If today's economy has left you in need of more cash, consider this emerging trend: Millions are using the Internet -- and a minimal amount of time -- to bring home extra bacon.

Whether delving into e-commerce or selling ad space on a blog, Internet sellers often benefit from a rock-bottom initial investment, the convenience of working wherever and whenever they please, and the freedom of being their own boss.

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However, before you quit your day job, it's important to consider the potential pitfalls of selling on the Internet. These include startup time, extenuating costs and stiff competition.

"There are a lot of people trying to do the same thing," says Robert Spector, author of the book "Amazon.com: Get Big Fast," a book covering the history and development of the Web giant.

"What's going to differentiate the book I get from you versus the book I get from your competitor?"

Following are four ideas for turning the Internet into your own personal cash cow, and suggestions for staying ahead of the competition.

1. Blogging

Web logs -- now almost universally know as "blogs" -- were once the sardonic voice of dissent on the Web. Now, everyone seems to have a space on the Internet where they offer opinions or other reflections.

If your blog captures the imagination of the public, you could earn money while you entertain.

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Eden Kennedy of Santa Barbara, Calif., started Fussy.org when her son was 3 months old. She's been blogging about parenting, marriage and the hilarity of daily life for eight years now.

Kennedy says she built a readership by reading, commenting on and showing interest in the blogs of others.

Eventually, Kennedy had enough of a following to sell advertising space on her blog.

She works with several different advertising networks, each of which compensates her with anywhere from $1 per month to several hundred dollars per month.

One day, Kennedy had another flash of entrepreneurial insight: She decided to sell T-shirts to her readers.

She had shirts printed up with the phrase "Writing well is the best revenge" and watched the orders roll in.

"Just that phrase, it hits people pretty well," Kennedy says. "Actually, a lot of academics buy the T-shirt."

Kennedy now earns roughly $200 a month selling T-shirts. That income is in addition to the advertising dollars she rakes in.

Kennedy says her online pursuits have been more fruitful and less time-consuming than her former "real world" job working in a bookstore.

"Usually a post, no matter how long it is, takes me about an hour to write, and lately I haven't been updating more than twice a week," says Kennedy, who adds that designing her blog and dealing with advertisers takes an additional five hours per week.

How much is Kennedy earning from her blogging?

"It still adds up to more than I made selling books for 40 hours a week," she says.

Not every blogger is guaranteed to make good money. However, bloggers who truly love what they do are the ones who flourish, Kennedy says.

"I think the people who really succeed and last in this just really enjoy writing and taking pictures," she says.

If you'd like to try your hand at blogging, the Web sites Blogger, WordPress and LiveJournal offer free blog templates.

If you'd like to sell ad space on your blog, check out sites such as Google AdSense, Text Link Ads and the BlogHerAds network (for women only).

2. Selling Books, Music and Other Products

Amazon.com and eBay revolutionized e-commerce in the 1990s. Since then, countless individuals have made money selling books, movies, clothes and every other commodity under the sun.

E-commerce is becoming easier than ever, and the complications of arranging payment over the Internet are disappearing fast, Spector says.

"A lot of the uncertainty is taken out of the equation thanks to the technology," he says. "You're going to get paid before you send out the product."

Spector, author of the book on Amazon.com, says sites like Amazon can help small-volume sellers reach a wider audience.

"(Amazon) makes it easier and more beneficial for small book collectors who obviously have either rare or out-of-print books to do business ... it's worth it for them to give Amazon a little piece of that business in order to be in a very high-profile space," he says.

Mick McClain has been selling music on the Internet for 10 years. He sells everything from rare and out-of-print compact discs to new releases and used albums.

McClain uses eBay and Amazon.com to market his products. He also operates a Web site where potential customers can peruse his collection.

The San Diego resident says his startup costs were minimal. He had to spend to buy a "little bit better computer" and to build up his inventory, 90 percent of which comes from brick-and-mortar stores.

For newcomers to e-commerce, McClain recommends sticking to something you know.

"Your mind has to be a database," he says. "That's why I have never gotten into anything other than music because I would get eaten alive by the people who were the authorities on (other products)."

Spector offers two tips to aspiring e-merchants.

"First of all, have a unique product," he says. "There needs to be something separating you from your competitors."

Spector's second tip is to make sure you can deliver on your product promises.

"Live up to what you promise," he says. "If you promise a book,...in a particular condition, at a particular price, and guarantee it to arrive on a particular day, then do that."

3. Marketing Your Hobbies

Crafters, photographers and artists also are tapping into the Web's potential as a marketplace for their goods.

Notley Hawkins, a fine art photographer from Columbia, Mo., started selling online by uploading his photographs onto Flickr, a popular digital photograph storage Web site.

Flickr subsequently partnered with Imagekind, a Web site that specializes in selling fine art prints. Since then, Hawkins has sold about 50 of his prints through Imagekind.

Hawkins has found that having a Web site and selling photos online helped to enhance his reputation offline. He says his online presence helped him gain credibility with area travel magazines, for which he does freelance work.

"It's helped my career in many ways," Hawkins says of Imagekind. "It's helped me make some money, which is very important."

Hawkins urges budding photographers to start gradually by posting their photos to a site like Flickr.

"Try to establish a reputation online by publishing online," he says.

In the crafting world, Web sites such as Etsy offer merchants of handmade goods a way to expand their customer base while conveniently selling their products. Sellers who use Etsy can use the service to take payments via PayPal or money orders.

Other craft-selling Web sites include FreeCraftFair.com and Handmade Catalog.

Adam Brown, spokesman for Etsy, says handmade jewelry and craft-making supplies are two of the site's most popular categories.

To make money online, Brown says sellers must pay particular attention to posting good photos of their products and writing eye-catching descriptions. These skills are important, since the Web page has to substitute for a tangible product.

Brown also recommends the age-old suggestion of good customer service.

"When people contact you, you should always respond quickly," he says.

He says other smart marketing moves -- such as throwing in freebie extras when a customer orders something -- can build customer loyalty.

"Adding a personal touch really helps," he says.

4. Contributing to a Web Site

All over the Web, passionate fans are providing their expertise in music, movies and sports to niche Web sites. Many are earning sizable amounts of cash for doing things they love.

Brian Swaw of Chicago hires seven staff writers for his content fantasy football Web site, GameTimeDecisions.net.

Swaw's writers get paid roughly $100 per month, and in return, each writes one to two articles about football players and fantasy draft picks every week.

Want to pen about your passion for a Web site? Swaw recommends volunteering to start.

"That's how I did," he says. "There's a ton of sports Web sites out there that are looking for volunteers and it's a good way to get your name out there."

On the Internet, there are sites indulging just about every hobby, so opportunities abound.

EHow is an informational Web site where you can get paid writing "how-to" instructions on just about anything.

If you're into video games, you might try GameZone and GameFAQs. For movie reviews, check out Badmovies.org and the All Movie Guide.

If you have a green thumb or a sweet tooth, try gardening sites such as The Growing Edge, or cooking sites such as Cooking For Engineers that pay small wages to contributors.

