rely on PC Security Software to handle these types of things for us you’ll always want to keep in mind that the individuals responsible for malicious attacks are usually one step ahead of the rest of us and endeavor to prey on uneducated masses of internet users.  It is for this reason alone that all of us, even those of us with profound experience should always stay educated about such topics.

Scott is an avid tech enthusiast and computer lover. http://www.eeye.com

Article source: Expert Articles

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