It has been discovered that a mass-emailing has been and is being received by "Windows" PCs with a "Mail Server Report" subject line. It pretends to offer you an update to deal with the problem but when you open the attachment, a "worm" infection invades your computer and gathers all the email addresses it can find and sends them back to its source.

   Best protection: Don’t trust even those official-sounding messages and don’t open any accompanying attachments. You should also be sure to install an exceptionally comprehensive security system on your computer that monitors and updates 24/7.

FBI COMMENTS ON WEB CRIME

   On March 12, 2007, Wendy Reeves (of the "Huntsville Times") reported FBI Special Agent Aaron Craven's comments at a recent seminar concerning computer security.  Agent Craven noted that, among other things, cyber criminals can make more money much more quickly using the Internet technology than through street crimes.

   "...Hackers are stealing tons of information from American companies," Craven reported.  He also noted that, "The Internet has become the means by which isolated extremists can connect and collaborate."

   The FBI has set up the Internet Crime Complaint Center which we can reach at http://www.ic3.gov/ to log in complaints and to find out just how serious this major problem really is.

   She was just an average, middle-aged lady, a sales rep. In Denver, Colorado who had turned off her computer security because the security software she was using was not all that it should have been. It noticeably slowed the operation of her computer.

   Not so many months later, four sheriff’s deputies were at her door. They were there to confiscate her computer and she found herself in a great deal of trouble. Her computer was being used to order products with a stolen credit card. Someone had broken into her system and was using her computer remotely to commit the crime.

   The truly shocking thing about this is that this sort of thing happens quite often. And it is often considered to be your fault until it can be proven to be otherwise.

   Independent tests of "VISTA," the new Microsoft operating system, has shown that extremely malicious code, in the form of "spyware," "trojan" programs, "key loggers" and similar computer invasions are getting through 84 percent of the time. (The study was conducted by "Webroot.")

   Other experts have also noted that, once again, Microsoft has released a program that is still in the beta-testing stage, with many imperfections and other difficulties unresolved. "American Communication Arts" advises that it may be best to wait and not acquire the new operating system for anywhere from six months to a year. Also, "Invisus" is not planning on extending its security service to computers with this new system at this time.

   You may have heard (or even discovered personally) how "hackers" can get into your computer and use your email address to send out mass mailings. One example of this that went horribly wrong is with a Phoenix teenager’s computer that was corrupted by a "hacker" and used to send out child-porn materials.

   The Arizona officials (not famous for well thought out investigative procedures), put the teen and his family through two years of hell that almost sent the innocent teenager to prison. "20/20" covered the story quite well, in two different segments. It most certainly showed just how serious such problems can become and how important it is to have adequate protection on everyone’s computer.

   "TJX," the parent company of "T.J. Maxx" and "Marshalls," has reported a major theft of critical consumer data from its master computer system. It was indicated as the work of "hackers" who managed to break through their computer security.

   It was also reported that this break-in has not only compromised sensitive customer information throughout America and in Puerto Rico, but possibly in the British Isles and in Ireland as well.

   Two "hackers" managed to break into the computerized Los Angeles traffic signal system and cause grid-lock that is even worse than that experienced during the normal commuter hours. There are those who thought this was funny. Everyone caught in the tie up have an entirely different take on this situation, as you might imagine.

   It was announced that the computer system of the Joint Chiefs military education school at Fort McNair was damaged by unknown "hackers." The problem was serious enough to make it necessary to shut down its network servers and even to replace laptop computers. The attack is similar to previous intrusions by Chinese "hackers" and the problem, which has a long history, still continues.

   It has also been reported that foreign spies and other unfriendly international "hackers" are increasing their attacks on American computers. A further example is the encryption and "hacker" software now being made available to Islamic terrorists by the "Global Islamic Media Front" organization.

   From personal computers, to defense industries and government operations, no one is exempt. No one is safe.

   A recent report from Helsinki examples one of the latest in a long line of computer "virus" attacks against computers all over the world. The infection, mostly against home and small business computers, is spread through emails that tell about bad storms and offer attachments that, when opened, allow the perpetrators to create a "back door" to your computer. This allows your computer to be used whenever they want to get in to take out data or do damage or both.

These are only a few examples of what we are up against. It is something that we all must deal with. Sooner or later it reaches us all.