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Articles from Robert Siciliano | Selfgrowth.com
- Don't be scammed into paying Back Taxes - by Submitted on Mar 31, 2015 from Robert SicilianoIt’s easy to scam someone who did something wrong by telling them they need to fix their mistake. This is why thousands of people get scammed into paying back taxes to the IRS—the IRS has nothing to do with these scams, of course, but the predators prey on peoples’ fear of ...
Views: 932 - Tips to Stay Digitally Safe on Spring Break - by Submitted on Mar 29, 2015 from Robert SicilianoGive me a break! In the next month, students will get the week off for spring break—a much needed reward after months of hard work and, for some, gnarly winter weather. Spring break means free time, family vacations, trips with friends, and timeless memories. But, spring break can pose ...
Views: 1228 - Can an App really act as a Bodyguard? - by Submitted on Mar 27, 2015 from Robert SicilianoIn the event of an attack, new smartphone applications can be used to send an alarm to a pre-chosen person. And the potential victims location can then be tracked. But is this faster and more secure than a woman whipping out pepper spray and blasting a drunken buffoon who has her cornered in ...
Views: 916 - Hackers for Hire both Good and Bad - by Submitted on Mar 26, 2015 from Robert SicilianoEver see those public bulletin boards with all the business cards on them? Don’t be surprised if you spot one that says “Hacker•for•Hire.” These are hackers who will, for a nice juicy fee, hack into your wife’s Facebook account to see if she’s cheating on ...
Views: 876 - Hackers for Hire both Good and Bad - by Submitted on Mar 26, 2015 from Robert SicilianoEver see those public bulletin boards with all the business cards on them? Don’t be surprised if you spot one that says “Hacker•for•Hire.” These are hackers who will, for a nice juicy fee, hack into your wife’s Facebook account to see if she’s cheating on ...
Views: 964 - Password Security vulnerable to Trickery - by Submitted on Mar 24, 2015 from Robert SicilianoThere’s only one entrance to the house: a steel door two feet thick. If someone from the outside touched the door—even with a battering ram—they’ll get an electric shock. No bad guys could get through, right? Well, suppose the bad guy tricks the homeowner into opening ...
Views: 890 - Attention Lenovo PC Owners: Something’s Fishy with Your Computer - by Submitted on Mar 18, 2015 from Robert SicilianoDoes your Lenovo computer have Superfish VisualDiscovery adware (a.k.a. spyware) installed? It’s possible if you purchased a Lenovo PC any time in September of 2014 and thereafter. This Superfish software intercepts the Lenovo user’s traffic so that the user sees ads displayed ...
Views: 1017 - Stolen Social Security number? Don’t Worry! - by Submitted on Mar 17, 2015 from Robert SicilianoJust when you think it was safe to believe your Social Security number can’t get stolen…news breaks of the Anthem data breach. Over 80,000,000 patient records were compromised, including SSNs and home addresses. Like a meteor striking the earth, a disastrous ripple effect is ...
Views: 882 - The White Hat Hacker - by Submitted on Mar 14, 2015 from Robert SicilianoThese days, it is hard to pick up a newspaper or go online and not see a story about a recent data breach. No other example highlights the severity of these types of hacks than the Sony breach late last year. While a lot of information, including creative materials, financials and even full ...
Views: 1076 - Promote Child Home Safety - by Submitted on Mar 13, 2015 from Robert SicilianoA recent controversial SuperBowl commercial from a major insurance company depicted a young boy who died as the result of numerous preventable household accidents such as poising and falls. The commercial got lots of traction via social media. Although it was presented tactfully, many people ...
Views: 944 - Victim overcomes Identity Theft with Art - by Submitted on Mar 12, 2015 from Robert SicilianoDoes your wallet contain enough information about you for someone to steal your identity and commit crimes under your name? That’s what happened to Jessamyn Lovell when Erin Hart stole her wallet in 2011. Hart shoplifted, checked into hotels and rented cars in Lovell’s name. Of all the ...
Views: 835 - This is what Spy Software looks like - by Submitted on Mar 11, 2015 from Robert SicilianoIf you’ve ever watched virtually any spy flick or James Bond movie you’re familiar with “bugs” – those little dime-sized metallic things that the bad guys would secretly stick under someone’s desk to record any conversation in the room—picked up by a ...
