This week: Phish Pharming for beginners!

Hello to all you computer buffs.

In the last issue of Talk of the North I wrote about backing up vital data. Hopefully some of you took note. If not my advise is BACK UP now.

It is a well known fact to most computer technicians and hackers that 50 to 60% of all home networks have their password set as factory default. This is a very large threat to the security of their computers. It means you could go to a website that could re-write the address on your computer and allow hackers to re-direct the PC to counterfeit banking sites, and steal your passwords and identity details.

This kind of re-directing is called “phishing”. Another kind of wholesale threat which re-directs every web address is known as “pharming”.

Most routers come with a password such as “password” or “admin”. For example Telefonica routers tend to have Admin as password and 1234 as key. So if you have one of these now is the time to protect yourself and change it.

Please refer to your handbook for the access code, which is typed into the browser. Example 192.168.--------. I have not included the rest of the code, this is just to get you started. 

Over the last couple if issues I have given you some ideas now it is your turn. If you have any comments, queries or problems and would like some help in answering or solving them, then please drop me an e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it and I will address one or two of these per issue.

In conjunction with these articles, and in response to many requests, I will be holding basic computing courses at my shop near Alcudia Auditorium on the following: Internet Browsing, E-Mail System, Security, Microsoft Office e.g.MS Word, MS Excel and MS Outlook.