I think the only way someone could get through life today without being the target of phishing is if that person somehow managed never to use the Internet for anything. That is to say, who hasn't been the target of phishing and encountered malware? Even Grandma and Grandpa have email today if they want to stay in touch with their kids.
My junk mailbox is full of promises about male member enlargements, offers from people who just can't wait to date me, and even a few letters from foreign princes who would give me a substantial portion of their inheritances if I would only give them my bank account information. I personally remember when a spammer was phishing through fake Paypal "urgent request"s for account verification. It was poorly written and the links (as in the presentation) had nothing to do with Paypal. Besides, if Paypal really needs to contact me, I figure they'll send several notices through snail mail, and then I'd call them with the number from their website to confirm that they need something from me. In general, I try to give out as little information as possible, and I sign up only for sites I really believe would be helpful to me; I wouldn't want my email address known by, say, Answerbag.
Malware attacked my computer when I was much newer to the 'Net. (Hurray hours of troubleshooting and scanning forums to fix the computer.) Even today, when there's a recommended but free program, I'm very reluctant to download it. I also shy away from poorly made sites, since a larger number of them are hoaxes and filled with cookies and ads that collect information about Internet travels.
Recently, I haven't had any obvious problems with malware or phishing. At the close of an Internet session, I always run two to three cleaning programs (which are free but reputable). Here's hoping I stay bug free!
Well, I'm out to delete browsing history on this computer, too, just in case.
-M
Friday, January 9, 2009
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