Who Are You?

The spammers have been out in force once more with the deaths of Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett providing the bait for unwary consumers – cyber-criminals just love celebrity gossip as a hook for phishing. Additionally, Twitter accounts have also been hacked with the Britney Spears rumours being one of the high profile ones. I even heard on the radio this morning that one of the presenters was being impersonated on Twitter (he didn’t have an account and so someone had set one up in his name and started sending derogatory Tweets)… it seems that silly season has come early this year.

I have written in the past about opening accounts on popular social networking sites in order to preserve your identity and (to some extent) your reputation. I would still recomend that you do this – if you are concerned.

In the mean time, just be wary of what you are doing on the web – especially when it comes to current news stories. If you do go in search of latest and greatest pictures or videos and it asks you to download a new codec… just say no! If it asks you to make a donation… think twice… are you sure you know who you are donating to?!?!

Guy Bunker

June 30, 2009 | Filed Under Phishing, Reputation, security 

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One Response to “Who Are You?”

  1. dominic_cook on July 1st, 2009

    An Update on this story. Symantec’s security repsonse team have spotted the first mass mailer worm using the news of Michael Jackson’s death as a hook. Find out more details at: https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/blogs/we-all-knew-it-was-coming-michael-jackson-mass-mailing-worm

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