Save kids from cyber bullying, its worse than porn: Study by Elisabeth Staksrud

In context to kids using internet; a widely accepted perception is that the online porn is the most harmful content for the immature minds of children being in touch with web or internet; but now a recent study contradict with this perception.

Save kids from cyber bullying, its worse than porn: Study by Elisabeth Staksrud

According to a latest study conducted in Norway by Elisabeth Staksrud – formerly employed at the Norwegian Media Authority and has extensive experience studying the effectiveness of measures to keep kids safe in cyberspace – concludes that porn isn’t the most dangerous online threat to children. It’s cyber-bullying between youngsters, which child protection filters have no way of stopping.

Cyber-bullying is the most important issue to be tackled, while we wan to save the psychological state of minds of our teens, even more diligently than the available porn on the inernet. 

A study conducted by Telenor, the Norwegian telecom company, suggests that sixty six out of hundred (66%) children from 10 to 15 years of age  reveal that they or their friends have received bullying messages on the internet or mobiles. And 14% say this is a widespread phenomenon of modern era.

While several parents choose to use internet filters to shield their children, few think the likelihood that their own kids are bullying others, according to Staksrud’s study.

Her study hints out what parents should do to keep their children away from internet risks.

“Talk to your kids. Across Europe the youngsters who are generally best at tackling the internet are the ones whose parents have positive attitudes and play active roles in their use of the web. The best thing to do is get involved as early as possible. That’s when kids think it fun to have their parents take part.”

Report Tags: Elisabeth Staksrud, cyberspace, cyber crime, norway, Norwegian Media Authority, internet porn, Cyber-bullying, bullying, Psychology of children, social issues

SOURCE:

http://sciencenordic.com/cyber-bullying-worse-porn

THINK BEFORE YOU CLICK -- Cyber/Online Scams Using the Words of Steve Jobs Death and Funeral

Cyber criminals are trying to cash in on the death of Apple’s co-founder Steve Jobs by offering tech fanatics, especially Apple-crazy techies, different opportunities to win iGifts (iPads, iPhones, iPods etc) for virtually doing nothing but to register. 

Cyber/Online Scams Using the Words of Steve Jobs Death and/or Funeral

While most of the world paid respects and held tributes to Steve Jobs, cold-blooded scammers decided to take advantage of the situation with a brand new ploy. Cyber cowboys are using every platform to exploit internet users searching for the trending news of Steve Jobs’ death and funeral. Few of their tricks have already come in light and cyber security companies are continuously alerting web surfers to beware of such online scams. Some of the activities of internet fraudsters are given below:

·        MacBook Pro Winning Contest: Cyber criminals created an exclusive website stevejobsfuneral.com, which attempts to collect email addresses by tempting internet surfers into a competition to win a MacBook Pro by asking people to enter in a sweepstakes.

Further to the email collection trick, this website has links to an online store selling Apple products. However, the site contains affiliate advertising info that brings revenue for any purchases made through the links.

·        Facebook Scam:  One scam on Facebook purported to offer 1000 free iPads in memory of Steve Jobs, and was posted just two hours after the Apple co-founder passed away on Wednesday, according to web security firm Sophos.

Sophos disclosed jaw dropping results stated that at least 25,000 people from 100 countries had already clicked on the link, which lead them to a survey site that they had to fill out in order to qualify for the nonexistent prizes.

·        Funeral Photos and Video: Kaspersky Lab Researcher Dmitri Bestuzhev said it has found another cyber trap which claims to give chance to see exclusive photos and video footage from Steve Jobs' funeral.

Kaspersky Lab said "this video footage header reads 'The Life, Death, and Legacy of Steve Jobs'". The message says, Kaspersky Lab, added, "Video footage and images will be here uploaded live from the funeral ceremony. Check back each day to see if they are posted".

What to do …??

We have learnt in our childhood that 'Think before you speak' but now in this digital age the first and the last lesson is THINK BEFORE YOU CLICK. 

While stevejobsfuneral.com might be the biggest Steve Jobs-related scam right now but be sure that this is not the last one. You might come across many such traps set by cyber criminals in the days ahead; therefore, be cautious about the links you click, even if they were shared to you by a friend. Always get your news from official websites when possible.

