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Articles from Robert Siciliano | Selfgrowth.com
- Identity Theft Protection 101 - by Submitted on Apr 15, 2015 from Robert SicilianoWhat’s it called if, for example, someone runs up your credit card line without your permission? Identity theft. ID theft isn’t necessarily someone going around impersonating you. But it is considered someone taking over your accounts. Account takeover is also someone hacking into ...
Views: 1098 - Introducing the very first Biometric Password Lockdown App - by Submitted on Nov 23, 2015 from Robert SicilianoThis application for your mobile device will change things in a huge way: Locks down smartphones with a finger-based biometric password Multi-factor authentication all-in-one It’s called BioTect-ID And why should you consider the world’s first biometric password for your ...
Views: 1094 - A Quarter of all Underage Kids Will Meet with Complete Strangers - by Submitted on Jun 13, 2015 from Robert SicilianoAccording to a new Intel Security study, more than 2,000 American parents and kids ages 8-16 were surveyed to unveil some interesting things. 79% of the juvenile respondents learned online safety from their parents. 35% of them said they’ve been a cyberbully. 27% of them said they ...
Views: 1090 - Goodguy Hacker Selling Bad Guy hacks - by Submitted on Jan 07, 2015 from Robert SicilianoMakes you wonder what these guys would have accomplished had they been born during the Renaissance…case in point: Kevin Mitnick, whose genius was so impressive as a cyber criminal (he hacked into IBM, Motorola, Sun Microsystems and other big-name outfits), that after serving prison time, ...
Views: 1090 - Change Passwords or not; that is the Question - by Submitted on Apr 06, 2016 from Robert SicilianoWe’re told to change our passwords often to minimize getting hacked. Now we’re told this is a bad thing. But not for any inherent techy reason. It’s because frequent password changing makes many people lower their guard when it comes to creating new passwords. They get lax ...
Views: 1089 - Beware of Hot and Cold Reading Scams - by Submitted on Feb 10, 2016 from Robert SicilianoMany so-called psychics are frauds. But so are some auto mechanics, lenders and roofers. There’s fraud in just about all lines of work. What we do know is this: There’s not enough evidence to refute paranormal phenomena. Nor enough to prove it beyond a doubt. And ...
Views: 1077 - 5 Auto Repair Scams - by Submitted on Sep 10, 2015 from Robert SicilianoYou take your car to the mechanic; it’s been making a funny grinding noise when you press on the gas pedal. The mechanic tells you what’s wrong and what needs to be fixed, then socks you with the estimate. How can you tell he’s not embellishing a lot of the ...
Views: 1074 - Bitdefender's BOX: All-in-one Cybersecurity from one App - by Submitted on Mar 29, 2016 from Robert SicilianoGee, if your home is connected to lots of different devices, doesn’t it make sense that your cybersecurity integrates all your connected devices? Meet the Bitdefender BOX, a network bulletproofing hardware cybersecurity tool for the home that embraces smart home protection focusing on the ...
Views: 1074 - 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: 1073 - Be Cautious When Using Wi-Fi - by Submitted on Jun 23, 2015 from Robert SicilianoThe proliferation of mobile devices means that we can work or play online from almost anywhere, so it’s no surprise that public Wi-Fi networks have become more common. From hotels and coffee shops, to universities and city centers, Wi-Fi is widely available, but is connecting to these networks ...
Views: 1071 - 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: 1068 - 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: 1065 - 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: 1064 - Woman Voluntarily Sits in Truck of Man Who Creeped Her Out - by Submitted on Oct 31, 2018 from Robert SicilianoWho does this? Morna Brennen did this when she was 22. She and a few friends went to a bar and stayed there late. At some point while they were there, a man took an interest in Morna. But she was creeped out by him and pretty much ignored him. Later when it was time to leave, Morna and one ...
Views: 1063 - 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: 1062 - What is a Virus? - by Submitted on Apr 20, 2015 from Robert SicilianoHave you ever had the chicken pox? This common childhood illness has another name—the varicella zoster virus. Like all viruses, varicella replicates itself, spreading though the body, and eventually appearing as itchy red blisters all over the body. But the virus doesn’t stop there; ...
Views: 1061 - How Hackers use LinkedIn to Scam - by Submitted on May 13, 2015 from Robert SicilianoHackers love LinkedIn because it links them in—straight through the portal of the targeted company. Geez, how much easier could this be, what with all the publically-exposed e-mail addresses of key players (and also worker bees) in big companies that someone wants to hack. An article on ...
