GMAIL UNDER PHISHING ATTACK

  

Internet and broadband users of India are increasingly becoming the victims of vicious phishing attacks which results in identity theft, danger to life, financial fraud etc. Recently, Gmail users received a legal notice asking them to update their account details for security reasons. "Gmail Team is working on total security on all accounts in order to make Gmail better as ever and as a result of this security upgrade we require all Gmail members to verify their account with Google. To prevent your account from disability you will have to update your account by clicking the reply button and filling the space below," the mail read. The legal notice from Gmail wanted users to refurbish their account name, password, occupation, birth date and country of residence. It also carried a threat that users who did not update their details within 7 days of receiving the warning would lose their account permanently.

However, Google spokesperson said, "Some spammers send fraudulent mass-messages designed to collect personal information, called 'spoofing' or 'password phishing’. We always advise our users to be wary of any message that asks for your personal information, or messages that refer you to a webpage asking for personal information. Google or Gmail does not send unsolicited mass messages asking for passwords or personal information; even if the message asking for it claims to be from us, please don't believe it." So it is advised to be investigative and use logic (BIUL) when using the Net in order to improve your personal Internet security levels.

GOOGLE's EFFORTS TO STOP PORNOGRAPHY

Google would step up efforts to stop pornography reaching users in China after a mainland watchdog found the search engine turned up a large number of links to obscene and vulgar sites. It said that it had renewed efforts to keep the internet in China clean after noticing criticism by the China Internet Illegal Information Reporting Center. Google Inc. said that it would step up efforts to stop pornography reaching users in China. "We have been continually working to deal with pornographic content, and material that is harmful to children, on the Web in China," company said.

The watchdog said that despite official warnings, Google was still failing to "filter pornographic contents from its search engine results according to China's relevant laws and regulations." It said tests found that the search engine provided links to a large number of lewd and vulgar pictures, videos and articles, though it gave no specific examples.

China, which has the world's largest population of Internet users at more than 298 million, also has one of the world's tightest controls over the Internet. The government bans online pornography and this year launched a nationwide crackdown that led to the closing of more than 1,900 Web sites.Google, headquartered in Mountain View, California, has struggled to expand in China, where it says it has about 30 per cent of the search market. China's homegrown Baidu search engine remains the most popular, with about 60 per cent of the market.