Archive for Security Threats
FAIRFAX, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–ManTech International Corporation (NASDAQ:MANT – News) (www.mantech.com), a leading provider of innovative technologies and solutions for mission-critical national security programs, announced today that it received a new contract to support the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), Agriculture Security Operations Center (SOC). Under the contract, ManTech will provide 24/7 incident handling and strategic support to help detect and report malicious cyber activities on the agency’s enterprise information infrastructure. The contract, which has an initial period of one year and four one-year extension options, is estimated to be worth up to $10.8 million.
The USDA OCIO is responsible for supervising and coordinating the design, acquisition, maintenance, use and disposal of information technology by USDA agencies and monitoring the performance of USDA’s information technology programs and activities.
“ManTech is extremely pleased to have been selected by the USDA Office of the CIO to provide strategic support in detecting, reporting and responding to cyber threats to the agency’s infrastructure,” said L. William Varner, president and chief operating officer of ManTech’s Mission, Cyber and Technology Solutions. “ManTech’s highly experienced cyber professionals, combined with the company’s strong track record in building and managing security operations centers for government entities make ManTech well suited to help secure our nation’s federal agencies from cyber attacks.”
About ManTech International Corporation
Headquartered in Fairfax, Va., with approximately 9,100 professionals, ManTech is a leading provider of innovative technologies and solutions for mission-critical national security programs for the intelligence community; the departments of Defense, State, Homeland Security and Justice; the space community; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and other U.S. federal government customers. ManTech’s expertise includes systems engineering, systems integration, enterprise architecture, cyber security, information assurance, intelligence operations and analysis support, network and critical infrastructure protection, information operations and information warfare support, information technology, communications integration, global logistics and supply chain management, and service-oriented architectures. Additional information on ManTech can be found at www.mantech.com.
Attorney General Eric Holder today announced the formation of a new Department of Justice Task Force
on Intellectual Property as part of a Department-wide initiative to confront the growing number of
domestic and international intellectual property (IP) crimes.
“The rise in intellectual property crime in the United States and abroad threatens not only our public
safety but also our economic wellbeing. The Department of Justice must confront this threat with a strong
and coordinated response,” said Attorney General Holder. “This Task Force will allow us to identify and
implement a multi-faceted strategy with our federal, state and international partners to effectively combat
this type of crime.”
The Attorney General’s announcement follows a summit meeting convened last December by Vice
President Biden, a long-standing champion of U.S. intellectual property rights-holders. At that meeting,
which was attended by Attorney General Holder and other cabinet heads, the Vice President discussed the
importance of stronger enforcement and supported actions to raise the priority of combating IP theft and
improving coordination — including the establishment of an intellectual property task force at the
Department of Justice.
“Theft of intellectual property does significant harm to our economy and endangers the health and safety
of our citizens,” said Vice President Biden. “This administration is committed to stronger and stricter
enforcement of intellectual property rights, and this new task force is a step in the right direction.”
The Task Force, to be chaired by the Deputy Attorney General, will focus on strengthening efforts to
combat intellectual property crimes through close coordination with state and local law enforcement
partners as well as international counterparts. It will also monitor and coordinate overall intellectual
property enforcement efforts at the Department, with an increased focus on the international aspects of IP
enforcement, including the links between IP crime and international organized crime. Building on
previous efforts in the Department to target intellectual property crimes, the Task Force will also serve as
an engine of policy development to address the evolving technological and legal landscape of this area of
law enforcement.
As part of its mission, the Task Force will work closely with the recently established Office of the
Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator (IPEC), housed in the Executive Office of the President
and charged with drafting an Administration-wide strategic plan on intellectual property. As part of its
mission, the Task Force will assist IPEC in recommending improvements to intellectual property
enforcement efforts.
“Americans produce more technologies, more brands, more creative works and more innovation than any
other nation on Earth,” said Victoria Espinel, the U.S. intellectual property enforcement coordinator.
