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Articles from Robert Siciliano | Selfgrowth.com
- Remember This: Hackers Like Strong Passwords, Too - by Submitted on Feb 22, 2017 from Robert SicilianoIn late 2016, a huge data breach occurred. More than 412 million accounts were affected when hackers got into FriendFinder Networks. According to sources, approximately a million of those accounts had the password ‘123456,’ and approximately 100,000 has the password that was ...
Views: 704 - Remove your Home from Google maps - by Submitted on May 19, 2016 from Robert SicilianoIf it unsettles you to see your home displayed on Google Maps, there’s something you can do about this. Why might this be a concern? Information is “intelligence”. Information to some is power. The logistics of your home may empower certain people, like burglars. Example; if ...
Views: 752 - 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: 556 - Researchers Say Office of Personnel Management Hack Leads to Ransomware - by Submitted on Mar 27, 2017 from Robert SicilianoIn June, 2015, it was revealed by an anonymous source that the Office of Personnel Management was hacked. This office, which administers civil service, is believed to have been the target of the Chinese government. This is one of the largest hacks in history involving a federal ...
Views: 676 - Retirees Prime Targets for Identity Theft - by Submitted on Oct 11, 2015 from Robert SicilianoIs it easier for crooks to prey on senior citizens, or is it that most targets are the seniors? Well, one thing’s for sure: A disproportionate percentage of identity theft complaints come from people 50-plus (though I’m sure some readers would hardly consider 50-somethings to be ...
Views: 880 - Risks of Public WiFi - by Submitted on May 25, 2015 from Robert SicilianoWired internet or wireless WiFi, the warnings are out there: Don’t visit any websites that you have important accounts with when using a public computer (hotel, airport, café, etc.). Visiting even a more trivial account, such as an online community for cheese lovers, could sink ...
Views: 1052 - Robert Siciliano on FOX Nation - by Submitted on Jun 05, 2019 from Robert SicilianoI recently had the opportunity to join a panel discussion on FOX Nation. We talked about the grid, and how cyber threats could be the next medium for global warfare. I was able to share opinions with fellow experts on privacy, information security and cybersecurity. Please watch and learn why it ...
Views: 584 - Russian Hackers getting rich from your Identity - by Submitted on Dec 10, 2014 from Robert SicilianoWhere’s the $$$ at? Selling credit card data. Have you heard of the Russian hacking ring that raked in two and a half billion dollars? Check it out: Phishing attacks are lucrative for these cybercriminals. ATM hacks continue to increase, in part due to targeted attacks and new ...
Views: 967 - 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: 923 - Safety Tips for Lone Female Road Travelers - by Submitted on Oct 25, 2016 from Robert SicilianoRule #1 for women traveling alone: Do not look or act like prey, as this will grab the attention of any predator nearby. Looking like non-prey may be difficult for some women, but one way is to dress in black. Black is the color of authority (e.g., judges, nuns, priests, referees, police ...
Views: 747 - Save Money with the Nighthawk 2-in-1 cable modem-router - by Submitted on Dec 03, 2015 from Robert SicilianoIf you are like most people, there are several devices in your home that fight for WiFi connections at any given time. This slows your network, and gives you a shoddy experience. Instead, look into upgrading your system immediately and save some cash too. The Nighthawk is a 2-in-1 cable ...
Views: 829 - Scareware Scam almost snags Victim - by Submitted on Feb 25, 2016 from Robert SicilianoCybercriminals know that the best way to get their claws on the next victim is to appeal to their emotions, not logic. There’s lots of scary things in life, and one is learning that your computer has been infected with a virus. If this happens, you’re now vulnerable to spending ...
Views: 737 - Second Hand and Discarded Devices Lead to Identity Theft - by Submitted on May 10, 2017 from Robert SicilianoA new study was just released by the National Association for Information Destruction. What did it find? Astonishingly, about 40% of all digital devices that are found on the second-hand market had personal information left on them. These include tablets, mobile phones, and hard drives. The ...
Views: 750 - Second Hand USB's Could Have Personal Info Still Inside - by Submitted on Apr 26, 2019 from Robert SicilianoAn unsurprising study was recently released that found even when a portable USB drive is erased, not all of the documents and images are always removed. That, of course, is frightening. Here’s how the research was done: Researchers went online to sites like eBay, to second-hand shops, ...
Views: 537 - Secret Self-Defense Weapons You Might Not Know About - by Submitted on May 02, 2018 from Robert SicilianoDo you have a secret self-defense weapon on hand that you don’t even know about? Here’s a few: Canes. Might seem obvious…but… Your first instinct would probably be to swing the cane like a baseball bat. However, this isn’t the best way. An attacker can easily ...
Views: 774 - Secure your home for the holidays - by Submitted on Dec 14, 2015 from Robert SicilianoThe holiday season is ramping up. And so are burglars. Even if you don’t get very festive, burglars may still target your home. Your dark, unlit home among all the dazzling festive homes will stick out like a sore thumb. Whether you have 10,000 decorative lights on or none, here’s ...
