New Generation of Computer Security Tools Available for Identity Theft Protection sumers must know whenthey’re on a legitimate site versus a bogus (NAPSA)—You can protect yourself from modern computer crime. Less than a decade ago, the most probable security risk computer users faced came from sharing an infected floppy disk. As Internet use increased, a few more threats arose as simple viruses tools determine the authenticity of a site simply by checking tosee if jan horses, each one a little more mantle and move on in order to slowly made their way across the Web. Then came worms and Tro- destructive and fast-moving than the last. Computer users must now deal with far more serious threats of identity theft, phishing attacks, online fraud, extortion and other cybercrime. Hackers are no longer in it for a pat on the back from the cyber-underground. Today’s cybercriminals are in it for the money. Worse yet, anyone with confidential information is at risk— and a single bad cybermove by just one rogue or unwitting useris sometimesall it takes to put sensitive data into the wrong hands. For example, a government employee in Oregon recently put more than 1,300 taxpayers at risk of identity theft when he used an office computer to surf porn sites and, in the process, unknowingly downloaded a Trojan horse. The Trojan horse captured and relayed keystrokes—including names, addresses, and Social Security Numbers—for four months before being detected. What’s more, all this happened at an agency that was otherwise fortified with firewall, anti-virus, or spoofed site. Many of today’s it is on the “good”or the “bad”list of known sites. The problem is, the average phishing site stays up for only six hours, after which opportunistic cybercriminals disevade detection by authorities. Consequently, a variety of mecha- nisms must be used before a site is declared safe or unsafe, from verifying its security certificates to analyzing its behavior. Consumersalso need to be pro- tected against keystroke loggers and the like at the moment they are most vulnerable to attack— that is, at the scene of the poten- tial crime as a transaction takes place. Doing so requires more than the intrusion detection tools of yesterday that could identify known threats by their finger- print. With new threats being unleashed at a record pace, con- sumers need tools that can detect crimeware that is so new that its fingerprint is not yet known—but its conduct gives away its malicious nature. Moreover, all this protection must not get in the wayof the con- sumer’s online experience. After all, users who no longer trust or enjoy their Internet interactions will likely return to doing business and intrusion detection software the brick-and-mortar way. Fortunately, a growing number of security providers, such as that are home to malicious code. now offer increasingly sophisticated technologies designed to that was updated many times a day. And it’s not just porn sites Cybercriminals often set up phony sites that look like legitimate ones in order to lure consumers into divulging data. That’s why a new generation of protection tools is needed. Con- Symantec, are taking notice and protect online transactions and interactions. And as more consumers embrace these new tools, the Internet will become a safer envi- ronment for everyone.
