Online Security Threats: How Safe is Our Data?

In the current world, people rely on computers to create, store and manage their personal data. But, the threat of online security has become one of the biggest challenges on the Internet today. Because of this, the use of security software and hardware such as firewalls and authentication servers became the most effective way in order to protect users’ computer and users’ personal data. However, these types of protections are not effective enough for the security of the users’ computer and their personal data. This is due to the online security threats which are more advanced than ever.

There are various types of online security threats:

(a) Computer Viruses

Computer viruses are programs or a fragment of code that replicates by attaching copies of it to other programs. There are four main classes of viruses which included file infectors, system or boot-record infectors, macro viruses, and multi-part viruses.

(b) Online Fraud

Online fraud is a broad term that covers all the internet transactions that involve falsified information. The common forms of online fraud includes sales via Internet of counterfeit documents, such as fake IDs, certification, and recommendation letters sold as credentials.

(c) Identity Theft

Identity theft is another common form of online fraud, or the misrepresentation of information. In the online world, most of the information can be intercepted as a result of vulnerabilities in computer security. Thieves can then use such information like credit card numbers and do something which is illegal or violates with laws.

(d) File Sharing Applications

File sharing programs are used by most users of computers to share files and data. Computer users use the Peer- to- peer files to share files between themselves because it is easier to use. This file sharing is linking the computers to one another by using a network for the purpose of sharing the information. But, this will allow the hackers to have easier access to search or download files from any computers on the network. Because of this, many experts conclude that it is not a good idea for the computer users to use peer-to-peer programs to share files.

(e) Mail Client

Many hackers spread the devastating viruses and worms by sending emails to the computer users. The computer users can prevent or limit such threats by configuring their mail server properly and regularly so that the suspicious attachments or files can be blocked by them immediately.

(f) Spyware Attacks

Spyware attacks are the threat that most of the computer users are familiar with because they are the most common online security threat that are faced by many Internet users today. Spyware is a computer program that is designed by the hackers to steal information from computer users without their knowledge. The common types of spyware include Trojan horses, key loggers, dialers, and adware programs.