The Dark Side of the Internet : Protecting Yourself and Your Family From Online Criminals

In less than a decade, personal computers have become part of our daily lives. Many of us come into contact with computers every day, whether at work, school or home. As useful as the new technologies are, they also have a darker side. By making computers part of our daily lives, we run the risk of allowing thieves, swindlers, and all kinds of deviants directly into our homes. Armed with a personal computer, a modem and just a little knowledge, a thief can easily access confidential information, such as details of bank accounts and credit cards. This book helps people avoid harm at the hands of Internet criminals. It offers a tour of the more dangerous parts of the Internet, as the author explains who the predators are, their motivations, how they operate and how to protect against them. In less than a decade, personal computers have become part of our daily lives. Many of us come into contact with computers every day, whether at work, school or home. As useful as the new technologies are, they also have a darker side. By making computers part of our daily lives, we run the risk of allowing thieves, swindlers, and all kinds of deviants directly into our homes. Armed with a personal computer, a modem and just a little knowledge, a thief can easily access confidential information, such as details of bank accounts and credit cards. This book is intended to help people avoid harm at the hands of Internet criminals. It offers a tour of the more dangerous parts of the Internet, as the author explains who the predators are, their motivations, how they operate and how to protect against them. Behind the doors of our own homes, we assume we are safe from predators, con artists, and other criminals wishing us harm. But the proliferation of personal computers and the growth of the Internet have invited these unsavory types right into our family rooms. With a little psychological knowledge a con man can start to manipulate us in different ways. A terrorist can recruit new members and raise money over the Internet. Identity thieves can gather personal information and exploit it for criminal purposes. Spammers can wreak havoc on businesses and individuals. Here, an expert helps readers recognize the signs of a would-be criminal in their midst. Focusing on the perpetrators, the author provides information about how they operate, why they do it, what they hope to do, and how to protect yourself from becoming a victim. Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 12 Introduction......Page 14 A Final Note......Page 16 PART 1: CYBERTERROR AND INFORMATION WARFARE......Page 18 1. Cyberterror......Page 20 A Digital Pearl Harbor?......Page 21 Information Warfare......Page 22 Terrorist Uses of Technology......Page 23 Further Information......Page 37 2. Cyberattacks......Page 38 Assessing the Threat......Page 41 Safety and Prevention......Page 43 Further Information......Page 47 PART 2: MALICIOUS SOFTWARE......Page 48 Viruses, Trojans, and Worms......Page 50 Types of Computer Viruses......Page 54 How Many Viruses Are There?......Page 55 The Damage Caused by Viruses......Page 57 How Viruses Spread......Page 60 Who Writes Viruses?......Page 65 Why People Write Viruses......Page 66 Detecting Viruses......Page 74 Dealing with Viruses......Page 76 Choosing Antivirus Software......Page 79 Safety and Prevention......Page 81 Virus Hoaxes......Page 83 More about Trojans......Page 84 Dealing with Trojans......Page 85 Safety and Prevention......Page 86 Further Information......Page 87 4. Spyware and Adware......Page 88 What Is Spyware?......Page 89 Adware......Page 91 Why Create Spyware?......Page 92 The Extent of the Problem......Page 93 Contracting Spyware......Page 94 Safety and Prevention......Page 96 Further Information......Page 97 PART 3: IDENTITY THEFT AND FRAUD......Page 100 What Is Identity Theft?......Page 102 Identity Theft and the Internet......Page 104 The Extent of the Problem......Page 109 Identifying Phishing E-Mails......Page 111 Safety and Prevention......Page 112 Further Information......Page 113 Advance Fee Frauds......Page 116 Nigerian 419 Fraud......Page 117 Other E-Mail Frauds......Page 122 Further Information......Page 125 Auction Fraud......Page 126 Safety and Prevention......Page 129 Other Online Frauds......Page 130 Safety and Prevention......Page 144 Further Information......Page 145 What Is spam?......Page 146 The Extent of the Problem......Page 147 The Cost of Spam......Page 148 Why Spam Exists......Page 150 Dealing with Spam......Page 151 Safety and Prevention......Page 153 Resources for Dealing with Spam......Page 154 Further Information......Page 156 Software Piracy......Page 158 Safety and Prevention......Page 166 Music and Movie Piracy......Page 168 Further Information......Page 172 PART 4: ONLINE RELATIONSHIPS AND DEVIANCE......Page 174 10. Cyberstalking......Page 176 What Is Cyberstalking?......Page 177 The Extent of the Problem......Page 178 Who Are the Cyberstalkers?......Page 180 Who Is Most at Risk?......Page 182 New and Emerging Forms of Cyberstalking......Page 184 Safety and Prevention......Page 189 Further Information......Page 192 11. Online Relationships......Page 194 Social Isolation......Page 195 White Knights......Page 198 Hero Syndrome......Page 202 Further Information......Page 204 Cults and Hate Speech......Page 206 Deviant Subcultures and Addiction......Page 211 Safety and Prevention......Page 218 Further Information......Page 219 Glossary......Page 222 Notes......Page 236 Bibliography......Page 248 Index......Page 266

