Chain Mails, Viruses, and Phishing

Privacy and Surveillance

Chain Mails, Viruses, and Phishing

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It would be a surprise to many people, but most computer viruses that roam around the Internet may easily be avoided if users only practiced proper discretion when downloading files. Most virus "infections" are actually the result of the ignorance of most Internet users when it comes to things that are known as security risks.

Most of the time, you will realize that many of these viruses come in the form of chain emails and chain messages that get handed around containing files that are supposed to be sent to peers in order to avoid the plague. In most cases, the chain letters also require that the file should be executed, thereby releasing any viruses stored therein in order to wreak havoc in one's computer. Since the user doesn't know at a glance what this is about and blindly passes it on, he/she is unknowingly used in order to propagate the chain virus.

This kind of scheme is stupid and brilliant at the same time. It's stupid because I personally do not understand why people would pass on these emails without even confirming what they are for. People don't seem to learn from their mistakes and just believe whatever it is that they are sent through the Internet. On the other hand, it is brilliant especially from the point of view of its perpetrator because it makes good use of people's gullible nature.

It's not just even about viruses. That's nothing if you can always reformat your computer anyway. The bigger risk here that people are unnecessarily exposing themselves to is phishing. Phishing misrepresents legitimate websites in order to get important information from those who click it. If you can only get one username-password combination, you can potentially open a dozen more as well because we have the tendency to use one set of usernames and passwords for multiple websites.

I cannot stress this enough, but we should always be vigilant even in the Internet. Some of the biggest risks to exposing important information can be seen here.

You can talk about... Chain Mails, Viruses, and Phishing

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