E-trading has allowed individuals to take immediate control over their investments. But with all this freedom to buy and sell online comes the growing risk that your money – as well as your identity – could be stolen.
Attackers are becoming more and more sophisticated in their methods, using the same kinds of tactics used when targeting online banking. Phishing is one of the primary methods used. Another commonly-used method is information-stealing trojans. These contain malicious code that, when run through your computer’s system, seeks to steal your user name and password for that site.
Trojans require sophisticated programming and must be able to get into your computer undetected to work. But phishing attacks succeed more often because users simply hand over personal data. These attacks happen when you receive a request to go to a legitimate-looking site and enter your information for an “update” to records. You’ll likely get an error message when you do so, but that’s all it takes for the thief to retrieve your information.
The best advice you can take when going online is to be sure you know who you are communicating with before passing on any personal information. You should also make sure your anti-spyware and anti-virus software is up to date, and that you have a firewall installed.
You should be vigilant about checking your bank and credit card statements, as well as your credit reports, for any fraudulent or questionable entries.
Be sure to change your passwords regularly, at least once every 90 days. Make your passwords difficult to figure out, using both letters and numbers. Never include any of your personal information, such as dates of birth or Social Security numbers, as part of the password.
By taking these simple steps, you can be sure to lock down your information, and make it harder for a thief to worm his way into your world.
