A discussion on E-learning offered in Malaysian universities: Pros n Cons from the students perspective
E-learning
- a term for all types of technology-enhanced learning (TEL), where technology is used to support the learning process
- It involves the use of a computer or electronic device (e.g. a mobile phone) in some way to provide training, educational or learning material
- include Web-based learning, computer-based learning, virtual classrooms and digital collaboration
Pros of e-learning
Time flexibility
- Students can get online learning material, interact with tutor/classmates, send the assignment or query at anytime via Internet
- students can save time and much easier to communicate with classmates/tutor rather than face-to-face communication
- Students who work part-time jobs can learn when they free as e-learning can be fit into their busy schedule
Accessibility
- Students’ learning option are not constrained by geographic location (easily access to the resources upload by foreign university through e-libraries)
- Student can easily get their leaning resources with the use of internet by just staying at their own house
(without physically present in a university) - reduce the cost of travelling, and also time of travelling to university
Cons of e-learning
Isolation
- Students may feel isolated and unsupported while learning
- Students can simply lazy being non-motivated enough because of having free time schedule for his e-learning
- Students may also become bored with lack face-to-face interaction
Computer skills needed
- It is not possible for the students to succeed in E-learning without computer skills (with programs such as word processing, internet browsers)
- E-learning needs student to understand managing computer files, software comfort ability, learning new software
- For students with beginning level computer skills, it can sometimes seem complex to keep their computer files organized
For more information about e-learning, visit the site:
Journal for online learning and teaching- http://jolt.merlot.org/vol3no4/abstracts.htm
advantages and disadvantages of e-learning- http://www.dso.iastate.edu/asc/academic/elearner/advantage.html
students’ view on e-learning at UTM- http://elearn1.utm.my/09101/file.php/1/response/index.html
Corporate Blogging: A New Marketing Communication Tool for Companies
Nowadays, blogging are not new to corporate world. There was a market research done in the first half of 2006 indicates that 34% of large companies had established their weblogs. Besides, the market research also indicates that another 35% of them are planned to establish their weblog by the end of 2006. They used and published blog to achieve their goal.
There are many different types of corporate blog, but most of them are categorized as internal or external blog.
1. Internal blog
- It is generally access through the corporation’s intranet where any employee can view it.
- Most of the internal blog are public which allow anyone to post on them.
- May use to replace meeting and e-mail discussion.
- Especially useful for when involve people in different location or have conflict schedule.
- Also allow employees who are not been aware of or invited to participate in a discussion to contribute their expertise.
2. External Blog
- It is a publicly available weblog where company employees, teams, or spokespersons can share their view on it.
- Used to:
- Announce new products and services or the end of old product.
- Explain and clarify policies
- React on public criticism on certain issues
- Although tries to accomplish similar goals as press release, it still treated more informally than traditional press release.
- Still remain as a public relations tool though can offer more honest and direct view than traditional communication channels.
-
Examples of external blog:
- Coca-Cola Conversations: http://www.coca-colaconversations.com/
- Graco Blog: http://blog.gracobaby.com/
- Kodak’s A Thousand Words Blog: http://1000words.kodak.com/
The pros of corporate blogging:
- It’s very easy to set up a company blog.
- Corporate blogging appeals to younger consumer groups and employees.
- In the face of a crisis or emergency, a company blog is a good way to spread information.
The cons of corporate blogging:
- Time-consuming to maintain.
- Requires strong written communication skills,company might not have the right people in positions to produce good posts.
- Credibility as a source of information is declining as writing blog is getting popular.
The following is the 5 most popular corporate blog:
2. Adobe
3. Flickr
4. Yahoo! Search
5. Dell
For more information for corporate blog, you can visit the site below:
- 7 Essential Tips for Corporate Blogging: http://www.wardontheweb.com/7-essential-tips-for-corporate-blogging/
- Do’s and Don’ts of Corporate Blogging: http://money.cnn.com/2006/02/28/news/companies/pluggedin_fortune/index.htm
- Top 5 corporate blogging mistakes and how to avoid them: http://www.webinknow.com/2008/09/top-5-corporate.html
A review on a post on Legal from My E-commerce blog.