“President Obama is committed to ensuring that the value created by American workers and enjoyed by
communities around the world is protected. The Justice Department’s new task force will play a critical
role in supporting the Administration’s ongoing efforts to protect American intellectual property and the
millions of jobs that depend on it.”
The Task Force will include representatives from the offices of the Attorney General, the Deputy Attorney
General, and the Associate Attorney General; the Criminal Division; the Civil Division; the Antitrust
Division; the Office of Legal Policy; the Office of Justice Programs; the Attorney General’s Advisory
Committee; the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys and the FBI.
As part of its broader intellectual property initiative, the Department will also step up policy engagement
with foreign law enforcement partners, develop a plan to expand civil IP enforcement efforts, and leverage
existing partnerships with federal agencies and independent regulatory authorities such as the
Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Communications Commission.
Malicious Software Infects Computers
Posted by: | CommentsA malicious software program has infected the computers of more than 2,500 corporations around the world, according to NetWitness, a computer network security firm.
The malicious program, or botnet, can commandeer the operating systems of both residential and corporate computing systems via the Internet. Such botnets are used by computer criminals for a range of illicit activities, including sending e-mail spam and stealing digital documents and passwords from infected computers. In many cases they install so-called keystroke loggers to capture personal information.
The current infection is modest compared with some of the largest known botnets. For example, a system known as Conficker, created in late 2008, infected as many as 15 million computers at its peak and continues to contaminate more than seven million systems globally.
Continue Reading HERE
Source New York Times
Expert panel discussion debates vulnerability of cellphone calls and what businesses need to do about it Webinar: 24th February 2010, 11am EST / 8am PST / 4pm GMT
Cellcrypt, the leading provider of secure cell voice calling, is hosting a webinar on cellphone voice call security moderated by Dr. Larry Ponemon and a panel of experts in national and corporate security. To register for the event go to:http://video.webcasts.com/events/cell001/33676/
A new member of the panel is MacDonnell Ulsch, CEO and Chief Risk Analyst of ZeroPoint Risk Research, LLC and the author of the book THREAT! Managing Risk in a Hostile World. Ulsch is an expert on privacy and counter espionage; he has worked at the National Security Institute on economic and industrial espionage and advised the office of counter intelligence of a US president.
The seminar is in response to recent news (Dec 27, 2009) when researchers announced the codebook that unscrambles GSM calls – used in 80% of cellphones – had been computed and published on the web. Free for any criminal to use, this codebook lowers the cost of cellphone eavesdropping below $10,000.
But recent research shows that while four out of five IT executives think cell phones are equally/more vulnerable than email, less than 20% of businesses have adequate cell voice protection in place and regularly discuss sensitive and confidential information on cellphones. This poses a corporate threat to commercial secrets, executive safety, data record breaches and financial transaction confidentiality.
Hosted by the world-renowned security pioneer Dr. Larry Ponemon, this webinar assembles a panel of experts to discuss the key issues of the GSM Cracking threat, the wider implications of cellphone interception and how to cost-effectively implement adequate protection.
Other Featured Speakers:
-- Dr. Larry Ponemon - Chairman & Founder, Ponemon Institute
-- Patricia Titus - Chief Information Security Officer, Federal Systems,
Unisys
-- Dr. Stuart Shapiro - Principal Information Privacy and Security
Engineer, The MITRE Corporation
-- Dr Simon Bransfield-Garth, CEO, Cellcrypt
Webinar Details
-- Date: 24th February 2010, 11am EST / 8am PST / 4pm GMT
-- Duration: 60 minutes
-- Registration: http://video.webcasts.com/events/cell001/33676/
-- Twitter Hashtag: #GSMSecurityWebinar
About Cellcrypt
Cellcrypt is the leading provider of technology to secure cell voice calls on everyday smartphones. Founded in 2005, Cellcrypt’s R&D innovation resulted in Encrypted Mobile Content Protocol (EMCP), an Internet Protocol (IP) based technology that optimizes delivery of encrypted data between mobile devices over wireless networks.
