Infinite Path

Clampi, the computer virus which has hit the headlines over the last few days is apparently not so new after all. The virus which attacks online banking – and other such sites where financial information can be acquired – has actually been around since 2005. There is nothing that new about what hackers are attempting here, and the virus is probably a lot less threatening than it has been in the past thanks to improvements in operating system security.

The media has created a bit of hysteria about this particular virus, which is probably quite a good thing. Internet users are still not behaving entirely vigilantly when it comes to protecting their details and treating spam emails with caution. If no mistakes are made by the user, it is very difficult for a virus or Trojan to communicate with a computer; no matter how sophisticated it may be. All Trojans need a way in and unless the user is unfortunate enough to inadvertently provide that way in, there should be no danger.

Internet security is always going to be an issue. With every great advance in communal technology – intended to enhance user experience – comes an advance in the technology used in spyware and malicious programs. With so many people having expert skills in programming there are always going to a be a number of those people who put their efforts into illegal initiatives designed to lead to personal gain, usually through fraud.

Most viruses and Trojans affect Microsoft users as Microsoft operating systems are far the most common. As Apple becomes more popular, it is highly likely that more effort will be made by hackers to penetrate other operating systems, but it is generally thought that people who choose to use other systems are savvier when it comes to security. There is still a lot of naivety found in users of Microsoft platforms.