Music geeks should try the All Music Guide, a popular music review site that pays its contributors. Music Emissions is an alternative music Web site that accepts reviews from all members and will promote you to their editorial team if they like your stuff.

Finally, most major cities have a slew of entertainment Web sites, some of which pay reviewers. CenterstageChicago.com, for instance, proffers clear and simple instructions on how to contribute to the site and get paid.

Check your city's entertainment Web sites, and don't be discouraged if there aren't instructions for reviewers -- try e-mailing the editor.

All That Glitters...

Sellers, writers and others who are clever and persistent often make a profit through their online activities. However, not everybody makes money, and there are many potential obstacles to success.

Some ventures, such as craft sales and blogs, can take a long time to get started. You may find yourself investing a lot of time and effort -- and even some money -- before you begin to see a return.

Brown says it's all too easy for craft sellers to take dismal sales personally and start doubting the quality of their artistry.

"People tend to get discouraged very easily," he says.

Another downside of e-commerce is that Web sites often charge fees to sellers.

For example, while eBay and Amazon.com offer a window into a world marketplace, some say there's a steep price for prime access.

"When I first started selling on eBay, the fees were very low," McClain says. "As with anything else, when a corporation smells blood in the water, they put out more chum and the fees go up dramatically."

McClain says he also has noticed increased postage prices for mailing packages to customers.

In addition to rising rates, e-venders must also contend with the stiff competition that manifests itself in a massive online market.

"The inherent problem is (that) everybody that you're competing with is selling at the same place," says McClain. "When you're selling on the Internet, you're competing with every single person that has the same product line and interest in the world."

In addition, some people find it difficult to find an outlet for their interests that will also generate revenues.

Freelance music writer Philip Sherburne said he has a hard time getting paid to write about the music he likes.

"I'd say the biggest struggle is simply finding outlets that share my musical interests, since I've always specialized in electronic and experimental music," says Sherburne, an American expatriate now living in Spain.

Pop and indie rock are music genres with a broader online following than electronic and experimental music. However, those types of music don't interest Sherburne as much.

"I'm rapidly losing any kind of grounding in the worlds of pop or indie rock," Sherburne says.

Despite such challenges, determined sellers continue to find success. If you're interested in making money on the Internet, a little perseverance and luck will go a long way.

"If you go on our blog there's a 'quit your day job' series; we actually have people who have really awesome stuff and they...quit their day job," Brown says. "Now, they support themselves by what they make."

The Internet can be a dangerous place for you, your computer and your children. An unsuspecting individual could lose their identity to a Phishing scam or a Spyware program embedded in the computer. A computer could be reduced to a paperweight by a malicious virus. Perhaps the scariest Internet safety concern is what could happen to an unprotected child doing battle with an Internet predator alone in cyberspace. The kids do not have a chance against some of the grooming processes these predators use.

Kids Internet safety should be a major concern for any parent whose child has access to a computer. A person can fix their identity, a computer can also be fixed, but the damage that could be done to a child from an Internet predator could very well be irreversible. The Internet can be a safe place with a little understanding about some of the dangers. Just as you would watch your kids in a playground or park, they also need monitoring when they are playing on the Internet.

Think of the Internet as a little place around the corner.

There is a shady looking character standing on a street corner handing out pornography to anyone that passes him by. Not just handing the stuff out either, he is literally shoving it in their faces. It does not matter who passes by either, kids, male, female, adults, employees, anyone who views a computer screen can be subject to indecent material.

On another corner, there is a predator in the bushes trying to get some children to climb behind the bushes and join him for a little unsupervised chat, if you know what I mean.

There is help if you want to keep your teenagers safe on the Internet.  A computer monitoring solution lets you know if they are being cyber-bullied or groomed by an Internet predator as it happens.  Here are some of the best computer monitoring programs available.

• WebWatcher
• Mobile-Spy
• Spector Pro
• PC Pandora
• Safe Eyes

It is your responsibility as a parent to know what your kids are doing online.  Of course, you can’t stand over their shoulder and see everything your teenager is doing on the Internet.  WebWatcher allows you to see what they are doing at all times and you can see what they are doing from anywhere that you have an Internet connection.  WebWatcher is a remote computer monitoring service that allows you to protect your kids from the dangers of the Internet even if you cannot be there to supervise their Internet activity all of the time.  While chat rooms are an integral part of today’s society, they can also be a very dangerous place for an unsupervised child.  Let WebWatcher monitor their Online Activities to help keep them safe from the abundant Internet dangers your kids may face.  Download a 7-Day Free Trial of WebWatcher Computer Monitoring Software here.

It is not only the computer that needs monitoring these days.  As a parent, you now need to be concerned with what they do on their mobile phone.  Internet chat room conversations quickly evolve into cell phone conversations.  Cell phones are now the newest teenage craze called sexting that is getting a lot of kids in trouble.  See some of the sexting news stories here.  Internet capable smart phones can be monitored with the use of a program like Mobile-Spy.  Cell phone monitoring can protect you child from not only Internet predators but from themselves also.  Sexting can get them in a lot of trouble.  See our review of Mobile-Spy Here. 

If you want to know what your teenager is doing online, whether you are curious about their MySpace or FaceBook activity or wondering what they are chatting about on any of the other chat venues available, Spector Pro can tell you everything your kids are doing on the Internet.  A day seldom goes by without hearing about kids getting cyber-bullied or groomed by an Internet predator.  Maybe you think your teenager tells you everything but think back, did you tell your parents everything that went on in your younger years.  Times have changed and there are too many dangers facing your child to ignore the potential dangers they face while they are exposing their personalities on the Internet.  Let Spector Pro let you know what your teenagers are doing on the Computer.

PC Pandora 6 is an excellent computer monitoring program that allows you to protect your children from Internet dangers by monitoring their Internet use.  The Pandora monitoring program monitors everything that happens on the computer and emails you what they are doing at any interval you desire.  Now you can see exactly what they are doing on the computer after school.  If you think they are doing homework, you may be in for a surprise!  You will know if they are playing games or browsing the Internet for indecent sites.  You will also know if they are being groomed by an Internet predator so you can take action and save your child from a meeting that they may never forget.  If you are thinking “Not My Kid”, read some of the Internet Predators in the news and then get more information about PC Pandora. Check out our full review of the PC Pandora computer monitoring program

Safe Eyes Parental Controls falls into the content screening, blocking and filtering category.  Safe Eyes categorizes, screens and blocks virtually any type of undesired content, in any Internet application in real time using a state-of-the-art artificial intelligence algorithm.  Children are spending too many of their waking hours online.  If you are a concerned parent that want to keep your kids safe from the “bad” content  that is available online, Safe Eyes PC filtering software is just the product you need to help you keep your kids safe online. 

Across the street from the man in the bushes is a young woman that is going through every passerby's wallet and purse without them even knowing it, Phishing, sometimes taking money and other times just their information to use at another time. What kind of information do they carry in their purse or wallet? Credit cards, Social Security numbers, addresses, P.I.N numbers, etc. What will this young woman do with all of this information? You do not want to find out the hard way.