Cellcrypt’s products are undergoing security certification to the FIPS 140-2 standard approved by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), operate over data-enabled networks including 2G (GPRS/EDGE), 3G (HSPA, CDMA/EV-DO) and Wi-Fi®, and are optimised to run on Nokia® Symbian and BlackBerry® smartphones. Cellcrypt is a BlackBerry Alliance Partner and Inmarsat Connect Partner.
Today, Cellcrypt solutions are used routinely by governments, enterprises and senior-level executives worldwide. Cellcrypt is a privately-held, venture-backed company with headquarters in London, UK and offices in USA and Middle East.
For more information please visit: www.cellcrypt.com
Do you want to provide state-of-the-art security monitoring services to your customers and increase revenue at the same time? Then you should consider teaming with America On Watch to help provide your customers with the latest and most technologically advanced video surveillance services to keep the assets and inventory of your clients safe and secure. LAFAYETTE, LA, August 10, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ — Do you want to provide state-of-the-art security monitoring services to your customers and increase revenue at the same time? Then you should consider teaming with America On Watch to help provide your customers with the latest and most technologically advanced video surveillance services to keep the assets and inventory of your clients safe and secure.
America On Watch is the source to assist security professionals in creating a competitive advantage in the industry, tap into new revenue streams and help provide their clients with state-of-the-art video surveillance services.
The interactive monitoring services offered by America on Watch provide the industry’s highest Underwriters Laboratories rating, all on a cutting-edge technology platform that delivers single-point alarm management, video surveillance control, life safety management, access control and monitoring of intrusion systems.
Some key features and benefits security dealers and integrators can expect to gain include:
- An excellent new source for recurring monthly income
- System can easily integrate with any video technology on the market
- Comprehensive audit trails, secure online reports, even history and remote storage
- No additional equipment necessary during installation
- Fully redundant architecture
- Underwriters Laboratories (U.L.) rated platform
Some of the advantages your clients can expect to gain include:
- Real-time alarm notification, video verification and live interactive monitoring
- Receiving instant alerts and video or audio clips on any device
- Secure and remote access from any location using any Internet device
- View live cameras or review previously recorded events
- Two-way audio capability allows user to listen and speak to deter criminal activity
- Virtual guard patrols and alarm activation scheduling
America On Watch, a division of Acadian Monitoring services, is an industry leader in providing advanced remote monitoring solutions for the nation’s top security companies, providing them with the ability to earn previously unattainable recurring streams of monthly revenue.
For more information, contact America On Watch at 866-913-9565 or visit them on the Web at http://www.americaonwatchnetwork.com.
Ten Tips To Keep IT Security Costs Down In The Recession
Posted by: | Comments| Written by Ian Kilpatrick |
| With UTMs you have fewer devices, so you can save on energy costs, rack space and air-conditioning. If you deploy multiple UTMs throughout an organisation, and use centralised management and reporting, you can significantly reduce the time spent on admin and management. 1. Move to UTMs (unified threat management systems)
UTMS save money over multiple point solutions. They can cost just a quarter of the price of multiple solutions. With UTMs you have fewer devices, so you can save on energy costs, rack space and air-conditioning. If you deploy multiple UTMs throughout an organisation, and use centralised management and reporting, you can significantly reduce the time spent on admin and management. There are also fewer ongoing management costs from factors such as training, maintenance and upgrades. And you only have one dedicated platform to support. Companies such as Check Point, WatchGuard and NETGEAR have solutions in this area 2. Beef up your web filtering List-based web filtering security tools don’t provide effective control against proxy anonymisers, which allow staff to browse restricted sites undetected by many web filtering systems. Consider moving to solutions that provide protection against anonymisers, so you can significantly increase productivity, as well as improving security. Marshal8e6, Barracuda Networks and Finjan are among the companies who offer products here. 3. Close down the bad guys Close down the areas that you weren’t too happy about but may have ignored in the past. For example, P2P, streaming media and IM. Not only do they represent a significant security risk, they also have an extremely high cost in wasted staff time. Solutions are available that let you manage these areas, alongside traditional web risks. They include those from Marshal8e6 and Barracuda Networks. 