These days a seemingly harmless informational e-mail could be a virus waiting to hit your computer. That's the sad state of affair, but it's appeared again with a bogus e-mail purporting to be from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Opening the e-mail isn't a problem but clicking on a "download" file after going to a fake Web site - that download link pushes a virus into your computer.
Here's how the trouble starts. First, you get an e-mail that has one of two subject lines:
- FDIC has officially named your bank a failed bank.
- You need to check bank deposit insurance coverage
Once you open the message, the note asks you to visit a specific Web site - from a link in the message. When you get to that site, you're asked to download a copy of "your personal FDIC insurance file." And that's where the trouble starts. According to the University of Alabama at Birmingham clicking that link brings in a virus capable of stealing bank passwords and other financial and personal information.
Gary Warner, director of research computer forensics at UAB, notes that legitimate companies never ask you to download programs or enter your personal information via e-mail. You can learn more about this whole issue by visiting Warner's blog at CyberCrime & Doing Time.
Firefox posts an update
More folks are turning away from Internet Explorer and using Firefox, a free browser that has a lot of great features. In fact, that's what this author uses for Web browsing these days. However, there's one thing to keep in mind - you have to keep this tool updated as well.
Users of the newest Firefox version - Firefox 3.5 - need to upgrade to Firefox 3.5.4 right away. It appears that the last version - 3.5.3 was hole-filled with security openings a hacker could drive an 18-wheeler through.
The good news is that Firefox will upgrade during it's regular update routine, or you can simply do it yourself. Just click on Help, then Check for Updates and Firefox does the rest. The update takes a few minutes, then you restart Firefox and you're off and running.
This update for Firefox is for both the Windows and Mac versions of the program.