GE Elective Living in the IT ERA

Module 2: The Internet, Cyber Crime, Copyright and Plagiarism 1

Internet Threats and Security Issues

Introduction
This module will introduce the learners to the Information and Communication Technology. It
will allow the students to know, understand and apply the concept of Internet. The students will also be
informed about the netiquette, cybercrime law, copyright and plagiarism.
Course Learning Outcomes:
After completing this course, learners will be able to
 Identify and Explain Internet Threats
 Identify and Explain Ways to Protect Your Identity Online

A. 10 Common Internet Security Threats and How to Avoid Them

Are you running a small business? Did you recently fall victim to a cyber-attack? Are you searching
for ways to prevent a similar incident from happening again?

Small businesses lose an average of $80,000 annually to cyber-attacks. In some cases, companies
bleed millions after losing precious data to cybercriminals.

Hence, reliable computer security is a must. But knowing the enemy is half the battle won, as the
saying goes. Thus, before you invest in any computer security service, you must first identify the
different internet security threats that can disrupt your business.

But what exactly are these threats? What are the basic steps you can do to avoid them?

Continue reading below for 10 of the most common forms of IT security threats and how to keep
them at bay.

1. Computer Viruses
Computer viruses are the most common among internet security threats out there. Viruses enter
your computers by attaching to a host file or a system. Once they enter your computer, they can
create damage instantly or remain dormant.

The goal of viruses is to infect your other computers and networked systems.

One of the basic steps to protecting your computers from viruses is by setting up a firewall. This
firewall works by blocking external access to your network systems.

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A firewall is not 100% foolproof. But it will at least deter or slow down cyber attackers.

2. Malware
Another common security threat to your computer systems is malware or ransomware. Malware
attacks your files and will only stop until you pay the cybercriminal a hefty ransom.
Studies reveal that malware affects 32% of all the computers in the world.
The attack starts by infecting your database systems. From there, it will encrypt your data then
pose a threat to delete all your files.
One of the first signs of a malware attack is the slowing down of your system. If you notice your
computers slowing down for no apparent reason, shut it down first. Disconnect them from the
internet then reboot your system.
Thereafter, you can install a security product to scan your system for malware. Furthermore, install
reputable antivirus software along with your firewall.

3. Phishing
The main targets of a phishing attack include your usernames, passwords, and credit card
information.
They steal valuable data by pretending to be banks and financial institutions, and they can also
impersonate reputable websites and even some of your personal contacts.
They use emails or instant messages that look legitimate at first glance. Their messages come with
URLs that prompt you to input your personal information. In turn, they’ll steal your credentials and
use them to access your accounts.
To keep away from phishing attacks, be mindful of the emails and messages you receive. If you
don’t know the sender, think twice before opening the message.
Also, check the content of your emails before opening any links. If you see a lot of misspelled
words, then a phishing attack is possible.
Additionally, invest in a total security program that offers protection against phishing attacks.

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4. Botnets
Of all the different forms of internet security threats, this is one of the most dangerous. A botnet is
similar to malware. However, it involves a network of computers that hackers compromised.

In turn, hackers use it to control the infected computers within the network. What makes it even
more dangerous is that hackers can control the network remotely.
Since the end goal of botnets is to force you to pay a ransom, installing a dependable security
program is paramount. And if you discover one of your computers carries a botnet, you must
remove the software and run an antivirus scan thereafter.

5. Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS)

A DDoS attack looks to overwhelm hosted servers and force them to become inoperable. And if
your business involves an eCommerce shop or heavy use of social media, a DDoS attack can be
catastrophic.
Hence, the best way of protecting your business from DDoS threats is to have a strong relationship
with your internet service provider. This is crucial especially if you’re using small business email
hosting.

Furthermore, if you’re using cloud hosting, make sure to check your network protection. For
starters, it is wise to invest in dependable options like Microsoft Azure cloud.

6. Trojan Horse
A Trojan Horse is a program that looks legitimate and harmless. But in reality, it is a vector that
carries many harmful viruses. Once it gains network access, it can steal sensitive company data.

The most common method for Trojan Horse attacks is through email. The email usually comes with
a link or attachment containing the viruses. Once you open the attachment, it automatically
downloads malware to your computer.
Apart from installing cybersecurity software, you should update your software regularly. This also
includes your security patches.

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Module 2: The Internet, Cyber Crime, Copyright and Plagiarism 4

7. SQL Injection Attack

Another dangerous threat is an SQL injection attack. It uses malicious code to penetrate your weak
security systems. Thereafter, it can steal or destroy your valuable data.