4. Deal with non-work related emails Inappropriate and non-work related emails not only carry major legal risks for organisations but also have a huge security and productivity cost. Yet many organisations are completely blind to the level or nature of the activity. Solutions are available that allow you to manage non-work related emails and increase productivity, without upsetting staff or disrupting business. 5. Deploy encryption The lack of encryption can lead to data being viewed by unauthorised people, both inside and outside an organisation. The cost of dealing with such data leakage incidents is massively larger than the cost of preventing them in the first place. In a recession, the damage to reputation can be even more expensive. We are all too painfully aware now, that data leakage is not an isolated thing and can strike all sorts of companies. Encryption used to be expensive and disruptive to install, but this is no longer the case, and most companies can afford to use it. Solutions are available from Check Point (Check Point Endpoint Security) and HP. 6. Two factor authentication The cost of managing passwords can be extremely expensive in terms of helpdesk resources. And weak passwords put your business at risk. Two factor (soft or hardware) tokens cost only a few pounds, less than the price of one helpdesk call. They can secure your business effectively, particularly where you have a lot of remote and mobile users. Suppliers include CRYPTOCard and VASCO. 7. Hosted security For some companies, hosted security can be a more cost-effective option than handling all security needs yourself. It can cover any type of environment and includes office based systems, remote locations, home offices and mobile laptops. You can host all or just some of your security needs. Cost savings can come from areas such as not having to pay all the costs associated with installing and managing hardware and software. There are many companies in this area including Kaspersky Lab and CRYPTOCard. 8. Compliance The burden of proving that your IT security is compliant to an ever- increasing range of laws and regulations can take up costly manpower. Solutions are available which can automate the collation of security data from devices and systems across your organisation, and make it readily available when you are called upon to prove your compliance. They save on manpower and on the possible cost consequences of not being able to prove you are compliant. These include solutions from ArcSight and LogLogic. 9. Bring staff on board Using your own staff is a major way to secure your systems. Retrain staff and remind them that data security is their responsibility and crucial to the survival of the business. In tough times, the message is more likely to strike home and be appreciated. 10. Review AV. Many anti-virus and end point solutions create a large load on PC resources with big updates and processor intensive scans. With budgets under threat, desktop refreshes are being delayed. Using efficient low footprint anti-virus extends the life of PCs and laptops. Bio – Ian Kilpatrick Ian Kilpatrick is chairman of value added distributor Wick Hill Group plc, specialists in secure infrastructure solutions. Kilpatrick has been involved with the Group for more than 30 years. Wick Hill is an international organisation supplying most of the Time Top 1000 companies through a network of accredited resellers. Kilpatrick has an in-depth experience of computing with a strong vision of the future in IT. He looks at computing from a business point-of-view and his approach reflects his philosophy that business benefits and ease-of-use are key factors in IT. He has had numerous articles published in the UK and overseas press, as well as being a regular speaker at IT exhibitions. |
OFT Scamnesty campaign highlights scale of internet fraud
Posted by: | CommentsThe OFT today launched its 2010 Scams Awareness Month by highlighting how scammers are targeting unsuspecting people using increasingly sophisticated and manipulative tactics.
New research for the OFT reveals the scale of mass-marketed scams in Britain, which arrive by post, email, text, phone or the internet and aim to mislead people to part with their cash. The survey found that:
- Around one in 11 (just over 4 million) adults say they have responded to a scam at some time in their life, of whom nearly a third lost money.
- One in 25 (about 2 million) adults have responded to a scam in the last 12 months.
- Around half (49 per cent) of those scammed have lost more than £50 in total, with five per cent losing more than £5000.
