Symantec’s Security Response blog reports that a new virus is attempting to access the online recruitment website, Monster.com. According to Symantec, it has already stolen 1.6m entries belonging to several hundred thousand people.
This information can include name, email address, phone numbers and street address. The blog calls this information a “spammer’s dream.” It is also likely to be an extortionist, phishers and scammer’s dream too.
Symantec advises users of Monster.com (and indeed any online site) to limit your exposure to identity theft by limiting the information you upload to the bare minimum. (Read our article: Protect your privacy.) Be particularly careful with things like passport numbers, driver’s licence details, bank account and credit card information.
It is also vitally important to keep your computer clear of viruses, spyware and so on. Use a firewall. Make sure your anti-virus and anti-spyware software is up-to-date and that you computer is fully patched. And, as ever, don’t open email attachments unless you are absolutely sure that they are trustworthy. Also see Monster’s own security advice.
Technorati Tags: Monster.com, Symantec, privacy
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I have always been pretty savvy when it comes to Internet security due to my early experiences in computing in the late 80`s. Although I have been using Spyware, Virus Scanning and a Firewall programs for many years, soon after I joined Monster I started to receive fake job offers. The level of my personal details obtained was worrying. Luckily most of my Spam filters accurately selected these files marked for deletion. Luckily a lot of this spam email was for marketing purposes, i.e. Viagra, Cialis etc, which is of no interest to me.
Monster left the security door wide open and allowed all our personal details to be stolen. Somebody there should be prosecuted or at the very least blacklisted from working in the computer security industry again. Its a disgrace.
Uh-oh. Is nothing sacred? Thanks for the tip