Compliance Connection Newsletter

Spam. Phishing. Virus. Worms. Most of us are familiar with these terms, but how much do you really know about protecting yourself and your data from these scams?

Here are a few things you should know.

Most computer users encounter spam on a daily basis. These unsolicited emails fill inboxes with advertisements for companies, products and services. Although they seem harmless, spam is often used to spread viruses and worms to millions of users at a time.

Luckily UTSA utilizes anti-spam software that filters e-mail messages before they are delivered to our inboxes. “Suspect e-mail messages” are diverted to a “quarantine” area, where the recipient has the opportunity to review each held message to determine its relevance.
(Source: http://www.utsa.edu/infotech/Security/generaluse.htm)

Delete messages from an unknown sender. Opening the message verifies to the spammer that your email address is valid.
Always review a website’s privacy policy before providing personal information. Some sites will sell your information to spammers or direct marketers.
Check the “sent” folder of your email periodically. If there are outgoing messages that were not sent by you or your computer may have been hacked and used by spammers to send emails from your computer. Disconnect from the internet and scan your computer with anti-virus or anti-spyware software.

Microsoft defines phishing as a type of deception designed to steal valuable personal data, such as credit card numbers, passwords, account data, or other information via email. Identifying phishing emails is troublesome due to the sophisticated nature of these scams. Phishing emails “often include official-looking logos from real organizations and other identifying information taken directly from legitimate Web sites.” Computer users must be vigilant about the protection of their data and the security of their computers.
(From http://www.microsoft.com/protect/yourself/phishing/identify.mspx)

What you should know
According to Microsoft.com there are a few phrases that phishing scams often utilize. Beware of emails containing the following language:

Verify your Account
"If you don't respond within 48 hours, your account will be closed."
"Dear Valued Customer."
"Click the link below to gain access to your account."

Viruses and worms are both small pieces of software that can do significant damage to your computer. Viruses attach themselves to a program on your computer and are initiated each time you open this program. Worms do their damage on computer networks by searching for security holes in connected computers and replicating itself on each system. The very best defense against most viruses and worms is to never open emails or attachments from unknown senders.

Avoid downloading programs from unknown sources
Never double click on an email attachment that contains an executable (documents ending in .exe, .com, or .vbs)
If curiosity is getting the better of you regarding messages from an unknown sender, scan the message manually with antivirus software before you open the message.

Remember, the best protection is to never open emails or attachments from unknown senders.