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Articles from Robert Siciliano | Selfgrowth.com
- World's dumbest Rapist: Tells Victim to call Boyfriend - by Submitted on Sep 27, 2016 from Robert SicilianoWhat’s sicker than raping a woman? Ordering her to phone her boyfriend so he could listen to the rape. But that was a good thing for a woman who was kidnapped last year. Her abductor drove her to the parking lot of an adult entertainment store in Georgia with the intent of raping her, ...
Views: 700 - What is the Signaling System No. 7 Network? - by Submitted on Sep 22, 2016 from Robert SicilianoThe iPhone has a vulnerability called the Signaling System 7 (SS7) that allows crooks to hack into the device. This was demonstrated on a recent “60 Minutes” episode in which a U.S. congressman (with his permission) had his iPhone hacked by German cybersecurity experts. The ...
Views: 807 - Mobile SIMs Hacks Cause Concern - by Submitted on Sep 20, 2016 from Robert SicilianoA crook can steal your identity by taking control of your wireless phone account—by pretending to be you in person at the mobile store. The villain can then buy pricey mobiles and sell them—and guess who gets the bill but not the profit. Symptoms of Hijacked Account Suddenly ...
Views: 805 - How to digitally detox on Vacation - by Submitted on Sep 15, 2016 from Robert SicilianoMany years ago when you were on vacation, before Facebook, Instagram and Twitter were invented (assuming you were an adult then), you had a great time, right? You weren’t “connected,” because there was no social media to be connected with. If today you can’t imagine ...
Views: 961 - Predators use Emojis to target Kids - by Submitted on Sep 13, 2016 from Robert SicilianoWho’d ever think those silly little yellow circular faces and other such cyber symbols would become such a worldwide smash? I’m talking about emoticons, also known as emojis. Five years ago Apple put an emoji keyboard on its mobile devices. Six billion of these doggone things are ...
Views: 874 - Another Successful Ransomware Attack - by Submitted on Sep 08, 2016 from Robert SicilianoRansomware thieves sure know how to pick their victims—institutions that store loads of highly critical data that they need on a daily basis, that without—even just 24 hours without—can have crippling effects. This form of cybercrime is growing by leaps and bounds. Recently ...
Views: 854 - You need Two-Factor Verification for your Amazon Account - by Submitted on Sep 06, 2016 from Robert SicilianoIf you have a strong password for your Amazon account, you may still want to consider beefing up the security with two-factor verification (or authentication), which will prevent a thief from accessing your account (which is possible if he gets ahold of your password and username ...
Views: 778 - How to protect your Mobile Phone from Hackers and Thieves - by Submitted on Sep 01, 2016 from Robert SicilianoLet’s cut to the chase: Regularly back up the phone’s data! If this is done every day, you won’t have to worry much about losing important information if something happens to the phone—such as a ransomware attack. Keep the phone’s software and applications ...
Views: 860 - Fake Realtor scams Children and their Parents - by Submitted on Aug 30, 2016 from Robert SicilianoEver peruse Craigslist for a new home? Nothing against Craigslist for doing that, but that’s where Coty Houston and David Yost happened to find a very alluring four-bed home for sale; looked perfect for their five young kids. Then they all got squashed by a bomb: The man who sold it to ...
Views: 921 - Beware of these 4 Scams - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2016 from Robert SicilianoIRS The e-mail (or phone call) says you owe money; if you don’t pay it immediately, you’ll be put in jail or fined.The scammer may know the last four digits of the victim’s Social Security number. Caller ID will be spoofed to look like the call is from the IRS. The ...
Views: 852 - Will Biometrics replace Passwords? - by Submitted on Aug 23, 2016 from Robert SicilianoThe days of using a computer to access your bank account, using a password, may be coming to an end, to be replaced entirely (as some experts believe) with a fingerprint or face scan using a smartphone. The smartphone employment of such biometrics will drastically reduce hacking incidents, ...
Views: 723 - What is Malvertising? - by Submitted on Aug 19, 2016 from Robert SicilianoMalevolent advertising is called malvertising. The “ad” is placed on a website by cybercriminals who want control of your computer for financial gain. And the real scary thing about malvertising is that these trick-ads have appeared on trusted, popular websites like the Weather ...
Views: 801 - Are You Part of the 70 Percent Who Are Clueless About Identity Theft? - by Submitted on Aug 18, 2016 from Robert SicilianoYou’d think with all the media attention regarding data breaches, hackers and identity theft, that consumers would be more focused on their privacy and how to protect their information from prying eyes. Surprisingly, almost 70% of the people are clueless about how a criminal might have got ...
