And it’s not just office workers who are confused… - Net.Matters - MSO.net's Monthly Newsletter - Sep 2005

A Populus survey - Do you speak geek? - questioned 1,000 people for AOL UK to try and establish how many users of the web are confused by computer jargon. 

The survey highlighted the problem of bafflement over certain terms which, in turn, could render Internet users vulnerable to online fraud.  Of those surveyed, half used the Internet and were aware of online security.  However, when it came to understanding the latest jargon relating to this issue, many were still in the dark.

Past issues of Net.Matters have highlighted the effects of phishing - the ploy of tricking unsuspecting users to reveal their personal financial details.  Results from the Populus survey give cause for concern: 83% of those questioned stated that yes, they were worried about security but 84% were not aware of the term phishing.

 It is imperative to understand the latest buzzwords to ensure that you are fully equipped to protect yourself against security threats.  Trojan, one of the most common online security threats is a destructive program that masquerades as a benign application.  It is a program that claims to rid your computer of viruses but instead introduces viruses onto your computer.  The survey revealed that only 39% of home internet users understood the term Trojan and 16% had never heard of the term spam.

What's the answer?

The survey has highlighted a crucial factor, that once computer jargon is explained simply - confusion dissolves.  Armed with the correct knowledge and plain, simple facts, the Internet no longer assumes an air of mystery and suspicion. 

...phishing down in August.

Last month (August 2005) saw a 90% decrease from the previous month in the amount of phishing attempts by online fraudsters.

Be warned however.  Andrew Lochart, senior director of marketing at Postini (a leading provider of email security and integrated message management and who processed over 14 billion emails in August) urges us to stay vigilant:

“Phishing is still a new enough phenomenon, so we are not surprised to see month to month fluctuations. However, the drop off in August should not give people a false sense of security and cause them to let their defences down."