New Attack on Computers – Pharming - New ebook fights back (press release)

Monday, April 18, 2005 by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger Editor of NaturalNews.com (See all articles...) Tags: phishing, pharming, computer security

https://www.naturalnews.com/004427.html

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People are just becoming aware of Phishing – emails that look like they are from well-known financial institutions but have links that take computer users to real-looking but fake websites which steal passwords, PIN numbers and account numbers.

Pharming is more sophisticated, in that it hijacks the website address on the DNS server – the giant computers that run the Internet – so that you don’t even suspect that you are hijacked.

The new eBook, “Help! Something’s Got Hold of My Computer and It Won’t Let Go!” contains tools, fixes and education to prevent Phishing, Pharming and many other forms of attacks on PCs.

When Steve Freedman turned on his new computer and connected to the Internet, he expected to see the CNN web page. Instead he got a porn page. When he changed his home page back to CNN, the porn page came back every time he rebooted his computer.

Like hundreds of thousands of other surfers, his computer had been hijacked by something called a “Browser Helper Object” (BHO) better known nowadays as a Browser HIJACK object – a nasty little piece of spyware.

BHOs originally were developed by Microsoft to extend the capabilites of Internet Explorer. The problem is that the Bad Guys have learned how to use them to change Internet Surfer’s home pages, install password stealers and copy their keystrokes when they are doing their online banking.

Spyware is so common that over 90% of computers are infected with it.1 At Dell, Inc. 15% of service calls are related to spyware problems, up from 2% in 2003.2

But unlike most people who are attacked by BHOs, Steve is a Webmaster, computer geek and an educator.

“I got mad that some hacker jerk had hijacked my computer. While I was researching how to fix it on the Web, I found out how prevalent this exploit was, and also found great resources for fighting back,” says Steve.

“I decided to write an eBook that anyone, even computer Newbies, could follow to clean their computers and prevent future hijackings. I knew that Newbies needed lots of pictures (screenshots) and plain talk, not technobabble, so that they felt secure every step of the way. I also built in a lot of interactivity, to make it fun.”

“Even most Computer Wizards haven’t taken these simple steps to harden their computers against these malicious attacks. People and businesses really can’t risk losing all their photos and emails and business information, but they don’t know what to do. This eBook will help them.”

“Help! Something’s Got Hold of My Computer and It Won’t Let Go!” is a short but information packed eBook available for download at www.HelpProtectMyComputer.com. It has vulnerability tests, awareness education and fixes for many Windows and Internet Explorer vulnerabilities and resources that will be appreciated by beginners and advanced computer users.

Mr. Freedman is available for TV, Radio and Press interviews. His engaging, non-technical style and ability to communicate complex information in an understandable way makes him an ideal interviewee.

About the Author Steve Freedman, co-owner of Archer Strategic Alliances has been a Webmaster for more than seven years. His interactive websites have won Golden Web Awards, and he has done presentations for the Public Relations Society of America, Portland Metro Chapter, the Native American Business Alliance, MARSA (Marketing and Sales Association) and many other organizations.

Many of Mr. Freedman’s clients are at the top of the Search Engines.

Mr. Freedman has been interviewed numerous times on radio and television in his role as Director of the City of Portland Metropolitan Human Rights Center; Assistant Director, Donor Recruitment, American Red Cross Blood Services, Oregon Trail Chapter; Founder, Oregon Uniting, a racial reconciliation non-profit.