June's 5th Blog 8th June 2009

Spam

Spam: there are different types of spam, spam advertising which has mostly gambling sites , phamacies, share deals and porn.

The lottery Scam, saying that you have won the lottery and that the only way that you can claim your prize is to send money to release your winnings.

Spamfilters: you can buy these software packages which will enable you to buy to allow you to detect spam before it reaches your mail box.

Spamfighter: if you have spamfighter on your computer as soon as you receive a spam mail that is not detected the user can report the mail with one click and it removed.


Adware

Adware is the name given to any software that displays advertisements. Adware is generally regarded as a type of spyware because it selects the adverts to be displayed on the basis of the users browsing habits.

Rootkits

A rootkit normally attacks componenets on your operating system . It allows the intruder to hide his or hers activity on the system and is able to access the system again in the future, so often known as backdoors.

Rogue diallers

Rogue diallers are programs which take over modems causing it to dial by itself to premium numbers and run up a huge phone bill for you without you even knowing that it is happening until your next phone bill hit's your doormat. this can happen while you are surfing the net or if you have just stepped away ffrom the computer and gone for a short break.

Hackers

Hackers are people who gain access to computer systems that they shouldn't be in and steal information or try to unset the computer systems of big companies, or goverment information.
Wargames was a film that I saw when I was in mt teens, it was about a young guy who breaks into a US Military computer and starts a countdown to World War 2. There are many famouse hackers and once they have served their time in jail, companies employ them and they are called white hat hackers. Some have even started their own companies.

Phishing

Phishing is an email technique which is used to get people to give away information to steal their financial information such as bank account numbers and pins. They send you a letter that looks very like the bank has sent it and if you weren't clued up on this stuff you may fall into the trap.

Pharming

Pharming is the name given to attemps to redirect a website's traffic to another bogus website. Pharming websites can look and feel the same as the real website. Unlike phishing sites they are usually display the URL of the desired site in the http bar. The real sites use padlocks and the hppts ( Secure Hypertext Transport protocal)

Firewalls

Firewalls are normally a computer program which restricts access to a computer or network. Firewalls block certain sites coming through on your computer it checks the site so that there is nothing sexual, porn etc and also protects you from hackers taking advantage.

ID Theft

Identity Theft /fraud is when someone hacks into your computer and steals your Identity such as passports and driving licences in your name. Worse still they can try and take out credit cards and loans and mortgages in your name. This is why people are advised to shred important information rather than just putting it in your bin as people have beening going through peoples bins. In America this is called Dumpster diving.

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is happening all over the world to school children, it is a terrible thing and sadly this has happened in my on work place and I have seen it first hand and the upset that it can cause to the child and the family. They can be bullied through email blogs and mobile phone texting, Cyberbulling is sadly a difficult thing to detect, but I was lucky that theychild involved in my cause felt able to tell me and we contacted her mother and the police were involved and the matter was sorted out straight away.

Grooming

Grooming is given to the actions taken by an adult to form a trusting relationship with young people with the attention of encouraging them to take part in some kind of sexual activity. People who carry out grooming are known as groomers.