Computer Security In The Virtual World

What are common forms of identity theft in the virtual, or electronic, world?

The virtual world exists online on networks, peer to peer, from computer to computer, from server to server; basically anything that's not in the tangible world, but the world of binary code and packets. Binary code is a series of ones and zeroes. It's basically the language that a computer understands and can hear. Packet switching was a technology that, in one sense, allowed the Internet to exist, in order to move large pieces of information by sending small packets of information that are then assembled at the receiving end, instead of trying to send everything at once. Common problems in theft in the virtual world often mirror what we see in the regular brick and mortar world: people stealing information, people fraudulently engaging in commerce, people running lottery and sweepstakes scams that you're not going to win, and the letters trying to get money from you, such as the Nigerian letter scam.

How can identity thieves break into my computer?

Common ways that people can access, gain access, or steal things or information from you and your computer are, one, through an unsecured network. This means your computer's on a network that has no password protection, requires no authentication to gain access to it, it is just open to the world. This is further aided by services such as cable modems/DSL services that are always on, as opposed to dialup services where you have to make a connection. DSL/ADSL/SDSL/cable/T1's are always on, there's always a connection.