Computer viruses and e-mail deception (known as phishing) are at a yearly high, hrrmm. The not-so-welcomed statistics (as reported by messagelabs) show that September has seen the most illegal action online since the beginning of 2006. So, what does this mean for you?

Well, for one, I recommend further familiarizing yourself with phishing. The Wikipedia entry on the widespread e-mail scams is a good starting point.

“…is a criminal activity where phishers attempt to fraudulently acquire sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords and credit card details, by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. eBay and PayPal are two of the most targeted companies, and online banks are also common targets. Phishing is typically carried out by email or instant messaging, and often directs users to give details at a website, although phone contact has been used as well. Phishing is an example of social engineering techniques used to fool users. Attempts to deal with the growing number of reported phishing incidents include legislation, user training, and technical measures. ” - Wikipedia.com

Regarding viruses, do a system scan to see if you’re currently harboring some Trojans or other malicious bugs/viruses. Some free applications to do this are available at the following sources…

Spybot

Symantec

Panda Security

Additionally, remember to never open suspicious e-mail messages. Common sense if your best weapon in defending your computer’s well-being.

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