Views: 938 - Why install a Home Security System? - by Submitted on Mar 10, 2015 from Robert SicilianoQuestion: No. 1 reason people get a home security system? Answer: Recently burglarized; The majority of the people I hear from who want to install a home security system were recently burglarized. It often takes adversity or even tragedy for us to wake up to the realities of a harsh ...
Views: 926 - Very effective Social Engineering Scams - by Submitted on Mar 09, 2015 from Robert SicilianoIt’s amazing how ingenious cybercriminals are, but the victims also need to take some responsibility for falling for these ruses, especially when the victim is a business that has failed to train its employees in cybersecurity measures. Ransomware The stuff of science fiction is here: ...
Views: 1025 - This is what Passport Security looks like - by Submitted on Mar 08, 2015 from Robert SicilianoSixty different materials go into the printing of a U.S. passport. That little booklet of a thing contains up to 30 pieces of security—and you can’t see most of them. And good luck trying to get details on these security features. The author of an article on gizmodo.com points out ...
Views: 872 - How the Internet of Things is further killing Privacy - by Submitted on Mar 07, 2015 from Robert SicilianoPrivacy used to mean changing clothes behind a partition. Nowadays, say “privacy” and people are likely to think in terms of cyberspace. Stay connected, and you risk losing your privacy. Even if you’re not connected, don’t even own a computer or smartphone, information ...
Views: 932 - Learning to trust your Intuition - by Submitted on Mar 06, 2015 from Robert SicilianoThe old TV show “Star Trek” has and episode where Spock is telling Kirk of a human flaw called intuition. Spock was all about analysis and logic, while Kirk often relied upon intuition to solve problems. Intuition is a complex human sense that isn’t entirely understood or even ...
Views: 910 - Why Hotels Check your ID - by Submitted on Mar 05, 2015 from Robert SicilianoI know someone who tried to make a hotel reservation over the phone. She goes by the name “Kelcie,” but her birth name is Frances. She hates her birth name. When making the reservation she used the name Kelcie, which is what’s on her credit card and checks, but her ...
Views: 1072 - Sad Scary State of Bank Security - by Submitted on Mar 04, 2015 from Robert SicilianoWho needs guns, threatening notes to rob a bank when you can do it with just your fingertips inside your home? A hacking ring in the eastern portion of Europe may be the most successful team of bank robbers to date, having purportedly robbed $1 billion from multiple banks. This can only be ...
Views: 925 - What is Catphishing? - by Submitted on Mar 03, 2015 from Robert SicilianoWhat is catphishing? It certainly isn’t Garfield lazily sitting in a canoe holding a fishing rod. Catphishing is when a fraudster fabricates an identity and tricks someone via cyber communication into a phony emotional or romantic relationship—usually for financial gain to the ...
Views: 1048 - Mobile Apps Failing Security Tests - by Submitted on Feb 27, 2015 from Robert SicilianoIt’s been said that there are over a million different apps for the smartphone. Well, however many may exist, know that not all of them are passing security tests with flying colors. You may already be a user of at least several of the 25 most downloaded apps And what’s so special ...
Views: 986 - 15 Top Facebook Privacy Tips - by Submitted on Feb 26, 2015 from Robert SicilianoYou wouldn’t have to worry about privacy issues on Facebook if you didn’t post sensitive, private information on Facebook…such as information that one day can be used against you. And really, you should share only what you consider “professional” information, even ...
Views: 1030 - The Security Costs of being too Social - by Submitted on Feb 25, 2015 from Robert SicilianoOne of the arguments against being very virtually social is that nobody is SO important that everyone wants to know, for instance, that this person is going to be at the local sports bar watching the Super Bowl (or almost nobody; sad to say, some celebrities have half the world following ...
Views: 877 - What happens when a Bank Account is hacked? - by Submitted on Feb 24, 2015 from Robert SicilianoWho’d ever think that 50 years ago, your money was safer in your bank account than it is today in this “modern” age: remote theft. If you bank with a large or small bank, your account may be at risk by hacking rings. However, most of the time, but not always, if your account ...
Views: 890 - What is private Information and what is not? - by Submitted on Feb 22, 2015 from Robert SicilianoData Privacy Day was Wednesday, January 28, and these days the concept of “privacy” can be ambiguous, generic or confusing. What you might think of as private actually isn’t. The definition of personal identifying information, by the U.S. privacy law and information security, ...
