Internet users can follow five simple steps to avoid being
caught out by theClampi Trojan horse.
The malware steals bank details when people log into online
banking sites, and transfers money out of their accounts.
Rik Ferguson, senior security advisor at Trend Micro, and author
of the
Countermeasures,
security and privacy blog, recommends:
• Check your bank's liability policy to ensure you are covered.
Sometimes banks stipulate that you must be running up-to-date
anti-malware.
• Be wary of chip & Pin readers. Some banks offer chip &
Pin readers for home users. But they are only safe if they prompt
users to enter their Pin for each new transaction.
• Users who are really concerned that their main PC could be
compromised should run a dedicated PC just for online banking. If
this is too expensive, download the free
VMware Player
software, which allows you to run virtual machine on your main
PC. This virtual machine is analogous to a separate PC, and enables
the user to run a dedicated online banking session.
• Set up whitelists and blacklists to minimise the risk of
visiting rogue websites.
• Firefox users should download the free
NoScript tool, which prevents
JavaScript and Flash programs from running. The tool gives a
warning if a script attempts to run. You need to authorise it
manually, but the plug-in maintains a list of scripts the user has
confirmed are OK. The option is not available on Internet
Explorer.
• Download
Secunia
PSI, another free tool, which inspects users' PCs for outdated
software. Hackers are increasingly targeting applications, which,
if not up-to-date, could enable them to take-over your PC. The PSI
software lets you know if your PC needs updating.