Internet users can deter opportunistic and malicious typosquatters by being extra careful when typing.
According to Chris van Niekerk, regional director for Africa at McAfee, typosquatting is the term used to describe how malicious-minded Internet fiends prey on those who mistype Web addresses.
"They register common misspellings of popular domain names and products to then redirect those who make mistakes to alternative Web sites. In fact, a typical person misspelling a popular URL has a one in 14 chance of landing at a typosquatter site."
He says these sites - run by the typosquatters - then generate click-through advertising revenue, lure unsuspecting consumers into scams, harvest e-mail addresses in order to flood unsuspecting Internet users with unwanted e-mail and can even result in malware infections.
"This just goes to show how, when it comes to keeping yourself secure on the Internet, it's an ever-moving target and there is a real need to continuously question the validity of sites and sources in order to maintain your Internet safety," he says.
According to Van Niekerk, it's important to learn what to look out for, as at worst, typosquatting can lead to innocent computer users becoming the victims of online scams or "get-rich-quick" tricks.
"What is particularly alarming to those of us whose children or other young family members are using the Internet is that children's sites are heavily targeted and some typosquatters may take advantage of typing errors to expose innocent children to pornography or other disturbing Web sites," he says.
If a business has an online presence, Van Niekerk warns, the danger is that customers may unwittingly be lured from the site to one that may well look similar at first glance but is far from it.
"A recent example of a brand that has been targeted by typosquatters is the iPhone - although it was released fairly late in 2007, it was predicted that by the end of that year there would be approximately 8 000 URLs using 'iPhone'.
"So with the way that online villains constantly change approach to try to trick us, how can we maintain good security and protect our identity?" he asks. "Well, the reality is that those bad guys are always trying to stay one step ahead of us but we don't need to let them. The bottom line is that if you're not sure of the URL you're looking for, you're far safer using a search engine than trying to make a guess."
Van Niekerk believes that if users stay alert, are careful with the information they share and the Web sites they visit, and also use security technology to block or highlight risks, there is no reason users can't continue to get the most out of the Internet.
"With the right approach, the Internet can continue to play a pivotal role in our lives and we can protect our friends and families from those who will continue to try to trick us," he concludes.
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