Hi Tom,
Disturbing article below.
Mostly a question, but also for everyone, a caution:
1) Regarding article below - Anyone posting videos (eg., YouTube), .gifs, etc, to this website - is there protection against malicious links being mistakenly posted here/this website?
2) *Be on guard/on lookout, on your computer!
Data Scams Have Kicked into High Gear as Markets Tumble.
Cybercriminals have launched a massive new wave of Internet-based schemes to steal personal data and carry out financial scams in an effort to take advantage of the fear and confusion created by tumbling financial markets, security specialists say. The schemes — often involving online promotions touting fake computer virus protection, get-rich scams and funny or lurid videos — already were rising last fall when financial markets took a dive. With consumers around the world panicking, the number of scams on the Web soared.
The number of malicious programs circulating on the Internet tripled to more than 31,000 a day in mid-September, coinciding with the sudden collapse of the U.S. financial sector, according to Panda Security, an Internet security firm.
It wasn't a coincidence, says Ryan Sherstobitoff, chief corporate evangelist at Panda.
"The criminal economy is closely interrelated with our own economy," he says. "Criminal organizations closely watch market performance and adapt as needed to ensure maximum profit."
Among those caught in the most recent barrage of scams was Justin Terrazas, 27, a beverage merchandiser from Seattle. He clicked on a Web link that infected his MacBook Pro laptop with a data-stealing program. Not realizing the laptop was compromised, Terrazas later typed his Bank of America debit card number and PIN to pay his Verizon cellphone bill online. The data-stealer swiftly siphoned his information. [more...]
USA Today - January 29
[URL]http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/technology/2009-01-28-hackers-data-scams_N.htm[/URL]
