Wallingford, CT - February 24, 2011 – The benefits of the Age of the Internet is one side of a double-edged sword: We can communicate with almost anyone and research pretty much anything we want at blinding speed.
The other edge of the sword represents the risks to personal information that grew as the Internet came of age. Open an e-mail attachment or click on a link of unknown origin and hackers can burrow into your computer, create digital havoc and harvest your Internet sites, logins and passwords.
Unfortunately, there is something of a “It won’t happen to me” mentality that illustrates computer security is not widely taken seriously. The good news, is that keeping your information safe is easy:
Hacking
To understand what hacking is, think of it as virtual breaking and entering. A criminal is infiltrating your computer to steal what is rightfully yours: your virtual property. Once hackers break in, they can alter important information, delete key files, and even take down an entire network of computers. Most often, computer hackers break into large consumer websites with the goal of stealing bank account and credit card information.
BBB Advises:
Use a firewall - Even though hackers usually target large company websites, that does not mean that home networks are completely safe. However, with a firewall in place, you can control your security and filter what information from the Internet is safe and what is not.
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Use caution when giving out personal information on the Internet - We hear it all the time, but do we really listen? Use software to keep information safe, and only give out your information if you trust the company. Check the BBB Business Review before buying from a company you don’t know.
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Ignore your preconceived notions- Kids hack too. It’s hard to imagine a teenager that has the power and knowledge to bring a network of computers to their knees, but it’s been done.
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Teach your children safe computer practices, just as you would teach them that robbing a bank or driving drunk is wrong. Just because it’s virtual doesn’t mean the consequences are virtual too.
Viruses
Viruses are similar to hacking in that they are created to impair or destroy your computer’s infrastructure. However, much as its name would signify, a virus is like a common cold. It is easily passed from computer to computer through the Internet with nothing more that the click of a button or the opening of email. Once it reaches as far as it can, the virus takes over the hosting computer. Unfortunately, for its victims, viruses infect computers often before they even know what they did wrong.
BBB Advises:
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Don’t open emails that are suspicious - It’s relatively common knowledge that you shouldn’t open an email that touts “FREE FREE FREE” or “VIAGRA CHEAP” in the subject line, but the landscape of email viruses has changed in the last few years. Now, viruses can appear as if they are coming from someone in your email contact list. Make sure to monitor subject lines, even if you know the sender, and if you are the victim of an email virus, immediately warn your contacts, because they may be the next target. After that, change your password often over the next few weeks.
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Back up your information - Viruses sometimes only affect email, but too often, they spread throughout your entire computer. Buying a new computer can be painful, however, losing pictures, documents and music can hurt even more. Once a month, once a week, even once a day, take the time to back up information that you can’t live without.
You can find more information on safe computing at http://ct.bbb.org/consumer-tips-technology/.
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Founded in 1928, Connecticut BBB is an unbiased non-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. BBB offers objective advice and a wide range of education on topics affecting marketplace trust. BBB also offers complaint and dispute resolution support for consumers and businesses. Today, 128 BBBs serve communities across the U.S. and Canada, evaluating and monitoring more than three million local and national businesses and charities. For more advice on finding companies and businesses, start your search with trust at www.bbb.org.Howard Schwartz, Communications Director, 203-269-2700, hschwartz@ct.bbb.org
