Switchfast Blog: The Future of IT
Recent influx of Phishing scams demands caution from internet users
Friday, May 22, 2009 by Michael Holley
Phishing scams are all the rage right now for hackers and
cybercriminals, and their efforts to steal your personal
information seem to be permeating every possible avenue. The latest
outbreak has left Facebook scrambling to fight back as some users are reporting being affected simply by
receiving malicious messages, without clicking on any links or
consenting to any downloads.
"Phishing" is a term used to describe attempts from a third
party to steal personal information from internet users, usually
through fraudulent means. Over the years, phishing has manifested
itself in many ways, usually through tricking users into clicking a
link that accepts a malware download or creating fraudulent login
pages that mimic legitimate websites. Many of these scams send
malware to your system without users even knowing.
To protect yourself, it's important to make sure your antivirus
and firewall software is up-to-date and only click on links from
trusted sources. If you think you've been infected with malware,
run a virus scan to get the software out and then promptly change
your passwords to any online accounts. If you have any questions or
need any help, let us know (TheFutureOfIT@switchfast.com).
Best,
Michael Holley
Switchfast Technologies
Chicago IT Consulting
& Support
Rochester
IT Consulting & Support
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