Cyber Saboteurs Target Australian Broadband Users

The spread of broadband web access in Australian households is putting users at greater risk of being targeted by hackers, industry analysts have cautioned.

Domestic consumers with high-speed net access lure cyber-terrorists most, as they can hijack the user's computer after confirming whether the user is connected using port searches. Cyber-terrorists routinely search for open ports, as they are gateways through which a program passes to access the net.
They can readily spot an active computer at a particular IP address. Though dial-ups normally link up utilizing several IP addresses, your IP address (which is usually fixed) makes it much simpler for a cyber-terrorist to detect you.

The high-speed broadband connection also implies that users are transferring files more easily from the net or unsuspectingly being transmitted offensive matter.

Broadband activity has increased about 70% over the past few years and at present extends to nearly 3.5 Million Australian homes. The adoption of the popular ADSL technology by home PCs stands at 2.5 Million.
The spectacular activity has triggered off concerns about identity theft, net scams and fake bank dealings. The West Australian has exposed the astounding levels of overseas efforts to infiltrate home PCs in a safety trial.

A PC left turned on and linked to the net for three consecutive days registered 9500 hits -- unwelcome access after every 2.2 minutes.

The usual Internet dangers are email malware that can carry out every kind of harm, from tampering with emails, damaging data, accessing passwords and confidential data, to deleting all data.
Richard Keeves, president of WA Internet Association said keeping computers switched on continually was a highlight of the modern technology.

In an attempt to avert these troubles, some firms are beginning to search the user's computers to ascertain that they are sufficiently shielded. Security specialists aver that net browsers should be more conversant with computer defense to see they are not threatened. Improving anti-malware and firewall shield is the secret to computer security.

Related article: Cyber Child abuser Sentenced To Imprisonment

» SPAMfighter News - 11/20/2006