WEEKLY REPORTS Latest security releases from Apple Top 10 Threats

Using a vulnerability in a real United States government Web Site to mask its true intentions, a new phishing scam is collecting Internet users' social security and credit card numbers.

According to Sophos, an anti-virus software company, the phishing scam begins with an E-mail notifying the reader of a $571 refund due to them from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The message includes a link which uses the domain name and directs you to a genuine Web Site (www.govbenefits.gov) that was originally meant to aid hurricane victims. The extra identifier on the end of the included link then immediately bounces you to a Web Site owned and operated by the phishers, who ask for your personal information.

In an attempt to ease a user's fear of clicking on unsolicited links from strangers, the E-mail suggests cutting and pasting the link. In actuality, even if you type the link into your browser letter for letter, the extra commands in the address would still put you at risk.

Information, Protection and Prevention -- More about the Phishing Scam
• Sophos information

• Actual US government Web Site

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* Reading: Solutions, Prevention & Remedies
Additional summary information related to a specific type of solution or prevention that you should be considering. Depending upon the week, this section may have:
• Recent Windows security releases from Microsoft
• Recent updates to widely used anti-spyware programs
• Recent updates to widely used anti-virus programs
• Recent updates to other security programs & devices (ex: Firewalls, routers)
• Recent updates to various applications in wide use

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Read: Top Threats
These are viruses that are currently on the watch lists of major anti-virus software companies.

Name
What the threat is called. We use the name given each virus by Panda Software. Sometimes other anti-virus companies give the same threat a different name. Usually they use similar names.

Type
There are different characteristics associated with different types of threats.
• Virus - has the ability to replicate or infect computers or other programs
• Trojan Horse (or Trojan) - appear to be harmless programs when you get them. They unleash their payload when you double-click, open, or execute them.
• Phishing - a Web site or e-maill message posing as another company - usually one you know to fool you into giving the sender personal information.
• Worm - self replicates onto additional disks, computers or networks
• Spyware - installs on your system to collect information about your activity, preferences or interests
• Hoax - false messages sent by e-maill to mislead the recipient
• Backdoors - opens a security hole that allows outsiders to take control of your computer
• Dialer - uses your telephone to dial an outside number - sometimes a number that costs you money when dialed

Affects
Not all viruses affect all types of systems. Some, for example may affect only Windows 98 and 95, but not Windows XP or NT. Others affect all Windows systems, but not Macintosh. In this column, we show you the consumer systems that the threat is known to affect. We don't always include the servers that operate in your company's backroom.

Alert level
The level of awareness that anti-virus vendors suggest you need to have for each threat listed.
For each threat listed, we'll post a corresponding link here, so you can get more information to help you recognize, diagnose, prevent, and repair the problem.