This article I found not only explains the Five Big Security Threats for 2011 but also the steps we can take to avoid becoming a victim. Below is an excerpt:
“Threat 1: Mobile Apps
Threat 2: Social Network-Based Scams
While it's probably no big deal if scam artists find out what your favorite movies or quotes are, your profile may contain critical data--such as your date or place of birth, cell phone number, and e-mail address--that can be used to build a profile about you and even steal your identity. Such bits of information may be the final data point a bad actor needs to impersonate you online. You could even become a specific target for criminals through social networks.
Threat 3: Fake Antivirus
Threat 4: PDFs
It may be the oldest online scam in the book, but e-mail loaded with malware attachments is still a big problem…PDF documents appear to be a prime method for these attacks, according to a recent report by MessageLabs, a division of Symantec. "PDFs are potentially one of the most dangerous file formats available and should be treated with caution...Because it is significantly easier to generate legitimate and concealed malicious content with PDFs," MessageLabs said in its February 2011 Intelligence Report (a PDF link--oh, the irony).
Protect yourself: …Make sure that you keep Adobe Reader (or the PDF reader of your choice) up-to-date; Adobe regularly releases security updates that fix known flaws. The new Adobe Reader X has an updated security architecture that can better protect you against malicious PDF attacks.
Threat 5: War Games
State-sponsored malware attacks, industrial espionage, and hacktivism are on the rise, according to Perimeter E-Security's Jaquith.
Keep your guard up, use common sense, and keep your software up-to-date, and you should be able to reduce your risk of falling victim to attack.”
What caught my interest was this fact: "PDFs are potentially one of the most dangerous file formats available and should be treated with caution...Because it is significantly easier to generate legitimate and concealed malicious content with PDFs." I didn’t know that and now that I do, I just want share that helpful bit of information.
Ma. Luisa Manalaysay
Entry No. 16
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/pcworld/20110310/tc_pcworld/fivebigsecuritythreatsfor2011;_ylt=AiltzpKF2cvU5J9_swh9gPEjtBAF;_ylu=X3oDMTM3dmZsdmIyBGFzc2V0A3Bjd29ybGQvMjAxMTAzMTAvZml2ZWJpZ3NlY3VyaXR5dGhyZWF0c2ZvcjIwMTEEcG9zAzIEc2VjA3luX2FydGljbGVfc3VtbWFyeV9saXN0BHNsawNmdWxsbmJzcHN0b3I-
“Threat 1: Mobile Apps
Threat 2: Social Network-Based Scams
While it's probably no big deal if scam artists find out what your favorite movies or quotes are, your profile may contain critical data--such as your date or place of birth, cell phone number, and e-mail address--that can be used to build a profile about you and even steal your identity. Such bits of information may be the final data point a bad actor needs to impersonate you online. You could even become a specific target for criminals through social networks.
Threat 3: Fake Antivirus
Threat 4: PDFs
It may be the oldest online scam in the book, but e-mail loaded with malware attachments is still a big problem…PDF documents appear to be a prime method for these attacks, according to a recent report by MessageLabs, a division of Symantec. "PDFs are potentially one of the most dangerous file formats available and should be treated with caution...Because it is significantly easier to generate legitimate and concealed malicious content with PDFs," MessageLabs said in its February 2011 Intelligence Report (a PDF link--oh, the irony).
Protect yourself: …Make sure that you keep Adobe Reader (or the PDF reader of your choice) up-to-date; Adobe regularly releases security updates that fix known flaws. The new Adobe Reader X has an updated security architecture that can better protect you against malicious PDF attacks.
Threat 5: War Games
State-sponsored malware attacks, industrial espionage, and hacktivism are on the rise, according to Perimeter E-Security's Jaquith.
Keep your guard up, use common sense, and keep your software up-to-date, and you should be able to reduce your risk of falling victim to attack.”
What caught my interest was this fact: "PDFs are potentially one of the most dangerous file formats available and should be treated with caution...Because it is significantly easier to generate legitimate and concealed malicious content with PDFs." I didn’t know that and now that I do, I just want share that helpful bit of information.
Ma. Luisa Manalaysay
Entry No. 16
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/pcworld/20110310/tc_pcworld/fivebigsecuritythreatsfor2011;_ylt=AiltzpKF2cvU5J9_swh9gPEjtBAF;_ylu=X3oDMTM3dmZsdmIyBGFzc2V0A3Bjd29ybGQvMjAxMTAzMTAvZml2ZWJpZ3NlY3VyaXR5dGhyZWF0c2ZvcjIwMTEEcG9zAzIEc2VjA3luX2FydGljbGVfc3VtbWFyeV9saXN0BHNsawNmdWxsbmJzcHN0b3I-
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