It’s late. You've been scouring the web for that perfect present for your Aunt Bess in Idaho. You finally find it at presents4aunties.com. The site looks a little rough on the edges, weird colours and such. But they have that gift you know will make Aunt Bess add you to her will. You purchase the gift, log off and head to bed. Tired but happy.
The next day, coffee in hand, you turn on your computer.
That's strange you say, it’s awfully slow this morning. Finally, its booted and
ready to go. You open your browser to check the Cow Tipping Blog for the latest
posts.
What's this you say, My Homepage is now longer the Log, but
a site trying to sell me a DVD of the Surfs vs the Terminator!
Oh well you say, not quite fully awake. You type in the URL
for your Log and wait. And wait, and wait. Finally, it’s up! You start to read
the mornings postings. You're into the second post about the upcoming Cow
Tipping Championship in Vegas when a Popup appears and says you need to go to
heartburn.com for the new revolutionary cure for heartburn. Click here now it
says and receive a free gift, the secret cure for Baldness!
Weird you think, you click the X to close it.
You don't realize by clicking the X that a small hidden
piece of code has just been downloaded to your computer.
You finish the Log postings and decide to check your Bank
Account. You type in the URL and wait, and wait. Finally, the Bank Logon
appears. You log in, completely unaware of the code, which is actually a Key
logger, is recording your every keystroke. The Transaction is there for Aunties
gift, you're so happy. You log off and remember you forgot to email that
document for your Boss. That's ok you say, I can log in from here and send it!
Technology is so great! You log into your work portal and access your email
program, find the document, attach it to the email form and send it. You
vaguely remember it had something to do with the updated personal info list for
all of the employees at your job. It includes their Addresses, email addresses
and Direct Deposit Account numbers, also their Logon Names and Passwords to
access the Computers at work.
Darn you say as another Popup appears, what's wrong with
this computer?
Well at least you didn't forget the Bosses Document.
Wouldn't want to get in trouble with the Boss. You've a great job, working for
the Trans Global Bank after all. Offices all over the world don't you know.
Well time to check your Anti-Virus program for updates. Hmm
it says no updates kneed ed. You notice the Misspelling but what the heck,
those things happen. Gee the computer is really slow! You decide to reboot,
hoping that will fix it. Gripes, now it won’t even boot! At least there's a
little extra money in the ole Bank Account to get it fixed.
The above is fiction. No animals were harmed. But its scary
huh to think it could happen.
Granted it's a worst-case scenario, but I wonder...
Be smart out there people, learn how to use your Anti-Virus
and Anti-Spyware programs. Keep them updated, and it they don't work well for
your surfing habits, find programs that will. Keep your computer protected,
your wellbeing may depend on it.
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