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Common Threats & How to Avoid Them
SunState Federal Credit Union is dedicated to protecting member information and educating our members about their own security. The following are the most common threats to Internet users and simple ways everyone can protect themselves while on the Internet.
 

Social Engineering

Social Engineering: A hacker’s use of psychological tricks on legitimate users of a computer system, in order to obtain information (for example, a password) he needs to gain access to the system.
 
Social Engineering is one of the largest preventable threats. Hackers can call or email members pretending to be from legitimate institutions and ask the member to verify personal information or passwords. Hacker may also visit public access places (public libraries, computer labs, etc.) and look for saved passwords on these PCs.
How to protect yourself from social engineers:
  • Be careful not to disclose information to someone you don’t know over the phone, through email, or when using the Internet.
  • Don’t share personal information though Internet chat rooms.
  • Understand how information will be used before sharing it with merchants.
  • Know if you have a choice in how your information is used and shared.
  • Have checks printed by reputable check vendors (like the credit union’s preferred provider)
  • Don’t include your Social Security Number, driver’s license or other information on requests for printing checks.
  • Limit the number of items with personal information and account numbers in your wallet when you travel.

Phishing or Brand Spoofing

Phishing: Pronounced “fishing,” the act of sending an email to a user falsely claiming to be an established legitimate business in an attempt to scam the user into surrendering private information that will be used for identity theft.
Ways you can protect your self from phishing:
  • BE SUSPICIOUS.
  • Be wary of providing any personal information in any transaction that you did not start contact.
  • Contact the company cited in the email using a telephone number or Web site address you know to be genuine.
  • For more information please visit the Anti-Phishing Working Group.

Viruses, Worms & Trojans  

  • Virus: a small, infectious program designed to alter the way a computer operates without the knowledge or consent of the user. They are not usually self-replicating and require the assistance of a user to propagate. Viruses can be spread via floppy disks, e-mail, and in some office software documents (Word, Power Point, Word Perfect, etc.).
  • Worm: a form of virus that does not require user intervention to replicate over a network. Working "behind the scenes" without the user knowledge, a single worm may initiate connections to hundreds of machines in minutes. As a result time is a critical factor when dealing with a worm.
  • Trojan: A virus is one that is concealed within a "normal" program. When executed the program may release the Trojan code and possibly allow an attacker administrative control of the PC.

Ways you can protect yourself from viruses, worms and trojans:

  • Purchase and install Anti-Virus software and update it daily before checking your email.
  • Obtain all Microsoft security updates.
  • Be SUSPICIOUS.
  • Do not open ANY unexpected email attachments.
  • Do not download or install unauthorized software.
  • Do not leave a floppy disk in the floppy disk drive when you shut down or restart the computer. Write-protect your floppy disks after you have finished writing to them.
  • Verify that the author of the email has sent the attachments. Newer viruses can send email messages that appear to be from people you know or sites you routinely visit.
  • For more information on viruses and anti-virus software visit Symantec or McAfee
 
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