Then there are the Spammers. They are invisible little creatures that roam around filling up peoples mailboxes with junk mail. Mail that was never subscribed to, mail that nobody wants or needs. They are fast and sneaky too because the mail never stops piling up in the mailboxes. They are devious little creatures, relentless.

In the middle of every street are the watchers. They are just gathering information from peoples habits; what they buy, what they throw away, who they visit. This information will be sold so that the next time they go shopping, there will be someone following them around popping signs in front of their face telling them that there is a sale on every item that they've ever liked or bought in the past ten years.

Hiding everywhere in the neighborhood are the virus ridden rotten creatures hanging around just looking for an unprotected, unsuspecting person to spread their viruses to. They are constantly mutating their diseases to try to catch people off guard. Sometimes it works and the virus spreads like wild fire and people get so sick that it takes them days to recover from the illness. Other times it is just a slight illness that is spread, something like a mild headache, it does not do any damage but it is annoying just the same. These creatures are out there and they could be coming for your computer if you do not keep it protected.

Although this neighborhood may seem a bit unreal, it does exist, and it has called the Internet and the Internet can be a very dangerous place. The good news is that protection is available but you need to protect yourself. It is not easy sometimes but there are many ways to protect yourself and your children from these Internet safety concerns. The Internet is full of Viruses, Spam, unmonitored Chat rooms where Internet predators lurk, and Instant Messaging programs, Pornography, and Identity Theft but it does not have to be a nightmare.

The Internet can also be a lot of fun and a great resource of information so simply not connecting to it is not a viable option in this age of technology. So what can we do to protect ourselves? How do we ensure that our kids are safe on the Internet? Let us take a walk through this little neighborhood and find out, follow along.

Credit Card Scams

by Peter Jon White

Having had a web business since 1997, I've gotten used to scam artists trying to extract cash or free products from me. Most of these scammers are from Nigeria and Indonesia, where credit card fraud is considered a sport, much like soccer, only the participants get paid better. Their most common ploy is to place a large order for bike parts. One guy ordered 14 sets of Mavic wheels from us. He sent me three credit card numbers and asked me to split the charge amongst the three cards. All three cards had the same first 12 numbers. Only the last 4 numbers were different. Of course the cards were not his.

What he does is start with a Visa number that he knows is good and then finds a Visa/Mastercard vender who will cooperate with him. He has the vender try a series of numbers and expiration dates starting from the good number that he already has. So if the good card has 6335 as the last 4 numbers, he tries to run a small charge using 6336 as the last four numbers. He also has to try many expiration dates. It's a time consuming process, but potentially very profitable. If that works, he just voids that charge and he knows he can use that credit card number for a scam. He just keeps repeating the process until he has a whole pile of CC numbers that he knows is good.

Next, he needs to find a sucker to take his order and ship it. Since the card numbers are good, a vender in the US might just run the charges, (let's say it's a $12,000 purchase spread over 4 cards) and ship the goods via Fedex or UPS. It could be three weeks before the US vender gets a notice from his bank that the charges have been disputed by the rightful card owner, who, it turns out lives in Illinois, not Nigeria. But by then the goods have arrived in Nigeria, and there's simply no way to get them back. The vender is out not only the cost of the goods, but the shipping charges as well. And the rightful owner of the card is out some $50 or so, plus a lot of time dealing with the issue and getting a new account number.

What this means to the average consumer, is that in order to have a crook use your credit card number, the crook never has to actually see your card. The crook doesn't even have to know who you are or where you live. He doesn't care. He doesn't need to care, because lots of venders just type in the credit card number given by a customer and never check that the customer's address is correct, or ask for the "V" or "VCC" code on the back of the card (the last three numbers in the signature box on the back). So anybody with a credit card can become the victim of a scam, even if you never even use the card.

My advice is to regularly check your credit card balance online to see if there are any charges that you didn't make. And if you accept credit cards in your business, I recommend that you never ship outside the USA to any address other than the billing address of the credit card. Confirm with your CC provider that the address the customer gives you is correct, and be sure to get the "V" code from the back of the card. And, never, ever, ship to Nigeria or Indonesia without first being paid in full via Western Union. Don't ship until you have the cold cash in your warm hand! Don't accept foreign cashier's checks either, they can be forged easily, and it will be weeks after you have deposited the cashier's check before you find out that it is no good. You can take a Western Union money order and once you cash it, if it's bogus, it's Western Union's problem. They're pretty good at knowing if their own money orders are OK.

The risk of dealing with people from Nigeria and Indonesia is very high simply because the governments there are so corrupt. If you were able to contact the police in either country, chances are they know the scammer already. The scammer may well be related to the local police chief. So don't waste your time trying to contact the government to report the problem. I've sent faxes to local police depts in both countries detailing the activities of credit card scammers in their towns. I've never heard back. And be careful about other countries as well. I've had a scammer tell me he was in Singapore, but when I tracked down the address he gave me, it was in Indonesia, not Singapore. I'm now getting lots of these scams claiming to be from Singapore.

But you can have some fun with these jerks, if you have time to kill. The first time this happened to me I called the issuing bank and reported the card numbers. Then after a few hours, I emailed the scammer back, saying that one or more of the card numbers he gave me were declined by the bank. Within a few hours I received another email from the crook, giving me several more credit card numbers, all with the same first 12 digits. I called the bank and give them those numbers as well. Of course, as soon as I called the numbers in to the bank, the accounts were closed and the true card owners notified.

Then I emailed the scammer again and said that the new card numbers had also been declined. What would he like me to do? Would he like to pay via Western Union, or a cashier's check? Or does he have another credit card he would like to use?

Well, another email came in with several more card numbers and the process went on. Eventually, I told the crook that everything is now fine and the order has shipped. He got very excited and wanted to know the tracking number for the order. Emails arrived every hour or so asking for the tracking number. If I replied, it was to say that the computer we use for shipping is out of order at the moment so I can't give him the number, but perhaps if he calls me later in the day I can give it to him.

A few hours later the phone rang. It's the scammer, wanting the tracking number. But the line seems bad and gosh but I can't hear him very well. Could he perhaps call back? He calls again. I repeated several times until I get bored and asked him for some more credit card numbers so I can call the bank and have those accounts closed, like I did with all of the other numbers he sent previously.

Click.

As of June 2005, these scams are so common I'm getting 3 or 4 large orders a day from these creeps. As you can well imagine, I don't have time to spend wasting their time. I just delete every email that comes in. I've also been getting emails from people who have either been scammed, or been targeted by scammers. And I've learned about a few more scams. One that is slowly catching on is the wire transfer scam. A Nigerian will place a large order and ask to pay via wire transfer. You might think this is pretty safe, since nobody but you can do a transfer from your account to another. But the internet is making life very easy for thieves these days. You know how you can set up with your fitness center or whatever to have them automatically get their monthly fee transferred from your bank account to theirs? Somehow these scammers can set up with your bank to do the same thing, or at least something similar, as long as they have your account number and the identification number of your bank. What happens is, you give the scammer your bank account number and any other info that he would need to wire you money. And then he can go to this web site, http://www.qchex.com. From there he pretends to be you. He creates an account with QCHEX and places an order with some other vender promising to pay with a QCHEX check. The unsuspecting vendor receives the QCHEX check, and ships the order. You never see a wire transfer to your account from the Nigerian. What you do see is a QCHEZ check drawn on your account. You call your bank and say, "What's this?". The bank explains it to you. You tell them you have never heard of QCHEX. The bank returns the QCHEX check to the unsuspecting vendor, who is out the value of the check since he has already shipped the goods to Nigeria.