Last Sunday, I had looked through a post on Legal from My E-Commerce blog which topic is “online beauty product fraud” and now I want share my review on it for all of you. 
Along with the development of internet, online purchase becomes more popularization in today. Online purchase indeed provides many benefits for us, people can conveniently, not pressure to buy the things as well as able to compare products price and features when purchase via online.
However, since many cases of online purchase fraud burst out and many people become the victims of online fraud, the reliability and security for online purchase become the biggest problem and the confident of people toward the online purchase also become less and less.
According to this post mentioned that there are at least 66 people in Malaysia had been got into this fraud and the products that they purchased were skincare products in a website, called “BigPussyCat”. Among of these victims, has one victim state that he was induced by the price which was cheaper than other off the shelf. Indeed, buying through online can really enjoy the preferential price because the sellers not need to bear high cost to sell, but sometimes that actually is a swindle!
Purchase via online normally will need to bear some degree of risk that is may be the actual product received is not same with the sample which had shown in the website, so much as not receive anything although already paid for it just like this online purchase fraud.
Besides, due to most of online buyers are tend to young people group, so cause them become the high percentage of the victims of online purchase fraud and their hard earned money also due to this fraud flashy disappear. In addition, isn’t only the online buyers are the victims for the online purchase fraud? Not, the online seller also got the impact due to these “black sheep”.
Thus, how to protect yourself so that you will not be the next victim?
- To be careful when you receive a too-good-to-be-true offer, such as an expensive product that sold at a cheap price for you.
- Buy goods and services from trusted sources.
- Send the money to those you are trust.
- Check the term and condition before make payment.
- Examine the feedback on the seller.
Lastly, contact to the police immediately if you think you are being in fraud.
Let to see:
How the Lelong.com’s safetrade work:
http://www.lelong.com.my/safetrade/html/overview.asp
eBay’s marketplace safety tips:
http://pages.ebay.com/securitycenter/mrkt_safety.html#feedback
E-government in Malaysia: Its implementation so far and citizen’s adoption Strategies
E-government
Electronic government (E-government) is also known as e-gov, digital government, online government or transformational government. It is a diffused neologism used to refer the use of information and communication technology to provide and improve government services, transactions and interactions with citizens, businesses, and other arms of government.
Vision of E-government
Is a vision for government, businesses and citizenry working together for the benefit of Malaysia and all of its citizens. The vision is focus on effectively and efficiently delivering services from the government to the peoples of Malaysia, enabling the government to become more responsive to the needs of its citizens.
The primary delivery model of e-government can be divided into:
- Government to citizen or government to customer (G2C)
- Government to business (G2B)
- Government to government (G2G)
- Government to employees (G2E)
Benefits of E-government
It is convenient and cost-effective for businesses and the public. It let the resident getting easy access to the most current information available without having to spend time, energy and money to get it. E-government helps simplify processes and makes access to government information more easily accessible for public sector agencies and citizens. Besides, E-government allows citizens to interact with computers to achieve objectives at any time and any location, and eliminates the necessity for physical travel to government agents sitting behind desk and windows. Furthermore, E-government also bring benefits of efficiency, improved services, better accessibility of public services, and more transparency and accountability.
