Computer experts warn users against 'drive-by-downloads' threat

Advertisement
By Indo Asian News Service | Updated: 7 February 2013 13:35 IST
Computer experts warn users against 'drive-by-downloads' threat
Computer experts from Germany have warned people to be more careful while surfing the Internet as malicious programs called "drive-by downloads" can be downloaded unintentionally when users visit "manipulated websites".

Currently the biggest threat was the so-called "drive-by downloads", according to the German Federal Association for Information Technology, Telecommunications and New Media or Bitkom.

"Cyber criminals are operating in increasingly sophisticated ways," said Bitkom president Dieter Kempf.

"Drive-by downloads" are particularly insidious because they are hard to recognise.

Just a visit to a manipulated website is sufficient to make a personal computer vulnerable to attack.

Advertisement

Other important items in a list of Internet threats are so-called worms and Trojans, followed by attacks on databases and web applications.

The Hasso Plattner Institute for Software Systems Engineering (HPI) called on Internet users to be more careful in their choice of passwords.

Advertisement

Almost one in three people choose a sequence of six or fewer characters.

Short and simple words are also popular, criticised HPI Director Christoph Meinel.

Advertisement

However, these fall far short of providing secure access protection.

Around half of Internet users also have the same or a similar password for multiple pages.

The HPI recommends a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and special characters.

Terms that are in the dictionary, as well as names and dates of birth, should be avoided.

 

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.

Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. OTT Releases This Week: Pattth, Stolen, Jaat, Bhool Chuk Maaf, and More
  2. Motorola Edge 60 Will Launch in India on This Date
  3. Oppo K13x 5G India Launch Teased; to Go on Sale via Flipkart
  4. Realme GT 7 and GT 7T Review
  5. iQOO Z10 Lite 5G India Launch Date, Design and Battery Size Confirmed
  6. Nothing Headphone 1 to Launch Alongside Nothing Phone 3 on July 1
  7. OnePlus Pad 3 First Impressions
  8. iPhone 17 May Support 50W Wireless Charging With New MagSafe Chargers
  9. Bitcoin Falls to $102,700 Amid Trump-Musk Feud, Most Altcoins See Dips
  1. Huawei Band 10 With Up to 14 Days of Battery Life Launched in India: Price, Features
  2. Google’s Gemini Live Is Reportedly Getting a Real-Time Captions Feature
  3. iPhone 17 Could Support Up to 50W Wireless Charging With New Qi2.2 MagSafe Chargers: Report
  4. Bitcoin Falls to $102,700 Amid Fiery Trump-Musk Feud, Most Altcoins Log Losses
  5. Oppo K13x 5G to Launch in India Soon; Confirmed to Go on Sale via Flipkart
  6. Google’s Search Live in AI Mode Reportedly Rolling Out to Some Users
  7. Trump-Musk Row Slams Tesla Shares, $150 Billion in Market Value Wiped Out
  8. iQOO Z10 Lite 5G India Launch Date Set for June 18; Design, Battery Size Teased
  9. Tecno Pova 7 Ultra 5G Launch Timeline, Design and Key Features Surface Online
  10. Samsung Galaxy Watch’s Sleep Apnea Feature Expands to Australia and 35 Other Countries
Gadgets 360 is available in
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2025. All rights reserved.