There's an old acronym in the computing industry - WYSIWYG. Pronounced "wizzy-wig", it stands for "What You See Is What You Get". While that used to be true with computers, today nothing could be further from the truth. Today, many of the websites we trust and visit routinely are being compromised and hidden code references are being inserted. While you can't see any visible signs of the compromise, that hidden code reference is silently loading exploits and malware onto your computer. Here's what you need to know to defend yourself against hidden website compromises.
The Web browser interprets the HTML, javascript, and other scripting languages used on the Web into readable form for you to view. But while everything might look fine on the page, it's what you can't see that can hurt you. Hidden iframes and external javascript references can execute malicious code behind the scenes, silently infecting your computer while you browse perfectly legitimate websites. You can reduce that risk by properly securing your browser. Here's how.
It would be great if we could simply install antivirus and be assured of 24/7 protection. Unfortunately, antivirus scanners can have a faiirly high failure rate when it comes to detecting Web-borne malware. Here's a look at some of the issues plaguing antivirus software and steps you should take to bolster its defenses.
Improving user experience is an important aspect of website content delivery and advertising (which enables the vast majority of content on the Web to be offered free of charge). But sometimes, the desire to contextualize content delivery can go too far - and it can even be used for malicious purposes. For example, successful browser history sniffing can let a phisher know exactly which banking and ecommerce sites you use, enabling criminals to target phishing scams specific to those sites. Here are three techniques that can be used to track where you've been online and how to prevent their use.