Graham Cluley, senior security consultant at Sophos, advises internet users to look ahead for more scams in the near future, as cyber culprits use social networking techniques to entice users onto pages where they can be trapped into survey scams or may be subject to malware attacks.

Trend Micro has cautioned that there can be several such scams and social network users should not click on similar posts if they see them on Facebook newsfeeds or any other social network, like Twitter, MySpace etc.

Phishing Scam Alert - - "Billing update must be performed" Notice From AOL

Beware! It's a Cyber World - - Summary:

An Email pretending to be from AOL states that the recipient must follow a link to update account information or limitations will be placed on his or her AOL service.

In fact, the email is a phishing scam, as the message is not from AOL.  The scam is devised to trap recipients into providing personal and financial details to Internet criminals. The link in the email points to a bogus website that asks users to submit information via an online form.

Take a look below for the contents of the mail:

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Subject: Billing Update Must be Performed

Billing update must be performed

Dear AOL Member,

Our records indicate that your account hasn't been updated as a part of our regular account maintenance. Our new SSL servers check each account for activity and your information has been randomly chosen for verification. AOL Member Services strives to serve their customers with better and secure banking service.

Notification: Failure to update your account information may result in account limitation at shopping on our portal.

Update your information

To re-secure your account, just confirm your personal information.

Sincerely,
AOL Member Services

Please note that this email address cannot accept replies.

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Beware! Its a Cyber World - - Explanation:

This email, which claims to be from Internet service provider AOL, informs the recipient that he or she must update AOL account details or risk a subsequent limitation of services. The message claims that the account has been randomly chosen for verification by AOL's "new SSL servers". It warns that the account has not been updated as part of AOL's regular account maintenance procedure and urges the recipient to click the "update your information" link in order to "re-secure" the account.

However, the email is not from AOL. In fact, the message is a phishing scam designed to steal personal and financial information from AOL customers. Those who fall for the ruse and click the "Update" button will be taken to a fraudulent website designed to closely resemble a genuine AOL page. As shown in the screenshot below, the fake site asks users to provide a significant amount of private information, including credit card numbers and social security numbers:

All information on the bogus website will be sent to criminals who can subsequently use it to commit credit card fraud and identity theft. To further the illusion, secondary links on the fake site actually open genuine AOL web pages. Moreover, when a victim has finished filling in the information on the bogus form and clicked the "Submit" button, he or she will be automatically redirected to the genuine AOL website.

The phishing email itself is also designed to resemble a genuine AOL message.

AOL customers are regularly targeted by phishing scammers. AOL will not send out unsolicited emails warning customers that their account will be limited or suspended if they do not follow a link and provide personal information. In fact, any message that claims that you must update information for a bank, government department or online service by following a link or opening an attachment should be treated with suspicion.

Mail With Trojan Attached File - - Returned Delivery From Post Express Support Because of Wrong Delivery Details

Beware! Its a Cyber World - - Summary:

Email pretending to be from "Post Express Support", claims that a package sent by the recipient has been returned because of incorrect delivery details. The email instructs the recipient to open an attached file to print out a mailing label.

The same type of mails gone viral few days back when cyber criminals used the name of FedEx. Like before, this email is not from Post Express or any legitimate postal delivery service. The claim that a package has been returned is untrue. The attachment does not contain a mailing label as claimed. In fact, opening the attachment can install a Trojan on the user's computer. 

Let's check out the mail contents:

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Subject: Post Express Service. Your package delivered! NR6776

Dear client

Your package has been returned to the Post Express office.
The reason of the return is "Incorrect delivery address of the package"

Attached to the letter mailing label contains the details of the package delivery.
You have to print mailing label, and come in the Post Express office in order to receive the packages.

Thank you for your attention.
Post Express Support
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Beware! Its a Cyber World - - Explanation:

According to emails purporting to be from "Post Express Support", the recipient's package has been returned to the Post Express Office because delivery details were incorrect. The message instructs the recipient to open an attached file, supposedly in order to print out a mailing list that can be taken to the Post Express Office so that the package can be collected.

However, the email is certainly not from "Post Express" or any other legitimate package delivery service. And the claim that a package has been returned is nothing more than a ruse designed to trick recipients into opening the attached file. The attachment does not contain a mailing label as claimed in the message. Instead, opening the attached file can install a trojan on the user's computer. Once installed, the Trojan can send information to malicious servers and may download other malware.