Bottom line. Never give your bank details to anyone you are not absolutely sure is a legitimate business.

Lastly, I am not a clearing house for internet scams. Nor am I here to give you advice on what to do if someone attempts to scam you. I can't respond to emails about this subject. I offer this article simply to help others. It's all I can do. Deleting these email scams takes up all my time! ;-)

Peter White

A computer worm is a software program that is designed to copy itself from one computer to another, without human interaction. Unlike a computer virus, a worm can copy itself automatically.

Worms can replicate in great volume. For example, a worm can send out copies of itself to every contact in your e-mail address book, and then it can send itself to all of the contacts your contact's e-mail address books.

Some worms spread very quickly. They clog networks and can cause long waits for you (and everyone else) to view Web pages on the Internet.

You might have heard of specific computer worms, including the Sasser worm, the Blaster worm, and the Conficker worm.

To help prevent infections by and to get rid of computer worms:

For more basic information about computer worms, see How to prevent computer worms and How to remove computer worms.

For more advanced information, see Protect yourself from the Conficker computer worm.

Tips for Safe and Secure Shopping

Follow our simple tips to help ensure your online shopping experience will be safe and sound.

Basic Tips

When browsing through virtual shopping aisles, be sure to use:

• A secure password. When setting up an account at an online store, don't pick everyday words, family member names, or birthdates. Instead, use combinations of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Also, keep passwords unique from account to account.
• A secure checkout and payment process. Make sure the online store uses Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), which encrypts sensitive information. Look for the locked padlock icon at the bottom of your browser window to see if you're protected.

Seller Reputation

A little research goes a long way. Take the time to get to know the merchant or seller.

• Learn about merchants. Look for reviews from other shoppers. Many e-commerce sites, including eBay, have feedback systems that feature comments and ratings from other buyers.
• Ask questions. Get answers for an item from merchants before you make a purchase or offer. Good communications help ensure a smooth transaction.
• Look for a refund or return policy. If a policy is not posted, ask the merchant if there is a time-limit to return an item and whether a full refund or merchandise credit is offered.
• PayPal Verified Sellers. Check for membership status and look for Verified members who have been active for at least 60 days. Find out more with our Verification FAQ.

Item Specifics

When you're considering a particular product, make sure you follow these cautions.

• High demand/value items. Products that are hard to find or expensive – such as computers, jewelry, and electronics – require extra caution. Do additional checks and double-checks before making your purchase. This is especially important during the holidays.
• Confirm authenticity. For collectibles, such as sports memorabilia, take steps to confirm that the item is authentic.

Common Warning Signs

Indicators that should immediately raise a red flag.

• Delayed shipping. Do not overlook the advised delivery date.
• Unsolicited offers. Receiving an unsolicited email from a seller with a similar product that you made an offer on could indicate possible fraud.
• Too good to be true. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. This includes sellers offering very low prices or large quantities of impossible-to-find items.

Find out more.

• To learn more about how we protect buyers, go to Buying Safely.
• For more information about our powerful fraud-fighting tips, tools, and technology, go to the Security Center.

ATM/Debit Cards: What consumers need to know about greater fraud risk, card blocking, and debit card fees.

1. Debit card liability could cost you a lot -- while credit card liability only $50, by law.
2. Debit cards used with signatures make banks a lot of money.
3. Debit card blocking a problem.

SUMMARY: A debit card is an ATM card with a VISA or Mastercard logo on it. [VISA calls them "Checkcards" and Mastercard calls them "Mastermoney" cards.]

The difference? Debit cards are riskier than password protected (PIN-only) old-fashioned ATM cards because debit card can be used with a PIN OR can also be used with only a signature, without a secret PIN or password, just like a credit card, over the phone or in a store.

Debit Cards: Much greater liability risk than credit cards:

-- Legally, your ultimate liability for fraudulent use of a credit card is generally only $50. And, when a credit card is fraudulently used, you are also only disputing whether you owe the bank money.

-- Unlike a credit card, if your debit card is used fraudulently, the thief robs your checking account. Potentially, all your money is drained out of your checking account. It could take the bank 10 days or more to investigate and refund your money. In the meantime--you could bounce checks to your landlord, credit card company, or mortgage company.

-- Worse, unlike a credit card, under the law, your debit card liability could be as much as $500, if you notify the bank more than 48 hours after you learn of the problem or even up to all the money in your checking account plus your maximum overdraft line of credit if you fail to notify the bank within 60 days (See Fed excerpt below). Under pressure from the state PIRGs, banks claim to have voluntarily limited debit card liability to $50. PIRG has received complaints from consumers whose banks have not honored the well-publicized alleged voluntary $50 limit. Let us know (uspirg@pirg.org) if you have lost more than $50 in a debit card dispute with a bank, savings and loan or credit union.

Even the Federal Reserve recognizes the difference in liability rules. The following is excerpted from the Fed's website-- the Fed calls debit cards EFT or (Electronic Fund Transfer) cards:

What about Loss or Theft? It’s important to be aware of the potential risk in using an EFT card, which differs from the risk on a credit card.

On lost or stolen credit cards, your loss is limited to $50 per card (see Lost or Stolen Credit Cards). On an EFT card, your liability for an unauthorized withdrawal can vary: Your loss is limited to $50 if you notify the financial institution within two business days after learning of loss or theft of your card or code.

But you could lose as much as $500 if you do not tell the card issuer within two business days after learning of loss or theft.

If you do not report an unauthorized transfer that appears on your statement within 60 days after the statement is mailed to you, you risk unlimited loss on transfers made after the 60-day period. That means you could lose all the money in your account plus your maximum overdraft line of credit, if any. (end of Fed excerpt.)

