Book a trip recently?
Well don’t assume that all communication in your email is legitimate. An email with the title “Ticket is ready” that appears to come from Delta Airlines, but I’m sure there are version for many carriers, tries to trick the user into opening the attached “ticket” which is really a virus.
It used to be good advice to only open attachments from people you know or companies you do business with. These days you have to be even more savvy. A virus is actually MORE likely to come form someone you know or a company you do business with. In the case of companies email addresses are being forged. With the people you know it is a very concerning problem that is currently on the rise.
More and more people are having their email hacked. Many people have been in the habit of using really easy passwords for their email accounts. For years there were comparably few instances of email accounts being compromised. But for people who are sending spam, or trying to infect your computer life has become more difficult and they are turning to easier methods. Many Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have become quite good at reducing the amount of spam traveling through their networks making it harder than ever for unscrupulous advertisers to get their messages out. Add to this the fact that email addresses are more disposable today as people change from one free account to another as the level of spam increases and the problem becomes much easier to solve by hacking into your email.
A spammer who hacks into an email account with a couple hundred email addresses in it can get around both obstacles. Since the address they just hacked has never sent spam it will likely go through fine the first couple of goes, and second they have your address book, which is a good current list to send to. Add to this the reality that the tools for hacking are better and easier to use while users are using the same sub-par passwords they have always used and it is a recipe for disaster.
Be wary of ALL email. Always look suspiciously of attachments even if they come from someone you know.
