Overview

As technology improves, so do the tactics of people who exploit it. Learn how you can protect yourself from invasions of privacy online.

Protecting Your Identity Online

Although the traditional means of identity theft, like physical theft and shoulder surfing, are still the most common, new types of cyber identity theft are becoming more prevalent and insidious. There's more opportunity for criminals to get access to personal information as more people go online and use more online features and benefits such as shopping, banking, and accessing personal and financial account information.

Hacking is the most direct method for a thief to access personal information on your computer. Hacking is the process of gaining access to someone else's computer, usually through a hole in the operating system security or by using a sophisticated program to re-create your login and password. Hacking is difficult to detect and very effective in gathering information a criminal wants. This direct attack is more commonly committed against businesses and government entities than individuals, but it's something you should be aware of.

To harvest information from individuals or families, identity thieves use less difficult and more subversive methods such as spyware, viruses, and adware.

Viruses

You've probably heard about viruses for years. Viruses are pieces of code that install on your computer and come in a number of different types:

• Self-replicating worms transmit bad code to other computers through an infected computer's e-mail program.
• Event-triggered Trojan horses embed themselves on a computer and wait to do damage or collect information.

When updated regularly and used properly, a good virus protection programs can usually keep most viruses at bay.

Spyware

Spyware is software that monitors computer activity, like keystrokes, and sends the information to a criminal either via e-mail or by allowing the criminal access to your system via a backdoor or security hole. This software is almost always installed on your computer without your knowledge, either through pop-up ads, e-mail ads, or some sort of security breach.

Spyware is malicious and is a primary source of personal information for a number of large identity theft rings around the world. Public computers, used by multiple users, are easy targets for thieves using spyware. A criminal can install some spyware software on a computer at a local Internet cafe, print shop, or library and track the keystrokes of every person using it. Over time, a thief can harvest hundreds of passwords, account logins, and personal identifiers like Social Security numbers from the computer. Be very cautious when using a public computer or an unsecured wireless connection -- your best bet is to avoid sending sensitive personal information unless you own the computer and you're using a secure, encrypted network (one for a which a password is required).

Because a common source of spyware is advertising, never click a pop-up ad or an e-mail advertising link. This is especially true if the ad is for spyware detectors or the ad claims to have found spyware on your system. These ads are typically generated by purveyors of spyware, not spyware detectors, and are designed to scare you into clicking them. If you fall for them, you're likely to open yourself up to a host of spyware issues -- so stay away.

Adware

Spyware and adware are generally confused but are distinctly different. Everyone who's spent any time surfing the Web is probably familiar with adware. Adware refers to software that's generally installed to follow your shopping and surfing habits and send targeted ads to you as you browse the Internet. Sometimes it's simply a reminder service that pops up occasionally to remind you to do something, such as upgrade your software.

Generally, adware is more annoying than destructive. It comes bundled with other types of freeware, such as weather applets or peer-to-peer services. It monitors a Web user's shopping habits and delivers content-specific ads to the user as they surf. For example, if you have adware on your computer, you might get a pop-up ad for Travelocity when you visit Orbitz to look for airplane tickets.

Adware generates pop-up windows that make surfing a nuisance and has spawned a huge outcry among Web users. At this time, your best bet for avoiding adware is to read software license agreements carefully before you accept them.

You can also install a spyware or malware scanner to find instances of adware and remove them from your computer. However, because most adware is legitimate, it might not remove the actual program, just the tracking files generated by the adware that allow it to serve targeted content. These files are re-created as soon as you resume surfing. The only way to guarantee you're not going to be bothered by adware is to make sure it's never installed in the first place.

Get Protection -- And Use It

Although no cure-alls stop identity theft via the web, a number of remedies exist. An entire industry of software companies centers on protecting consumers and defeating viruses, spyware, and adware. Because these differ fundamentally, you often need to download more than one detector to remove all of the malicious code from your computer.

• Antivirus: Antivirus software is generally the most expensive product because it requires a higher degree of sophistication and code-searching capabilities than other detectors. Some of the most common antivirus software comes from two big names in the industry: Symantec (Norton) and McAfee. There are also a number of inexpensive or free antivirus programs available from vendors like avast! and ClamWin.
• Malware: Spyware and adware tend to fall under the general category of "malware" (although technically, viruses are also considered malware). Most malware detectors look for both spyware and adware. Installing a detector and remover, such as Spy Sweeper, Spybot S&D (Search & Destroy), and Lavasoft Ad-Aware, can help protect your system. You can find other reputable malware detectors and removers by searching the CNET.com and PC Magazine sites and reading their reviews.

Your best defense against online identity theft is a good offense. Being aware of the dangers and taking steps to prevent malicious software from living on your computer can go a long way toward your peace of mind.