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Email and Computer Security

Types of Threat

Adware

Programs that secretly gather personal information through the Internet and relay it back to another computer, generally for advertising purposes. Adware can be downloaded from Web sites (typically in shareware or freeware), email messages, and instant messengers. A user may unknowingly trigger adware by accepting an End User License Agreement from a software program linked to the adware. You may only realise you have Adware on your computer when you start to get regular "pop-up" advertising messages and web pages that are not associated with any web site you are browsing. Detection and Removal Tools.

Dialers

Programs that use a system, without your permission or knowledge, to dial out through the Internet to a premium rate number or FTP site, typically to accrue charges.

Hack Tools

Tools used by a hacker to gain unauthorized access to your computer. One example of a hack tool is a keystroke logger - a program that tracks and records what you have typed in to your keyboard and can send this information back to the hacker.

Hoax

Usually an email that gets mailed in chain letter fashion describing some devastating, highly unlikely type of virus. Hoaxes are detectable as having no file attachment, no reference to a third party who can validate the claim, and by the general tone of the message.

Joke Programs

Programs that change or interrupt the normal behaviour of your computer, creating a general distraction or nuisance. Harmless programs that cause various benign activities to display on your computer (for example, an unexpected screen saver).

Pharming

There are two kinds of pharming (pronounced "farming"). The first, known as "local", redirects Internet users to bogus web sites by modifying the system on your computer that determines what website is at an address before it even looks on the Internet. The second kind of pharming targets the computer servers of companies or ISPs. The pirates can silently redirect all the users from an ISP without ever hacking into their computers. The first kind of attack puts everybody at risk, but the pirates first have to infect or hack into your computer to be able to modify the local files. The second kind of attack requires the pirates to hack into the server at your ISP. The bogus web site could just collect usernames and passwords, or it could allow access to the site and, using some pretence, request personal information.

Phishing

Pronounced "fishing", it is a scam to steal valuable information like credit card numbers, user IDs and passwords. An official-looking email is sent to potential victims pretending to be from their ISP, bank or retail establishment. The email usually claims that certain information must be updated to continue your service. A link in the message directs the user to an apparently genuine Web page that asks for personal information, but the page is a clever copy and not the real web site. If you suspect a Phishing scheme, you can report it to the Anti-Phishing Working Group: http://www.antiphishing.org

Remote Access

Programs that allow another computer to gain information or to attack or alter your computer, usually over the Internet. Remote access programs detected in virus scans may be recognizable commercial software, that are brought to the user's attention during the scan.

Spyware

Stand-alone programs that can secretly monitor system activity. These may detect passwords or other confidential information and transmit them to another computer. Spyware can be downloaded from Web sites (typically in shareware or freeware), email messages, and instant messengers. A user may unknowingly trigger spyware by accepting an End User License Agreement from a software program linked to the spyware. Detection and Removal Tools.

Trojan Horse

A program that neither replicates nor copies itself, but causes damage or compromises the security of the computer. Typically, an individual emails a Trojan Horse to you - it does not email itself - and it may arrive in the form of a joke program or software of some sort.

Virus

A program or code that replicates; that is, infects another program, boot sector, partition sector, or document that supports macros, by inserting itself or attaching itself to that medium. Most viruses only replicate, though, many do a large amount of damage as well.

Worm

A program that makes copies of itself; for example, from one disk drive to another, or by copying itself using email or another transport mechanism. The worm may do damage and compromise the security of the computer. It may arrive in the form of a joke program or software of some sort.

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