One thing that won't change is that you can stay safe by showing
basic vigilance: Keep your security software updated and run it
regularly. Click only on links from trusted sources; the same
goes for buying cellphone apps. Be smart about where and how you
navigate in cyberspace. Five areas where scammers are likely to
expend extra energy: Ransomware. It begins when you open a
malicious attachment, click on a link in a scammer's email or
instant message, or visit scammer websites that promise such
things as enticing videos or free prizes. Ransomware locks your
computer, usually displaying a screen message that appears to be
from a law enforcement agency. Pay us, you're told, and you'll
get back control of your computer. Once considered a niche scam,
ransomware attacks exploded in 2012, hitting some 70,000
computers per month. About 3 percent of victims pay the ransom
fee — thanks, in part, to cyber-criminals increasingly using
online payment methods to collect, says cyber-security firm
Symantec, which recently