Security
Archive Article:
Why is the Home Computer a popular target for Hackers?
Your
home computer is a popular target for intruders. Why? Because intruders want
what you've stored there. They look for credit card numbers, bank account
information, and anything else they can find. By stealing that information,
intruders can use your money to buy themselves goods and services.
But it's not just money-related information they're after. Intruders also
want your computer's resources, meaning your hard disk space, your fast
processor, and your Internet connection. They use these resources to attack
other computers on the Internet. In fact, the more computers an intruder
uses, the harder it is for law enforcement to figure out where the attack is
really coming from. If intruders can't be found, they can't be stopped, and
they can't be prosecuted.
Why are intruders paying attention to home computers? Home computers are
typically not very secure and are easy to break into. When combined with
high-speed Internet connections that are always turned on, intruders can
quickly find and then attack home computers. While intruders also attack
home computers connected to the Internet through dial-in connections,
high-speed connections (cable modems and DSL modems) are a favorite target.
No matter how a home computer is connected to the Internet, intruders'
attacks are often successful. Many home computer owners don't realize that
they need to pay attention to computer security.
How do intruders break into your computer? In some cases, they send you
email with a virus. Reading that email activates the virus, creating an
opening that intruders use to enter or access your computer. In other cases,
they take advantage of a flaw or weakness in one of your computer's programs
- a vulnerability - to gain access.
Once they're on your computer, they often install new programs that let them
continue to use your computer - even after you plug the holes they used to
get onto your computer in the first place. These backdoors are usually
cleverly disguised so that they blend in with the other programs running on
your computer.
Whether your computer runs Microsoft? Windows?, Apple's Mac OS, LINUX, or
something else, the issues are the same and will remain so as new versions
of your system are released. The key is to understand the security-related
problems that you need to think about and solve those problems and keep your
computer safe.