Even worse, you are fighting to recover your own money back into your own checking account. It is true that some banks may eventually honor the voluntary $50 limit, but consumers face horrific problems because while the bank is conducting its internal investigation, consumers are dealing with other checks that may bounce, and consumers face enormous hassles explaining what happened to the bounced checks they wrote to their other creditors, since the fraudster drained their account. In 2001, the chief national bank regulator, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, which regulates all banks with national in their name, warned banks that the burden of proof in a reinvestigation is on the bank to show that a transaction was authorized (in other words, the bank isn't supposed to presume the consumer is guilty, but innoncent, when the consumer claims fraud). Excerpt:

...The OCC is concerned that some banks may be rejecting claims of unauthorized transactions solely because the customer's Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card or debit card and personal identification number (PIN) were used in the transaction, and the customer supplied no information indicating that the card or PIN was misappropriated. These facts alone may be insufficient to establish that a transaction was authorized because fraudulent means may have been used to obtain the customer's account number, card, or PIN. For instance, the customer may have been a victim of "shoulder surfing," a practice used by criminals to obtain account or card numbers or PINs by observing customer transactions. Therefore, banks cannot assume that they have satisfied their duty to investigate simply by concluding that the customer's debit card and PIN were used in the transaction at issue.... OCC, 7 Sept 2001

Always send copies of your complaint letters to your bank to the OCC. You can reach one of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's customer assistance specialists by: Telephoning 1-800-613-6743, toll-free (Monday-Thursday 9:00a.m. to 4:00p.m.CST) E-mailing - E-mail to Customer.Assistance@occ.treas.gov;
Fax - Faxing to - 1-713-336-4301 or; Sending mail to -
Customer Assistance Group
1301 McKinney Street
Suite 3710
Houston, TX 77010

-- Debit cards may offer some convenience. But debit cards have more risks than PIN-based ATM cards. Since the risk of credit card fraud on the Internet is so high, we urge consumers to ONLY use credit cards on the Internet-- never use debit cards. In addition to this greater legal liability protection with a credit card, you have greater legal protection if goods are defective or don't arrive, under the Fair Credit Billing Act, which applies to credit cards.

-- Debit cards make banks a lot of money. When you use the card like a credit card (with a signature, but not with a PIN), banks take a hefty fee from the merchant. When you use it with a PIN, like an ATM card, more and more banks are charging you a transaction fee (called a POS fee) of $0.25-$1. Other banks are charging a monthly card rental fee (even if you do not use it at all) of $1-2/month. That adds up to $12-24/year, plus transaction fees. Of course, banks are hitting you with a POs fee in hopes you use the card with a signature-- so they can make more money from the merchant.

-- "Blocking" is also a problem with debit cards. Some firms (hotels, gas stations and rent-a-car companies) routinely block a card in advance for the estimated cost of a transaction that may not be completed for several days. It isn't a problem for most credit card customers, unless they are near their account limits. But if you buy ten dollars worth of gas with your debit card, you may not know that the station may routinely block all transactions for $50-75, then doesn't "un-block" as you drive away -- it waits until that evening, or worse, every few days to conduct a "batch" transaction. If you are close to your checking account limit -- much more common than being close to a credit card limit -- you could end up bouncing checks or be refused transactions by other merchants due to faulty blocks. Most banks do a poor job of informing consumers that they may bounce transactions due to overdrafts created by blocks. Of course, virtually no gas station explains their blocking policy, which presumes everyone drives an RV or tractor trailer truck, and is filling it up.

-- Finally, most banks don't ask for consumer consent. When ATM cards expire, they replace them with risky debit cards. And, we are unaware of any bank that adequately explains the risks of debit cards.

WHAT CAN CONSUMERS DO TO LOWER DEBIT CARD RISK?

(1) If you don't want a debit card, demand a plain old ATM card.

(2) If you do want the convenience of a debit card, lower the risks:

-- Never use a risky debit card on the Internet. Only use a credit card for Internet transactions. In addition to greater legal liability protection with a credit card, you have greater legal protection if goods are defective or don't arrive.

-- Use a debit card only with merchants you trust. It is also a good idea never to let it leave your sight-- it's one thing to watch a clerk "swipe" it right in front of you at the cash register and hand it back to you. It's another story when you hand it off to a potentially unscrupulous waiter or waitress who could have an illegal card "skimmer" (the size of a pack of cards) in their pocket and copy your information after they walk away with it.

-- Just as you wouldn't use it on the Internet, don't use it to call info-mercial 800#s off the television. If you have a dispute over double-billing or products that don't arrive from a sleazy info-merchant, remember-- you'll be fighting to get your own money back, and that could take ten days or more of arguing with your bank.

(3) Complain to Congress! Urge Congress to enact legislation to change the Electronic Funds Transfer Act law so that debit card liability is legally the same as credit card liability. Not surprisingly, the banks oppose it. No matter what card you use, you should be equally protected.

(4) Send comments of any complaints about unfair treatment by your bank of your debit card dispute to uspirg@pirg.org.

This article looks at several of the issues regarding security aspects of online based games and virtual worlds.

Introduction

As online gaming becomes a billion dollar industry and game companies are making revenue from subscription charges, new problems emerge which need to be taken very seriously. Online games containing graphical glitches, sound defects and poor performance will not be very popular. However, an online game with security flaws and mass-cheating will simply fail.

Several security issues related to online gaming are shared with other network applications, however online gaming has a unique set of problems that need to be dealt with. The aim of creating a secure game is not only to ensure customers credit card numbers are protected, but to ensure that all players receive a fair and entertaining experience. Otherwise, they won’t play.

This rest of this article looks at some of the security related issues in online gaming. Note that not all of the issues will apply to all types of games.

Copy Protection

This has traditionally been the most important aspect of security in computer games. There are many different technologies that provide copy protection, but nearly all of them can be overcome. However, piracy is not so relevant to online games, as the game companies make money from subscriptions. Money can be made from selling boxed-versions of online games by giving added-value content such as manuals, maps, and the box itself.

Hacking the Client

Many online games store game logic and player data on the server, and store graphics and sound on the client. This makes it difficult for hackers to cheat by altering statistics such as health or ammunition; however it gives them full ability to change the graphics in a game. For many gamers, the ability to make modifications (known as mods) to games is almost as important as playing the game itself. However, imagine if one player modifies the game so that he can see through walls, and plays against somebody who can’t. You can guess who will win. A simple solution to this problem is by ensuring all players are using the same modifications.

Packet Sniffing

There are many programs available that let users examine, modify, send or block packets that are being transmitted to and from their computer. This causes several problems for online games such as blocking packets that may have a negative effect on a player, or replaying packets that shoot an enemy player, even though you have no ammunition left. Such situations can be avoided by keeping important variables on the server, and by encrypting packets. Even encrypted packets can be repeated though; therefore a sequence number system should be used so that the server can verify the packets.

Area of Interest Management should also be used to minimize the data that the client has to receive. If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it fall, does it make a sound? In a virtual world using AoIM algorithms, the answer is no. AoIM algorithms limit network traffic in a virtual world to only what is necessary for each player. In a large virtual world, there could be thousands of players, with millions of variables that are constantly changing. If the client were to be kept updated with all variables, it could easily use up more bandwidth than available, causing network congestion and increasing latency. To put very simply, AoIM solves this problem by dividing the world into different geographical zones, and then only sending data regarding the zone that is directly related to each player.

Social Abuse

Players in virtual worlds can have a lot of freedom to do as they please. This could include running around causing sexual and racial abuse. Such abuse reduces and spoils the fun and can damage the popularity of the game. There are two ways around this problem; first of all by allowing other players to report such abuse. This requires adequate logging facilities so any allegations can be proved and then the offending player can be dealt with accordingly. Another solution to limit the damage in the first place is to give players the option of censorship. This relies on intelligent game software detecting offensive behavior and hiding it from players who wish to be protected. Another form of social abuse could be using a game for commercial or advertising purposes, or tricking people into giving out credit card numbers etc. This can be prevented again by reporting such abuse, and by educating users.

