Serious virus/worm threat

There are new computer viruses all the time, but this one sounds serious: Computer Worm Poses as E-Mail From FBI, CIA

From the article: An "e-mail claims the government has discovered you visiting 'illegal' Web sites and asks you to open an attachment to answer some official questions. If you do, your computer gets infected with malware that can disable security and firewall programs and blast out similar e-mails to contacts in your address book. It can also keep you from getting to computer security Web sites that might help fix the problem, and it may open your Windows computer to intruders who can steal your personal data."

So be very careful, everyone! Trust me, if the government wants information from you, they don't need to send an e-mailed form.

Speaking of the government... the criminal penalties for this type of activity aren't sufficient. I really don't care if it's some 18 year-old kid who thinks it's a cool way to get credit card info and buy free stuff. Lives are ruined by this. I feel the same way about scam artists who rip off retirement savings (or CEOs who bankrupt their companies in the name of greed and have the same effect). They all deserve major prison time.

Want to distinguish them from people who use violence? Okay, violence is worse, but they may both be beyond the point at which we should say, "you don't deserve your freedom anymore." These crimes aren't the same as shooting someone, but I'm not in favor of giving discounts because the criminal didn't happen to use violence. If you think 6 months in jail and community service should be sufficient for the 18 year-old, ask the people whose financial lives are ruined, who can't retire for another 10 years (if ever) or whose families are in havoc because their finances have been ruined. Then get back to me on what's a fair punishment.

[End of rant]