Online Risks
Introduction
Even though you think the internet is the best thing in the world, it too has its risks. you see there are many people who want too damage your life and your computer. you hear a lot on the news about identity thief involving computers and that sends a chill. Even when people do hear about these risk they think that it won't happen to them and forget abot it. you should always be informed about the latest news involving how you can protect yourselves.
What is Phishing
Phishing is a fraud where a person presents false infomation in order to get credit card numbers, Social Security numbers, or bank information. The most popular way of phishing is by sending out an email by acting as a legitimate party. You maybe wondering why people respond to these emails, but there are some that look exactly like the real thing. the crminals may also call you and ask for the infomation, acting like a bank.
Avoiding Phishing
although all forms of phishing may not all be avoidable, there are some things you can do to minimize it. as you know, the most common way scammers do phishing is by sending out emails. the first thing to protect yourself is to never respond to an email asking for your passwords and account numbers. Banks and credit cards will never ask for that type of infomation. if you receive an email and it tells you to click on a link, never click on this link. the link could be a virus or try to lead you to a phishing site. even though it may look like a real site, don't fill anything out. another thing to do is to type out the URL to the secure sites you want to go on. You should always type it out manually because it is the best protection in trying to go to the site that you want. Never go to a site by a link because it could be altered to look like a secure site.
Secure Websites
having a secure websites is necessary for shopping online and online banking. there are many easy ways to tell if a site is secure and encrypted. first detail you should notice is it has "https" at the beginning of the URL. the website should have a "s" which means that any infomation is encrypted. most browsers include a lock icon in the browser to show that it has encryption, but you have to make sure that it isn't just a picture.
Malicious URL
Did you ever know that hackers can alter browser code to mislead you? this type of phishing can be very tricky to detect because everything looks normal. they can write JavaScript commands to change the way your address bar works. they can place a picture over a real site to make it look like you are going to a secure site. this type of phishing is harmful for inexperienced users.
Browser
your browser is an important step to protect you form unwanted internet troubles. a good browser should help you protect against phishing and other dangers of the internet. browsers are regularly updated to include patches of known security risks. they send out fixes that cover up holes in the browser's code so hackers can't take over a computer and steal information. it is a good idea to always check for browser updates to get the latest and most secure edition of your browser.