- Email is now the most common scam approach – 73 per cent of adults have received a scam email in the past year. This is followed by scams via a letter (21 per cent) and via text message (12 per cent). Social media sites appear to be emerging as a new route for scammers with nine per cent of adults having received an approach this way.
- Three in 10 adults who responded to a scam then received further correspondence from the scammer, with over half (54 per cent) being asked to send money, and a third (36 per cent) being asked to send personal information.
This year’s Scams Awareness Month is seeking to raise awareness of the scale of the problem with a nationwide ‘Scamnesty’ run in partnership with 129 local authority Trading Standards Services. The campaign calls on consumers to drop scam mailings they have received into designated ‘Scamnesty’ bins or boxes at local libraries and public areas across the country. Consumers looking for their nearest bin can do a postcode search atwww.consumerdirect.gov.uk/scamnesty. The site also features an online bin where people can send suspected scam websites and emails.
The campaign is also highlighting the damaging emotional impact that scams can have on victims.
John Fingleton, Chief Executive of the Office of Fair Trading said:
‘Scammers are using ever more sophisticated and cunning tactics to dupe people out of their cash. We want people to recognise the warning signs, and feel confident enough to seek advice from friends and family or from Consumer Direct.’
Consumer Minister Kevin Brennan said:
‘It is really important that people are on their guard and know that help is available as scams can bring real upset and misery to their victims.
‘We have invested £7.5 million to create ’scambuster’ teams across the country. These specialist Trading Standards teams are working hard with the Police and others across local authority boundaries to come down hard on the worst scammers. We are determined to take the fight to these crooks.’
Ron Gainsford, Chief Executive of the Trading Standards Institute (TSI) said:
‘TSI is delighted that this year so many local authorities have signed up to Scams Awareness Month. Local authority Trading Standards Services play a vital role in bringing scammers to task and protecting those preyed upon. It is vital that we remind the public that in amongst the post can be scam mails sent by not only unscrupulous criminals but people who are prepared to sell your details onto a wide international web of criminal activity. What can seem like an innocent announcement that you have won money can turn into a nightmare of unsolicited mail and financial ruin.’
Gillian Guy, Chief Executive of Victim Support, said:
‘Scams can have a devastating impact on people’s lives. Stigma or embarrassment can wrongly make victims think they are to blame, and discourage them from reporting these crimes or seeking help.’
To help protect yourself and those you care about, the OFT is encouraging people to remember the following tips:
- Stop, think and be sceptical. If something sounds too good to be true it probably is.
- Do not be rushed into sending off money to someone you do not know, however plausible they might sound and even where an approach is personalised.
- Ask yourself how likely it is that you have been especially chosen for this offer – thousands of other people will probably have received the same offer.
- Think about how much money you could lose from replying to a potential scam – it’s not a gamble worth taking.
“ If you are unsure of an offer, speak to family or friends and seek advice from Consumer Direct before sending any money or giving out any banking or credit card details.
To find out more information, locate your nearest Scamnesty bin or report a suspect email or online scam, visit the Consumer Direct scams website atwww.consumerdirect.gov.uk/scamnesty.
Symantec Solutions Ace Industry Security Tests
Posted by: | CommentsIndependent security tests highlight Symantec’s best of breed protection capabilities against a growing onslaught of malware in a rapidly changing threat landscape
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – January 20, 2010 – Symantec Corp. (Nasdaq: SYMC) today announced that its industry-leading security products received top reviews from two respected independent testing bodies, AV-Comparatives and AV-Test.org. Symantec was awarded Best Anti-Virus Product of 2009 by AV-Comparatives, an accolade that honors top results across numerous tests in key protection and performance areas of security. Symantec also received a first place award in a new real-world test of Internet security suites by AV-Test.org, which evaluated leading security products in their ability to protect users during common activities such as surfing the Internet and downloading files. These independent reports continue to reinforce Symantec’s leadership position in providing protection against today’s evolving real-world threats.
