Not yet registered? Create a OverBlog!

Create my blog

What is phishing and how can it be avoided?

Phishing is the name given to a particular type of internet scam that is used primarily by criminals and hackers in order for them to try and obtain personal and valuable information about people that can then be used in various different ways. I shall be discussing what phishing is and how best to avoid it.

What is phishing?

Phishing is when criminals or hackers gain sensitive or personal information by pretending to be legitimate sources. For instance, the phisher might send a scam email purporting to be from the victim's bank. Upon opening the hoax mail, the user could be asked to login to their account and may be presented with a link that leads them to what looks like their bank's website. Whilst everything may look legitimate as the victim attempts to login, their sensitive data such as user name, password etc. will be automatically sent to the scammers for them to use for fraudulent purposes.

How to avoid phishing

There are a number of basic techniques that a user can undertake to avoid being the victim of a phishing hoax. Some of these are outlined below: - Never click on a link purporting to be from your bank, credit card company etc. that asks you to log into your account. Most banking institutions have a policy whereby they would never do this. - When doing something like online banking, always ensure that you log into the bank through a secure website. This can be seen in the web address bar with 'https://' (not the s at the end of http) at the start of the address. - Never fill out a form that you have received via email that asks for personal information. - Many web browsers now have available plugins that will protect users against known fraudulent websites. Consider installing one of these. - If you receive a hoax email, be sure to forward it to the support email address of the company the hoax email is trying to imitate. - Regularly login to bank accounts etc. and keep an eye on any suspicious activity. - Do not use the same passwords for different accounts and change them regularly. Final word
By following the few simple rules above will help to thwart any phishing attacks in their tracks.

Same category articles Computers

What are the benefits of an omni-directional antenna?

What are the benefits of an omni-directional antenna?

The antenna has become a major part of our multimedia accessories, and for that reason, you need to be equipped with knowledge on how to get the best one, and how to maximise your antenna. directional antennas are best for anyone hoping to increase the signal strength as well as the distance covered by the antenna. read on to learn about the benefits of omni-directional antenna.
Where to buy a printer stand

Where to buy a printer stand

Deciding where to buy your printer stand from may seem like a simple task, but you'd be surprised to find out what sort of stands are available for certain types of printer. while you can put a printer on just about anything and it will still do its job, there are some printer stands, that will increase their productivity ten-fold. knowing where best to source these stands is something that every company purchaser should know.
Compare the prices of LCD monitor stands

Compare the prices of lcd monitor stands

Many people use more than one monitor at a time these days. this may be in an office environment or, more increasingly, at home. this may not be a problem for someone with ample desktop real estate, however, for those short on space, an lcd monitor stand can certainly help with this problem. here i'll be comparing prices of such stands.
How to clean my keyboard?

How to clean my keyboard?

The method you choose for cleaning your keyboard is highly dependent on why you are cleaning your keyboard. if you are doing a general pc cleaning, you can expect the keyboard cleaning to be a quick work done by a gentle hand. if your keyboard needs deep cleaning like the equivalent of a computer vacuum, you will need to spend some time to do a careful cleaning.