Hi All. Not really sure where this belongs, but since it is sort of personal I this would be a good place. Summer is here and with it comes all kinds of activity. Most of it is mundane but some of those activities could ruin our whole day or even weeks or longer.
Hackers are always trying to get something from you or give you something you really don't need or want. Some of the things they can do to you can make your life miserable for years. I have a friend who's identity was stolen. It took him almost 6 years to get it straightened out. The person or person's who took over his life have never been caught. Heck they don't even know who they are or where they are located.
The following is from my antivirus program. They email me an weekly informational message about various things going on in the world of cyber space. Take Care...Don
Summer Guide to Cyber Safety
And so it begins - tourist season, vacations, travel for fun and travel for
business. There is no getting around hitting the road. And with all the devices
that we use to connect up from tablets to laptops to smartphones, we are most
susceptible to security risks than ever before. The hackers are rampant but our
defenses are up! Hotels, airports and strange Wi-Fi networks should be
considered hostile territory. But somehow we will get through this summer
without the summertime blues! Here are a few tips to keep you out of harm's way.
1. Good Deal Syndrome: If it looks too good to be true it more than likely is
a scam. The bad guys love good deals, i.e., that is if you fall for them.
If your summer vacation offer to Disneyland includes a personal meeting
with Walt, chances are it just is not the deal you think it is. Do your
own due diligence on any offer and make sure the company behind it is
reputable. Remember that offer for free Mickey Mouse ears with every night
you stay should fall on deaf ears and not your pocketbook. You can check
with the International Air Transport Association or the Better Business
Bureau.
2. Coupon Spoofs: Along with good deal syndrome is another vacation hideaway
trap - the social media offer looking like Groupon or Living Social when
it is really Grabon or Dying Social and just there to scam you, install
malware, take your precious credit card information and run away to
Albania or someplace far far away. Be careful where and whence you click.
The bad guys are dying to get your information.
3. Payday: The best way to pay when you are on the road is by credit card. It
provides you with the best protection against theft and fraud. Only use
debit cards to pull cash out of ATMs. Keep the cash for tips and don't
bring checks - you can leave home without them.
4. Going Public: Do your best to stay off of public computers whether it is
at Internet Cafés or in hotels. Stealing your logon and passwords is
child's play for the bad hacker types so don't give them the opportunity.
If you must go public see additional rules below.
5. To Wi-Fi or Not to Wi-Fi: This is a serious question because utilizing
public Wi-Fi can be hazardous to your cyber health. The bad guys can
easily setup fake public access and once you are connected voila they have
access to your computer. Make sure the public Wi-Fi in your hotel or the
airport, etc. is legit. Check on the name and only hookup with the
recognized source not some adaptation of it or some other squirrely one.
You could also tether your laptop to your smartphone as an alternative.
6. May I Scan Your Passport Please: Your new e-passport comes fully equipped
with an RFID chip (Radio-Frequency Identification) so not only can customs
and passport control read your information wirelessly - so can hackers
(from many feet away) and that info can be used to clone your passport.
There are a number of RFID-blocking passport wallets available on the
market. Here's an article on how they work.
http://www.sunbeltsecuritynews.com/85SALU/110622-RFID-Blocking
7. Bluetooth Ache: When you are not using your Bluetooth, it is a good idea
to turn it off from your mobile device. Unfortunately, the bad guys can
use Bluetooth to steal your inside story and/or install malware. You
should know that your conversation might be listened to so stay aware my
friends stay aware.
8. Anti-Social Sites: If you are heading out of town, it might be a good idea
to not TELL the world you are doing so. That's like giving a criminal an
engraved invitation to invade your space. The exception of course would be
the addendum that your attack dogs are staying home. Seriously folks keep
your travel plans to yourself.
If You Really Have to
Above we recommended you stay away from public computers such as those in hotels
and Internet Cafés. But sometimes that is easier said than done so here is a
short guide to Going Online in Public.
1. First and foremost of all if you have the least amount of concern
regarding the computer you are using DO NOT use it to access sensitive
sites like banking, brokerage, etc. This is obviously a judgment call and
you best use your good judgment here. You just don't want to use a
compromised computer.
2. If you log onto an information sensitive web site, be sure to logout when
you have completed your cycle. Don't just log out, delete the web history
and close the browser when you are done. This is important; you don't want
any sensitive data stuck in the cache or in any way accessible.
3. If you would like to increase your browsing security you can install a
portable version of Firefox on a USB drive and load the browser directly
from it instead of the computer. This would increase your security.
http://www.sunbeltsecuritynews.com/85SALU/110622-Firefox-Portable
4. Backup and Encrypt your data so even the snoopers cannot find their way.
5. Use only the strongest of passcodes or phrases.
6. Of course keep your AV up to date.
Happy Trails!