“These new tests evaluate each product’s entire set of protection technologies against real malicious programs, just as they would be encountered by actual users,” said Stephen Trilling, senior vice president, Security Technology and Response, Symantec. “Symantec’s double-win in these independent reviews demonstrates how all of our security technologies work together to provide unrivaled effectiveness against today’s Internet threats.”
Over the past few years, the threat landscape distribution model has undergone a fundamental shift away from relatively small numbers of threats that affect many millions of users, toward a distribution model where many millions of new threats are released every month that each target just a handful of users across the globe. To provide some perspective on the size and scope of this issue, our analysis shows that in 2009 Symantec security software blocked more than 2.7 billion attempted attacks across the world. Given this environment, traditional antivirus-only solutions have become less effective. To address this, Symantec has shifted toward a defense-in-depth approach that uses many different security layers to protect users. The AV-Comparatives and AV-Test.org tests reflect a shift in testing methodologies to evaluate the overall holistic protection offered by the latest security products.
AV-Comparatives
AV-Comparatives has awarded Symantec its top Gold award of Best Anti-Virus Product of 2009. The award is based on the results of a series of tests performed throughout 2009 that examined Norton AntiVirus and other vendors’ products across eight different test categories, including: On-Demand Malware Detection, Proactive On-Demand Malware Detection, False Positives, On-Demand Scanning Speed, Overall Performance (Low-System Impact), On-Demand Potentially Unwanted Applications Detection, Malware Removal Capabilities and Whole-Product Dynamic Protection.
“Symantec’s overall excellent results in the 2009 tests demonstrate how its products have done a great job at maintaining the right balance of performance, high detection rates and low false positive rates,” said Andreas Clementi, chief executive officer, AV-Comparatives.
Contributing to the overall top award, were strong results in a number of new test areas introduced by AV Comparatives in 2009:
- In September 2009, Symantec was awarded the top category result of ADVANCED+ in a new Malware Removal test designed to examine how well malware is removed from a previously infected system.
- In November 2009, Symantec was awarded the top category result of ADVANCED+ in another new test designed to test a security product’s ability to detect and block Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUA). Such applications, for example fake antivirus products, have become a significant real-world nuisance for many end users.
- In December 2009, Symantec was awarded the top category result of ADVANCED+ in the Performance test, designed to show the impact on system performance of security software.
- Also in December 2009, Symantec was awarded the top category result of ADVANCED+ in a new test to examine how well a security product protects users in real-world situations such as surfing the Internet or downloading files.
AV-Test.org
AV-Test.org recently executed a new test to answer the question of how effective antivirus and Internet security suite products are at detecting entirely new malware in real-world situations. Symantec’s Norton AntiVirus scored first place on detection, out of 12 different well-known security products, by detecting 98 percent of all tested threats.
“I believe our new test provides an opportunity for security products to exercise all layers of their protection, and, as such, the resulting protection rates better predict what a typical user will experience in the field,” said Andreas Marx, chief executive officer, AV-Test.org.
Today, the majority of computer users get infected via Internet-based attacks such as drive-by downloads and socially engineered attacks, often cleverly designed to get a user to click on a malicious link. AV-Test.org set about designing the new test to better reflect today’s threat landscape. Over a three-month period ending in December 2009, AV-Test.org tested each product against 10 new unique Internet threats each day. Each sample was run on a clean imaged real machine, and was set up to replicate how an actual user might encounter the threat. This approach facilitated testing all of the different protection layers of each security product rather than targeting a specific layer. Over the course of the test, each product was tested against 600 different threats, as well as 400 clean files to ensure that a product did not falsely convict a clean file – known as a False Positive (FP). In the test, Symantec had the highest detection rate of all tested products, 98 percent detection, and the best awarded category for FP rates.
