Common mistakes of being infected with malware
By Gina on August 19, 2010 | Security basics, malware, Facebook, Twitter, hacker, cybercriminal, social network, update, security software
Nowadays, when we live in a world full of great technologies there is also a huge risk to be a victim of cybercriminals. In this way the Internet becomes a perfect place for hackers to use people trust for their malicious intentions. Social networks such as Facebook and Twitter make or break your daily life. Computer is a huge tool for hackers to ruin people’s lives and make a fortune of their reliability.
There are ways that users make and put their data in danger and risk of being compromised or stolen. In fact, those risks usually start with infecting user system with some type of malware. The most common mistakes may be grouped in 5 categories.
Firstl, users usually fail at updating their software. Not updating software means you can be in more risk to be a victim of a hacker who will definitely use the flaw at your system. Those updates patch vulnerabilities and they keep your system safe. Basically, hackers discover flaws within the programming of certain programs and exploit them so they can install malware onto a computer.
The second mistake is using Warez sites or torrents to download software or files. It is not useful to visit Warez web pages or download anything from them or to use torrents to obtain software. These web pages are usually full of malicious software.
The third common mistake is to leave Facebook’s or other social network’s settings open or not configured. The Facebook has millions of users and that’s why it is a perfect place for hackers to use their cybercriminal minds into tricking people and making money from their poor vigilance.
Fourth way is surfing or searching for Porn (adult content online). ‘Free’ is not always free at all, meaning, they are in a disguise of malicious software within. Usually hackers create porn websites for the purpose of stealing personal information or spreading malware. The infection process takes place without your knowledge, either by clicking on a porn video or image link.
And the last common mistake for malware to spread is searching for or clicking on celebrity gossip or popular news stories. It is understandable that not always you can know what is ‘real’ on Internet and what information you can count on or believe. This is where you must use your common sense and good judgment. This is quite common way for users to be infected with a malware that comes from those sites. Cybercriminals are great-minded and they know how to make people to pay attention to theses ‘popular’ celebrity stories or pictures
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