Barrier of E-government
- Legislative and regulation barrier
- Budgetary framework
- Lag behind technological change
- Digital divide impedes the benefits of E-government
Factors for a successful E-government implementation
- E-government challenges existing ways of working
- E-government coordinators should use ICT as a tool to facilitate change and should not attempts to restructure public administration around the current technology
- E-government requires leaderships
- The leadership of individual or organizations has driven many e-government advances. Leaderships is required at the early stage in the E-government to be able to gain acceptance of concepts and benefits
- Seamless government services will draw agencies closer together
- E-government coordinators should facilitates planning for seamless services, classify data sharing arrangements, and address accountability issues. Seamless e-government services requires different agencies to work close together
- Manager needs government skills
- The implementation of e-government increases the needs for ICT related skills in government. The skills required are not only technical but also in term of decision making
- E- government involved public-private partnerships
- The implementation of e-government involved cooperation between government, private sector and e-government coordinators
- Monitoring and evaluation are essential to effective E-government
- E-government implementers should articulate the impacts and benefits of a programme, in order to justify continued political and public support
E-government project in Malaysia
- Generic Office Environment (GOE)
- Electronic Procurement (eP) project
- Human Resources Management Information System (HRMIS)
- Project Monitoring System (PMS)
- Electronics Services Directory (eServices)
- Electronic Labor Exchange (ELX)
- E-Syariah
Citizen’s Adoption Strategies
Nowadays, the world become more and more advances, in order to make right decision and avoid falling behind, government must identify and resolve the different issues that have arisen from the transaction period during which traditional and e-government co-exist. The ease of use, compatibility, and trustworthiness are significant predictors of citizens’ intention to use e-services and that perceived reactive advantage, perceived image, perceived compatibility, perceived usefulness, and relative advantage are significant elements of e-government adoption. Besides, the government should guide and control the transformation of government into e-government rather than just focusing in the introduction of ICTs. Meanwhile, the use of ICT to strengthen the involvement of citizens and businesses at the same time the public decision must be progress.
Related links:
- http://www.mait.com/admin/enews_images/MAIT%20Country%20Intelligence%20eNews96_37.pdf
- http://www1.american.edu/initeb/ym6974a/egovernment.htm#Quick%20Links
- http://www.myeg.com.my/
- http://www.egovonline.net/egovasia/2007/egov_day3_2.asp
- http://www.futuregov.net/articles/2005/aug/07/oracle-launches-e-government-centre-excellence-mal/
- http://www.i4donline.net/news/news-details.asp?catid=6&newsid=7004
- http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/omb/egov/g-10-Benefits_Report.html
- http://www.malaysia.gov.my/EN/Pages/default.aspx
- http://www.apdip.net/projects/gif/GIF-Overview.pdf
Mobile Payment in Malaysia: Its Potential and Customer adoption Strategies
From Wikipedia website, mobile payment is the collection of money from a consumer via a mobile device such as their mobile phone, SmartPhone, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) 
or other such device. It also referred to as mobile web payment or WAP billing. The mobile payment can be used to purchase any number of digital goods and physical goods. With that, consumers no longer need to bring any cash or credit card while travelling, they just need to use their hand phone as their credit card to make the payments. It is more convenient for consumers especially in this fast growing market. Digital goods are like follows: ring tones, games, wallpaper for mobile phone and the booking cinema ticket and air ticket. Digi, Maxis, Hotlink, Celcom, Visa Wave Payment and Maybank are some of the example which also launch the mobile payment systems. Other example such as using the Hong Leong Mobile Credit Card of each transaction will be rewarded with instant cash rebate and the cash rebates accumulated can be used to make purchases at any “Mobile Money” retail outlet.
Mobile payment is more convenient for consumers especially in this fast growing market. The largest credit card payment system is visa which launches a universal system and signed with mobile giants. Mobile giant like Nokia launches this service in Nokia handset which allows customers to remote payment, person-to-person payments, and contact fewer payments. Mobile network operators (MNOs) have played an important role in pushing the technology necessary for m-payments. MNOs are approaching m-payments strategically, in their bid to retain customers and develop wider sources of revenue from lines of business which can be strongly complementary. Fixed-mobile convergence is one manifestation of this, as it gives telecom operators an opportunity to unify their payments platforms on an internet protocol basis and offer discounts or loyalty points on m-payments as part of bundled service.
The types of mobile payment can be as follow:
- Mobile banking(m-banking)
- Mobile wallet solution that store credit or debit card information on a SIM chip
- Pay-as-you go or contactless card technologies
- Text messaging systems that can facilitate or enables payments
Mobile banking
- Similar to Internet banking in that it provides a fast and convenient way of performing common banking transactions. The services offered include among others, balance inquiry, bill payment, funds transfer, mobile prepaid reload and service request. To enjoy the benefits of mobile banking, all you need is a mobile phone that is equipped with the features required by your bank that provides this service. All mobile banking transactions are secured to ensure that users’ information could not be stolen. However, users should also practice precaution, which includes not leaving your mobile phone that is linked to your account unattended to; keeping your PIN confidential; and never reply to any SMS claiming to be from your bank or asking for your banking details. Currently, there are 10 banking institutions offering a wide range of mobile banking services in Malaysia.
