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Cyber crime has become a serious problem for those using the Internet. The greatest threats to all Internet users are malicious software programs known as crime-ware and social planning systems, which are often known as phishing and pharming scams. Viruses do not currently pose as big a problem with the potential loss of data or damage to our computers; spyware and phishing attack is where the danger is real.
Spyware is the most common form of crime-ware. It is a small program or piece of code that is designed for spying on your online activity and / or personal information. There are many types and forms of spyware and new versions are introduced into the Internet every day. Although all spyware is used for illegal purposes, some can be very dangerous because of an ability to record keystrokes, take pictures of our PC screen and monitor everything that we do online. Spyware often installs unknown to anyone, and runs quietly in the background.
The information gathered by spyware is secretly transmitted to the person who planted it. Sometimes it is emailed, but more often it is relayed to a hostage slave computer, where it is captured by the criminal that installed it. It is possible for the person to use it to access bank accounts, credit card money, or even steal identity. Some spyware is used to hijack computers, turning them into slaves used to collect and store data that were obtained illegally. Most owners rarely know that their PC is used to store illegal information. Many of the slave computers are also used to help social engineers collect data through pharming scams.
How to protect yourself online?
There are several things you can do to protect yourself from cyber crime. The most obvious is to use good Internet security products. Anyone who uses the Internet should use a good personal firewall, anti-spyware and anti-virus software. The easiest way for more secure computer users at home is to buy an Internet Security Suite.