Views: 1060 - Introducing Angee Home Security - by Submitted on Oct 14, 2015 from Robert SicilianoMeet Angee. Angee (pronounced like Angie) will revolutionize home security in more ways than one. One of the features that sets Angee apart from other home security systems is that this system can learn about you and your family members, and then operate accordingly. Angee is the future, but ...
Views: 1058 - 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: 1056 - 12 Simple Smart Ways to secure your Home - by Submitted on Dec 29, 2015 from Robert SicilianoBurglars actually peruse social media to see who’s on vacation. In fact, 69 burglars were interviewed by Edith Cowan University in Australia, and perusing social media kept coming up as a way to find victims. Keep your cyber mouth shut till you return. Here are more tips: Get to know ...
Views: 1055 - 7 Ways to protect Yourself Online - by Submitted on Sep 28, 2015 from Robert SicilianoThe biggest mistake that you can make to threaten your online safety is to treat the online world different—as far as your private information—than you would treat the physical world. In other words, if someone walked up to you and said, “Hi, can you please provide me with your ...
Views: 1055 - Beware of Home Security Scams - by Submitted on Dec 11, 2014 from Robert SicilianoWill the home security scams ever stop? The latest scam has fraudsters going door to door, posing as sales reps for “Trio Alarm.” They first make sure that the houses they visit already have a security system (e.g., security decals on windows), then tell the occupant that the company ...
Views: 1052 - 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 - How your Webcam may be spying on You - by Submitted on Nov 11, 2014 from Robert SicilianoRemember that song from 1984, “Somebody’s watching me?” It was a great foreshadowing of things to come: These days, people really CAN watch you while you go about your business at home…through your computer. So if someone confides in you that “they’re spying ...
Views: 1051 - 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 - Xfinity Home Security Flawed - by Submitted on Mar 23, 2016 from Robert SicilianoBad news for users of the Xfinity home security system: It can report locked doors and windows that have been bypassed by an intruder and miss an intruder’s movements, says an article on wired.com. The intruder circumvents the system by using a radio jammer to block the 2.4 GHz ...
Views: 1047 - 15 Year Old's Naked Photos Spread Like Wild Fire - by Submitted on Sep 05, 2018 from Robert SicilianoYou have probably heard the story before. Teenage girl takes some scantily clad photos and sends them to her latest boyfriend. “What could go wrong?,” she thinks. Well, a lot could go wrong, and an article on Vice.com really lays that out. You might think that the boyfriend is ...
Views: 1046 - Twitters ups its Security Game - by Submitted on Sep 29, 2015 from Robert SicilianoTwitter recently announced its new tool to help with management and monitoring of its users’ accounts: the Twitter data dashboard. An article on lifehacker.com details what this new tool will offer. For instance, you will not need to use your real name on Twitter—and I have to ...
Views: 1046 - Consumers smartening up to Privacy Issues - by Submitted on Jul 09, 2015 from Robert SicilianoAccording to a recent report from Pew Research, many Americans take privacy seriously—as in the cyber kind, but also offline. 9% of survey respondents thought they had strong control over how much of their personal information was collected and shared. 38% thought they had moderate ...
Views: 1045 - How to keep a Clean Online Presence - by Submitted on Jun 11, 2015 from Robert SicilianoAt any given time, someone, somewhere, is probably googling you. This could be a former classmate, a neighbor, someone you’re trying to do business with, a relative, who knows? Are you confident that whatever they find will be information that’s truly representative of you? Maybe ...
Views: 1045 - 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: 1044 - 15 Home Safety and Security Tips - by Submitted on Dec 04, 2015 from Robert SicilianoThere’s always a perfect time to assess your home’s safety and security. Do you employ all of the following practices? Make sure your house’s roofing is fire resistant. If not, get it remodeled. Not only should you have smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, but you should ...
Views: 1039 - Protect your Data during Holiday Travel - by Submitted on Dec 26, 2014 from Robert SicilianoYou’re dreaming of a white Christmas, and hackers are dreaming of a green Christmas: your cash in their pockets. And hackers are everywhere, and are a particular threat to travelers. Prior to leaving for your holiday vacation, have an IT specialist install a disk encryption on your ...
Views: 1037 - 17 ways to prevent identity theft when traveling - by Submitted on Nov 20, 2015 from Robert SicilianoThere should be more TV commercials for preventing identity theft—it’s nearly epidemic. But also epidemic is the lack of identity security that people have when traveling. Here are some ways to avoid having your identity stolen while traveling: Prior to leaving for your trip, ...