Mobile wallet (mobile money)
- is a designed by Mobile Money International Sdn Bhd in PIN-based Mobile Payment Solution to address the limitations and bottlenecks created by cash, cheques and credit cards. It unlocks the power of the mobile phone to make payments, allowing registered users to pay for goods and services at anytime, anywhere using only a mobile phone coupled with a 6-digit security PIN (Personal Identification Number) through SMS (Short Messaging Service). This gives the freedom to shoppers to buy products online and pay the merchant using his/her mobile phone without being physically present at the store.
Contactless card technologies 
- In which the chip communicates (at data rates of 106 to 848 kbit/s) with the card reader through RFID induction technology. These cards required only close proximity to an antenna to complete the transaction. They are often used when transaction must be processed quickly or hands-free, like on mass transit systems, where smart cards can be used without even removing them from a wallet. (e.g. Hong Kong’s Octopus card, South Korea’s T-money(bus, Subway, Taxi), Mebourne’s myki, London’s Oyster card)
The potentials of mobile payment in Malaysia 
- No need to carry out a lot of money when going out buy something or make a huge amount transaction.
- It should be a convenient, speed, simplicity and safety ways for the consumer to build up for the consumer to use the mobile payment.
- It also increased a lot of new mobile device users.
- It can help the consumers to save their time to queuing up to purchase their things.
The consumer adoption’s strategies
- The adoption can educate the consumer about the mobile payments, how to use and functions mobile purchase using those GPRS or WAP to direct make payment.
- Provide more security collaborate solution for mobile payment to make the consumers more confident and satisfaction while using it.
- It can used to maintain customer loyalty.
- The gift and reward will be given by the vendor while using the mobile payment.
Related references:
World’s first contactless mobile payment system’ launches in Malaysia
Maxis and Maybank testing mobile phone payment system
- http://www.mobile88.com.my/News/read.asp?file=/2007/11/9/20071108201348&sec=News
Tagattitude
- http://www.tagattitude.fr/Default.aspx?alias=www.tagattitude.fr/en
The Application of Pre-paid cash card for consumers
The credit card philosophies of “Buy it now, Pay it later” cause million of people in debt. Now, I would like to advice using prepaid cash card instead of credit card. What is prepaid cash card? It looks like credit and debit card which offer same advantage to purchase products or services, but with a crucial difference.
With pre-paid cash card,
- You only will spend the balance that has been preloaded onto the card by cash at a bank, Post Office, at Payzone or PayPoint terminals, or via bank transfer. Thus, there is no debt risk as you just can spending money you put on your card.(Pre-paid card can’t extend credit like credit card, so you can’t spend money you don’t have)
- You will never worry about hidden charges such as interest charge, late charges, or over-the-limit fees because you’re not borrowing money like using credit card. Besides, with pre-paid card, you get unlimited bill paying and credit builder free of charge (need not pay for postage or money orders, free direct deposit your paycheck)
- You can use it in several way :
(a) Purchase goods or services wherever pre-paid cash card is accepted
(Petrol filling, movie tickets, airline tickets, mobile phone bill, fast food/restaurant)
(b) Shop and payment Online
(Pay for download songs, eBay, and online utilities payment)
(c) Pay for toll
(Example: Touch n Go card,can be used at all highways in Malaysia while it must reload money onto card)
click here to view more info about touch n go(where to use or where can purchase/reload)
(d) Withdrawing cash from an ATM
(Convenient to get cash anytime)
(e) Replacement for travelers’ cash
(Carry pre-paid cash card more secure than carry large amount of cash when travel)
- It is easy to get pre-paid cash card compare with apply credit card. As long as you have valid identification, 100% guaranteed approval to you will qualify for pre-paid cash card account.