Protection against SQL attacks involves updating all your database software. Make sure to update
all security patches. Avoid sharing database accounts using different applications or sites.

8. Rootkit
Similar to botnets, a rootkit allows hackers to access your system remotely. They do this by placing
a collection of tools on your network. Some of the common forms of rootkit attacks include the
stealing of passwords and disabling antiviruses, among others.
Rootkits enter your network if your system security is vulnerable. Thus, the solution is to keep your
patches up-to-date.

9. Rogue Security Software

This is a form of malicious software that makes you believe that your computer has a virus.
Sometimes, it will fool you into believing that your security measures are old.
In turn, they will offer new updates for your security settings. And once you update using their
program, that’s the time the malware can enter your computers.

To avoid this attack, you need a dependable security system. Also, do not download updates from
dubious sources. Additionally, update through legitimate sites and channels.

10. APT (Advance Persistent Threats)

As for the APT threat, surreptitiously enter your system through coding. Once the APT is inside
your system, it will remain there quietly while stealing your financial information.

APT attacks are difficult to detect. Hence, you must pay attention to unusual patterns in your
network activity.

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B. Top 10 Ways to Protect Your Identity Online

As the percentage of the population using the internet increases, so do the security risks.

Cyberthreats have become so widespread that the U.S. federal government has implemented a
research and development department designed to formulate a plan to develop technology and
create policies that minimize the potential risks in cyberspace.

With the rise in use of social media sites and networks, people are making more personal information
available to the online world, making it more difficult to protect valuable data. Fortunately, there are
a variety of ways to protect your own online identity and personal information.

Here are the top 10 ways you can protect yourself online:

1. Use Strong Passwords

The most common way to protect your online identity is to focus on creating strong passwords.
When creating a password, choose something that will not be easily cracked or decoded. Never use
a word or number that someone can associate with you such as a first, middle, or last name, a spouse
or child’s name, address, phone numbers, employers, or other identifying letters or numbers. Mix
up the letters and numbers used in your password and use symbols and a combination of upper and
lowercase numbers when possible in order to protect yourself from online security breaches.
Additionally, it is important to never share your password with anyone. It might be necessary to
change your passwords a few times each year.

2. Look for Encryption

Before making any sort of financial transaction online, look for signs that show whether the website
is encrypted or not. To do this, look for two things: the trusted security lock symbols and the extra
“s” at the end of http in the URL or web address bar. When you are on the page that’s asking for
your credit card information, the “http” changes to “https” when it is a secure site. At the same time,
a lock symbol will also appear on the right side of the address bar or at the bottom left of your
browser window. These two signals show that the site is encrypted, which means nobody will be
able to see information as it’s sent to the website owner. This keeps your name, phone number,
address, credit card number and other sensitive information from being seen by anyone else.

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3. Install Security Suites

Security suites are security programs that keep dishonest people and programs from infecting your
computer and stealing information and data from you. This includes blocking harmful software such
as spyware, viruses, and phishing scams that can be installed secretly when you are online. Some of
the popular security suites include Norton Antivirus, McAfee Virus Protection, Ad-Aware Pro
Security, and AVG Internet Security. Be sure to purchase and install one of these suites to protect
your personal information online.

4. Turn on Web Browser Blacklisting

The lack of internet security is partially due to the internet browser being used. Many web browsers
have additional security options such as blacklisting. This allows you to set the criteria for sites you
will be navigating; only secure, trusted sites will be available to visit.

5. Avoid Phishing Scams

Phishing scams use a variety of methods to obtain your personal information and steal your identity.
There are many different phishing scams out there, but they can be avoided by educating yourself
on how to recognize them. To avoid being the victim of a phishing scam never open emails or
attachments when the sender is unknown and don’t click on unsecure links from strange emails.
Additionally, avoid anyone offering money, unfamiliar job opportunities or requests for donations to
charities as this might be a plot to obtain your personal information and online identity.
6. Get Private Data Protection
Another way to protect your online identity and sensitive information when sharing it online is to
get private data protection. This type of security suite will protect any private data that is included
in emails, private messenger programs, social media sites, or in various blogs. By employing a private
data protection suite, you can further prevent hackers from gathering your personal information.

7. Password-Protect Your Wireless Router

A wireless router that accesses the internet at your home or business should always be password-
protected. When you do not have a password on your wireless network, anyone in your range can
use and access your internet, even a hacker. A hacker with experience committing cyber crimes will
use this to their advantage and steal information from your computer while accessing your router.
You should also enable the encryption feature on the wireless router, which scrambles any data you
send online to further protect your sensitive data.

