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3. We should avoid using public networks as they are not secure enough. Accessing such Wi-Fi networks makes
our data vulnerable to cyber criminals.
4. We must be extremely careful before downloading any software as it might be malicious and corrupt our
system or may open backdoors to our systems for anyone to exploit.
5. We should be very careful of the e-mails from unknown sources as they might contain malicious software or
viruses. They may even contain malicious software like ransomware which could be devastating.
11.3 PROTECTION AGAINST SPAM
Electronic mail is a method of sending, receiving, and storing digital messages from one person to another. Due to
its versatility, it has gained a lot of popularity and has become one of the best ways of communication. Though it
has many advantages, there are some disadvantages too, such as:
1. Malicious e-mails may contain attachments carrying viruses, which may infect or disable our systems.
2. An active Internet connection is required to read and download the mails.
But the most notable disadvantage of email is spam. Spams are unsolicited emails sent mainly with the idea of
promoting online business schemes such as commercial advertisements, which are sent to many recipients in
bulk. They contain many fabulous schemes which are lucrative, and opening them on our computers and email
accounts may cause security problems. Viruses, worms, trojan horses, spyware, etc might spoil our computers as
well as gain unauthorised access to our accounts. So, it becomes very important to distinguish spam emails from
important ones. There are certain ways to separate spam emails from important ones and stay protected. Let us
take a look at them:
1. Using a good anti-spam and anti-virus software
2. Always be sure of the sender before accessing the received email
3. Always make sure that the name of the sender and the name in the email are authentic.
4. Always make sure that the name of the website is correctly spelled.
5. Always check the subject carefully before opening it. Sometimes, the subject might sound very interesting
such as “You have won 100,000 dollars” or information on some items that were never ordered. These are
definitely signs of spam.
6. Request to update any personal information in the bank or anything of that sort. They might ask for updating
credit card details, or might give the threat of locking the credit card, etc. This should always be taken care of
by an elder, as they are directly linked to the bank account.
7. Also, we should be careful before giving our email address to an unknown person.
11.4 SOFTWARE PIRACY
Software piracy refers to the act of copying genuine software and selling its illegal copies. Mostly, software
companies produce software that is designed for a single user. This software is then cracked and sold in the
aftermarket illegally. This is a major concern as the people developing the software are not getting the payment
they deserve for their hard work.
11.4.1 Types of Software Piracy
Software piracy is of many kinds. Let us take a look at them.
1. Counterfeiting: When there is illegal duplication, distribution, or sale of copyrighted material with the intent
of imitating the copyrighted product, then it is known as "Counterfeiting of Software."
2. Internet Piracy: We can download legal software from the Internet, but there are also some websites from
where you can get them free or in exchange for some other legal software. This kind of transaction is called
"Internet Piracy". Such facilities are provided by illegal streaming services.
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