- It is more secure than carrying cash. Besides, make transaction via pre-paid card is quick, convenience and easy. (hand swap your card on the counter, sign on the receipt or enter passwords, then collect your card and a copy of the receipt –DONE)
- “Impian” MasterCard Unembossed offered by EON Bank
Examples of pre-paid cash cards offered by different financial institution
click here to view more
- Tune Money Prepaid Visa Card offered by Tune Money
click here to view more
- Maybank Visa Debit Card offered by Maybank
click here to view more
- To get more information about how prepaid cash card works, visit this website below:
- AccountNow - http://www.accountnow.com/services/how-it-works.aspx
Electronic Currency
Electronic currency is a money or script that allows be exchanged only electronically such as Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) and direct deposit. It is also known as e-money, electronic cash, electronic money, digital money, digital cash or digital currency. The exchange process involves the use of computer network, internet and digital stored value systems.
Electronic money is a representation, or a system of debits and credits, used to exchange value, within another system, or itself as a stand alone system, online or offline.Besides, sometimes it is used to refer to the provider itself such as digital gold currency and Eagle Cash.
1. Digital Gold Currency
It is a form of electronic money based on ounces of gold and a kind of representative money, like a US paper gold 
certificate. The unit of account for Digital Gold Currency is the gold gram or the troy ounce or gold dinar.
Digital gold currencies are issued by a number of companies, each of which provides a system that enables users to pay each other in units that hold the same value as gold billion. These competing providers issue independent currency, which normally carries the same name as their company. In terms of the most popular providers, e-gold has the greatest number of users and GoldMoney holds the greatest quantity of bullion.
For further information about e-gold and GoldMoney, you may visit the following site:
a. www.e-gold.com/unsecure/qanda.html
2. Eagle Cash
It is a systems of stored-value cards developed by the U.S. Militery for use at military facilities domestically and overseas. This system is implemented by using a small plastic card which has an embedded microchip just like a crdit or debit. The embedded microchip will keep track of the amount of money stored on the card. This system allows soldier to purchase goods and services at U.S. military posts and canteens, without having to carry around cash. It also helps them to manage their personal bank account while on deployment or in training.
This system has bring many benefits to U.S. Militery.It helps to reduce the amount of U.S. currency required overseas, reduce theft, saves thousands of man-hours in financial labor and security, and helps reduce the cost of turning military pay into disposable income, by eliminating the need for money order.
Many of electronic currency systems will sell their electronic currency directly to the end user, such as Paypal.
1. Paypal
It is an e-commerce business allowing payments and money transfers to be made through the internet. It serves as an electronic alternative to traditional paper methods such as check and money order . PayPal performs payment processing for online vendors, aution sites, and other commercial users, for which it charges a fee. It sometimes also charges a transaction fee for receiving money. The fees charged depend on the currency used, the payment option used, the country of the sender, the country of the recipient, the amount sent and the recipient’s account type.
A PayPal account can be funded with an electronic debit from bank account or by credit card. The recipient of a PayPal transfer can either request a check from PayPal, establish their own PayPal deposit account or request a transfer to their bank account. PayPal is an example of a payment intermediary service that facilitates worldwide e-commerce.
For more information about Paypal, you may visit:
There are few examples of success electronic currency implementation in some country. For example, Octopus card system in Hong Kong and ezlink card system in Singapore. Hong Kong’s Octopus card system is started as a payment to public transportation fees,except Taxis and some public minibuses. After that it grows into a widely used for payment to retailers who accept it such as convenience stores or restaurants .This card enable the users no need to bring coins while paying transportation fees.
For further information about this card, you may found in www.hong-kong-travel.org
Singapore’s ezlink card system is an electronic money implementation for its public transportation system such as LRT,MRT,bus and so on. It is a system which is very similar to Hong Kong’s Octopus card. After that it has enlarged its uses to all sectors of retail from leisure to dining to shopping. Now, it has served as Singapore’s first contactless Multi-purpose Stored Value (MPSV) card.By using this card, the users can just tap and go!
For more information, you may visit the following site:
Credit Card debts: Causes and Prevention
Credit card is a small plastic card which allows the cardholders to buy the goods and services without give the cash immediately and pay for it after the monthly bills arrived. In e-commerce, credit card also becomes one of the most common payment systems.
Credit card provide many benefits and conveniences, especially it is very useful in the emergency situation. However, this also help to promote the people insensible bring the serious consequences for themselves which is being heavily in credit card debt.