Views: 865 - Protect your Privacy on your iPhone - by Submitted on Aug 19, 2016 from Robert SicilianoIf you have an iOS device, you may be leaking personal information about yourself—without even knowing it—because you’re not familiar with the privacy settings. Apps have “permissions,” meaning, they can access private information such as your social calendar ...
Views: 777 - How to Use your Mobile as a Child Locator - by Submitted on Aug 11, 2016 from Robert SicilianoHow many times have you read, or at least caught a headline, of the latest high profile missing child case? How many stories have we heard about the kid who got lost on a hike? His body was found several miles from where he’d been last seen, concluding a several-day search. What if he ...
Views: 777 - Be aware of all these Confidence Crimes - by Submitted on Aug 09, 2016 from Robert SicilianoCriminals often rely on tricking their victims to gain access to their passwords and other account information. This act of tricking is called social engineering, also known as a confidence crime, and it comes in many forms. A type of phishing e-mail where the criminal targets someone ...
Views: 782 - Your ransomware profile: passwords, profiles and protection - by Submitted on Aug 08, 2016 from Robert SicilianoIf your computer password contains the name of your dog, your favorite vacation spot, and an easy-to-remember numerical sequence, then you are breaking some basic rules of password safety. Even though “BusterBermuda789” might seem impenetrable to you, this is a password security ...
Views: 791 - Set Privacy on these Social Media Apps - by Submitted on Aug 04, 2016 from Robert SicilianoJust like older generations never thought that the dial phone in the kitchen could be dangerous (think phone scams), today’s kids don’t have a clue how hazardous smartphone apps can really be. They are a godsend to pedophiles, scammers and hackers. And let’s not forget other ...
Views: 813 - 5 Improvised Secret Self-Defense Weapons - by Submitted on Aug 02, 2016 from Robert SicilianoCane If you use a cane, take “cane-fu” classes if possible. Yes, it’s a thing. A sturdy cane with a strong handle works best. Do not assume you can fight with a cane just because you need one to walk. Avoid a cane with a hidden knife or sword unless you specifically ...
Views: 920 - Strengthen your Entry way Security - by Submitted on Aug 01, 2016 from Robert SicilianoDid you know that often, burglars gain entry by simply kicking open locked doors? You just would not believe how easy this is. This is why it’s crucial to beef up the strength of your house’s doors. And this can be done several ways. Deadbolt Strike Plate It’s ironic that ...
Views: 728 - Phishing attacks Two-Factor Authentication - by Submitted on Jul 28, 2016 from Robert SicilianoHackers bank heavily on tricking people into doing things that they shouldn’t: social engineering. A favorite social engineering ploy is the phishing e-mail. How a hacker circumvents two-factor authentication: First collects enough information on the victim to pull off the scam, such ...
Views: 735 - Social Engineering: How to steal Brand New iPhones from Apple - by Submitted on Jul 26, 2016 from Robert SicilianoLooks like there’s some worms in Apple. Not too long ago, dozens and dozens of iPhones were stolen from two Apple stores. How could this happen, what with Apple’s security? Simple: The thieves wore clothes similar to Apple store employees and obviously knew the innards of the ...
Views: 747 - Your Ransomware Response: Prepare for the Worst - by Submitted on Jul 22, 2016 from Robert SicilianoA ransomware attack is when your computer gets locked down or your files become inaccessible, and you are informed that in order to regain use of your computer or to receive a cyber key to unlock your files, you must pay a ransom. Typically, cybercriminals request you pay them in ...
Views: 769 - 32 Million Twitter Pass for sale Add two-factor NOW - by Submitted on Jul 21, 2016 from Robert SicilianoThe Dark Web, according to LeakedSource, got ahold of 33 million Twitter account details and put them up for sale. Twitter thus locked the accounts for millions of users. Twitter, however, doesn’t believe its servers were directly attacked. So what happened? The bad guys may have ...
Views: 767 - Facebook CEO Password dadada hacked - by Submitted on Jul 19, 2016 from Robert SicilianoIf you’ve heard this once, you need to hear it again—and again: Never use the same password and username for more than one account! If this got Mark Zuckerberg’s (Facebook’s chief executive). Twitter account hacked, it can get just about anybody hacked. A report at ...
