Month: July 2021

In the last post (Internet Threats) I covered some real threats at a high level. Now lets talk about what you can do to reduce the threat.

Internet Browsing
Regardless of the browser you use, IE, Chrome, Safari, or something else, you should NEVER use the browser’s “remember my password” feature or save any personally identifiable information you enter on a form. I know it is a great feature, you never have to remember your password because the browser remembers them for you. The big problem is that anyone with access to your computer has access to those same passwords.

To reduce the risk of exposure to malicious files or programs, Set your web browser to block pop-ups. You can always create an exception for some sites on a case-by-case basis. This will not only make your browsing more secure, but it will make your experience more pleasant.

If you play online games or download free software, be very careful. Spyware may be bundled with those programs. When you install the program, you may be installing something much more dangerous than you bargained for.

Be aware of the web browser address bar. That tells you what site you are on. If the address changes unexpectedly (like from Bank of America to Hacker’s Bank of Russia) or if you click on a link and are taken to an unfamiliar address, watch out!

Many ads track you or may even contain malware. Install an Ad Blocker browser extension (AdBlock) to block malicious ads. If you want, you can add additional tracking and malware filter lists to increase your protection.

Avoid clicking on links in general. Ads, offers, articles, etc. These are all potentially dangerous. Instead, note the information from the ad or article and use Google to search and see if it is something that you really want to see. On the other hand, if you’re on a mainstream site (CNN for example) you can trust links for news or similar links. But be cautious on ads and offers that send you to a third-party website.

Email
This is a tough one, I know. We all get those juicy and tempting messages in our email inboxes. You have to be strong and delete the messages that come from someone you didn’t expect. Whatever you do, NEVER click on a link in an unexpected email. Just clicking on the link can have you installing malware or spyware on your computer. Email is emotionally inviting for many, but it is a dangerous and high-risk tool that hackers love.

Even if you get an email from someone you know, think twice before opening any attachments. Email is so easy to spoof. (‘Spoofing’ is sending an email that looks like it is coming from someone you know). If you’re expecting the attachment, fine. But if it’s unexpected… think twice… then think again.

AntiVirus Software
This is part of the cost of owning a computer. You MUST use anti-virus software if you’re using your internet browser. Sure, that software costs money, but the risks you accept without it may be far beyond what you think. Think of what kind of transactions you make on that computer. Web banking, shopping? How many times have you input a credit card number? How many login accounts do you have? Consider the risk.

Passwords
Here is another tough topic. Passwords. I strongly recommend a password manager application. I use 1Password, one of the top-rated applications in this category. Rather than allowing the browser to remember your passwords, the password manager remembers them. Better still, it will generate secure passwords and remember them for you. What do you think is a better password – fluffy1973 or ?M7hUBhJkRQX4nDczX4p?

1Password encrypts the password before storing them and works across pc, phones, and tablets. You just have to remember one master password. Make it complex by basing in on a phrase – ‘My grandparents came to America in 1889! They came from France’ becomes MgctAi1889! TcfF. Remembering the phrase is easier than remembering the password.

One last word on password security. If you have an iPhone, you can leverage the built-in password manager as long as you require fingerprint security to access passwords.

Have you ever had your Facebook page hijacked? Ever gotten replies or bounced messages for an email you know you never sent? What about losing access to your email because someone changed the password without you knowing?

The last thing most of us want to think about is the risks we face when browsing the Internet. I sometimes find myself looking at those ads that pop up on sites as I look for interesting ‘news articles’. Then I remember the many cases where friends or family experienced Internet calamities like those above, or worse. What I hope to do here is want to do is cover some real threats, how they work, and what you can and should do to protect yourself.

The Weakest Link

We’re curious and we’re gullible. When I was still working, we tested system and personal vulnerabilities. I was always amazed at the number of people that fell for the faked email sent to test personal susceptibility. People were always opening or responding to phishing emails or emails with “malware” attachments. So, let’s talk about those malware-laden emails.

You get an email with a picture or video attachment and some catchy message that entices you to open and look at the attachment. Unfortunately, that promised video of a cat doing gymnastics also had some computer code or HTML along with it. When you clicked and opened the image, you also activated the code.

Impact

The code was somewhat harmless itself because it just opened a background connection to a website someplace. But then it downloaded a larger and more malicious program onto your computer that installed itself on your PC or Mac. As a result, your security was compromised. Let me tell you about a real case of this that happened to someone in my extended family.

One day they could not get into their web banking account. We tried resetting the password online with no success. Frustrated, we called the bank customer service to reset it over the phone. Guess what – the account was locked down.

Not a creature was string…

Malware was installed on the computer at some point in time. Maybe it happened when browsing a ‘fashion’ website, or maybe it was a click on that kitten email. Regardless of how it happened, the computer had malware. Then early one morning, while everyone was sleeping, a ‘bad guy’ used the malware to connect up to that computer. They opened the browser and connected to web banking. To make life easy, the friendly computer had the login/passwords auto-populate, and poof, the ‘bad guys’ were in the bank account!

Fortunately, the bank’s security systems detected some anomalies in the session. Those security tools shut down the connection and disabled the account. It could have been worse, a lot worse.

Bad Actors and Dangerous Stuff

‘Bad Guys’ have been taking advantage of COVID-19 to target us with malware. These guys send emails disguised as legitimate messages about COVID-19. You’re told to ‘click a link below to learn more…‘. However, the link ends up installing malware that copies the files on your device and steals your personal information.

Right about now you may be asking yourself, what can you do in the face of all these threats? Or maybe you just want to throw your hands up and surrender. My advice is to relax. Most of us adapted to COVID-19 with more hand washing and masks. You should use similar precautions to protect yourself from these Internet viruses… a little behavior change.

What to Do?

First – don’t panic. Second, check out my recommendation in the What to do? post.