8. Hide Your Personal Information

It is possible to accidentally share your personal information with others if you don’t set up your web
browser properly. Any time you get a new computer or download and install a new browser, you can
first configure it. To do this, you will access the “set-up” option on the browser and choose to
configure the browser so that it doesn’t reveal your name, email address or other information. Be
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sure to take this extra step when downloading or installing a browser to ensure your privacy and
safety.

9. Enable Cookies on Your Web Browser Only When Required

Another option for setting up your browser to protect your online data is by enabling cookies only
when required by a website. These cookies are details websites store on your computer, including
information about what sites you visit and what you do there. Most of them keep the details to
themselves, but this is also a way dishonest people get your information. You want cookies to be
enabled, but to limit them only to websites that require it.

10. Protect Your Credit Card Info

Another option for setting up your browser to protect your online data is by enabling cookies only
when required by a website. These cookies are details websites store on your computer, including
information about what sites you visit and what you do there. Most of them keep the details to
themselves, but this is also a way dishonest people get your information. You want cookies to be
enabled, but to limit them only to websites that require it.

How can I prevent my device from becoming infected with malware?

To prevent your devices from being infected with malware, there are a number of steps you can take:
1. Install Anti-virus software

One of the most important ways to protect against malware is to install anti-virus software. Anti-virus
software will protect your device from malicious software that poses a threat to the system. It will scan
your computer to detect and clean the malware and provide automatic updates to provide enhanced
protection against newly created viruses.

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2. Regularly update software

In addition to installing anti-virus software, it’s vital to ensure that your software is regularly updated to
stop attackers gaining access to your computer through vulnerabilities in older and outdated systems.
3. Only buy Apps from trusted sources

Buying apps from trustworthy sources reduces the chance of your device being infected with malware.
Big brands will take great care to ensure they do not damage their reputation by distributing malware.
To check the authenticity of a source, you can check the full name, list of published apps and contact
details in the app description within the Google Play or Apple app store.
4. Don’t click on suspicious links or download attachments from unknown sources

Phishing remains the easiest way for hackers to install malware on your device. Phishing scams trick
people into opening emails or clicking on a link that may appear to come from a legitimate business or
reputable source. The link may direct you to a fake website where you are prompted to enter your

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Module 2: The Internet, Cyber Crime, Copyright and Plagiarism 9

personal details or take you to a website that directly infects your computer with malware. If in doubt,
don’t click the link.
5. Install Firewall

Another way to protect your device from malware is to use a firewall. A firewall prevents malicious
attacks by blocking all unauthorized access to or from a private computer network. In addition to anti-
virus software, a firewall provides an extra barrier against malware, reducing the chance of attack.
6. Back up data regularly

It’s important to back up on a regular basis to ensure that you can still retrieve all your valuable data and
files if your computer is infected with malware. This will help mitigate any damage and ensure that you
are not held victim to a ransomware attack.

Terminologies
Cookies:
Cookies are small pieces of information websites store on your computer. Cookies only contain bits
of text, not anything else. The text can be a user ID, session ID, or any other text. For example, web
pages can be configurable – a web page could have a Hide link that hides a certain element on the
page. The page can save this setting on your computer with a cookie. When you load the page in
the future, the page can examine the cookie and automatically hide the element.

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Module 2: The Internet, Cyber Crime, Copyright and Plagiarism 10

APT Threats:
As the name "advanced" suggests, an advanced persistent threat (APT) uses continuous, clandestine,
and sophisticated hacking techniques to gain access to a system and remain inside for a prolonged
period of time, with potentially destructive consequences.
Phishing:
Phishing is a cybercrime in which a target or targets are contacted by email, telephone or text
message by someone posing as a legitimate institution to lure individuals into providing sensitive
data such as personally identifiable information, banking and credit card details, and passwords.
Rootkit:
A rootkit is software used by cybercriminals to gain control over a target computer or network.
Rootkits can sometimes appear as a single piece of software but are often made up of a collection
of tools that allow hackers administrator-level control over the target device.

Hackers install rootkits on target machines in a number of ways:

The most common is through phishing or another type of social engineering attack. Victims
unknowingly download and install malware that hides within other processes running on their
machines and give the hackers control of almost all aspects of the operating system.
Another way is through exploiting a vulnerability – i.e., a weakness in software or an operating
system that has not been updated – and forcing the rootkit onto the computer.
Malware can also be bundled with other files, such as infected PDFs, pirated media, or apps obtained
from suspicious third-party stores.
Botnet:
Botnets are networks of hijacked computer devices used to carry out various scams and
cyberattacks. The term “botnet” is formed from the word’s “robot” and “network.” Assembly of a
botnet is usually the infiltration stage of a multi-layer scheme. The bots serve as a tool to automate
mass attacks, such as data theft, server crashing, and malware distribution.