Views: 809 - Phone Account of FTC Chief Technologist hijacked - by Submitted on Jul 14, 2016 from Robert SicilianoAn impostor posed as Lorrie Cranor at a mobile phone store (in Ohio, nowhere near Cranor’s home) and obtained her number. She is the Federal Trade Commission’s chief technologist. Her impostor’s con netted two new iPhones (the priciest models—and the charges went to ...
Views: 670 - Viruses as Cyberweapons for sale - by Submitted on Jul 12, 2016 from Robert SicilianoIt’s all about code—the building blocks of the Internet. Software code is full of unintentional defects. Governments are paying heavy prices to skilled hackers who can unearth these vulnerabilities, says an article at nytimes.com. In fact, the FBI director, James B. Comey, ...
Views: 711 - TeamViewer Clients Victims of other Hack Attacks - by Submitted on Jul 08, 2016 from Robert SicilianoGet an account with TeamViewer, and you will have a software package that enables remote control, online meetings, desktop sharing and other functions between computers. But recently, customers of TeamViewer have reported remote takedowns of their computers that resulted in different forms of ...
Views: 711 - Can Two-Factor Authentication actually fail? - by Submitted on Jul 06, 2016 from Robert SicilianoYou’ve probably read many times that two-factor authentication is a superb extra layer of protection against a thief hacking into your accounts, because gaining access requires entering a One Time Passcode (OTP)—sent via text or voice—into a login field. In other words, no ...
Views: 816 - Identity Theft getting even worse - by Submitted on Jul 01, 2016 from Robert SicilianoIn 2015, depending on the kind and type of identity theft we are talking about, identity thieves impacted 1.5 million people or more, says the Javelin Strategy & Research report. That’s more than double than for 2014. The move from stripe cards to chip cards has motivated crooks to ...
Views: 791(1 vote) - Carders cashing out on Magstrip Cards - by Submitted on Jun 30, 2016 from Robert SicilianoTwo thousand credit card payment terminals stand to become infected with malware called Trinity point of sales. Ten million credit cards were stolen by hackers, called Fin6, who may end up scoring $400 million. The cards were stolen from retail and hospitality businesses. If each card sells ...
Views: 779 - Don't mess with this Pint Sized Woman - by Submitted on Jun 29, 2016 from Robert SicilianoApril Marchessault got attacked just after midnight inside her bathroom. At 5-1, she wasn’t intimidated by the 5-7, 200 pound man. Edgardo Montes, 47, got his clock thoroughly cleaned. He was charged with breaking and entering and intent to rape, plus other charges. It all began when ...
Views: 780 - Hacking Humans is Painfully Easy - by Submitted on Jun 28, 2016 from Robert SicilianoHackers can take over someone’s life in a matter of hours. Just ask Patsy Walsh. Though she is not a tech savvy person, the grandmother of six did have a Facebook account, and that was all the hackers needed to take over her life. By using methods such as click baiting, the act of ...
Views: 796 - Predators hunting Kids on Gaming Sites - by Submitted on Jun 27, 2016 from Robert SicilianoAs a parent, you may not be crazy about your child spending a lot of time “gaming.” Chances are good that your feelings are fueled by the fact that kids should play outside, be more social, and are getting addicted to tech or maybe the correlation between childhood obesity and excess ...
Views: 741 - Tax Identity Theft jumps on Payroll Scams - by Submitted on Jun 25, 2016 from Robert SicilianoDo you work for a corporation, especially in the U.S.? You may be at risk for tax return fraud. ADP is a payroll provider. Hackers were able to acquire tax information of employees of U.S. Bank from ADP. Now, this doesn’t mean that ADP was directly hacked into. Instead, what happened, ...
Views: 702 - Hacking Cars Getting Easier and More Dangerous - by Submitted on Jun 24, 2016 from Robert SicilianoIf your car is in any way connected to the Internet, it can get hacked into. You know it’s only a matter of time before hackers begin infiltrating motor vehicles in droves, being that vehicles are plagued with hundreds to thousands of security vulnerabilities. This hack is more serious ...
Views: 773 - Technology and Home Security wed - by Submitted on Jun 23, 2016 from Robert SicilianoGone is the day when, while out on a romantic evening with your special someone, you suddenly realize you forgot to turn on your house alarm. You spend the rest of the long evening fretting about this. Nowadays, all you need do is whip out your smartphone and activate the alarm. You can even ...
