Protect Your Personal Information!
What Would You Do If Someone Asks You for Personal Information?

Do you know that your personal information is spreading without your permission or knowledge? As we enter a cybernetic age, most people these days all use the internet. This has led computer hackers to hack into our personal information, stealing it for their own benefit. Our personal information is stored on various websites every　　　where, such as public and medical institutes. It is because of these hackers, bad things happen to our personal information, such as identity theft, spamming, defamation, or even financial theft. Therefore, we must always be very cautious in giving out our personal information. Privacy is most important when it comes to our personal information. So let’s find out what types of hacking methods are out there, and how we can reduce the chances of identity theft while protecting our information.

The first hacking method is databaseleakage.
　　　Databases can leak personal information. There are many ways in which 　　　databases can be hacked. For example, someone 　　　from the inside can give out the information for their own personal gain such as money, administrators could make mistakes in guarding the information, or hackers can simply hack into the system and steal it. There have been plenty of hacking incidents at famous online shopping sites such as Auction. Hyundai Capital Service and the National Agricultural Corporation have also been damaged due to 　　　database hacking. In these types of incidents, we are help less 　　　from preventing the hackers 　　　from stealing our information.

The second hacking method is phishing.
Phishing sites and phishing emails are 　　　created for the sole purpose of gaining your personal information. These sites commonly approach online users by showing a screen saying that they have just won a prize, or simply by emailing false information. One example of phishing is an email that says that you can track people who visit your Cyworld or Facebook page. These are most likely false because those types of programs are not distributed by entering your personal info. Sometimes just clicking on the site already leaks your info. So next time, be very careful on what you click and what you sign up for.

This is a photo of a phishing site that plagiarizes the Agricultural Cooperative Bank. It deceives the users by implying that they are the bank. These phishing sites are not only fake banks, but they have blanks that tell you to put in your account number. So always be sure to check the website, and always use your online certificates.

The third hacking method is 'spyware'
By simply typing in your password and ID, any ‘spyware’ installed on your PC can steal your information. In addition, personal information that is sent to the network might also be stolen as well. These ‘spyware’ programs are sent through either e-mail or Active X installation. When accessing an Adult website, these fake Active X screens pop up a lot, so next time you see an Active X install screen you should think twice before clicking it. Another way of preventing a fake Active X pop up is by changing your settings on Internet Explorer.

Fllow the procedure to prevent illegal Active X 　　　from popping up.
Internet Explorer -> Tools -> Internet Options
Sites that are not cleared to install the ActiveX should be avoided if possible. In addition, security programs with live monitoring should be operated to avoid viruses.

The fourth hacking method is publishing a password.
This means that people literally just guess different types of passwords. This happens 　　　from people around you.

Usually people tend to 　　　select their password very similar to their ID like in the picture above. By making your password similar to your username, it becomes much easier for others to hack into your accounts. To avoid this 　　　from ever happening you should do the following:
1. Avoid identity and character duplications.
2. Avoid same or continuous numbers.
3. Avoid date of births, and phone numbers.
4. Create long passwords, and preferably make different passwords for each site.

The fifth hacking method is online messaging
This type of fraud is very simple, as random people start a conversation with you claiming that they are your friend. Then they ask you to send some money via account or online banking. Most of people won’t make mistakes like this, but some people are overly kind and sometimes gullible so always be careful. Therefore, even if it is your PC at home or a PC in a public place, never set your ID to Auto-Log-in mode and do not save your username either.

Don’t ever share personal information through chatting programs because they are the easiest way of hacking.

Here are some extra preventing methods of information leakage:

1. Avoid using finance related sites on public PC’s or in PC rooms.
2. Always keep your online certificates on your USB.
3. Log off to make sure that nobody can use your personal information.
4. 　　　Change your password often.
5. Do not transmit personal information through E-mail or instant messaging (even your resume).
6. Occasionally check for identity theft and personal information disclosure diagnostic sites.
(Related sites: personal information disclosure diagnostic site http://www.realscan.co.kr/index.jsp
http://www.siren24.com/c2alimi/index.jsp)Verify Identity Theft Sites @ -

In addition, there is a system called 'i-PIN' (internet Personal Identification Number). For this you enter your resident registration numberinstead of 　　　having an ID or a password. By using this system we can greatly reduce the risk of 　　　having your personal information stolen.

This can happen to us anytime, so it is up to us to protect our own private information 　　　from getting into the wrong hands. We must always be aware of these precautions and keep in mind the ways to avoid personal information theft 　　　from happening to us.