Many people are not aware that they are making it very easy for cyber criminals to invade their privacy. This typically happens when convenience is prioritized over the more critical matter of security. People relax their guard as they choose the easiest path to go about their online transactions. Let’s face it, the use of the Internet is a risk in itself but we multiply that risk when we fail to consider the factors that make us susceptible to fraud and theft.
Protecting our most basic online defenses is a primary concern. User names and passwords are our first line of defense but they tend to be compromised by the tendency to use the same names and passwords for all online transactions. The main problem here is that we make it easy for cyber criminals to penetrate our transactions in the same manner as we give easy access to ourselves. The practice can admittedly save time during the initial stage but the probable resulting loss requires more time and effort to correct. Identity theft can be a traumatic experience both in the physical and emotional aspects.
Cyber criminals are at their work without people realizing it. They are constantly trying to discover passwords by fishing for personal information such as names and dates related to family or work. They can also try to steal passwords saved from memory. They can even be looking into various word and number permutations that will provide them the key to the doors of your private world.
A little effort towards making yourself less predictable to cyber thieves goes a long way. It can be readily understood why some people persist on unsafe online practices especially if they don’t have prior bad experience in transacting online. Due to the sheer amount of information we are encouraged not to put in writing for our own protection,  we try to help our memory by choosing letters and numbers that we can easily recall. That is the very weakness which cyber criminals are looking out for.
Tags: cybercrime prevention, Online Safety
Categories: General, Real-World Issues, Tips
Computer viruses are one of the most annoying problems of the modern digital age. Often created by computer coders with too much time on their hands, these bugs can be quite troublesome and can destroy valuable information stored on your computer. There are a number of anti-virus software programs available to help you monitor any possible infection, but prevention is always better than the cure. There are a few ways you can make sure you lower your chances of contracting a computer virus. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: anti-virus, security, virus
Categories: Tips
Getting hold of an anti-virus software these days is not as hard as before. Normally, you had to the nearest computer shop and ask around which best anti-virus software can keep your protected and then install it once you buy it outright. Through the years, software companies have allowed anyone to download their software, try it and then eventually be given the option to buy it. Some are even lucky enough when geniuses develop certain key generators to which they can crack the trialware into the full version. But all that seems checked now.
To date, there are still an abundant number of sites like forums that house such cracks and codes. Some of them work but not as plenty as before. Software companies have religiously sought to skim them one by one, blacklisting said codes to which makes freeloaders scratch their heads and continue to get a working key just to avoid a couple of dollars. Sadly, that is not as rampant as before.
If you think about it, this may only be the tip of the iceberg. Software companies may soon follow the cue of Microsoft in blacking out their screens if they are using pirated versions. If Microsoft can do it, then why not companies like McAfee or Norton? They are not small time companies and for sure, they have the funds to make it work like Bill Gates did.
Cheaters cannot complain and so do pirated users. So if that happens, it will all be due to the nature of being a cheapskate that did these people in.
Tags: freeware, protecion, Spyware, virus
Categories: IT Security Basics, Operating Systems, Spyware, Tips
Emails are supposed to make life easier but sometimes, it may be wise to choose who you give out your email to. Today, a lot of mischief can be done and normally this comes in forms of email attacks or email bombs. In such scenarios, don’t be surprised if you find your email downloading hundred to a thousand emails in one sitting. That is not the best part. You would be lucky if this was done only once since others would schedule it daily.
Why do they do it? One is for trials of these foolish software and the other can perhaps be for malicious reason. It is a fact that while many people on the web cannot be harmed physically, they can create headaches for you in the form of discomforts from the privileges you get from the web. One of the main elements an online user would need to use is his email and by doing these email attacks, it burdens the person on how to get important information usually sent through the web.
One cannot avoid such instances. But the best way to prevent it is to choose the people you give it too. For people you meet on the web, it would be wise to use free mail accounts from Gmail or Yahoo over your personal one. Avoid the troubles of such since it will not only be a discomfort, but a forgettable experience as well.
Tags: emal, explosion, security, spam
Categories: IT Security Basics, Malware, Security Policies, Spyware, Tips
Blogs are the in-thing today and everybody on the planet wants to have one. WordPress being one of the most trusted and used platforms has suffered a great deal from the relentless attacks conducted by hackers who use it for spreading malware to the millions of users on the platform. Another weak link in the blogging trends are the millions of hosting companies, who all want to host as many people on earth they can so they earn as much profit as possible. These hosting servers and service providers might smell good on the outside but can be quite rotten on the outside so getting the right information on the hosting service you aim to use is vital for the survival of your blogging efforts. Web hosting review sites have sprung all over the place and are proving to be the best source of information for budding bloggers and SEO marketers. They offer unbiased information regarding the several or so hosting services giving you the tools to determine the best web hosting information around. These analytical tools may spell success or failure for your blog and thus SEO efforts, so don’t go out without them.
Tags: Cost Analysis, Hosting Information, Web Hosting, Web Hosting Reviews
Categories: General, IT Security Basics, Malware, Real-World Issues, Tips
How often do you use your personal e-mail? How about your work e-mail? I am willing to bet a huge sum that you can’t even answer those questions because you know that you spend a HUGE amount of time on e-mails. You spend so much time that you can’t even track it – but that’s how it is with most people today. E-mail has become part of everyone’s lives that it is not even given a second thought.
When it comes to security, however, we should give e-mail more than a second thought. Do you know just how many security pitfalls there are when it comes to e-mails? LOTS.
Here, take a look at some of these tips and you’ll realize that you haven’t really been paying attention to e-mail security.
When sending to a mailing list or to many people, use BCC.
