Web Bug Internet Privacy Protection

You probably don't know about web bug internet privacy protection and what it is exactly. A web bug is one of the most frequently used techniques used to track who is reading web pages or emails and from where. They are also commonly used to see if an email was read, forwarded or deleted. The first of these web bugs were very small sized images located within the email. Some e-mails and web pages are not completely self-contained meaning that they sometimes require incoming or outgoing information to be sent. When this process takes place, the email client or web browser prepares the email or webpage to be displayed by sending an initial request to the server for additional information.

These web bugs are normally created by users to monitor the activity of customers or computer users and are not necessarily used for evil. Web bugs were originally made to track browsing data of users visiting websites, but of course like everything else they have turned into something else a bit more malicious. From incoming emails the only threat is posed if you allow HTML and imagery to be displayed, in which your email client will try to access the hidden servers for the third party information. Web bugs that are embedded into email are a much greater privacy threat than web page embedded web bugs. Typically the URL received in the original email message is an identifier of sorts, the viewing of this URL signals the hacker that the email has been read or looked at. Once you click on that URL, the sender will also have a record of your IP address and the computer you used to access it. Bugs like this are generally used by Emarketers, spammers, and Phisher's in an attempt to verify that the email addresses are valid. Another function of these specific type of email web bugs are to test which emails pass through spam or mail filters and which do not, this information is very valuable to Phisher's and marketers alike.

You will generally not have to worry about receiving or being infected by a web bug in today's day and age. Modern email browsers are designed to not load images when opening an HTML email from any unknown sender or suspected spam address. In most cases the user will have to specifically ask to display imagery, and only in that case, will images or HTML code be shown in the email. If you are an avid web browsing, and email user. The most important defense against web bugs such as these is to be knowledgeable and staying ahead of these tricks and scams as they are introduced. To the unsuspecting, untrained eye these emails may look perfectly normal and most are willing to open them. Without the proper web bug internet privacy protection knowledge you may not be safe from these quickly moving and evolving bugs.

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Kansas City Star

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TG Daily

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Mr. Zuckerberg goes to Washington - Washington Post

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