h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Of course, we are now living in a Big Brother State... What with the Internet on our T.V.'s we almost all have some type of access to "The Net". But be WARNED.. The other Chatsite available via most Cablenet providers can cause Big problems, should you have a differing opinion to a particular "Chathost"! Did you know that using Internet technology and hacking skills, a) YOUR Usernames could be entered!
b) YOUR "Private" Messages and Pal Lists not only read, but tampered with!
c) YOUR Passwords made public!
d) YOUR E.mail Accounts entered
and tampered with!
e) YOUR P.C. could be "Hit" or "Pinged" with various Viruses......
All because you had/have a differing opinion to a "Chathost" NOT because you're involved in any crime!
Should there be suspicion of a crime, "Ok, go ahead", I think, but not because a "Chathost" doesn't agree with your point of view. !!! Think About It People! E.mails and Chat Usernames are violated on a daily basis... "Big Brother"! You bet! (Or in this particular case, "Big Sister")!

The virus thing is easy to avoid.

1: Don't open attatchments that you weren't expecting.
2: Take a look at www.sophos.com for a list of viruses and virus hoaxes.
3: Buy an anti-virus package and use it regularly.
4: Get a personal firewall. There are several available, some geared to people with little or no technical expertise, that will prevent unautghorised access to your PC.
5: Educate yourself. There's plenty of material available on the 'net that covers PC security and the various ways internet e-mail sites can be compromised.
6: Don't Panic. The number of real hackers out there is nowhere near as high as some people would like you to think and almost none of them are interested in looking at your e-mail or buddy lists.

I'm not worried about real hackers. I'm worried about the kids out there who download Back Orifice and such, thinking they are real cool hackers by doing so. Even though I guess as soon as a programme gets available that way, the anti-virus programmes will have a block against it.

BTW, those things you mentioned, I'm guessing it is all something you provided the chathost to begin with right?

No, you're wrong in your assumption. Chathosts have access to Username passwords as well as e.mail addresses, BUT have no authority to enter "Private Messaging" (as opposed to Private Chatting) nor use hacking knowledge to enter e.mail addresses on other sites. Indeed, I re-iterate, should there be suspicion/knowledge of any crimes then "fair enough", involve the police. But to initiate "back-door" viruses, which evade fire-walls, is way beyond the job description of Chathost, don't you think?? Maybe a more suitable title would be, hacking (g)host. Now that Title would suit her to a T!