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Module 2: The Internet, Cyber Crime, Copyright and Plagiarism 11

Spyware:
Spyware is a type of software that installs itself on a device and secretly monitors a victim’s online
activity. It collects all sorts of data, including passwords, credit card numbers and browsing activity.

Adware:
Adware is a type of malware that once downloaded will unexpectedly show advertisements on the
victim’s computer. Adware doesn’t tend to steal data like other forms of malware, but it can be
extremely frustrating as the user is forced to see ads they would prefer not to. The ads range from
small banner ads to invasive pop windows that can’t be closed down.

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References

Books and Journals

1. Burgess, M. (2004) Principles of Network and System Administration, 2nd Edition,
Online Resources
1. Prat (n.d.). ICT (information and communications technology, or technologies),
Retrieved February 17, 2022 from
https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/definition/ICT-information-and-
communications-technology-or-technologies
2. White D. (2021, April 14), 5 Advantages and Disadvantages of Information and
Communication Technology in Business, https://www.techfunnel.com/information-
technology/5-advantages-of-information-and-communication-technology-in-business/
Online video resource/s
1. Eye on Tech (2020, March 9) What is ICT (Information and Communications
Technology)? . Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PDQKu2-bAc
Online site links:
1. https://sites.google.com/site/eportfolioduaa/home/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-i-
c-t
2. https://getrevising.co.uk/grids/ict_in_education
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-
SRMHvaurA&list=PLN2vKr_NwAR4QjrlXkxFObhIdkF3Vfn-P
4. https://venngage.com/templates/infographics/components-of-ict-informational-
infographic-2c4526ae-d279-4025-aba9-dc64843f15ee
5. https://opentextbc.ca/computerstudies/chapter/classification-of-generations-of-
computers/
6. https://knowledgeplace4all.blogspot.com/2017/02/advantage-and-disadvantage-of-
computer.html
7. https://kullabs.com/class-miscellaneous/caomputer-basics/basic-concept/history-of-
computers
8. https://de.slideshare.net/kamboh786/history-of-computers-22302458?smtNoRedir=1
9. https://tutsmaster.org/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-fifth-generation-computer/
10. https://cetdotcom.wordpress.com/2017/02/14/history/
11. https://mec.ph/infographics/tech-throwback-the-history-of-ict-in-the-philippines/
12. https://jimayson.wordpress.com/2011/08/13/the-night-benjie-hooked-up-the-
philippines-to-the-internet/
13. https://andreaguanco.com/who-is-benjamin-benjie-tan/

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14. https://developer.mozilla.org/en-
US/docs/Learn/Common_questions/Pages_sites_servers_and_search_engines
15. https://rackset.com/blog/what-is-web-server/
16. https://biratkirat.medium.com/how-does-web-work-7fb8c8a41ae7
17. https://www.javatpoint.com/what-is-world-wide-web
18. https://davidrbrown.com/how-the-course-and-the-web-works/
19. https://www.sitesaga.com/what-is-a-website/
20. https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/w/website.htm
21. https://medium.com/@vivekmadurai/web-evolution-from-1-0-to-3-0-e84f2c06739
22. https://disenowebakus.net/en/web-evolution
23. https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/web-1-0-web-2-0-and-web-3-0-with-their-difference/
24. https://computer.howstuffworks.com/web-
10.htm#:~:text=Some%20of%20the%20most%20prominent,presence%20as%20today's
%20sites%20do.
25. https://www.expertmarket.co.uk/web-design/different-types-of-websites
26. https://themeisle.com/blog/best-free-blogging-sites/
27. https://www.freelancer.com/articles/web-development/corporate-websites
28. https://www.thebalancesmb.com/best-crowdfunding-sites-4580494
29. https://www.inquirer.net/
30. https://www.linkedin.com/home
31. https://www.netflix.com/
32. https://www.funbrain.com/
33. https://www.wikihow.com/
34. https://tutorialsinhand.com/Articles/web-terminology.aspx
35. https://velecor.com/10-common-internet-security-threats-and-how-to-avoid-them/
36. https://programs.online.utica.edu/resources/article/ten-ways-to-protect-your-identity
37. https://www.phishing.org/what-is-phishing
38. https://www.kaspersky.com/resource-center/definitions/advanced-persistent-threats
39. https://www.howtogeek.com/119458/htg-explains-whats-a-browser-cookie/
40. https://www.metacompliance.com/blog/what-is-malware-and-how-to-prevent-against-
it/

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module is intended for educational purposes only.