Hackers are always trying to get something from you or give you something you really don't need or want. Some of the things they can do to you can make your life miserable for years. I have a friend who's identity was stolen. It took him almost 6 years to get it straightened out. The person or person's who took over his life have never been caught. Heck they don't even know who they are or where they are located.
The following is from my antivirus program. They email me an weekly informational message about various things going on in the world of cyber space. Take Care...Don
Summer Guide to Cyber Safety
And so it begins - tourist season, vacations, travel for fun and travel for
business. There is no getting around hitting the road. And with all the devices
that we use to connect up from tablets to laptops to smartphones, we are most
susceptible to security risks than ever before. The hackers are rampant but our
defenses are up! Hotels, airports and strange Wi-Fi networks should be
considered hostile territory. But somehow we will get through this summer
without the summertime blues! Here are a few tips to keep you out of harm's way.
1. Good Deal Syndrome: If it looks too good to be true it more than likely is
a scam. The bad guys love good deals, i.e., that is if you fall for them.
If your summer vacation offer to Disneyland includes a personal meeting
with Walt, chances are it just is not the deal you think it is. Do your
own due diligence on any offer and make sure the company behind it is
reputable. Remember that offer for free Mickey Mouse ears with every night
you stay should fall on deaf ears and not your pocketbook. You can check
with the International Air Transport Association or the Better Business
Bureau.
2. Coupon Spoofs: Along with good deal syndrome is another vacation hideaway
trap - the social media offer looking like Groupon or Living Social when
it is really Grabon or Dying Social and just there to scam you, install
malware, take your precious credit card information and run away to
Albania or someplace far far away. Be careful where and whence you click.
The bad guys are dying to get your information.
3. Payday: The best way to pay when you are on the road is by credit card. It
provides you with the best protection against theft and fraud. Only use
debit cards to pull cash out of ATMs. Keep the cash for tips and don't
bring checks - you can leave home without them.
4. Going Public: Do your best to stay off of public computers whether it is
at Internet Cafés or in hotels. Stealing your logon and passwords is
child's play for the bad hacker types so don't give them the opportunity.
If you must go public see additional rules below.
5. To Wi-Fi or Not to Wi-Fi: This is a serious question because utilizing
public Wi-Fi can be hazardous to your cyber health. The bad guys can
easily setup fake public access and once you are connected voila they have
access to your computer. Make sure the public Wi-Fi in your hotel or the
airport, etc. is legit. Check on the name and only hookup with the
recognized source not some adaptation of it or some other squirrely one.
You could also tether your laptop to your smartphone as an alternative.
6. May I Scan Your Passport Please: Your new e-passport comes fully equipped
with an RFID chip (Radio-Frequency Identification) so not only can customs
and passport control read your information wirelessly - so can hackers
(from many feet away) and that info can be used to clone your passport.
There are a number of RFID-blocking passport wallets available on the
market. Here's an article on how they work.
http://www.sunbeltsecuritynews.com/85SALU/110622-RFID-Blocking
7. Bluetooth Ache: When you are not using your Bluetooth, it is a good idea
to turn it off from your mobile device. Unfortunately, the bad guys can
use Bluetooth to steal your inside story and/or install malware. You
should know that your conversation might be listened to so stay aware my
friends stay aware.
8. Anti-Social Sites: If you are heading out of town, it might be a good idea
to not TELL the world you are doing so. That's like giving a criminal an
engraved invitation to invade your space. The exception of course would be
the addendum that your attack dogs are staying home. Seriously folks keep
your travel plans to yourself.
If You Really Have to
Above we recommended you stay away from public computers such as those in hotels
and Internet Cafés. But sometimes that is easier said than done so here is a
short guide to Going Online in Public.
1. First and foremost of all if you have the least amount of concern
regarding the computer you are using DO NOT use it to access sensitive
sites like banking, brokerage, etc. This is obviously a judgment call and
you best use your good judgment here. You just don't want to use a
compromised computer.
2. If you log onto an information sensitive web site, be sure to logout when
you have completed your cycle. Don't just log out, delete the web history
and close the browser when you are done. This is important; you don't want
any sensitive data stuck in the cache or in any way accessible.
3. If you would like to increase your browsing security you can install a
portable version of Firefox on a USB drive and load the browser directly
from it instead of the computer. This would increase your security.
http://www.sunbeltsecuritynews.com/85SALU/110622-Firefox-Portable
4. Backup and Encrypt your data so even the snoopers cannot find their way.
5. Use only the strongest of passcodes or phrases.
6. Of course keep your AV up to date.
Happy Trails!