The Trading Standards Service is part of RBWM’s Public Protection Unit, we are committed to achieving a fair and safe trading environment to benefit local residents, businesses and visitors to the area.
Staying Safe Online good anti-virus software that includes Firewall Protection, and a Spam Filter. The BBC Webwise site provides a useful no-nonsense helpful guide. www.bbc.co.uk/webwise/guides/virusprotection.
Phishing
Do you use a computer on a regular basis? This information could help keep you and your information safer. Many of us use the internet every day and although it is generally safe, it can be all too easy to become a victim of scams or e-crime - just by an unwilling click on a link.
Phishing refers to any email or online scam that ‘hooks’ users and cons them into supplying personal data. Phishing scams usually take the form of an unexpected email or website that looks like it comes from an official body - for example, your bank - which requests that you input logins, passwords, credit card numbers, dates of birth and the like into an online form.
Viruses
The term ‘virus’ is often used as a catch-all to describe all kinds of security hazards but, in fact, it refers to a specific type of problem. A true computer virus is a program that works in the same way as a biological virus, infecting and replicating itself without the user’s knowledge. These programs, which can be attached to emails or come from files you load onto your computer e.g. via USB sticks or simply from accessing some websites. They can take many different forms e.g. attacking your computer and making it inoperable, causing irritation by copying themselves to the email contacts on your computer, or running in the background collecting vital data about yourself. What you can do The best advice is to take time to gain a wider appreciation to the threats that are out there - the more you understand the threats the better prepared you will be. This advice stands for all the threats covered in this article. To protect yourself from viruses you need some
This is a major problem and is not just about computers. The National Fraud Authority has estimated that every year in the UK identity fraud costs more that £2.7 billion and affects over 1.8 million people. Your dustbin is as much a source of information as your PC. Here villains will seek to collect all manner of personal information about you and then use it for a wide range of fraudulent purposes from acquiring a passport to taking out credit cards in your name. What you can do Be very cautious about supplying personal details including photographs to anyone, even your friends, and do not throw things such as bank statements in your dustbin without shredding them. Fortunately, the Home Office has set up an excellent site which advises on all aspects of Identity Fraud from which you can download advice leaflets. www.identitytheft.org.uk
Some IT Jargon Explained
Online crime includes identity theft, virus attacks and unsolicited emails enticing you to reveal personal and financial details. The Royal Borough has developed this information to highlight the simple steps you can take to avoid becoming a victim of e-crime.
Identity theft
The information is then passed on to crooks who can use it to steal your identity or access your finances. Many phishing emails and websites look just like the real thing and it can be hard to tell a fake. If you use a spam filter, however, it should catch the majority of these messages before they reach your inbox. The latest internet browsers have built-in phishing filters. However, some phishing emails will always get through, so take care. Always delete unexpected emails asking for any personal, IT, or financial details. What you can do Check on the internet sites below which provide advice. But if in doubt, simply delete the email. Reputable organisations will never ask for banking details unless it is part of a financial transaction you have agreed to conduct. The commercial sites below will provide very useful advice and tips, but we must emphasis we do not endorse products advertised on the sites: www.cymru1.net/extra/security3.php www.technicalinfo.net/papers/ Phishing.html www.technicalinfo.net/papers/ Phishing2.html
Anti-virus (AV) software - these are programs which protect your computer from viruses. Typically, as well as being able to remove or isolate viruses that attack your computer from viruses. Typically, as well as being able to remove or isolate viruses that attack your computer, they also set up firewalls to prevent virus attack in the first place. AV software also normally has programs which spot Phishing emails.
Firewall - A firewall is a piece of software (or hardware) that sits between a user’s PC and a network, such as the internet, protecting the computer from unauthorised traffic and potentially malicious attacks. Put simply, a firewall acts as a block between your PC and the outside world. Phishing - an attempt at identity theft in which criminals lead users to a counterfeit website in the hope that they will disclose private information such as user names and passwords. Spam filter - normally a program that is sold as part of an AV package. It detects emails that come from potentially risky sources and either deletes or gives you the option of doing so.