The Threat Of Online Security:How safe is our data...

Nowadays, the technology at internet is continue grow rapidly, so that everyone also can easily to access to the internet. People rely on computers to create, store and manage critical information. Consequently, it is important for users to aware that computer security plays a major role in protecting their data from loss, damage, and misuse.

There are some websites are not so safety for the users to use this is because some people are created some malicious program such as computer viruses, worms, trojan horses and spyware. So, let us to discuss the threat of online security:

(i) Computer Viruses
Computer viruses is a piece of software code that inserts itself into a host which including the operating systems to spread over and harm the users computer. In the internet world, there have around 80,000 viruses and everyday will have 25 new viruses be created. The examples of computer viruses are I Love You virus, AutoRun and etc.

How Does A Virus Or Worm Infection Affect Us?
Unfortunately, the effects of an infection are pretty unpleasant. The virus or worm, can,

• Disable the computer
• Add, modify or delete files or reformat the hard disk
• Steal addresses held in our computer to send on virus-infected emails to our friends, colleagues, clients or customers
• Send unsolicited bulk email (spam) to those in our mail address books and other users

(ii) Trojan Horses

Trojan horses are a program that appears to be useful but actually is the mask destructive program. The example of Trojan horse is Trojan Xombe which is the mask as email from Microsoft. The hackers will access to the computer and steal the passwords.

How Does A Trojan Infection Affect Us?

A Trojan installed on a computer allows that PC to be entered via a 'backdoor' by any remote user that has the access code to the Trojan.

The remote attacker can enter the computer undetected, when the user is online, to access or destroy any information stored. Alternatively, the Trojan can be programmed to automatically send any information on our PCs back to the attacker. This could include,

• Client or customer information or other business data
• Credit card details
• Passwords for access to your online bank, ISP or web services
• Information you would rather remain hidden
• Email addresses, which may be used for spamming
• Children's names, photographs, ages or other personal details held on the computer
• Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) attack on other computers via the victim's computer

(iii) Spyware

Spyware is the software that gathers user information through the user’s Internet connection without the user knowledge.

How Does Spyware Affect Us?

Surveillance or monitoring spyware can scan our hard drive and search programs for sensitive information like credit card, bank information and personal details.

It can change our browser's home page, scan browser history for web sites visited and monitor various aspects of our computer and Internet activity! The information is then transmitted to the attacker.

More and more companies are installing spyware to watch us at work to check that we are not using the company network to surf prohibited sites or spending too much time dealing with personal email.