According to Bank Negara Malaysia’s statistics at the end of March 2009, Malaysians owe RM24.4 billion for credit card debt. Besides that, there are out of the 3,548 people declared bankruptcy by credit card and 1,774 are belonging to aged 30 and above.
What are the causes for credit card debt?
The main cause normally is the cardholders don’t pay their bills on time and follow by the debts is accumulated through the interest and make the cardholder cannot afford to pay their debts. There are several causes that will make this happen, first is poor money management, people usually don’t plan for their monthly spending and due to possess credit cards, people will probably spending more than their ability for unnecessarily. Second is unemployment, some cardholders when during unemployment, they still do not cut down their expenses, so that in the situation for no income more expenses, obviously will rise into huge debts. Third is non financial communication skill, cardholders normally will make supplementary credit card for their spouse or children, but they don’t properly communicate with their spouse and children about the financial planning and cause the spouse and children will spending immoderately by using the credit card without their knowledge, thus virtually speed up the debts they owe. Fourth is financial illiteracy, some cardholders do not know how to save and invest their money for rainy day or not able to control their money and manage their credit finances, thus they will apply for many credit cards, but lastly they can’t afford to deal with the debts.
The preventions for the credit card debts are:
- Understand the terms and conditions and interest charges before getting the credit card.
- Restrict the spending such as ensure the monthly debt payments as well as do not exceed 20% of you monthly net income.
- Make payment as soon as possible before the bills is due.
- Limit the number of credit cards.
- Keep track of all the credit card spending regularly.
- If not able to pay the entire balance, better pay more than the minimum amount due.
- Better communicate with spouse and children for the financial spending.
*Tips for teaching money management to spouse and children, can visit: http://www.improvingyourworld.com/finances/teaching_money_management_to_your_spouse_and_children_003422.html
8. Public should be educated on how to better manage credit finances so as not end up in debt.
More detail for prevention, can visit following website:
1. http://www.cardratings.com/howtoavoidcreditcarddebt.html
2. http://www.mozdex.com/prevent-credit-card-debt/
Let go to quiz: What’s your credit IQ?
http://www.mymoneyskills.com/mms/ap/quiz/quiz.shtml?id=3&countryId=ap&lang=en_US 
How to safeguard our PERSONAL and FINANCIAL data?
Today, Internet plays an important role for people to transfer the information or data from one place to another. Besides that, e-commerce activities also fast emerging, many people choose to make online payment or purchases by a reason of convenience and save time.
While, information transmitted over the Internet is vulnerable and has high degree of security risk because Internet is open to everyone. Important data sent such as credit card number, passwords, account number will be easily hacked by other to make fraud transaction. Therefore, it is important to take measure to protect our personal and financial data from misuse use, stolen.
Suggestion to SAFEGUARD personal data and financial data
Password and username are most used to ensure security, so you should safeguard your unique ID and Password by:
- Keep it secret and confidential
- Do not share, provide or facilitate unauthorized use of it by other
- Create password by a combination of numbers and letters if possible ( Longer passwords provide greater security than shorter)
- Do not create it using easily identifiable information such as your birthday, telephone number or a recognizable part of your name
- Change your passwords frequently if you think that User ID and/or password has been disclosed to a third party
- Do not save your passwords on computer (Caution: Some dialog boxes will present an option to save or remember your password. Do not select that option)
CAUTION : avoid tick remember password on computer
Be vigilant when visit website or register as member
- Visit website anonymously or using nickname if not necessary to provide personal information
- If registered, view Consumer Data Protection or Privacy Policy before tick agree to term of privacy policy (This important part always ignored by most people) To ensure that website committed to providing the highest level of security and privacy by establishing security policy or procedures regarding the collection and use of your personal information
- Example for Consumer Data Protection or Privacy Policy:
- American National Bank of Minnesota (ANBM)- https://www.anbmn.com/privacy
- HSBC Bank- http://www.hsbc.co.kr/1/2/Misc/popup_en/personal-information-protection-policy
- Do not provide personal information on unknown parties’ website. Especially identifying information such as IC no, phone no., credit card no.