Views: 853 - Securing Your Home's Door: Secrets Your Locksmith Won't Tell You - by Submitted on Sep 18, 2017 from Robert SicilianoAre you making a big home security mistake? If you are leaving your doors unlocked, or if you are using low quality lock systems, you are putting yourself…and your home…at risk. However, just because your door is locked, it doesn’t mean that a burglar can’t kick the ...
Views: 774 - Security Appreciation lacking - by Submitted on Apr 19, 2016 from Robert SicilianoWhat’s it gonna take for companies to crack down on their cybersecurity? What’s holding them back? Why do we keep hearing about one company data breach after another? Well, there’s just not enough IT talent going around. The irony is that most company higher-ups admit that ...
Views: 701 - Security is Everyone’s responsibility - by Submitted on Nov 08, 2014 from Robert SicilianoIn the movies, the good guys always get the bad guys. In cyber reality, no such thing exists. A survey of 5,000 IT security professionals turns up the following: 63% doubt they can stop data breaches. 69% think threats slip through the cracks of their security systems. 57% believe their ...
Views: 1518 - Security is Layered – There is NO Home Security Magic Bullet - by Submitted on Nov 15, 2017 from Robert SicilianoIs your home secure? You might believe it is, but if you aren’t using layered security, it’s probably not as secure as you think. What’s layered security? It means that you aren’t putting all of your eggs in one security basket. Instead, you are using multiple methods to ensure that you are as ...
Views: 687 - Security training: the Human Being is impossible to fix - by Submitted on Dec 08, 2016 from Robert SicilianoAs long as humans sit at computer screens, there will always be infected computers. There’s just no end to people being duped into clicking links that download viruses. A report at theregister.co.uk explains how subjects, unaware they were guinea pigs, fell for a phishing ...
Views: 768 - Self-Defense and Sexual Assault Prevention - by Submitted on Aug 15, 2015 from Robert SicilianoIf you reach your hand to a strange dog loose on the street to pet it on top of the head, and it mauls your hand, whose fault is this? One camp would put most of the blame on the dog owner. But most people would blame the victim. But everyone with half an ounce of sense would agree on one ...
Views: 834 - Self-Defense Options You Might Not Know About - by Submitted on Apr 10, 2018 from Robert SicilianoIf you are like most people, you probably haven’t done a lot of thinking about what you would do in a situation involving physical assault. Why would you? I mean, it’s unpleasant and scary. Further, depending on your physical makeup, you may think you’d probably lose anyway. ...
Views: 767 - Self-Monitored Security System Market heating up - by Submitted on Oct 09, 2015 from Robert SicilianoThe Angee home security system is the only one with a video camera that rotates 360 degrees as it detects motion. And this high definition camera has smart zones; you can set up specific zones for monitoring. But Angee is more than just a video surveillance setup. It’s a self-monitored ...
Views: 858 - Seniors big Target for Romance Scams - by Submitted on Sep 25, 2015 from Robert SicilianoJanet N. Cook, 76, was duped by a dashing younger man. A report at nytimes.com explains that in July 2011 she connected with Kelvin Wells via a dating site. Next thing, this seemingly-together man was in trouble and needed lots of money. Cook got burned; she sent the crook nearly $300,000 ...
Views: 855 - Serial Killer Claims 90 Lives - by Submitted on Jan 11, 2019 from Robert SicilianoThis story is entirely messed up. A man was recently convicted of three murders in California, and he is suspected of being involved in several more. He claims that he has been involved in killing 90 people across the county over almost 40 years. This man, Samuel Little, is now 78-years old, ...
Views: 1531 - 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: 810 - Set up Family's Controls on Home Computers - by Submitted on Mar 19, 2016 from Robert SicilianoThe computers in your household should have controls on them for security—even if you don’t have children living with you. Chrome OS On the Chrome browser in the upper right are three horizontal lines; click this symbol. Click “Add supervised user.” Enter the name ...
Views: 765 - Should Life Insurance Policies Be Banned? - by Submitted on Aug 06, 2019 from Robert SicilianoIt’s fair to wonder how many people would still be alive today if there were never any such thing as a life insurance policy. Personally I can’t imagine NOT having a life insurance policy if you have children 17 and under. But the below info might ring true for some of you. An ...
Views: 768 - Should Stalking or Spying Apps be banned? - by Submitted on Dec 20, 2015 from Robert SicilianoThe words “spying” and “stalking” have negative connotations, but there’s a flipside to the coin: parents monitoring their kids’ online activities and physical locations. And how about middle-aged adults keeping track of the whereabouts of their aged parents ...
Views: 811 - Should You Fight or Take a Flight When Being Attacked? - by Submitted on Mar 06, 2018 from Robert SicilianoI am a big believer that people should run away from an attacker. If a bad guy gets into your home and he often wants to cause you pain, RUN as quickly as you can to the nearest door. If you are in a corner or you have to protect a loved one, you might have to fight him. Most of us are taught ...
Views: 655 - Should You make the Investment in Alarm Monitoring? - by Submitted on Feb 26, 2016 from Robert SicilianoImagine the effectiveness of the following sign at your front door when a would-be intruder reads it: WARNING: This house is protected by a remote monitoring service; if you break in while the homeowner is away, he’ll be instantly alerted and the police will be automatically ...