B-what, you may ask. You know the two other fields below the TO field? One is CC (carbon copy) and the other is BCC (blind carbon copy). Using BCC means the recipients in the list will not see the e-mail addresses of the other recipients. This is particularly important in the eyes of the recipients who may not want unknown people finding out their e-mail addresses. Perfect situation to use this: when sending forwarded whatnots through e-mail.
Don’t be trigger happy.
That is, when you receive e-mails with links in them, asking you to immediately click on the link for one reason or another, DON’T. Even if you are worried to death that PayPal might close your account for no reason, DO NOT CLICK ON THAT LINK. The chances are that it’s not PayPal. If you really want to make sure, open another window and type the URL manually. Whatever you do, don’t click that link.
Tags: e-mail security
Categories: E-mail, Real-World Issues, Tips
The average person spends a lot of time and money on making sure that his personal laptop or desktop computer is secure. From firewalls to anti-virus software to spyware removers – all these kinds of software are installed onto computers to make sure that any kind of malware is kept out. But do you pay as much attention to security on your mobile phone?
According to a recent survey conducted in the UK, mobile phone users do not really pay that much attention to security. IT Pro has this story:
Results from a survey of UK mobile phone users has found too many of us are playing fast and loose with sensitive data stored on our mobile phones.
More alarmingly though, it also found that the majority (99 per cent) of those questioned also used their mobiles for business use, creating a potentially weak security link to their employers’ corporate systems.
So what kind of sensitive data is stored in mobile phones? I think that you can answer this yourself but let’s take a look at some of them:
• Bank account details
• PINs
• Passwords
• Social security numbers
More than these things, mobile phone users also admitted to accessing and storing business data on their phones. This includes downloading spreadsheets and other business documents.
The worst part is that despite the fact that this information is stored in mobile phones, the units themselves do not have passwords and other forms of security measures.
The bottom line? At the very least, we have to put passwords on our mobile phones. Even better, enable encryption.
Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/osde-info/763025492/sizes/s/
Tags: cellphones, mobile.-security
Categories: Real-World Issues, Tips, Wireless Security
I received an email about a year ago on 7 things to stop doing on Facebook. I will mention three of them and give real situations of friends and families who have almost been victimized by criminals because they failed to follow the necessary security protocols.
1) Using a Weak Password. A cousin of mine who was a first time user of Facebook, made the crucial mistake of using his social security number as his password. It was a misfortune that someone got a hold of his wallet and coincidentally tried his SS number to log on to his account. It was a good thing that is was his wife, and so he quickly changed his password, and hid his wallet in a locked safe.
2) Mentioning That You’ll Be Away From Home. A good friend of mine posted on his wall that he and his family are really excited to go on a 5-day Australian vacation after checking out Australia business directory. On the first day they were away, a neighbor called and said that there was a parked van in front of their house. He called the local police station immediately and had someone sent over. The van left just before the cop parked his car.
3) Permitting Youngsters to Use Facebook Unsupervised. This experience is probably the scariest of all. My 5-year old nephew has a Facebook account that he shares with his mom who is a nurse. She is usually at his side as he writes random messages to friends and family members. However, in the course of preparing dinner one night, a message from a stranger popped out as her child was chatting with another cousin. Good thing she caught it on time. She never found out who the message was from, but now she lets her son write emails instead.
Categories: General, IT Security Basics, Physical Security, Privacy & Anonymity, Real-World Issues, Tips
If you’re a freelance web developer – doesn’t matter if you mostly restrict yourself to visual designs – you have to invest some time in educating yourself properly about the current security trends in web development. The popularity of the Internet has made it an equally popular platform for malicious users who attempt to exploit its vulnerabilities – and as a web developer, it should be among your top priorities to stay in touch with the trends.
This is especially valid for those of you who work on dynamic websites with various scripted elements and database interaction – a small flaw can quickly magnify to become a tremendous hole in your security, and you simply can’t afford to let that happen in the solutions you provide to your clients. There are various courses that aim to teach you the basics of implementing security in your designs, but keep in mind that trends change constantly. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Business Solutions, Business Tools, Freelance Jobs, Web Development, Web security
Categories: General, IT Security Basics, Malware, Network Security, Tips
Wireless networks are becoming increasingly common these days, ranging from home use to businesses. Increased mobility within the network’s range and the reduced cost of installing a LAN without cabling are but some of the advantages you can get when using Wi-fi. It’s major disadvantage lies in the higher security risks of unscrupulous users hacking into your personal data and gaining access to the Internet to your network. Here are a few precautions you could take to ensure your network security:
Change the default administrator passwords. Default administrator passwords to network devices are easily available online and well-known to hackers. Most routers allow you to change this easily.
Turn on data encryption. This allows you to scramble the messages and data sent through the network. Most devices come from the manufacturers with this option turned off, so users have to activate this. Also note that all Wi-fi devices in your network must share the same data encryption settings to work together.
Disable SSID broadcast or change the default SSIDs. SSID is short for service set identifier, and is attached to the header of all packets in a wireless network. It also uniquely identifies your network. This is broadcast at regular intervals, and hackers can use this to identify vulnerable networks. Also, change your SSID from the default, and refrain from using IDs that can reveal who owns your router and where it’s located.
Restrict the computers that can access your network. You can do this by filtering the MAC (Media Access Control) addresses to those of the devices in your network.
Install antivirus software and firewalls. This might seem obvious, but after the initial install most users forget to update their virus definitions. Computers on a wireless network needs the same protection as other computers.
Tags: IT Security Basics, Real-World Issues, Tips, Wireless Security
Categories: IT Security Basics, Real-World Issues, Tips, Wireless Security
