| Consumers and companies are being victimized | | | | |
| by spam e-mails offering counterfeit software | | | | Purchasers from these Internet storefronts |
| and pharmaceuticals. For the average | | | | have also reported that viruses and "trojans" |
| consumer, his identity could be in jeopardy | | | | have appeared on their computers. Trojan |
| or he could unknowingly be funding criminal | | | | horse attacks pose one of the most serious |
| activity initiated by groups based in Eastern | | | | threats to computer security. The result is |
| European countries. | | | | that buyers of pirated software also often |
| | | | unknowingly propagate spam, since their |
| The software industry's biggest problem in | | | | computers are secretly "hijacked" and turned |
| Internet piracy over the past four years has | | | | into spamming robots. |
| been caused by Internet storefronts that sell | | | | |
| pirated software for pennies on the dollar. | | | | Here are some practical tips to avoid getting |
| The criminal activities of these counterfeit | | | | infected: |
| spammers extend beyond software piracy. They | | | | |
| include threats to public safety such as | | | | 1. Never download blindly from people or |
| counterfeit pharmaceuticals, child | | | | sites of which you are not 100 percent sure. |
| pornography and identity theft. | | | | |
| | | | 2. Even if the file comes from a friend, you |
| Criminal Operation | | | | still must be sure what the file is before |
| | | | opening it. |
| The perpetrators reach consumers via mass | | | | |
| spam e-mail, as well as ads on popular search | | | | 3. Beware of hidden file extensions. |
| engines. They lure customers to Internet | | | | |
| storefronts that appear legitimate, and then | | | | 4. Never use features in your programs that |
| deliver unauthorized copies of products to | | | | automatically open or preview files. |
| them via both postal mail and electronic | | | | |
| download. | | | | 5. Never blindly type commands that others |
| | | | tell you to type, go to Web addresses |
| According to industry estimates, the | | | | mentioned by strangers, or run prefabricated |
| criminals make more than $10 million annually | | | | programs. |
| for software that sells legitimately for more | | | | |
| than $100 million. Illegal revenue is | | | | 6.Don't be lulled into a false sense of |
| generated in two ways: directly from the | | | | security just because you run anti-virus |
| illegal activity, whether it involves | | | | programs. |
| software, pharmaceuticals or child | | | | |
| pornography; and identity theft via the | | | | 7. Don't download an executable program just |
| unauthorized reuse of harvested credit card | | | | to "check it out." |
| information and the resale of credit card and | | | | |
| customer data to third parties. | | | | 8. Finally, if the price is too good to be |
| | | | true, it's probably counterfeit. |
| Beware of Trojan Horse and Other Attacks | | | | |