Views: 961 - What is a Remote Administration Tool (RAT)? - by Submitted on Feb 21, 2015 from Robert SicilianoEver felt like your computer was possessed? Or that you aren’t the only one using your tablet? I think I smell a rat. Literally, a RAT. A RAT or remote administration tool, is software that gives a person full control a tech device, remotely. The RAT gives the user access to your ...
Views: 1048 - Take a Women's Self-Defense Course - by Submitted on Feb 20, 2015 from Robert SicilianoCrimes against women are often “crimes of opportunity”. The predator doesn’t care if the opportunity presents itself in a major bustling city or in a tiny town with a population of only 400. If he sees prey and nobody else is around, he’ll strike—big town, medium town or small ...
Views: 892 - Small Town investigates String of Burglaries - by Submitted on Feb 18, 2015 from Robert SicilianoHome burglaries don’t just happen in the big cities that everyone’s heard of. They can also occur in small towns—simply because the burglar lives in them or in neighboring areas. Such is the case with Kirksville, Missouri. A recent report from heartlandconnection.com tells of ...
Views: 855 - Online Data less safe than ever - by Submitted on Feb 17, 2015 from Robert SicilianoIt’ll get worse before it gets better: online data safety. It’s amazing how many people think they’re “safe” online, while one huge business or entity after another keeps getting hacked to the bone. And “safety” doesn’t necessarily mean the ...
Views: 915 - Deadbolt, gotta gotta have It - by Submitted on Feb 14, 2015 from Robert SicilianoDeadbolts aren’t hyped up; they really are superior to regular knob locks. Though we keep shaking our head in amazement whenever yet another news story comes out about a burglar or rapist who waltzed through an unlocked door and committed mayhem, it remains a hard fact that many criminals ...
Views: 969 - 10 Ways to protect Yourself while traveling - by Submitted on Feb 13, 2015 from Robert SicilianoSome thieves specialize in hanging around tourist spots to spot the tourists and make them victims of hands-on crime such as purse snatching or a mugging. But don’t wait till you’re aimlessly wandering the piazza with your face buried in a huge map to take precautions against less ...
Views: 1066 - Are you Mentally Prepared for a Predator - by Submitted on Feb 12, 2015 from Robert SicilianoA bear in the wild that wants to protect its young from another predator isn’t worried about manners. This is how people should feel when in circumstances that don’t feel right. The bear has a gut instinct not to let its young near a predator. A woman who feels funny about getting ...
Views: 903 - How to build up or rebuild your Credit - by Submitted on Feb 11, 2015 from Robert SicilianoAfter taking all the necessary steps to Fixing a Credit Report after being hacked, it is then tome to rebuild your credit. Bad credit is bad credit no matter how it happens. No matter how responsible you are with your money, you won’t get a loan if there’s no evidence of this. The ...
Views: 862 - How your Brain is affected by Phishing Scams - by Submitted on Feb 10, 2015 from Robert SicilianoA recent study says that people are more mindful of online safety issues than what experts had previously believed. An article on phys.org says that Nitesh Saxena, PhD, wanted to know what goes on in users’ brains when they come upon malicious websites or malware warnings. Saxena points ...
Views: 1037 - How to Spot a Splog - by Submitted on Feb 08, 2015 from Robert SicilianoI really enjoy reading blogs. And since you are here, reading my blog post, I’m guessing you do too. Blogs are a great way of gaining information and learning about different perspectives on a wide variety of topics. Unfortunately, spammers have tainted this medium with splogs. The word ...
Views: 1059 - What is a Rootkit? - by Submitted on Feb 07, 2015 from Robert SicilianoA rootkit is a kind of software that conceals malware from standard detection methods. A good analogy for a rootkit would be a burglar breaking into your house. The burglar is dressed all in black, so that his form blends into the darkness. He tiptoes around to hide his sounds so he’s more ...
Views: 989 - 12 Home Security Mistakes We Make - by Submitted on Feb 06, 2015 from Robert SicilianoSmart criminals love dumb homeowners, but even a dumb burglar can score big when the homeowner makes just a little slip in security measures. Don’t nickel-and-dime your door locks; get high quality locks. A cheap lock is cheap. Don’t hide keys. Anyone knows to check under the ...
Views: 1034 - Having the Privacy Talk with your Kids - by Submitted on Feb 05, 2015 from Robert SicilianoYears ago, having “the talk” with your kids meant telling them where babies come from. Nowadays, “the talk” has a whole new meaning. Your kids may be able to explain in detail how a baby is created, but may be clueless (because so many adults are) about something called ...
