It used to be that, if you wanted to surf the Internet, you simply turned on your computer and logged-on to your browser. It was a safe and richly rewarded experience for communicating, educational, entertaining, researching, and shopping purposes. With companies like Yahoo.com and Hotmail.com/MSN.com offering free email accounts, soon everyone under the sun had at least one account. Some have been known to have four or five accounts. Some even had as many as ten different accounts.
As consumer use expanded online, it wasn’t long before the criminal elements found a easy way to make a quick buck with little or no risk of getting caught. Thus, a whole new industry was born. Hackers, the ones looking for a fast and easy buck and the ones looking to make a name for themselves by shutting down computers at major businesses or organizations, thereby creating havoc among all concerned, came into existence. Through their hacking, spamming, phishing, pharming, and keylogging activities, they stole identities, personal and financial information, and simply created an overwhelming annoyance.
The hackers via their devious conduct spawn a new industry: the anti-virus software industry. Thus was born a wealth of major and minor players selling off-the-shelf software to combat the virus attacks, software to combat the spyware, combined software to combat both, and more. Internet service providers soon jumped on the bandwagon and offered their version or a partnered version of the anti- software. In the meanwhile, the hackers always seemed to be two steps ahead – ahead of the industry and ahead of the law enforcement authorities.
Enter a new concept: It is no longer sufficient protection for the consumer, business, or agency to purchase off-the-shelf software packages. Although they are excellent products at what they do, there still remains a void where the hackers are prevailing.
If I may use a fishing analogy: It is no longer safe or productive to go after them with one, two, or more fishing lines that are baited to catch the target or targets they are created to catch. What is needed is more productive approach, a multi-purpose fishing net approach in order to:
The hackers via their devious conduct spawn a new industry: the anti-virus software industry. Thus was born a wealth of major and minor players selling off-the-shelf software to combat the virus attacks, software to combat the spyware, combined software to combat both, and more. Internet service providers soon jumped on the bandwagon and offered their version or a partnered version of the anti- software. In the meanwhile, the hackers always seemed to be two steps ahead – ahead of the industry and ahead of the law enforcement authorities.
Enter a new concept: It is no longer sufficient protection for the consumer, business, or agency to purchase off-the-shelf software packages. Although they are excellent products at what they do, there still remains a void where the hackers are prevailing.
If I may use a fishing analogy: It is no longer safe or productive to go after them with one, two, or more fishing lines that are baited to catch the target or targets they are created to catch. What is needed is more productive approach, a multi-purpose fishing net approach in order to:
- catch the dangers,
- prevent future attacks,
- alert when new threats are in existence,
- be mended and updated daily,
- become invisible to the preying eyes of the barracudas, and
- have a team of extremely well trained and proficient net menders.
This fishing net approach is just coming to light for the past 2-3 years. Known as a comprehensive, or managed security services, it is presented to the consumer as a subscription service, similar to subscriptions he would purchase for his Internet access, his telephone, his cable TV, or his daily or weekly newspaper.
(to be continued . . . )
(to be continued . . . )
Remember: When you say "No!" to hackers and spyware, everyone wins! When you don't, we all lose!
© MMIX, Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW, Internet Safety Advocate and Educator
About the Author:
Etienne A. Gibbs, an Internet Security Advocate and Educator, consults with individuals, small business owners, and home-business entrepreneurs regarding online protection against spyware, viruses, hackers, and other pc-disabling cybercrimes. To obtain more information and receive a free evaluation, visit him at www.SayNotoHackersandSpyware.com.
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