☆Security and Safety☆

Project Description:

For this assignment, I selected two different examples of cybersecurity/information security and researched articles regarding them using Google's News Search feature.

Phishing Scam

Phishing involves scammers using techniques that trick you into believing they're a trustworthy or official website when they are actually trying to download a virus or steal personal information. The CBS8 news article titled, "Receive an email about a free turkey? It might be a scam", written by Abbie Black on November 14th, 2023, this article informs us of how increasingly alarming the amount of successful phishing scams there are during this holiday season. As described in the article, I, too, have experienced multiple phishing attempts myself. It is important to "Report as Junk" or delete messages you feel unsure of or don't meet your legitimacy standards. From text alerts about a missing amazon package to an email about a free online store credit, I have managed to stay protected because I am aware of the risk they possess.

Internet Fraud

Internet fraud involves the duping of someone to gain access to personal information such as banking information. Written by the Leader staff on Leader Publications on November 19th, 2023, this article described the scam a 55 year old man experienced when trying to book a hotel online. He spoke with a woman through Facebook who claimed to be a part of William's Reality and offered a stay at a home for $2,020. Upon arriving at this home to receive the key, nobody was there to present him with one. Upon further investigation, it was revealed that the listing for this home was completely fake and that William's Reality did not exist. This article's purpose serves to warn others to verify the legitimacy of something before investing money into it or giving out sensitive information.

Lesson Learned:

I've learned how valuable it is to be informed of how scammers can hurt you or steal from you through multiple methods. I, among many others around me, have experienced a variety of phishing attempts. If I were to have fell for such a thing, my data, money, identity, and pc integrity could all be at risk from just clicking a link. Staying informed and being cautious are very vital things to have when using any form of internet.