PATRICIA JORDAN
ON THE WEB
Cybercrime
Protecting your computer and network
C
ybercrime, once domistrong passwords and protect your nated by hackers and personal information. Change the their worms and virusdefault administration username es, has become increasand password if you use a wireingly subjugated by a new breed less network (WiFi) and turn on of cybercriminal. Cybercrime wireless encryption and enable the includes all criminal offences that firewall in your wireless router. are committed with the aid of a Each device that is connected will computer, network, or hardware need a firewall as well. Give your device. Motivated by fraud, cybernetwork a unique ID. The service criminals are constantly searchset identifier (SSID) is the name Patricia Jordan is the CBABC ing for unprotected computers you see when you look for availWeb Manager. and networks that can be used to able wireless connections with Tel: 604-646-7861 commit a cybercrime. your laptop. Refrain from using E-mail: pjordan@bccba.org There are a variety of types of default names such as “linksys” cybercrime. One type is a single event when a victim or “default,” as other people in your neighbourhood unknowingly downloads a Trojan horse that installs may do the same. If you use WiFi access in public a keystroke logger, virus, or rootkit from a comproplaces, take precautions to ensure you are not broadmised website or an e-mail. A rootkit is a program casting passwords and other personal information to that is designed to take unauthorized control of a anyone running a “sniffer” program in the vicinity. computer or network. Examples of this type of crime Cybercrime Victims include, but are not limited to, denial-of-service If you are the victim of an online attack, immediately attacks, economic or industrial espionage, identity disconnect your computer from the Internet by distheft, malicious code, phishing, spamming, theft of connecting your wireless connection or unplugging service, and unauthorized access. the network cable, phone, or cable line from your Cybercrime Services computer. You can also disable the network conCybercriminals are now using online cybercrime sernection by clicking on the Windows start menu and vices to install crimeware toolkits rather than dealing selecting “Settings,” then “Network Connections.” with the technical challenges of running a crimeware You will then need to right-click on “Network server. Services include automatic updates, support Connections” and select the “disable” option. If your and enhancements such as evasive anti-forensics computer or network has been compromised, scan it techniques and integration of code-obfuscation. It with an up-to-date antivirus program and back up has been difficult to prosecute distributors of crimecritical information. You may also need to re-install ware, as they did not commit the cybercrime that was your computer’s operating system. committed with their product. Site du Jour
Cybercrime Prevention
Norton™ from Symantec
You can protect your computer by ensuring it is configured securely and keeping it current with the latest software patches and updates. Choose
For more information about cybercrime and securing your computer or network visit: www.symantec. com/norton/cybercrime/index.jsp. BT June 2008 BARTALK
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