Hacking Accounts

Since a password is the key to accessing account information and the player’s character, it is important that the same password protection techniques are used as in other sensitive applications. These can include encryption when transmitting sensitive data, and educating players not to use obvious passwords or inadvertently giving them out. In some situations, server authentication may also be necessary to ensure hackers have not setup bogus servers that can be used to collect a user’s password.

Denial of Service

Such attacks can be used to reduce the responsiveness of other players. This is hard to avoid when using a peer-to-peer topology, however in client-server based games, simply not distributing other players IP addresses will avoid this problem. Attacks on game servers are also possible. This is unlikely to give any specific player an advantage, but it is likely to make the game unplayable for everybody. Using server software that drops non-game packets and technology such as XenoService will help to reduce the effects of such attacks.

Internal Misuse

This could be either accidental or deliberate. System administrators responsible for the virtual world are probably enthusiastic players in the game itself. But can they be trusted not to abuse their god-like position? Or perhaps a system administrator decides to make a few changes to the game world without fully considering possible implications. Therefore powers should be restricted where possible, monitoring is necessary, and procedures must be set in place and followed.

Backup

Due to the complexity and nature of virtual worlds, it is essential to keep several versions of backups from different time periods. For example, if a serious bug is found after many players have taken advantage of it, this could cause a major unbalance in the economics of the world. It is often better to restore the game from a time before the bug was taken advantage of, than letting play carry on as is – even if it means losing several days worth of play. Most players would prefer this than having to start again from scratch.

Cheat Detection

By logging access to game servers, recording important events (e.g. player advancement), and keeping track of key quantities such as the number of rare items in the game, game administrators can identify or verify where cheating is taking place.

Disconnecting

A player may disconnect from a game seconds before being killed, perhaps then reconnecting with another character and finishing off the battle. Although two can play at that, nobody will die, the game becomes boring and good players will stop playing. This can be solved by game design, for example by making a character go into an auto-pilot mode for a period of time after disconnection.

Disciplinary Measures

Games should include a comprehensive list of terms and conditions that will allow termination of players who break the rules. However, it is essential mistakes are not made, as one wrongly banned customer could cause an uproar. Also, it could be difficult to stop banned users from signing up again, especially from free systems that do not require credit cards numbers.

Conclusion

It is probably impossible to make a perfectly secure online game; however it is certainly possible and desirable to reduce and limit misuse, allowing customers a good experience in a virtual world. Good design and programming, increased user awareness, ongoing maintenance and supervision will help to achieve this.

When I ordered my new computer online two weeks ago, the one thing I forgot completely was the antivirus software.   When the new computer arrived, I was thrilled that I could finally stop using that six year old dinosaur computer and start using the new one.  I set everything up, and I was waiting for my husband to come home from work to set up the Internet.   Once he arrived, I asked if he would set it up after dinner and he was more than happy to oblige me.  As he was getting ready to connect the Internet, he asked if I’d already installed the antivirus software.   I sheepishly looked at him and admitted that I hadn’t, that I didn’t have any antivirus software to install.  I admitted that I was so excited about having the computer that when I placed the order for it, I didn’t even think about ordering the antivirus software.   I knew that it meant there would be no surfing the Internet on my new computer until I’d ordered one, so I used my old computer, went online and ordered the new antivirus software.  Now, as soon as it arrives, I can finally start using my new computer.

The following article resulted from my experience in dealing with spammers, hackers, and other web thieves; during my tenure as webmaster of InfoHQ.com for the last 10 years.

When I first started InfoHQ.com in 1998, the Internet was a safer, kinder place. There were very few email viruses and most people never heard of the word "firewall" unless they were running a server. Most Internet users had only one email address and they were not afraid to share it with others.

Five years later, the Internet is a completely different environment. Not a day goes by that I don't receive 4 or more email viruses, 10-20 email spams, and hacker attacks on my DSL firewall. What happened??

I'm not a psychologist/sociologist so I can't tell you why the Internet changed. I'm not a lawyer so I can't discuss all the legal aspects of "unsolicited commercial email" (UCE) (which is the more polite way of saying "spam"). I'm not a philosopher or a politician so I can't discuss First Amendment Rights or freedom of speech as it relates to spam. However, I am a webmaster, I have been running a web site for 5 years, and I can explain how you can fight back against unwanted spam and hackers.

However, before I discuss possible spam and hacking remedies, it is important to understand the nature of spam and hackers.

Spamming and Hacking Defined

Oh what a tangled web we weave, When first we practice to deceive! -- Sir Walter Scott

What is Spam?

Spam in a general sense is any email you don't want to receive. There are many types of email that you may not want e.g. advertisements, newsletters, or questionnaires, however these emails are not what the computer community refers to as spam. What the computer community is most concerned with is illegal email spam.
My definition of illegal email spam is -- attempts to deceive by falsification of seller identity or email address, and use of other trickery (defrauding), in the hope of gaining monetary advantage (stealing) from the email recipient and other parties.

The Federal Trade Commission's definition of spam, "Not all UCE is fraudulent, but fraud operators - often among the first to exploit any technological innovation - have seized on the Internet's capacity to reach literally millions of consumers quickly and at a low cost through UCE. In fact, UCE has become the fraud artist's calling card on the Internet. Much of the spam in the Commission's database contains false information about the sender, misleading subject lines, and extravagant earnings or performance claims about goods and services. These types of claims are the stock in trade of fraudulent schemes." From Prepared Statement Of The Federal Trade Commission On "Unsolicited Commercial email", November 3, 1999.

How does a spammer get your email address?

There are many ways a spammer can obtain your email address.

a. You can disclose it yourself by posting your email address on auctions, bulletin boards, advertising, or email locators.

b. Businesses might sell your email address or other personal information to a spammer.

c. Spammers can use software programs to collect email addresses from web sites or they can use random number generators to send spam out randomly.

What is a hacker?

A hacker is an individual that attempts to take control over someone else's computer by using viruses, worms, and other types of Internet attacks. One of their favorite "tricks", is to use hacked computers to bring down a large web site by overloading the targeted site with millions of transmissions in a "denial of service" (DOS) attack.
While hackers were glorified in the early days of the Internet as people standing up for their rights against big corporations and the Government, hacking is now the hobby of criminals and thieves. Hackers prey on all citizens of the Internet and they are extremely dangerous to individuals, corporations, and governments.

How does a hacker find your computer?

Most hack attempts against personal computers result from viruses and worms running from an infected PC. It is not very difficult for the creator of the hacking program to predetermine the Internet addresses that his program will attack.
There are also amateur hackers, that use software programs, to randomly check for online computers to attack.

What makes Spamming or Hacking Illegal?