The Technology behind the Products
The core technologies behind Symantec’s security solutions is delivered by the Security Technology and Response (STAR) organization. Over the course of 2009, STAR developed and delivered a number of highly innovative new security technologies that contributed to the top protection scores in these reviews, including:
- Reputation-based security: STAR has built new reputation-based security technology that leverages the wisdom of Symantec’s millions of participating customers to derive highly accurate security ratings for virtually every file available on the Internet. This empowers Symantec users to make far better choices about the software they download and install on their computers.
- Advanced heuristic protection: STAR has introduced a new generation of heuristics to detect unknown malware files before they can run and cause damage. This advanced approach detects entirely new malware, spyware and adware strains without fingerprints, instead searching files for suspicious sequences of instructions typically used by malicious software.
- Advanced behavioral protection: STAR has completely redesigned Symantec’s behavioral protection, enabling it to recognize and block thousands of new malware variants by analyzing the behaviors of running software, all without traditional fingerprints.
- Lean and efficient engines: STAR optimized the core security scanning engines, helping to make Symantec products the fastest in the industry.
New Internet Scams Anonymous Group Launched Online
Posted by: | CommentsThe Internet Scams Anonymous Group provides support services for its members that have been scammed to help them recognize and avoid the next scam or fraud. Membership is open to all businesses and individuals that are starting or growing a business on the internet.
Seremban, Malaysia, February 02, 2010 –(PR.com)– The Internet Scams Anonymous Group (ISA) launched January 2010, after nearly 2 years of research into the magnitude of Internet Crime. ISA is valuable to its members, business or individual and is anonymous because most victims of a scam will not admit or are afraid to tell friends, family and others that they have been scammed. Like other successful anonymous groups – as the member base grows, members will help members by learn from each other’s mistakes, as well as their successes.
With the number of new users on the internet growing at a rate of 40% per year, most of these new users are ill prepared and must beware that every form of offline scam has or will surely find their way to the internet and into their email account.
While the internet has, many fine websites and groups that offer how-to information. Many of these focus on a particular type of scam or fraud such as paid to read or click, MLM, Nigeria, email fraud, identity theft, etc. Still others go to great lengths to provide lists of scam websites; however, no one has the resources to keep their lists up-to-date with rate of growth of Internet Crime.
The Internet Scams Anonymous Group concentrates on helping its members understand the basics of a scam, how to do their own online due diligence of the business and to understand their motivations to join in the scams. Research has shown that once an internet user has been a victim of a scam, they are likely to be a victim again, unless some form of corrective action is taken. A daily read of any news source shows that anyone regardless of his or her experience or credentials is a potential victim.
While individual members do not have a business, marketing or risk management plans, business members learn that internet crime and spam can affect nearly every aspect of their organizations risk management plan, be it financial, operations, technology, employee productivity, etc. Business members learn that unethical competitors use clickers to draw down their funds can consume advertising pay-per- click advertising budgets. Many companies have some form of employee policy for the use of the internet, most have overlooked the full impact of internet crime. ISA business members learn the importance of considering and adding Internet Crime to their Risk Management Plans.
Members learn that any use of the internet to make money online is a business and is not a hobby. ISA and the scammers understand that not everyone can run a business either offline or online, so the scammers promise potential affiliates overnight success while the affiliates do nothing, except give their money. Unfortunately, “guaranteed success” or “refund guaranteed” has little meaning or value online.
Too many of the new users online are work at home moms and dads, senior citizens and others who just want to make some extra money, but their already limited resources are easily consumed by the scammers. Certainly many users are and will be successful online as long as they learn to avoid the eye-catching email headlines and sites that play to their individual need to make money online.
Of course, ISA recognizes that this is a big challenge and a worthy cause; however, the group is optimistic that that they can help its members identify the scams and the scammers. Scammers will learn that the same power that was given to them by the use of the internet to scam or swindle others can also be used to reduce their effectiveness and ability to take money from others.
Although the Internet Scams Anonymous Group is a private network, the public will benefit from contributions to various online blogs, articles, social networks and forums that result from member discussion and participation within the group.
