Gullible PC Users a Threat to Security

[HardOCP News]

While I know this story is simply stating the obvious, all of us know a “gullible PC user” like this so we owe I to ourselves to forward them this link.

One of the biggest security vulnerabilities for computers and networks is sitting in front of the desk. According to the SANS Institute's annual report on the Top 20 Internet security risks, released Tuesday, "users who are easily misled" ranks with custom-built applications as the top targets for attackers.

 

[djBon2112]

Wow, I just said this yesterday on Digg and am currently sitting at about -30 digs.

I guess I'm NOT an idiot then. PEBKAC issues are the no. 1 cause of computer issues, infections, etc.

 

[Shotglass01]

The headline is a tad misleading though. The article is just telling us how people went to see bad web sites which infected those computers with nasty. But, that can happen to anyone even if your security is up and running.

 

[LoneWolf]

The examples used in the article don't describe gullible users at all. They describe poor security practices on the part of some web programmers/software developers, but I see no user gullibility.

 

[TechLarry]

We also have to remember that not everyone that uses a computer is a power user.

We have our Mom's, Pops, Sisters and Brothers out there using these things, and they have been made a LOT of promises by the hardware and software developers of these machines. To wit: MS Vista as being the most secure Windows ever... WE know that is not necessariliy true. Most of the users out there, however, see computers as appliances. Nothing more than expensive toasters that do what they want them to do (well, most of the time). They take the word of the developers at face value.

They know no better, and it should not necessarily be expected of them. They bought the computer to do what it said it would do on the box, not as another hobby to constantly be babied, updated, studied and 'kept safe'.