The U.S. Congress outlawed certain types of spam with the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003. The law, which became effective January 1, 2004, covers email whose primary purpose is advertising or promoting a commercial product or service, including content on a Web site. However a "transactional or relationship message" – email that facilitates an agreed-upon transaction or updates a customer in an existing business relationship – may not contain false or misleading routing information, but otherwise is exempt from most provisions of the CAN-SPAM Act.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation's consumer protection agency, is authorized to enforce the CAN-SPAM Act. CAN-SPAM also gives the Department of Justice (DOJ) the authority to enforce its criminal sanctions. Other federal and state agencies can enforce the law against organizations under their jurisdiction, and companies that provide Internet access may sue violators, as well.

However, 38 states have also passed anti-spam laws that have various penalties for illegal spammers and hackers. If you don't live in a state with an anti-spam law, you are still protected from fraudulent schemes, illegal pornography, and other illegal acts by various state and federal laws.
In addition, if a spammer or hacker causes harm to a Government computer they are subject to the penalties of USC Title 18, Part I, Chapter 47, Sec. 1030. - Fraud and related activity in connection with computers.

Now that we have a definition of illegal spam and hacking, let's move on to the practical matter of defending your computer against spammers and hackers.

Next - Defending your computer against spammers and hackers >

When it comes to using my computer I always make sure that I have the proper firewall antivirus software running, because you never know what is out there. I sadly learned this lesson the hard way a few years ago, before I knew that you should have some firewall antivirus software installed on your computer. I was just using my computer one day and it froze up on me, never to work again. I had my computer whiz older brother take a look under the hood and he told me that it was done for because of viruses infecting it and destroying the hardware; which I never had been aware that they could do. Now, I won’t run any computer in my house that does not have firewall antivirus software, after that experience. While the story may seem harrowing, the point is rather clear. You are a good person, and you have a great computer. There are bad people out there who want to ruin your computer. I like to stop these thugs by using firewall antivirus software!

Victim Stories

Taking advantage of the elderly…
Be it the internet or by phone or in the mail - it all is the same when it comes to fraudulent offers from unscrupulous manipulators of the con game. My mother, before she died, was victim to these cons on more occasions that I even know… ›› more

I should have listened to my head instead of my heart…
I should have listened to my head instead of my heart. Too good to be true? Yep. I was pulled right in. "He" knew what to say and how to say it. He found my vulnerabilities and used them to the max… ›› more

I actually met the person, whom I had been talking to on-line, in Paris…
I met someone on a dating site and actually went to paris to meet him for vacation. He was a dream guy. Spent a week like a honeymoon. Then he wanted to come to the usa and tried to get a visitor visa… ›› more

Social Security Refund…
I keep getting these calls from different people claiming to be from the Social Security Office. They say I'm eligible for a refund of $500 a month for the next six months… ›› more

Refund checks…
I got a phone call from an "IRS" representative notifying me that i am due a refund, all i had to do was furnish my account information and they would send an additional direct deposit of $2220.00 to my account… ›› more

Pay a fee to receive millions…
I have received various e-mails from people overseas asking me to be the party to receive payment of money Mr. Hussain has left in a bank in Korea. I have been contacted 2x as well as by other sad stories of how a missionary's wife has all this money she wishes to give… ›› more

Someone you don't know wants to send you hundreds of thousands of dollars…
I was contacted by an individual in Abidjan, Cote D Ivoire regarding a bank draft for $400,000.00USD to be delivered to me in the US (Miami, FL). According the attorney in Abidjan, I must send a service fee $200.00USD, plus insurance for the draft of $1,000USD… ›› more

You've been approved for an auto loan…
A company located in Flagstaff, AZ will notify you by email regarding a car loan. They then apporve your loan and ask you to set up an account due to problem credit. They state that after 12 timely payments they will either refund your monies back to you or apply them to the car loan… ›› more

I did my research and still got scammed on a loan…
Recently I was involved in a scam with a company pretending to be a loan company that went in search of a lender that would lend money to people with bad credit. To make a really long story short I was naiive and ended up wiring a total of $2,350.00 to Canada… ›› more

Suspicious horse buyer for charity or the unthinkable…
I can't verify 100% it's a fraud, so can't file a complaint, but there's a VERY suspicious "buyer" on a horse site representing as needing therapeudic horses for needy kids… ›› more

Discounted gift cards…
I went to an Internet sight that bought and sold gift cards at a discount where you could purchase a $50 gift card for 8% - 21% discount to popular merchants. I mailed in my order, along with my check… ›› more

Fraudulent publisher…
Beware publishing firms with too good to be true offers. I found one on the internet and responded. They assured me that they could publish my book and sell it for me as well as setting up book signings… ›› more

Charged double on an on-line order…
I have been victimized by an Internet scam. I cannot believe that it happened to me because I am a very careful person! Well, the good news is that I did not lose a lot of money; the bad news is that these guys continue to cheat… ›› more

Compromised bank account…
Several months ago, I got a computer virus, which I thought I got rid of. I check my bank account almost DAILY. One day, I tried to access my account and it wouldn't let me in (I typed in the adresse, manually, not by link). It took me to a website which made me "resubmit" my info for security reasons… ›› more

Victim jailed for participating in a work-at-home scam…
I am on disability and I don't have a car. I was looking for extra money for the month, because I don't receive a lot of money from disability. So when an email came to me offering me a job that I could work from home I jumped at the chance… ›› more

Too good to be true job offer…
I have just received this "too good to be true" E-mail. The scam E-mail follows right after this sentence: "While we may have high expectations of our associates, we also give them high rewards… ›› more

Need a job, not this one…
I want to warn people about the job offer of a company rep that has nothing to do with shipping products or anything. They ask you to be an accountant. To receive payments from American customers… ›› more

Mystery shopper…
I received a letter from a company out of Barrie, Ontario. The letter included a evaluation form, a letter expaining the code of conduct and a check made out to me for $2,490.00… ›› more

A buyer and professional shipper…
I had some wheels for sale and was contacted by a person who claimed to want to purchase them. She was having her "secretary" over night me the funds… ›› more

Someone from another country wants to send me more than the amount they owe…
I thought I could be smart and fell into a trap anyway. I was contacted about giving dance lessons from a girl that supposedly works in a club in the UK. She asked me how long would it take for her to learn the dance style I teach… ›› more

Fell for the lottery scam, now in debt…
I recently fell victim to a lottery scam from Canada and now I'm $3800.00 in debt to my bank. Currently being unemployed I receive this job offer for a payment manager/financial coordinator… ›› more

No lottery scam victim here…
In early Sept, my husband and I received a scam letter for Lottery winnings. Even though we were suspicious, my husband told them to send us the "check" for the prize fee. We were sent a check for $3,720.00… ›› more

Slick cashier…
Several years ago I selected an expensive sofa along with a few smaller decorative items at a large furniture/appliance store here in Omaha. The cashier ask me for my credit card, my drivers' license… ›› more

Who's who…
I received a letter that stated that I was being considered for inclusion into a Who's Who registry for executives and professionals. They sent the letter to my work address… ›› more

Fraudulent travel web site…
I recently found that I had lost $284 to a travel company in Honolulu, Hawaii. When I originally discovered the website and information about discount tickets to events in Hawaii, it seemed very plausible and on the up and up… ›› more

Apartment for rent at an unbelievable low rate…
Someone listed my apartment on-line, using my name and actual apartment address. The rental offer was "too good to be true" - very cheap. The perpetrator then waits for people to respond… ›› more

Viruses and malware are words not normally linked to video games, that is until you talk to Michael Helander, VP of Sales and Marketing at Lavasoft. His software company has developed a new product, Ad-Aware Game Edition, that's designed to protect online gamers from viruses, a problem that's "increased over 600% in the last year," according to their website. In this exclusive interview, Helander and Malware Labs' Andrew Browne explained which games are most vulnerable to malware attacks, why viruses in online games is a much bigger problem today, and why consoles like the Xbox 360 and PS3 could be next in the crosshairs of people who create Trojans, worms and other forms of malware.