Views: 685 - Should you take active Shooter Training? - by Submitted on May 24, 2016 from Robert SicilianoGunman Storms Building, Shot Dead by Receptionist Wouldn’t it be great to see a headline like this for once? More than ever, employees are being trained to react tactically should a gunman go on a rampage. There has to be a better way, for instance, to protect children in a classroom ...
Views: 668 - Should You Use Facebook to Login to Websites? - by Submitted on Oct 23, 2018 from Robert SicilianoHave you ever used Facebook to sign onto another site? Many of us do this pretty blindly simply because it is very convenient. But, this convenience could come at a cost. You know the drill. You go to a website and it says “Log In With Facebook.” or Google. Usually, it just takes ...
Views: 607 - Should You Use Near-Field Communications? - by Submitted on Dec 26, 2014 from Robert SicilianoHave you ever wondered what kind of superpower you’d have? I’ve always wanted to send messages and ideas with my mind to others. My dream can sort of come true with near-field communications (NFC). You’ve might not have heard of NFC, but if you have a smartphone, ...
Views: 626 - Should You Worry About Contactless Credit Card NFC Skimming - by Submitted on Jan 09, 2019 from Robert SicilianoIf you have a contactless card, you might have worries about skimming. A contactless card or “frictionless” or “tap and go” is a card that has technology in it that allows payment over secure wireless like Apple Pay, Android Pay etc. Basically, this is where a criminal ...
Views: 566 - Shred your Boarding Pass - by Submitted on Apr 12, 2016 from Robert SicilianoApparently there are people who take pictures of their airplane boarding pass…and post it online. I’m dead serious. I’ve heard of toddlers getting excited over scraps of paper, but full-grown adults posting images of their boarding pass online? Don’t get me ...
Views: 747 - Small Business a favorite Attack Vector - by Submitted on Dec 29, 2016 from Robert SicilianoSmall businesses are hardly immune to attacks by hackers. The illusion of low attack risks comes from the publicity that only huge corporations get when they are breached, like Target, Sony and Anthem. These are giants, so of course it makes headline news. But when a “ma and pa” ...
Views: 752 - 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: 851 - Smart and Easy Ways to Protect Your Digital Life - by Submitted on Jun 06, 2017 from Robert SicilianoEven if you don’t realize it, your identity is all over the internet. Whether you posted to an internet forum in 1996 or you ever had a MySpace page, this information is still out there, and you have to protect it. Here are some simple and easy ways that you can protect your digital ...
Views: 775 - Smartphones for Kids aren't such a good Idea - by Submitted on May 29, 2015 from Robert SicilianoMaybe you believe that kids should not have smartphones because the devices can tell a pedophile where a child is located. But there’s other reasons that perhaps you haven’t thought of: cyberbullying, violent porn, online drug purchases, you name it. Smartphones give kids ongoing ...
Views: 909 - 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: 743 - Sorry, stop posing Kids' Photos online - by Submitted on Feb 04, 2016 from Robert SicilianoFrankly, naked babies shouldn’t be a big deal. If you don’t have naked baby pictures of your kids in the kitchen sink then you aren’t human. BUT….the world has changed. If you compare posting your children’s photos online with whipping out a wallet photo of your ...
Views: 772 - 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: 901 - SSN and Its Afterlife - by Submitted on Jan 15, 2015 from Robert SicilianoWhat’s one billion? That’s about the number of possible permutations of the Social Security number. Which begs the question: What happens to an SSN when someone kicks the bucket? Currently, SSN’s are never repeated when they’re issued by the Social Security ...
Views: 992 - State sponsored Attacks big Problem - by Submitted on Sep 30, 2015 from Robert SicilianoThe U.S. Office of Personnel Management, an identity database, was attacked by hackers rather recently, and they hit the jackpot: More than 21 million federal workers are at risk of identity theft for perhaps the rest of their lives, reports an article on forbes.com. The hackers from overseas ...
Views: 863 - Stay Safe While Traveling this Summer - by Submitted on Aug 06, 2015 from Robert SicilianoSo, when you think about summer travel safety, what comes to mind? Which beach you’ll be lounging on? Sunburns? Shark attacks? While sunburns and vacation plans are rational concerns most have when traveling during the summer, shark attacks are a new one. With all of the news of recent ...
Views: 1000 - Step by step how to reinforce Door Locks - by Submitted on Oct 01, 2016 from Robert SicilianoDon’t let the idea of reinforcing your house’s doors intimidate you. Here is step by step instruction on installing new stronger locks. Your House’s Door Parts Inventory Any door without a deadbolt gets a deadbolt, which should be a grade 1 or 2. Are the screws of any ...
Views: 809 - 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: 879 - Stop being a blabber on Social Media - by Submitted on Dec 24, 2015 from Robert SicilianoAre you a cyber-blabber? Even a post about your daily afternoon foray to the sub sandwich shop could get you in trouble: A burglar reading this knows when to rob your house. But it doesn’t end there. STOP THE MADNESS! The Giants: Facebook and Twitter Be careful what you post on ...
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