Topic: are you safe online?

[Wolstenholme]

So I was watching the news and up comes a story, "Russian Hackers steal almost half-a-billion pounds in online scam." What I gather is that an email arrives on your computer with an attachment and clicking on the email allows the "gameover" virus onto your PC, scrambling your files, making them inaccessible, and stealing your money.

The newsreader called for PC users of any description to update software, applications and anti-virus software as the virus - based on the infamous 'Trojan ZeuS' virus and targeting primarily Microsoft users - is 'beyond anything the world has ever seen' with people loosing everything. Even the most experienced anti-malware technicians are baffled by it.

The report then went on to mention how there are now even viruses for our phones. It seems to me that the slimy hands of internet hackers seem to grope all aspects of modern life. Also, to my knowledge, no anti-virus apps have been made for phones and if they have, there is not enough significant publicity for such things.

I, personally, am not adverse to saying that I am afraid and this news does scare me. It's frightening to think that there are people out there who are capable of invading the lives of people in this way. Especially the idea that our anti-virus software might not be 'good enough' to protect us.

So, my question to you is 'do you feel safe online?' and what do you think about anti-virus software, malware and the gameover virus?

[Del]

I feel safe online, all I feel like I need is Avast! antivirus and common sense. If something looks sketchy, I don't mess with it. Has served me fine up until now, so I won't fix what ain't broke.

There are a few antivirus apps for (at least Android) phones, such as Avast's, but I don't have any installed because I can't imagine really needing them. I don't use my phone for much internet, only really coming here or checking my Fantasy Proleague team on TeamLiquid, and I doubt either of those are gonna get infected, so I'm not too worried ~

[SirBlaziken]

If something looks sketchy, I don't mess with it. Has served me fine up until now, so I won't fix what ain't broke.

This and some MacAfee. That's all I need.

[Mistral]

I'm pretty safe, yeah. Avast does it's thing, and I run Malwarebytes every once in a while to make sure I don't have any of that on here. I don't even open emails half the time unless they're from trusted sources, so that's a thing too.