Computer spyware is newest weapon in Syrian conflict (blog 3)

Computer spyware is newest weapon in Syrian conflict By Ben Brumfield, CNN updated 4:41 PM EST, Fri February 17, 2012 http://www.livebinders.com/play/play/304850 When I first read this article I was amazed at what was happening. Syrian were sending out computer viruses and then stealing information from the computer and sending it to government owned Telecommunications Company in Syrian. It was crazy how people in Syrian were stealing the identities of opposition activists, and then impersonate them in online chats. The virus being sent was using a fake Facebook logo to trick people into opening and downloading the virus; the file stated that it was a Facebook security update. “It contains a fake Facebook logo and was passed off in a chat room as a Facebook security update”. When a woman named Susan had this happen to her she found out that the virus went through her computer looked at her files and sent information to STE (Syrian Telecommunications Establishment). Finding this out made me go crazy. It wasn’t some hacker from home or a terrorist group but the government’s telecommunications company. Knowing my computer can be hacked or having my identity and my personal information taken by anyone in America worries and scares me; but knowing that this can happen to me from a person who lives in a entirely different country makes me feel a lot worse. I do agree with the title of this article. If the Syrian people can get into any average Joe’s computer what’s stopping them from retaining important information from the government? They can take identities of American citizens; take passwords, email or bank information, and even information that government does not want other countries to know about. For anyone who reads this I recommend you keep you virus protection up to date. If you receive any strange or unusual messages or notifications you should just leave it alone and ask someone who is good with computers what it is. It could end up being a virus and some viruses can result in a slow computer or it can result in your important and private information being in someone else’s hands. I believe I speak for most people when I say that no one wants to be hacked or have any information taken from them. STE (Syrian Telecommunications Establishment