- Remember to close browser window and tab after finish view especially in a public library, café, school computer lab in order to avoid other people reading your personal data or mail
- Remember to log out and do not click on pop-up ad
remember log out and do not click pop-up ads
Protect financial data when make online payment or purchases
- Make authentication the people that you need to pay and provide financial data by personal mail or phone (avoid disclosure to that web)
- Use credit card with low credit limit because it is easy embezzled by other
- Review your monthly bank statement in order to alert you to possible fraudulent charges or any unauthorized payment
- Shred old financial document to eliminate paper trail in order to protect your data against identity theft or fraud
- Make payment using own computer at home instead of café, public library
- related links for articles of safeguard financial data
Protect your computer’s security
- Install antivirus program such as Symantec and Norton antivirus, AVG antivirus and scan your computer frequently in order to protect yourself against viruses and Trojan horses that may steal or modify the data on your own computer
- Install firewall to monitor transmission to and from the computer
- Use biometric device and system to protect your computer against unauthorized access. ( fingerprint scanners, hand geometry systems)
- for more information about biometric device and system :
- http://www.globalsecurity.org/security/systems/biometrics-hand.htm
- http://www.biometrics.com.my
- http://searchsecurity.bitpipe.com/plist/term/Biometric-Devices.html
choose appropriate anti virus software for your computer
Phishing: Examples and its prevention methods.
When you receive an email state that “verify your account”, be careful! You probably receive a phishing email. 
What is phishing?
Phishing is an internet scam and it also can be pronounced as “fishing” that is like to throw out the bait to catch the user’s sensitive information such as credit card and security numbers, user IDs and password. Normally it is conducted by the email and instant messages. The phishing technique was come out in 1987 and the first recorded use was in 1996.
The examples of phishing technique are social engineering, link manipulation, filter evasion, website forgery and phone phishing.
♣ Social engineering- It is one of the examples for phishing. Initially, the phisher will send a message which look like urgent and let the people immediately response it without thinking.
♣ Link manipulation- Phisher places a link in the email which will take you to a website that you are familiar with, but actually you are in the phishers website.
♣ Filter evasion- Phisher try to used the images substitute text and make it harder for the anti-phishing to detect it.
♣ Website forgery-Phisher alters the address bar by closing the original address bar or opening a new one with the legitimate URL, it is difficult to detect without the specialist knowledge.
♣ Phone phishing- Send a message that give a phone number which is own by phishing to the users and when the user call for the number, the phisher will immediately require user’s account number and pin.
The examples of phishing:
Example 1(a): Phishing email
Example 1(b) Phishing Website
Usually the phishing email (example 1(a)) will state that they can’t verify the users’ information and require the users click the URL that they provide link to other webpage (example 1(b)) which look like official but actually is phisher’s webpage for the user to enter their account information, besides that the users will easy fall in this trap when they see the sentence in the email which look like urgent, such as this email mentioned that if you don’t do this within 48hours, your account will unable to use, this will made the user immediately to click the link to see what happen.
Example 2:
The PayPal phishing email:
The earliest target of phishing is PayPal and there was an email to the users from PayPal state that the user’s account had been attempted to login by foreign IP address and pretend for the security alert as the excuse cause the user immediately click the link which had been provided in the email to confirm their account but actually the link will bring the users to the website which had been well-connected by the phisher.
Other examples for phishing can visit:
1. eBay phishing scam: http://antivirus.about.com/od/emailscams/ss/phishing_4.htm
2. Citibank phishing scam: http://antivirus.about.com/od/emailscams/ss/phishing_5.htm
Prevention methods:
- Try to learn to identify the phish emails.
- If get the emails or pop-up messages which are require for your personal or financial information, ignore it.
- Don’t randomly click the link in the emails.
- Keep your firewall turned on to prevent the hackers who are trying to crash your computer and reject unwanted file and updated anti-virus software and anti-spyware technology regularly.
- Keeping the operating system updates (like Window and Linux) because the system can provide free software which can help to “patch” the hole that the phisher could exploit it.
- Report to the particular organization if you realized that you have received phishing emails.
More detail for avoiding the phishing can visit:
http://www.antiphishing.org/consumer_recs.html
Come to try the phishing IQ test: 
http://www.sonicwall.com/phishing/
Let see about this phishing video:
