online

Two men accused of scamming PC users into buying bogus security software have agreed to pay the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) an estimated $8.2 million. The money will go towards refunding the victims. Fake security software and similar scams of ... this nature are known as " scareware " -- software which is purposely designed to scare users into making a purchase. The scareware duo were made up of a father and son team. Maurice and Marc D'Souza are reported to have been involved in a massive scam that involved selling more than 1 million copies of fake security software to Windows ... (view more)

An international report says that the term "cyber war" overstates the genuine security risks that national governments face in the online age. It goes on to note that officials need to plan for accidental incidents as well as attacks. The report, ... from the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, says that comparing online attacks to an armed military conflict exaggerates the potential effects. It also argues that a financial crisis or a health pandemic would also be much more serious than cyber attacks. The key finding of the report is that most forms of attack against ... (view more)

For years, hackers have turned the Internet into a never-ending game of " malware roulette," with virtually any web site running the risk of being compromised. In an effort to make the online community a safer place for everyone, Google has ... integrated a new self-identification feature into its search engine to inform users when a website poses a threat. Compromised Websites Weeded Out from Google Search Google created the feature with the average Internet user in mind. If the search engine detects that a website has been altered by a third party, it will display the following message: " ... (view more)

For 'Millenials,' (individuals between the ages of 18 and 33), going online is as natural as brushing one's teeth or turning on the television. But a recent study finds that members of much older generational groups are rapidly catching up with ... their younger counterparts in terms of how much time they spend online. According to findings from the Pew Research Center, Millenials are still by far the most likely generational group to use the Internet via laptops, desktops, smartphones, or tablet computers. They are also mostly likely to connect to social networking sites like Facebook and ... (view more)

PC security and fraud analysts are today warning users of the alarming online spread of fake defragmentation tools for Microsoft's Windows operating system (OS). These fraudulent programs, referred to as scareware, are sold to consumers to "fix ... their PC," based on an illegitimate warning message, but perform no necessary function. Bogus Defrag Tools Flood Online Market GFI-Sunbelt Security recently posted a warning online their blog, stating that many bogus defrag tools have made their way online in recent weeks. The company recommends users steer clear of several deceptive products ... (view more)

With Black Friday and Cyber Monday officially behind us, Christmas is fast approaching. As such, online scamsters are working overtime to swindle as many victims as possible in response to the increased online traffic that comes with the bustling ... holiday season. Responding to the issue is the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation), Better Business Bureau (BBB), and security software companies McAfee and F-Secure, which have all offered their take on the five most pertinent scams that online shoppers will face this year. Scam #1: The Free iPad It seems as if iPad-related scams began popping up ... (view more)

With over 30 years in computing experience, I'm often asked my opinion about computer hardware. Questions like, "What can I do to speed up my computer?", or "What type of laptop should I buy?" and things of that nature. Like anyone else, I love a ... good deal. In order to find the best deal possible, sometimes I spend an entire day shopping online to compare prices and features of similar components. Unfortunately, many of the "recommendations" I've read recently appear to be forged for the sake of making a sale, which means there's an awful lot of time wasted wading through ... (view more)

It's likely going to be many years before people stop buying movies on DVD. But rental giant Netflix is not only preparing for that day, but attempting to bring it closer. The company has announced that it will, for the first time in the US, be ... offering a special package that only allows users to stream rented titles over the Internet, with no option to obtain discs. To encourage users to make the switch, the new package will be $7.99 a month (the lowest ever offered by the company), while the price of the packages that include getting discs by mail will rise by at least $1 a month. The price ... (view more)

Crimeware is a class of malware designed specifically to automate cybercrime. The term was coined by Peter Cassidy, Secretary General of the Anti- Phishing Working Group to distinguish it from other kinds of malevolent programs. Crimeware: ... Definition Crimeware is a form of malicious software. It is distinct from spyware, adware, and malware. Crimeware is designed through social engineering or technical stealth to perpetrate identity theft. Once an identity is stolen, it is used to access a computer user's online accounts at financial services companies and online retailers for the purpose of ... (view more)

A new study shows that Americans are less likely to engage in online social networking than many of their global counterparts. According to the findings, Asia is fast becoming the place where people are most likely to go online to share digital ... thoughts and photographs with friends and family. The research was performed by analyst firm TNS, which found that central and southeast Asia is a hotspot for social networking activity. In Thailand, approximately 92 per cent of Internet-connected residents have uploaded photographs to photo-sharing web sites. In nearby Malaysia, the number is 88 per ... (view more)