Views: 921 - Fixing a Credit Report after being hacked - by Submitted on Feb 04, 2015 from Robert SicilianoFirst off, how NOT to fix a hacked credit report: signing on with a service that promises to correct the problem in a jiffy—a “sounds too good to be true” advertisement. A company that claims they will 100% fix your bad credit by removing negative information from your credit ...
Views: 942 - Data Breach Aftermath - by Submitted on Feb 03, 2015 from Robert SicilianoHaste certainly doesn’t make waste if you’ve suffered from an entity getting hacked resulting in a data breach. Don’t waste a single minute delaying notifying affected accounts! In the case of a credit card company, they will investigate; you won’t have to pay the fraudulent charges. The ...
Views: 957 - Spy on your Kids yes or no - by Submitted on Jan 29, 2015 from Robert SicilianoIt’s one thing to bust into your kid’s diary and read it, but if your kids want the privilege of engaging in the cyber world, they need to understand that parents are justified in “spying” on them. Or are they? Depends on whom you ask and how far they go at “spying” on their kids. Frankly ...
Views: 903 - Survival is about being Persistent - by Submitted on Jan 28, 2015 from Robert Siciliano“Survivor.” What comes to mind when you see or hear this word? A victim of a disease or of a perverted crime? A TV show? We’re all survivors in that every day, we do something to stay alive—life-saving things we don’t even think about as life-saving, such as eating ...
Views: 937 - Researcher says HTTPS can track You - by Submitted on Jan 27, 2015 from Robert SicilianoPerhaps you’ve read that “HTTPS” at the start of a website address means that the site is secure, encrypted. However, a feature of the HTTPS can track you, says an article at theregister.co.uk. HTTP is not secure. Carnegie Mellon University in a Register article states ...
Views: 558 - What is ATM Skimming? - by Submitted on Jan 25, 2015 from Robert SicilianoEver hear of a crime called skimming? It may not be as dramatic a crime as assault or Ponzi schemes, but it can cause significant problems to you as your savings account can be wiped out in a flash. Picture a scrawny nerd tampering with an automated teller machine (ATM)—the ...
Views: 1021 - Don't Believe These 6 Mobile Security Myths - by Submitted on Jan 24, 2015 from Robert SicilianoSmartphones are picking up popularity. You can now access email, social media, and other things from a device that fits in your pocket (most of the time). And, although we hear about breaches and security flaws in the news, it seems like a lot of us don’t think it applies to our mobile ...
Views: 1065 - If You use these Passwords, You will get hacked - by Submitted on Jan 22, 2015 from Robert SicilianoHave you heard of iDict? It’s a tool that hackers can use to get passwords via what’s called brute force attacks. It’s designed to crack into iCloud’s passwords, and supposedly it can circumvent Apple’s anti-brute force attack security. But iDict doesn’t ...
Views: 983 - Feds warn of more Online Predators - by Submitted on Jan 21, 2015 from Robert SicilianoWhat goes on in the home life of a 14-year-old girl such that she feels there’s nothing better to do than send nude photos of herself to a man whom she’s been corresponding with online? Though this goes well-beyond the parents not bothering to find out what their kids do online, ...
Views: 917 - Fingerprint hacked by a Photo - by Submitted on Jan 20, 2015 from Robert SicilianoYou can’t change your fingerprint like you can change your password. But why would you want to change your fingerprint? The thought might cross your mind if your fingerprint gets stolen. How the heck can this happen? Ask Starbug. He’s a hacker who demonstrated just how this could ...
Views: 1023 - In with the New, out with the Old - by Submitted on Jan 19, 2015 from Robert SicilianoIf you plan on getting a new smartphone, have you ever thought of what the next user of your old smartphone will find on it? This assumes you’ll be selling or donating it, of course. Are you SURE those risqué photos are totally gone, or that your diary entries have been wiped ...
Views: 1067 - Hacking 2015 and Beyond - by Submitted on Jan 18, 2015 from Robert Siciliano2015 brings us no closer to putting the lid on hackers as any other year has. The crime of Criminal hacking will prove to be as big as ever in the new year. Here’s what we have to look forward too: Bank Card Breaches There will always be the bank card thieves, being that stealing data ...
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