August 8th, 2008
by
Brett Bumeter
For a couple weeks, I have been receiving lots and lots of spam that looks like a new and improved CNN mobile alert via email. In the past, spam had a history of often times having spelling issues or looking less than professional.
With the CNN alerts, the opposite ploy is utilized. These spam emails masquerading as cnn alerts, actually look better and more professional than the real thing. They often times use real story headlines mixed with slightly spectacular headlines.
The result is that you ignore the regular headlines coming in individual alerts, but are then tempted to check out the headlines that are slightly more impressive. I’ve almost clicked on these things myself, before catching myself at the last minute.
So if you see these or get peppered with them, don’t click on them. Don’t even click on the unsubscribe button which shows up with some messages but not all, again tempting you to unclutter your inbox so that you don’t have to buy memory just to keep Outlook running and extra day.
Just send it to spam or junk or wherever and remember to be careful with that mouse!
July 14th, 2007
by
admin
Just wanted to share a warning about a Spoof Email pretending to be from Ebay that is re-circulating the net in a slightly altered form. The email message pretends to be from ebay and like all these phishing emails encourages you to sign in and fix something on your account.
Other than the fact that ebay never sends these types of messages, I was tipped off by the fact that it was sent to an email address of mine that is not associated with an ebay account at all.
I have no idea who the FPA is supposed to be.
The actual link (if you click on it in the email and I definitely do not advise clicking on it in any situation not even to see what is on the other side) points to the following address:
http://fl-65-40-13-231.sta.embarqhsd.net/ws/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.php?MfcISAPICommand=SignIn&co_partnerId=2&pUserId=&siteid=0&page
Type=&pa1=&i1=&bshowgif=&UsingSSL=&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com&pp=&pa2=&errmsg=&runame=&ruparams=&
ruproduct=&sid=&favoritenav=&confirm=&ebxPageType=&
existingEmail=&isCheckout=&migrateVisitor=
That sure does not look like an ebay address even though they disguise it to look like
https://signin.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?SignIn
The email message looks like this
Here is a link to an older version of this spooffing email dated from just a couple weeks ago, so it looks like the scammers are already adapting.
Reporting Phishing or Spoof Emails from ebay
Ebay provides the following site to accept reports from people around the world about spoofing and phishing attacks and other issues. You can also do a google search on the keywords ebay report phishing and look for the Security and Resolution Center at ebay which is a couple clicks away.
These types of things typically appear to be sourced out of Russia, but it is just as possible that someone from any where in the world is just using a host that allows this type of behavior from within Russia. It could just as easily be someone next door, in the next state or even a teenage prankster on a Kissimmee vacation with her parents just seeing what they can do. Regardless, of where they are or who they are it is very dangerous for a person to fall victim to this type of action. If you click on this type of link, contact the credit bureaus and take steps to protect your credit. Then do a top to bottom spyware and virus check on your machine.
March 26th, 2007
by
Brett Bumeter
When I was in the Army we had to use DOD / NSA approved electronics that had been engineered with EMI Shielding capabilities for two reasons.
First, we didn’t want to have our electronic gear spied upon with technologies that can turn electromagnetic radioation coming from your machine back into real live data.
Second, we did not want to have the equipment zapped essentially with electromagnetic interference.
With a world that is suddenly going wireless there are more and more chances that electromagnetic interference will block your signals, but it doesn’t only refer to radio waves. Anything that uses electricity can emit an electromagnetic force.
This is why your hair dryer or microwave might interfere with your cordless phone or TV from time to time, it depends on the frequency essentially.
If you have important information stored on your computers or hard drives or backup drives or if you do not want your system to go down when your neighbor cranks up their microwave or when the office above you lights up their new Wireless system or cellular repeater, then you may need to take a look at the benefits of EMI shielding for your own systems.
