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    Summer Guide to Cyber Safety

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    Don in Hollister


    Posts : 137
    Join date : 2010-02-17
    Age : 89
    Location : Hollister, California

     Summer Guide to Cyber Safety Empty Summer Guide to Cyber Safety

    Post  Don in Hollister Fri 24 Jun 2011, 3:11 pm

    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!

      Current date/time is Fri 29 Mar 2024, 12:54 am