Views: 1036 - How to win the War on Phishing - by Submitted on Dec 04, 2014 from Robert SicilianoA phishing attack is a trick e-mail sent randomly to perhaps a million recipients, and the thief counts on the numbers game aspect: Out of any given huge number of people, a significant percentage will fall for the trick. The trick is that the e-mail contains certain information or is worded ...
Views: 1036 - Catphishing is a Heartless Scam - by Submitted on Jul 11, 2015 from Robert SicilianoWhen someone online presents as a different person than their true self, this is called catphishing, and it occurs on online dating sites. Google the name of the object of your interest. Obviously, “Kelly Smith” and “John Miller” won’t get you far, but ...
Views: 1035 - 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: 1035 - 10 Home Security Mistakes we make - by Submitted on Dec 05, 2015 from Robert SicilianoPlease, be humble and consider the possibility that you—yes you—might be committing numerous home security mistakes—that could really cost you if you don’t correct them. House Alarm Turned Off Some people only activate it when they are not home and others only ...
Views: 1034 - Things You should and shouldn't do on Public Wi-Fi - by Submitted on May 20, 2015 from Robert SicilianoPublic Wi-Fi is the location where you can get online: airport, airplane, coffee house, hotel, motel and more. Many people don’t give this a second thought, unaware of how risky this really is. Public Wi-Fi is very non-secure, a goldmine for hackers who want to steal your identity and ...
Views: 1032 - 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: 1031 - The World's First Biometric Password Lockdown App is here - by Submitted on Nov 17, 2015 from Robert SicilianoIt’s about time: a biometric for your smartphone that will change the way you think about biometric security. This revolutionary biometric comes from Biometric Signature ID and it’s called BioTect-ID, and though it’s a biometric, it does not involve any so-called ...
Views: 1030 - Chip and PIN, will It save Us? - by Submitted on Dec 17, 2014 from Robert SicilianoMany Americans, says a recent survey by Gallup, worry about a data breach connected to the use of their credit cards. Interestingly, many people use a credit card for everything under the sun: even just a soda and bag of chips from the convenience mart. The more you use a credit card, the more ...
Views: 1029 - 3 Ways We are Tricked into Cyber Attacks - by Submitted on May 04, 2015 from Robert SicilianoSo just how are hackers able to penetrate all these huge businesses? Look no further than employee behavior—not an inside job, but innocent employees being tricked by the hacker. A recent survey commissioned by Intel Security reveals that five of the top seven reasons that a ...
Views: 1027 - 8 ways to avoid holiday shopping scams - by Submitted on Dec 10, 2015 from Robert SicilianoSo what will you be doing this holiday season to avoid getting scammed? The scammers really come out of the woodwork during the holidays, waiting to snatch their victims. It’s easier than you think to avoid getting ripped off or getting your entire bank account sucked dry. Here’s how ...
Views: 1027 - 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: 1026 - 15 Ways to protect your Identity - by Submitted on Dec 23, 2015 from Robert SicilianoThere are tried and true ways to protect yourself from identity theft—ways that you may not have even considered. Check them out (no specific order): Evaluate your passwords. Does every online account have a different password or are you using the same one for multiple accounts? Fix ...
Views: 1026 - How Parents can de-motivate Sexting in their Teens - by Submitted on Apr 07, 2016 from Robert SicilianoWhatever the appeal of sexting is to kids (attention), it’s definitely there, and won’t be going away too soon. Of all the things that teens can do in their daily lives, why spend time sexting? To feel cool To get a crush’s attention To make a relationship seem more ...
Views: 1025 - Don't Name Your Dog After Your Password - by Submitted on Jul 15, 2015 from Robert SicilianoRecently I got a puppy for my child. We decided to name the puppy 4wgu23x5#9. My wife,8yysH3m, thought we should name the dog 0x2%#b5. But I’m sure she’ll get over it. Meanwhile, I’m helping my older child with setting up a few social media accounts, and I suggested the two ...
Views: 1024 - Tips to prepare for Power Outage - by Submitted on Dec 14, 2014 from Robert SicilianoDon’t wait to be in the dark to find out you’re in the dark. Are you equipped for a power outage? A power outage can even occur in perfect weather, thanks to a construction team “hitting a wire.” Batteries. Don’t have these scattered haphazardly in some drawer. ...
Views: 1023 - 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: ...
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