Archive for Internet Security
Social Networking Sites – The Alarm is Sounding, Is Anyone Listening?
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Recently there have been a spate of articles related to the crooks and thieves who are now targeting sites like Twitter and Facebook, harvesting your personal information. I’ve Tweeted out a couple of links to information in hopes of raising some awareness.
I wonder if anyone is listening, as the alarm sounds in the background, being drowned out by the exchange of hugs and the delivery of Mafia Wars energy packs. Like most things in life, it’s likely not a priority until YOU become a victim.
Many users of social networking sites have fallen into this false sense of security, thinking perhaps that there is safety in numbers.
What can happen, everybody’s using these sites so they must be safe, right?
The sheer numbers of people using these sites is one of the reasons the underhanded thieves see these sites as a new fertile ground. They realize that many users are suffering from TMI syndrome. Yes, there is Too Much Information often listed in personal profiles, including dates of birth, phone numbers and actual home addresses.
Even some of your Tweets and updates regarding various things in your personal life are valuable to hackers. Your first car, your high school, your favorite Rock Band are sometimes answers to security questions on bank or credit card accounts.
The harvesting of this information, combined with the lifting of your photo could provide thieves with enough to set up a cloned account, impersonating a trusted individual while performing their dastardly deeds.
Now before you run off and pull down your photos, relax and take a deep breath. There are things you can do to protect yourself and make it less likely that you’ll become a victim. I say less likely, as there is no 100% security umbrella that you can hold over yourself anywhere on the internet today, but being aware and cautious will go a long way toward keeping you from being an easy target.
Have a look at this 3:20 video report. I have listed a few helpful tips below the video.
Video courtesy IDTheftSecurity.com
Scam prevention tips
- Learn how to use security and privacy settings
- Learn how to report a compromised account
- Check your privacy settings and adjust accordingly
- Change password often. Yes, it’s a pain, but ID theft is more painful
- Set security software to update automatically
- Never post photos of the front of your house showing the address or autos showing tag numbers
- Don’t email sensitive information like social security or credit card #s
- Be aware of your online security and think twice about what you post
Below there is a slideshow with a few additional tips that can be very helpful for your online security education.
Slideshow courtesy of Lionheart Assurance Solutions
Be safe!
Wireless Home Networks – Tips for Securing Yours
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During the course of my daily travels my trusty laptop is never far from reach. You know how important it is for us geeks to be near an access point for the internet. What surprises me however, is the number of unsecured networks found in nearly every residential neighborhood.
My guess is that most of these Wi-Fi networking devices were simply taken right out of the box and connected with no real thought of security. Perhaps the excitement of getting on the internet gets in the way. A little extra time spent during set-up to configure the security features can be very helpful and I strongly recommend during just that.
Having set-up most of the units used by my family and friends, I have to acknowledge that many of them are not as user friendly as they could be. This leads to frustration for many, who end up forgoing the security set-up, leaving their networks vulnerable to malicious activity.
Below I have listed some tips for securing your wireless network. These tips will apply to practically every device manufactured today.
1.  Change the default settings
First things first, you must change that administrator setup that all units come with and is well known by many hackers and others. Go to the manufacturer’s website and enter the supplied login information. Change this to something else immediately, making a note of the new info. This is a critical function for securing your network.
2.  Change the default service set identifier (SSID)
This is the actual name of your network. All the manufacturers ship these with their name as the default, for example, a Linksys device has the network name of “Linksys”. Someone in your area, likely a neighbor, who sees this network name, will immediately know that this is a poorly configured network device. This enhances your chances of being hacked.
3.  Turn off the SSID broadcast feature
Wi-Fi networks consist of a router or an access point, which broadcasts the network name over the air. This is a great feature for coffee shops, bookstores and other businesses, but not so much for your home network. This feature was designed for businesses where people roam in and out of range continually, but there is no need for this within your home area. Login with network administrator rights and turn this feature off.
4.  Turn on the WPA/WEP encryption
Every manufactured Wi-Fi device has some form of data encryption that scrambles the messages sent over the network, making the data difficult to read. Be certain to match the encryption settings of all authorized devices using your network, as they must all use the same encryption technique.
5.  Turn on the MAC address filtering
Routers and access points have a feature called MAC address filtering, which is usually turned off by the manufacturers before shipping, likely because of the challenge in setting this up. This is yet another means of security for your network, so turn it on when possible. Consider contacting a tech person for assistance if needed.
6.  Enable firewalls
For an extra measure of security, be certain to enable the firewall feature for each router and computer associated with your network. Every measure of protection is a plus in the war against hackers.
7.  Turn off the network when not in use
While not always practical, there can be no better level of security than turned off equipment. No hacker can penetrate this condition. If you are away for an extended period of time, always power off all of your equipment before departure.
While no computer network is 100% secure, it is very important to utilize as many security features as possible to avoid unwanted attention. Wireless signals are nothing more than radio signals that can easily be intercepted. This is why the encryption feature is critical to protecting your data.
This list covers many of the recommended steps that can be implemented to give you some peace of mind while using wireless network devices. Always refer to the manufacturer’s manual included with your device for additional assistance.
Whatever you do, do NOT set up your network without configuring some means of security. Once accomplished, you’ll be protected for the life of the equipment. A loss of power does not cause you to lose your settings, thank goodness.
As always, be mindful of internet security at all times. Keep your software updated and enjoy the internet for it’s intended purposes.
Happy surfing!