GP: What makes Lavasoft's online gaming protection software different from regular internet protection software? Don't all anti-virus programs essentially do the same thing?

Lavasoft: The difference is the way our virus protection software behaves. When you're playing video games, our antivirus program silently runs off screen, using minimum levels of your computer's resources, and does so without interrupting your game.

Now here is the key: blocking detection is not suspended when someone starts gaming with the Ad-Aware Game Edition, but alternatively the handling of blocks and removal of malware is taken over directly by Lavasoft. Competitor products (there are two or three other products like this on market today) actually say that the protection is "suspended" while playing video games. This is not good for gamers.

GP: What are some of the most common video games that get attacked by malware and viruses?

Lavasoft: Some of the most commonly attacked games are World of Warcraft, Lineage, Lineage 2, Perfect World, RuneScape, ROHAN Online, Seal Online, Lord of the Rings, Maple Story, Reign of Revolution, Talesweaver, and ZodiacOnline.

The growth of malware targeting online games has risen in parallel with the growth of the online games market. The number of online gamers in China alone is predicted to reach 65 million by the end of 2009 making online games a huge and profitable attack surface for malware creators.

GP: On your website it says that within the last year online games becoming infected by viruses has increased over 600%. Why do you think there was such a dramatic increase?

Lavasoft: Money. Online gamers devote time upgrading their characters, collecting items, gold and so on. Improving your character involves hours and days of play and some gamers would prefer to take shortcuts rather than enjoying the experience, which any avid gamer would find strange.

Virtual characters and virtual objects have taken on value in the real world where they can be bought and sold for real money. A thriving underground black market demonstrates that a significant amount of people are prepared to pay for them. Malware creators simply recognize the opportunity for profit and have set about exploiting online games.

GP: When someone's unprotected online gaming account, say for World of Warcraft, gets compromised by someone hijacking their account, what kind of harm can they cause?

Lavasoft: The biggest problem is the selling of virtual goods from the account for real money, which might be tricky to get back even after appealing to the game's administrators. The character's equipment is in some ways like a trophy cabinet representing the achievements of the player in the game, which makes the loss emotional as well as financial.

As a further consequence of the hacking, the account can also get suspended which might prevent the player from playing the game for a time, something that can have social consequences since the player might have obligations as a member of a guild or another player-run organization (such as organizing and running raids) and as a result might face demotion or even exclusion from the guild for not fulfilling their duties. There are several articles that give a fairly good overview of the consequences of account hacking, such as this one on Hacking World of Warcraft and another from the user's perspective titled My World of Warcraft Account Got Hacked.

GP: What do you think motivates people to create viruses? Is it strictly about money or are there people out there with more malicious intentions?

Lavasoft: To be clear, the term "virus" is often used as the generic term for what should correctly be referred to as malware (malicious software) in today's Internet world. Viruses are by nature simply annoyances, but the financial loss is relatively low, while other forms of malware including spyware are developed and distributed with one intent: to financially capitalize at the end of the day.

Whether that comes through direct keylogging activities that steal passwords and allow entry to bank accounts and more, or through blackmail ransoms for corporate sensitive databases hijacked by hackers. It comes in different forms, but the intent is the same, financial gain. It is the modern day mafia.

GP: Can Lavasoft's Ad-Aware Game Edition protect against malware 100% of the time?

Lavasoft: Absolutely and unequivocally the answer is no! While that may shock your readers, we want them to understand that there is not a single security software on the market today that can protect against malware 100% of the time.

Current reports say there are up to 40,000 new malware applications distributed daily around the world. New malware mutations arrive daily based on advancing technologies and methodologies for malware delivery methods. Lavasoft has been saying for years that it is okay to use multiple security products, and it was repeated recently in a keynote speech at the RSA conference in London, annual conferences on cryptography and information security held in the US, Europe and Japan.

That's why we design our software not to conflict with other security software -- because we do believe and endeavor to educate consumers that the modern computer user needs a multi-layered approach to best manage their cyber security.

GP: Do you think that online games for the Xbox 360, PS3, and Nintendo Wii could become potential targets for malware and viruses?

Lavasoft: There have been reports of Xbox Live accounts being hacked, although this has been the result of an attacker deploying social engineering techniques to find information out about the victim in order to guess their password or the answer to the "secret question" account recovery feature rather than the exploitation of system vulnerabilities. That said, where money can be made by stealing account information and trading character attributes, it is reasonable to assume that these platforms could at some point attract the attention of the bad guys.

Spyware is Internet jargon for Advertising Supported software (Adware). It is a way for shareware authors to make money from a product, other than by selling it to the users. There are several large media companies that offer them to place banner ads in their products in exchange for a portion of the revenue from banner sales. This way, you don't have to pay for the software and the developers are still getting paid. If you find the banners annoying, there is usually an option to remove them, by paying the regular licensing fee.

Read the official definitions for Spyware and Adware from Whatis.com

Are all Adware products "Spyware"?
No, but the majority are. There are also products that do display advertising but do not install any tracking mechanism on your system. These products are not indexed in our database.

Is Spyware illegal?
Even though the name may indicate so, Spyware is not an illegal type of software in any way. However there are certain issues that a privacy oriented user may object to and therefore prefer not to use the product. This usually involves the tracking and sending of data and statistics via a server installed on the user's PC and the use of your Internet connection in the background.

What's the hype about?
While legitimate adware companies will disclose the nature of data that is collected and transmitted in their privacy statement (linked from our database), there is almost no way for the user to actually control what data is being sent. The fact is that the technology is in theory capable of sending much more than just banner statistics - and this is why many people feel uncomfortable with the idea.

On the other hand...
Millions of people are using advertising supported "spyware" products and could not care less about the privacy hype..., in fact some "Spyware" programs are among the most popular downloads on the Internet.

Real spyware...
There are also many PC surveillance tools that allow a user to monitor all kinds of activity on a computer, ranging from keystroke capture, snapshots, email logging, chat logging and just about everything else. These tools are often designed for parents, businesses and similar environments, but can be easily abused if they are installed on your computer without your knowledge.

These tools are perfectly legal in most places, but, just like an ordinary tape recorder, if they are abused, they can seriously violate your privacy.

For more information, check out these great resources:

GRC.com The Trouble With Advertising-Supported Software Adware, Badware & Spyware Profiles Usenet discussions about spyware