Computer security is something that is important not only
for organizations but for individuals as well. There are hackers all across the
world looking for a way to breach any type of data that they can. There are
several types of data breaches that can happen but one of the more common ways
is spam emails. I hear about spam emails all the time at my place of
employment. These spam emails can lead to a computer virus being downloaded
onto your computer.
Spam emails are sent out by daily to organizations and
personal emails. Many people fall for the spam emails sent because they are
usually a way to trick the user. Common types of spam emails will tell the user
that they have won something and asks them to click a link. A common spam that
has been sent to my organization is saying that there is a package from Amazon
that needs more information. When the user clicks the link if the antivirus
software does not catch the spam then a virus will be downloaded onto the users
computer.
Computer viruses allow the hacker to access all data on
your computer. Viruses can send additional emails from your computer to other
contacts you may have so that they can hack even more computers. Additionally
they can cause your entire computer to crash which results in a loss of your
data. They can gain access to any bank account numbers, social security numbers
and any documents you may have saved. This can cause identity theft for a
person or cause an organization to lose millions of dollars from the hackers
accessing their bank accounts.
In order to precent spam emails and computer viruses it
is important to be cautious while using a computer. Always having an antivirus
software helps prevent attacks however it is not a guarantee. Important
documents and files should always be stored somewhere as a backup. Also making
sure you as the user are educated in what to watch for. Many spam emails you
can tell are not from who they say they are from if you look closely. One
example is the actual email itself will not be from the company claiming to
send the email. You should never click a link on an email unless you are
absolutely certain it is from who it says it is from. Last be cautious of any
links you select even on websites.
Overall there are many computer security issues to be cautious
of. Email spams are so common now that I personally see them everyday in my
email. There is no official stop to receiving these threats but educating
yourself is going to help prevent any viruses from entering your computer. It
is important to remember that not only your work computer is at risk you
personal computer is as well.
References
Jáñez-Martino, F., Alaiz-Rodríguez, R.,
González-Castro, V. et al. A review of spam email detection:
analysis of spammer strategies and the dataset shift problem. Artif
Intell Rev (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10462-022-10195-4
Schneider, W. Computer viruses: What they
are, how they work, how they might get you, and how to control them in academic
institutions. Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, & Computers 21,
334–340 (1989). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03205604
Vahid, F., & Lysecky, S. (2019). Computing technology for all. zyBooks.
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