Computer Security: Scams via Phisher

Author: Hazel Mia

Article:
How this e-mail scam works is through this: usually, you will
receive an e- mail from a service online provider or through a
bank that ill ask you to go click a specific link or visit a
particular website and from there you will be elicited to
provide your personal info.

This type of scam is called phishing.

Basically, this scam is where victims are asked and tricked to
entering all their personal info like passwords, account numbers
to an organization or company that presents itself as
legitimate.

Ingenious scammers who create a site that looks a lot like the
authentic web site do this trick. E-mails are usually used to
invite and bait potential online victims to go to the fake
website.

As much as possible, always be cautious and wary of e-mails that
ask you to click a link and give out personal sensitive info
like bank details.

You should know that any info provided on these fake sites are
farmed and harvested by scammers which they in turn use to steal
the funds from the userЎЇs bank account or steal the identity of
the victim.

Be aware that companies that are legitimate would never ask for
any sensitive info through e-mail.

Never, ever click on these e-mail links. Never give out any info
about you. If there are doubts on the veracity of the e-mail, it
is always best to directly contact the legitimate company.

How to know a scam if you see one? Generally, a scam has the
following characteristics. It makes the promise to give you lots
of money, lots of prizes or a job. Free Scan! See how many
errors your computer has, at
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It also asks you for donations. It also proposes business deals
that are lucrative. It also asks that you provide personal and
very sensitive info. It also asks that you follow a specific
link to a particular website and log in to a particular account.

Educating yourself is an essential contribution against being
vulnerable to fraud as well as any virus or security threat.

About the author:
Scan your registry for free at
http://www.registry-cleaners-reviewed.info

Psychological Internet Security: Drawing a Spider to the Web

Author: Josh George

Article:

Even if everyone knew exactly what they wanted and where to get
it on the internet, they would not be safe from this.
While antivirus solutions and computer protection software are evolving to identify these scams, many are still evading internet security solutions. These scams can affect everyone and can be summed up in one word: Pharming.

While you have probably heard about pharming as well as the dangers that come from surfing to sites containing pornography, warez (illegal downloads) and other underground-related sites, pharming can virtually affect any topic of any industry. As long as sensitive information
can be extracted from you, pharming scams will be developed. After all, people can act like lemmings on the internet; one by one, they will stumble into the pharming scam
and do exactly what the scam artists want them to do.

So you’re probably wondering what pharming is and how it can compromise your computer
protection and internet security. Simply put, it is like an evolved form of phishing.&nb
sp; Instead of the scam artists trying to convince you to visit a fraudulent site, they just build tons of fraudulent sites and let you visit them through redirection tactics. While the
details of these redirection tactics are beyond the scope of this article, it is important to know that financially-related websites are the primary targets of pharming scams.

As you can understand, it is extremely difficult to identify pharming scams because you have no idea when you visit one. But is this really the case? For many, the warnings literally pop
up in front of their eyes, but they have simply trained themselves to ignore the computer
protection and internet security signs. The question is, are you one of these people?

Answer this: have you ever browsed to a place where you are greeted with an internet security warning stating you just entered a site with an unsigned certificate? If you have, did you simply agree to view the site and not even bother to wonder why there was an unsigned
certificate internet security warning? Well, that warning box could mean the loss of your identity if you are not careful enough. For scammers to set up these pharming websites, they try to duplicate every aspect of the real site as possible, including the certificates. If you ignore these unsigned certificate warnings and enter your personal information, you literally send it all to the scammers.

To help
identify these scams, click File > Properties in your browser and make sure the website is
an actual domain name instead of an IP address. Simply looking at the address bar of a pharming site is not enough, for scammers have ways to cloak it. Also, make sure that
yellow lock is in the bottom right-hand corner of your browser window. That lock signifies SSL, which means your information is being transferred over a securely encrypted channel.

When it comes to additional computer protection and internet security, grab a free legitimate anti-phishing toolbar. Also make sure to install the most current updates for your
antivirus software.

In the end, remember internet security and computer protection means using common sense and judgment when surfing the web. For any sites that require you to enter personal
information, make sure you analyze the website like discussed above. In spending the additional time it takes to do this, you will dramatically increase your computer protection
and online security, all without spending a penny.

About the author:
Josh George has been an active member in the computer and
internet security community since 1998. Writing on the topic and
making presentations to FBI, DoD, and NSA members, his site
provides time-tested best practices and recommended tools for
everyone: http://www.essentialcomputersecurity.com

New exploits out for DNS Vulnerability in Windows Server

Author: btv raj

Article:
The AntiVirus, AntiSpam and Content Security firm MicroWorld
Technologies urges organizations to be on their guard, as the
number of exploits out for the critical DNS vulnerability in
Windows Server rose to five. The possibility of 'Vanbot' worm
exploiting the flaw is also looked into, says the Security firm.

The flaw in question was made public by Microsoft on last
Thursday, as first reports of it came a day after the Redmond
firm's patch Tuesday. It can be found at
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/advisory/935964.mspx.
The flaw is related to the way DNS (Domain Name System) Server
Service uses RPC (Remote Procedure Call) interface.

RPC is a protocol used in requesting a service from a program
located in another computer in a network. An attacker can send a
malformed RPC packet to create buffer overflow in DNS service,
which will allow him to execute arbitrary code on the victim's
computer.

The affected versions are Windows 2000 Server Service Pack 4,
Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003
Service Pack 2. Security researchers indicate that the new
Windows Server in the making, code named as 'Longhorn', is also
not insulated from the danger.

Rohini Sonawane, Chief Operating Officer of MicroWorld, says "If
the DNS service is compromised, the intruder can plant Pharming
attacks in the computer, where a legitimate web request can be
re-directed to a malicious spoof website. It means, when you key
in the web address of your bank in a compromised computer, the
request will go to the Phishing site, which will capture all
your confidential banking information and hand them over to the
malware author!"

According to Rohini, a variant of the 'Vanbot' worm known to
exploit many earlier Windows vulnerabilities, is reportedly
exploiting this new found loophole as well. She said MicroWorld
is analyzing these possibilities, even as the firm's products
eScan and MailScan safeguard users against all Vanbot varieties.

Vikas Vishwasrao, a Senior Security Analyst at MicroWorld
suggests that users of MicroWorld's eConceal firewall can block
Port 445 as well as Port 1025 and all Ports above, till
Microsoft releases a patch for the flaw, as these Ports are used
by the RPC protocol. He said an infection can be sensed using
TCP Connection feature of MicroWorld products, as affected
computers will show frantic network activity in IRC traffic as
well as a huge increase in HTTP traffic on non standard ports.



MicroWorld

MicroWorld Technologies (www.mwti.net) is the developer of
highly advanced AntiVirus, Content Security and Firewall
software solutions eScan, MailScan, and eConceal. MicroWorld
Winsock Layer (MWL) is the revolutionary technology that powers
most of MicroWorld products enabling them to achieve several
certifications and awards by some of the most prestigious
testing bodies, notable among them being Virus Bulletin,
Checkmark, TUCOWS, Red Hat Ready and Novell Ready.

For more information, please visit www.mwti.net


About the author:
Btv Raj is the Content Writer and Creative Visualizer of
MicroWorld Technologies.