Views: 810 - Mortgage Scams plague Homeowners and Agents - by Submitted on Jun 22, 2016 from Robert SicilianoThere are things you should know before you purchase your next house—even if you foresee that being years away. Take note of what’s in this article—and keep the notes where you’ll never forget where they are. A hacker could fool you into thinking he’s your agent ...
Views: 761 - Hackers hacking Banks big time - by Submitted on Jun 21, 2016 from Robert Siciliano“Anonymous” is an activist hacking group that has recently boasted that it will engage in 30 days of cyber assaults against “all central banks,” reports an article on cnbc.com. And their bite is as big as their bark, as this announcement came soon after several major ...
Views: 1011 - Phishing Protection 101 - by Submitted on Jun 16, 2016 from Robert SicilianoPhishing-type e-mails are designed to trick the recipient into either downloading a virus (which then gives the hacker remote control of the computer) or revealing enough information for the thief to open credit cards in the victim’s name, get into their bank account, etc. There are ...
Views: 768 - Home Security Cameras 101: the Audio Element - by Submitted on Jun 15, 2016 from Robert SicilianoBefore buying a security camera, ask yourself: Where do you intend on placing it? How well-hidden can/will the unit be? Are you familiar with laws pertaining to surveillance of people without them knowing about it and the associated audio recordings? Laws vary from state to state ...
Views: 784 - Government risks Consumers' Identities - by Submitted on Jun 14, 2016 from Robert SicilianoGuess who may be compromising the security of your Social Security Number. The Social Security Administration! Yep, that’s right. Did you know that 66 percent of the mail the SSA sends out contains someone’s Social Security number? This is what the inspector general of the SSA, ...
Views: 824 - How the FBI hacks You - by Submitted on Jun 10, 2016 from Robert SicilianoIn a recent Wired.com expose’, they expose how the FBI has been secretly hacking civilian computers for about 20 years, but thanks to Rule 41, their ability to hack has been expanded. Nevertheless, effective record keeping for these hacking incidents doesn’t exist. For instance, ...
Views: 824 - Home Security Cameras 101: Filming - by Submitted on Jun 09, 2016 from Robert SicilianoBefore buying a security camera, ask yourself: Where do you want to place it? How well-hidden can it be or does it need to be? Are you familiar with laws pertaining to filming people with or without their knowledge? Where is setting up the camera illegal? Bathrooms, locker rooms, ...
Views: 759 - Business Credit Scores 101 - by Submitted on Jun 08, 2016 from Robert SicilianoAre you a small business? Do you know your business’s credit score? The range is zero to 100 for most credit reporting agencies, with at least 75 being desirable if you want to be approved for financing and trade credit (business loan or line of credit), says a report at nav.com and from ...
Views: 836 - Child Predator screws up, gets caught - by Submitted on Jun 07, 2016 from Robert SicilianoIf you’re a pedophile, you’d be wise not to keep any prescription containers in view of a webcam with your lewd pictures. The information on such a bottle is what helped pedophile Stephen Keating get 110 years in the slammer says a CNN article. But the amazing thing is that the ...
Views: 802 - 10 Ways to Protect your WordPress Site or Blog from Hackers - by Submitted on Jun 01, 2016 from Robert SicilianoAs much as you try, the unfortunate truth is that hackers are going to try to attack and access your WordPress website or blog, whether you like it or not. So, it is up to you to make sure you make the hacker’s job as difficult as possible. Here are some tips: 1. Use Plugins One way to ...
Views: 872 - Ransomware Hackers provide Customer Service Dept. to Victims - by Submitted on May 28, 2016 from Robert SicilianoYes, believe it or not, ransomware has become such a booming business for thieves, that these cyber thugs even provide bona fide customer service departments to guide their victims! When ransomware infects your computer, it holds your files hostage; you can’t access them—until you ...
Views: 675 - Parents legally can spy on their Kids - by Submitted on May 27, 2016 from Robert SicilianoJust because something is legal, does that mean you should do it? In the case of spying on your kids’ phone activities, some say yes. Though the very same mode of operation is illegal in most states when the eavesdropper is your boss or anyone else and you’re the ...
Views: 775 - The TSA confiscated 2,653 Guns in 2015 - by Submitted on May 26, 2016 from Robert SicilianoHow dumb can air travelers be, trying to get guns past the TSA? Duhh, don’t they know that the X-ray equipment or pat-downs will detect them? Just last year, over 2,600 guns were detected. More than 80 percent of these guns were loaded. Talk about the world’s dumbest criminals. It ...
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