| Beware holiday shopping Web threats
But behind some of those enticing offers lurk unwelcome headaches such as computer viruses, a private identity theft scam or malware that gives criminals remote access to your computers. Once the criminals get access to your computer, they can steal personal information or use the computer to transmit spam, viruses and other attacks. Cyber experts reported a record level of spam and criminal activity in November. Symantec Corp., an online security company, reported that the current volume of spam makes up 71 percent of e-mail traffic, up from 59 percent last year. That number is expected to grow as criminals try to take advantage of last-minute shoppers. The problem is that this year, the fake ads are more sophisticated and better resemble legitimate e-mails, said Keith Crosley, spokesman for Proofpoint, a messaging security company in Sunnyvale, Calif.
Russian hacker network goes underground
An online conduit accused of spreading vast amounts of malicious and criminal content has closed down its base in St Petersburg sparking fears that the operation will surface elsewhere. Security firm Trend Micro said that Russian Business Network (RBN) dropped off the internet last Tuesday, and has predicted its emergence in a newly reinvigorated form somewhere in Asia. Run by a shadowy figure known only as 'Flyman', RBN has been associated with a number of high-profile online crimes committed in the UK. Security firms have linked RBN to child pornography, corporate blackmail, spam attacks and online identity theft, according to a report in Times Online. "The UK has been a focus for this group and its criminal clients, and things are set to get worse," said David Perry, an analyst for Trend Micro.
Consumers apathetic about online security
Computer users are still demonstrating widespread indifference to measures designed to prevent malware infections. A survey by PC Tools found that 80 per cent of respondents had been hit by an online attack despite claiming a high level of awareness of online security and the requisite security products. Nearly all respondents were aware of the threats posed by social networking sites, spam emails, viruses and spyware, but half admitted that they continue to download and share files regardless. "PC Tools' website visitors are aware and, in most cases, well informed of the risks," said Simon Clausen, chief executive at PC Tools. "But the survey suggests that we can expect a significantly greater problem among the general public who continue to expose themselves to financial loss and identity theft." PC Tools believes that the industry must approach computer security and cyber-crime from an educational perspective, but warned that consumers need to want to be educated.
BullGuard’s Sir Winston provides 5 helpful tips to ensure your ...
Be very weary of Electronic Christmas Cards and you may just avoid identity theft. As well as sending out a substantial amount of �special Christmas offers� for things that almost nobody wants, spammers use this festive time of year to distribute spam Christmas cards that contain dangerous types of Malware. By clicking on unknown Christmas card attachments you could be giving away access to your private data including login and credit card details. An example of a particularly dangerous type of Malware that surfaces at this time of year is a �Keylogger�. Keyloggers transfer onto your computer the moment you open an attachment containing it and then record every keyboard stroke you make, eventually providing spammers with every piece of detail about you that will enable them to steal your identity.
Rotary Club of Albion raises money for bio-sand filter
Cathy Campbell is shown presenting a check to Rotary Treasurer John Williams for the work the club did at the Calhoun County Fair in August. The money will go toward the $21,000 the Rotary Club of Albion gave to 49 philanthropic project this past year. Almost all the money benefited the local community. Pictured between John and Cathy is a bio-sand filter which Rotary Clubs in this district are sending to the Dominican Republic to provide people with clean water. Some other Rotary money-making project are the annual Whitefish Dinner, pancake breakfasts and suppers, assistance with college basketball games, 50-50 drawings, etc. .
Government Computer News
The Senate on Thursday passed a bill amending federal law to directly address online crimes, including identity theft.
The Identity Theft Enforcement and Restitution Act of 2007 was passed by unanimous consent. It is one of a host of bills before Congress that would deal with what many in the information technology industry and law enforcement say are holes in the current legal structure regarding cybercrime. A similar bill in the House has not moved out of subcommittee.
The Senate bill would amend Title 18 of the U.S. Code to specifically address conspiracy to commit cybercrime and close loopholes to prohibit online extortion and address botnets networks of compromised computers used by criminals to launch attacks and conduct fraudulent activity by making it a crime to damage 10 or more computers in a year.
Fantasy report: Start Jets defense vs. Miami
Tis the season, which means the season is winding down and at this point, most rosters have already been settled and the dominant teams sit comfortably atop the standings while the bottom feeders probably haven't updated their lineups since Halloween. But if you're among the still-in-it owners wrasslin' for playoff position and seeking an edge, pay attention.
Defense doesn't win championships in fantasy leagues, but it is important. Certainly, at this juncture, where every point counts, defense can make a make a big difference.
Though it's tempting to start the Redskins' ninth-ranked defense this week against a languid Bills offense, don't do it. It would be unreasonable to expect the team, especially the defense, to have been immersed in the game plan during the week while coping with the death of Sean Taylor.
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