Hi-tech thieves target Olympics

Journal #13

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7548870.stm

There are always scams out on the Internet and with the Olympics just starting, for hackers there is no better way than to catch people off guard. These hackers use the Olympics as a tool to lure innocent computer surfers to their sites in order to steal valuable information. They are targeting mainly Microsoft PC users, so the article warns for those who have this system to regularly update and be aware of what site you are really on. These hackers usually send emails of Olympic headlines with links to videos. In order to watch the videos, users have to download a special viewing program, which is how they gain access to information. These fake emails have gotten very sophisticated recently and have been known to imitate news agencies such as CNN. Furthermore, when clicking on links and videos from unknown emails, your personal computer could become part of a botnet. These botnets are a collection of personal computers where users have clicked or downloaded something, which allow hijackers to access their information. According to this article, you may be reconnected to a fake page even if you typed in the correct web address, which fully supports how sophisticated these hackers really are.

So, in order to protect your information and computer, it is recommended to just not open any of these emails, and delete them right away. You should never open an email if you do not know who it is from, no matter what the subject line says. If you take this risk then you are risking all of your personal information, as well as possibly opening your computer up to viruses and other harmful devices. These hijackers are not only targeting everyday users and personal computers, but sending fake messages to lead on members of national sporting organizations and people who help train athletes. Of course these people would be more likely to open these emails, even though they are harmful, but really would have no way of knowing. So, the main moral and lesson of this articles is to stay clear of messages that you don't know who sent them.