There are few categories of threat:
1. Accidental actions
This category encompasses problems arising from basic lack of knowledge about online security concepts and includes issues such as poor password choices, accidental or erroneous business transactions, accidental disclosure, and erroneous or outdated software.
Related problems occur as a result of misconfigured security products and information leakage resulting from insecure information transfers.
2.Malicious attacks
- Attack that specifically aims harm computers.
- Types of Malicious attacks:
a.Computer Virus:
-It is the most common form of malicious code.
-It is a program that attaches itself to other program.
-Major types of virus:
i. File Infectors
ii. System or boot-record infectors
iii. Macro Viruses
iv. Multi-part
-Example of computer virus:
I.
“Melissa” virus/worm - It will cause computer show down and face frequent failure.
II.
“I Love You” virus - A small piece of code attached to electronic mail which will cause an e-mail send to everyone in an address book, then damaging victims' machines.
III.Trojan horse - Personal information will be stolen as Trojan track into the computer.
b.Denial of Service Attacks (DoS)
- It is an attack on a web site that uses specialized software to send a flood of data packets to the target computer with the intention of overloading its resources and cause the network shut down.
c.Distributed denial-of-service attack (DDoS)
- A DoS attacks that gains illegal administrative access to as many computers on the internet as possible and uses these multiple computers to send a flood of data pockets to the target computer.
3.Online fraud
- It is a broad term covering Internet transactions that involve falsified information.
- Types of Online fraud:
a.Identity Theft
-Electronic commerce information can be intercepted as a result of vulnerabilities in computer security. Thieves can then take information such as credit card numbers and misuse on it.
b.Data Theft
-A term used to describe not only the theft of information but also unauthorized perusal or manipulation of private data.
Ways to help prevent Threats of online security:
- Use and update anti-virus software, anti spyware software and firewall frequently.
- Be aware of email attachments from unknown sources.
- Develop a strong password and change them frequently.
- Do not download free software unless you have verified that it is legitimate.
- Stay away from 'questionable' websites.
- Be cautious of pop-ups.
- Back up your data frequently.
- Always delete cookies in the computer to prevent track on the history/password.
In conclusion, we should prepare well before online to secure us being threat of online security.
Related Links: http://www.bsagovernment.com/downloads/MajorOnlineThreats.pdf http://www.vermontpcsolutions.com/articles/10-free-ways-to-help-prevent-malware-threats.html
