Computer plays a major role in our daily life. Without computer, a lot of tasks couldn’t be done. For example, we need a computer to do assignments, communicate, do online shopping, news feed, and to find information. However, the doubt on how safe is the data disclosed still remains an issue to all Internet users. Crimes don’t only exist in real world but also in Internet. Worries on whether private information such as credit card number will be misused, stolen, loss, or damage still remains. Threat such as phishing, information theft, hackers, viruses and worm are concerns of traders as well. Therefore, traders are still trying their very best to prevent their customers’ information from being stolen, loss, misuse, as well as damage. 
1. Phishing
Phishing is an act of obtaining access to passwords, identity details, and credit card information by posing as a trustworthy website such as Maybank2u, Amazon, eBay, and Public Bank through emails or Instant Messaging. Phishing concept is similar to ‘fishing’ whereby the theft leads to bait used to gain personal and financial information. Not only steals information, sometimes phishers also infect the computer with viruses or worm.
2. Information Theft Similar to phishing, information theft is also a crime of stealing private information thru the Internet. Most popular information theft is the credit card number theft. The use of credit card has widened as people do their purchases online. It is the easiest area to use fraudulent as it has no extra identification number to use. Website without proper security such as free hosting websites is main target. Therefore, purchasing from a trusted entity is much safer.
3. Hackers
Black hat hackers are individual that breaks into others computer system to access forbidden information and cause some damages. However white hat hackers are those that work for big corporation to test out their latest website in order to offer a safe website and program to the public. For example, Maybank hires hackers to try out their website, http://www.maybank2u.com/ to make sure their security are safe enough and there are no loop holes for hackers to break into their system and steal and damages their information.
4. Computer Virus
Computer virus corrupts files and programs in a computer, causing the files and program damages. It infects a computer without the permission or knowledge of the computer owner. Types of viruses include Trojan horse, worms, most rootkits, spyware, crimeware and many more. Computer may be infected by virus thru clicking on website pop up, email links, corrupted files, pendrive, downloads, as well as programs. Installation of anti virus software can minimize the risk of virus attack on ones computer.
Therefore, users are advice to be careful when they are doing any online transaction. Get confirmation from the bank before disclosing any important data such as password and user ID. Moreover, important data in the computer may be abused if one lost their laptops or computer files are corrupted. Therefore, users are advise not to keep personal data such as ATM password, e banking password, or even credit card number in the computer system, but rather write it down on a notebook.
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