Over at Slaw, Dan Pinnington has a series of posts (which originally appeared in LAWPRO Magazine) about protecting yourself online from the myriad scams and security risks that can afflict the unsuspecting or careless internet user. He tackles the dangers lurking in email, how to recognize and avoid surfing dangers, and how to avoid infections with anti-virus and anti-malware software. The posts are aimed at the legal profession, but anyone who needs a basic introduction to online security can benefit from them.
Just what can criminals do with your hacked email account or computer? Brian Krebs has a couple of eye-opening posts describing the value of a hacked email account (iTunes accounts sell for $8 each!) or a hacked PC. This post provides some excellent advice for defending your PC against attacks.
For additional reading, Lifehacker has some good articles on online security as well. And if you’re a Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome user (you should be), here are some resources for securing your browser:
- Firefox: Top 10 Best Firefox Security Add-ons, Lifehacker Pack for Firefox 2013 (Security Extensions)
- Chrome: Best Security Tips for Safer Browsing, 15 Best Google Chrome Security Extensions
So start the year off right by reading up on cybercrime and taking some simple steps to make sure you don’t fall victim to it.
Photo source: Mario & Amanda, Flickr