The tactic used in this attack is nothing new. Criminals have used the returned or failed package delivery ruse a number of times in the past as a means of distributing malware. Another version that has been used and reused since at least 2008, claimed that a package being delivered by United Parcel Service (UPS) had not been delivered due to addressing problems. In 2010, another very similar version claimed that the returned package had been sent by FedEx. In both versions, an attachment to the emails that supposedly contained a mailing label, in fact carried dangerous malware.

The scammers rely on the fact that many recipients may open the attachment out of simple curiosity or concern, even if they were not actually expecting a package delivery. This canny social engineering trick is likely to be repeatedly used and reused by criminals intent on distributing malware. Users should be very cautious of any unsolicited emails that claim that a package delivery has failed or been returned. No legitimate delivery company is likely to send notice of a failed delivery via an unsolicited email with an attached mailing label file.

Unauthorized Access From Yahoo Account Services - - Phishing Scam to Steal Your Personal Information

Beware! It's a Cyber World: Unauthorized Access From Yahoo Account Services

The mail below is an example of phishing scam just to steal your personal log-in information.

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From: "yahoo-account-services-us@cc.yahoo-inc.com" (no-reply@yahoo.com)
To: no-reply@yahoo.com
Sent: Fri, January 21, 2011 6:01:57 PM
Subject: WARNING!

Unauthorized Access


Dear Valued Customer,

In the last few days, our security Team observed multiple logons to your account, from Different Blacklisted I.P addresses, therefore we are Issuing this security warning. To prevent further unauthorized access for your safety, we have decided to put an extra verification process to ensure your account security.

 

To ensure that your account information remains accurate and secure, we will notify you whenever this information changes.

 

Please click on the link below to activate and secure your account. This System Maintenance is for your safety and protect your account against unknown users. We work hard to safeguard your account and personal information. That's why from time to time we may ask you to verify your identity online. This verification process will only take a few seconds.

Click Here To Update And SecureYour Account (Link Removed)
Sincerely,

Yahoo Account Service

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Because your reply will not be transmitted via secure e-mail, the e-mail address that generated this alert will not accept replies. If you would like to contact Us with questions or comments, Please visit the customer service section.

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Never respond to such mail devised to steal your personal information.

Holiday Season: Top Business Time for Cybercriminals - - Be Extra Cautious of Online Scams, Identity Theft And Cybercrime

The holiday season is a peak time for identity theft and internet fraud. Reportedly the number of online scams, incidents of identity theft and cybercrime has increased tremendously in this holiday season.  

 

US Postal Service officials say, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."  If you receive a check for a large sum of money for no apparent reason, if you are guaranteed financial success or promised unusually high returns for participation, reports say it is likely a fraud attempt. 

Another alert sign is high pressure or pressure to make a spontaneous decision.  Many online scams require an initial investment.  If you are dealing with a work-at-home job offer or an internet business, check it out with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). 

Don't allow internet fraudsters to catch you on the internet by taking a few extra measures.  Instead of clicking a link inside an email to visit a website, visit the website from your browser address line.  Also, remember your bank or credit card company will not call or email you for your account number. 

If you receive something suspicious online or in the mail, most services ask that you report it to their inspection department.  If you have encountered online fraud, contact the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov/complaint.  

Scam Mail From Account Service - - YAHOO! CUSTOMER CARE SATISFACTION SURVEY

Beware! It's a Cyber World:

Dear readers, few days back I presented here a YAHOO ALERT scam. Today, I received the same type of mail with a logo containing "Customer Care Satisfaction Survey", asking for the same private information that can be used by cyber criminals for their negative activities. This is clearly an effort to steal your private information. Don't respond at all to the mail coming from Member Account Service (servicealert@yahoo.com)

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From: Member Account Service (servicealert@yahoo.com)
Sent: Mon, December 6, 2010 1:18:31 AM
Subject: Account-Service

This is for your own safety to avoid your account closed,  you will have to verify your account by filling out your  Login below by clicking the reply button.  We apologies for any inconvenience. User name………………..... Password…………….......... Date Of Birth………............ Occupation......................... Country Of Residence………. After receiving the information requested you will be able to  continue using your Account.  We are really sorry for any inconvenience this might cause you.

 

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Please keep on sharing your comments and similar fraud mails and scams; so that our efforts can save the internet users from any kind of cyber victimization.