In less than a decade, personal computers have become part of our daily lives. Many of us come into contact with computers every day, whether at work, school or home. As useful as the new technologies are, they also have a darker side. By making computers part of our daily lives, we run the risk of allowing thieves, swindlers, and all kinds of deviants directly into our homes. Armed with a personal computer, a modem and just a little knowledge, a thief can easily access confidential information, such as details of bank accounts and credit cards. This book helps people avoid harm at the hands of Internet criminals. It offers a tour of the more dangerous parts of the Internet, as the author explains who the predators are, their motivations, how they operate and how to protect against them.

In less than a decade, personal computers have become part of our daily lives. Many of us come into contact with computers every day, whether at work, school or home. As useful as the new technologies are, they also have a darker side. By making computers part of our daily lives, we run the risk of allowing thieves, swindlers, and all kinds of deviants directly into our homes. Armed with a personal computer, a modem and just a little knowledge, a thief can easily access confidential information, such as details of bank accounts and credit cards. This book is intended to help people avoid harm at the hands of Internet criminals. It offers a tour of the more dangerous parts of the Internet, as the author explains who the predators are, their motivations, how they operate and how to protect against them.

Behind the doors of our own homes, we assume we are safe from predators, con artists, and other criminals wishing us harm. But the proliferation of personal computers and the growth of the Internet have invited these unsavory types right into our family rooms. With a little psychological knowledge a con man can start to manipulate us in different ways. A terrorist can recruit new members and raise money over the Internet. Identity thieves can gather personal information and exploit it for criminal purposes. Spammers can wreak havoc on businesses and individuals. Here, an expert helps readers recognize the signs of a would-be criminal in their midst. Focusing on the perpetrators, the author provides information about how they operate, why they do it, what they hope to do, and how to protect yourself from becoming a victim.

Cyberterror and information warfare Cyberterror A digital Pearl Harbor? Information warfare Terrorist uses of technology Further information Cyberattacks Assessing the threat Safety and prevention Further information Malicious software Viruses, trojans, and worms Types of computer viruses How many viruses are there? The damage caused by viruses How viruses spread Who writes viruses? Why people write viruses Detecting viruses Dealing with viruses Choosing antivirus software Safety and prevention Virus hoaxes More about trojans Dealing with trojans Safety and prevention Further information Spyware and adware What is spyware? Adware Why create spyware? The extent of the problem Contracting spyware Dealing with spyware and adware Safety and prevention Further information Identity theft and fraud Identity theft What is identity theft? Identity theft and the internet ^ The extent of the problem Identifying phishing e-mails Safety and prevention Further information E-mail fraud Advance fee frauds Foreign lotteries Nigerian 419 fraud Other e-mail frauds Safety and prevention Further information Auctions and other forms of fraud Auction fraud Safety and prevention Other online frauds Safety and prevention Further information Junk e-mail What is spam? The extent of the problem The cost of spam Why spam exists? Dealing with spam Safety and prevention Resources for dealing with spam Further information Intellectual property theft Software piracy Safety and prevention Music and movie piracy Further information Online relationships and deviance Cyberstalking What is cyberstalking? The extent of the problem Who are the cyberstalkers? Who is most at risk? New and emerging forms of cyberstalking Safety and prevention Further information ^ Online relationships Social isolation White knights Hero syndrome Further information Deviant subcultures Cults and hate speech Deviant subcultures and addiction Safety and prevention Further information. Identifies some of the dangers identified with Internet use, discussing cyberterrorism and information warfare, computer viruses and other destructive software, identity theft, and online relationships, and offers advice on how to detect and prevent such problems