EDS’ eight cyber security tips
ConvergenceAsia staff
12/11/2007

According to a CSI/FBI Computer Crime and Security Study, cyber crimes cost the United States economy an estimated us$67 billion in damages. Corporations and governments in Asia are also becoming increasingly aware that investing wisely in cyber security is a fundamental cost of doing business in the relatively new wired world.   

The big business and government approach to cyber security contrasts sharply with many small business and home computer users who can unsuspectingly be the ‘back doors’ to a full-scale cyber attack, said Dave Morrow, EDS chief security and privacy officer.

In Asia the predominant form of business organisation is the small and often family-owned enterprise. “This weakness at the grassroots level particularly in Asia requires all users to be responsible citizens in the collective online world with equal time and energy spent to protect these computers. Everyone must practice safe computing habits and good personal computing hygiene,” he said.

In honour of National Cyber Security Awareness month, global technology services company EDS has identified eight tips to help consumers secure their part of cyberspace:

Know the threat. China topped the Asia Pacific region in malicious activity, producing the malicious code, span zombies, bots and attacks during the first half of 2007, according to Symantec. But the entire online world is a dangerous place. The bad guys can be right next door or across the globe, but both can be equally harmful to you and your personal data.

Use the tools. Every home or small business user should install commonly available security tools such as anti-virus software, anti-spyware software and a personal firewall. It’s also important these programs and the computer’s operating system must be maintained with the most recent patches or updates.

Be smart online. Like the physical world, cyberspace has its “con-artist side” typified by bogus e-mails advertising “get-rich-quick” schemes, “can’t-miss” stocks and come-ons from the opposite sex who “can’t wait” to chat. All too often, these are teasers drawing users to web sites with viruses, bot programs or other cyber risks.

Never respond to unsolicited requests for personal information. Be wary of e-mails from organisations or individuals asking for your personal information. Always ask or look for contact information on unsolicited requests and be skeptical. 

Beware of “phishing” e-mails. Phishing is one of the fastest-growing forms of online fraud for identity thieves. Phishing e-mails appear legitimate, often addressing you by name. Thieves sending these e-mails usually ask you to click on a link in the email that takes you to a phony web site – if you are interested, it is best to go to the site yourself by typing the web site name directly into your browser. A skeptical attitude toward unsolicited e-mails is always the best policy, especially if you have never done business with a company before receiving an e-mail solicitation from it.  

Do not use personal information for passwords. Using information such as birth dates, names, e-mail addresses or telephone numbers as passwords can make you an easy target. Be sure your passwords contain at least eight characters and include numbers or symbols. To avoid misuse, do not write down passwords.

Review privacy and security policies for the companies you do business with online. All reputable companies post a privacy and security policy or statement on their web site. This should tell you what information the company collects, how it is used and what is shared. If you are concerned about your information being shared with other companies, make sure there is an option to keep your information confidential.

Monitor online activity regularly. If you conduct business online, review your account statements regularly and consider using a separate credit card for online purchases or payments to ensure all transactions are in order. By reviewing online statements and transactions frequently, you could detect a theft and limit its damage. Identity thieves typically use stolen information for only a short period of time to avoid being caught. If you suspect a security breach, act quickly by contacting the companies you do business with immediately.

According to the Asia Digital Marketing Association, Asia Pacific has more Internet users, more broadband subscribers, more mobile subscribers than the US or Europe. The power of the Internet comes with a great shared responsibility of cyber security, more so now for Asia than ever.

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