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Articles from Robert Siciliano | Selfgrowth.com
- Is It Fraud or are You just Crazy? - by Submitted on Jun 09, 2015 from Robert SicilianoWhat would you rather have happen to you? A Russian ring of hackers has infiltrated your computer and smartphone and is hell-bent on taking control of your finances, social media life, even the smart gadgets in your house…OR…you’ve just been diagnosed with paranoid psychosis, ...
Views: 899 - Is that Viral Story real? - by Submitted on Nov 25, 2015 from Robert SicilianoThe Internet has almost as many videos as there are stars in the heavens. And you know that some have to be hoaxes. Sometimes it’s obvious, while other times it’s easy to be fooled. For example, the hoax of the “angel” intercepting a truck just about to run over a ...
Views: 931 - Is Your Bugout Bag Ready to Go? - by Submitted on Mar 14, 2018 from Robert SicilianoIt seems like there have been a number of natural disasters hitting the US over the past couple of years…hurricanes, wild fires, floods…the list goes on. If you are caught in the face of a survival emergency, do you have supplies? Consider a bugout bag. These are sacks that you can ...
Views: 691 - Is your Daughter chatting with a Pedophile? - by Submitted on Dec 22, 2015 from Robert SicilianoThat’s a horrible question to ask. There is a very alarming report on nbcsandiego.com, about a dad who regularly checked on his kids in the middle of the night, and one night at 2 a.m., upon checking his 12-year-old daughter’s room, saw that she was gone. The window was open. He ...
Views: 885 - Is your Website and Data secure? - by Submitted on May 28, 2015 from Robert SicilianoImagine a lifeguard at the beach sitting on his perch. His job is to patrol and monitor for signs of trouble. He sees a surfer being attacked by a shark. Wow, a lot of good it does that he’s in a completely helpless position; by the time he scrambles off his perch and runs towards the ...
Views: 926 - ISPs invading Subscriber's Privacy - by Submitted on Jul 26, 2017 from Robert SicilianoIt’s hard to keep track of the news of politics these days, and even if you can, how do you know it’s even real? The political landscape has greatly changed since January, and there have been a lot of laws passed that will affect us all, including the repeal of a law that protected ...
Views: 848 - It Should Be Illegal for Teen Girls to Give Rides to Strangers - by Submitted on Nov 01, 2018 from Robert SicilianoIf only. But that’ll never be. Brandi Hicks, 17, and her high school friend, Liz Reiser, exited a video store at 9:30 pm, where they were approached by Matthew Vaca, a creepy acting stranger. He asked them for a ride to his house. At first they refused, but then he offered $20 for gas. ...
Views: 749 - It's a Security System and More - by Submitted on Apr 16, 2015 from Robert SicilianoWARNING: Removing this video surveillance camera to kill evidence of your robbery will do you chickenfeed because the video of you is being stored in the cloud! Today’s security systems are so much more evolved than they were 20 years ago, even 10 years ago. We’ve all heard of ...
Views: 898 - It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like the Holiday Shopping Season - by Submitted on Dec 07, 2014 from Robert SicilianoThe holiday season is in full force. Not only is it time to bring out the tinsel while jamming out to holiday music, it’s also time to buckle down on your holiday shopping. Have you made your holiday shopping list yet? Luckily, in the U.S., the biggest shopping days of the year are coming ...
Views: 1245 - It's Tax Time: Play it Safe or Lose Your Identity - by Submitted on Mar 12, 2020 from Robert SicilianoOnce again, tax time has rolled around, and though you technically have until April 15th, it’s always best to file a bit earlier…especially if you want to avoid setting yourself up for ID theft. How Could Filing Taxes Compromise Your Identity? Here’s how you could become a ...
Views: 868 - It's Time for You to Use a Password Manager - by Submitted on Oct 19, 2015 from Robert SicilianoIf you are like me, you have several online accounts, each with a user name and password. Though it is tempting to use one password for every account, this can be troublesome as it is a huge security risk. So, what is your only option? To use a password manager. According to a recently ...
Views: 776 - Jihadis using easy to get Privacy Software - by Submitted on Nov 10, 2016 from Robert SicilianoOver the past two years, the media has tended to sensationalize jihadists’ rapid adoption and strategic use of social media. Despite perpetual news coverage on the issue, the public, by and large, continues to be relatively in the dark about the intricate ways in which many jihadists ...
Views: 713 - Karate Woman breaks Assailant's Nose - by Submitted on Oct 18, 2016 from Robert Siciliano“I had my earphones in and didn’t know he was there until he threw me to the ground,” says Taela Davis, 25, of Australia in a heraldsun.com article. Big Mistake: Wearing earbuds while walking about in public. Even if you’re a big bruiser MMA fighter, you should not ...
Views: 904 - Keep Accountant happy and Thieves out - by Submitted on Dec 18, 2015 from Robert SicilianoAre you a shredder? I hope so. No identity thief on this planet is going to want to attempt to reconstruct cross-shredded documents. So what, then, should you make a habit of shredding? All financial documents and information, including financial information you’ve jotted on a ...
Views: 841 - Keyloggers log wirelessly - by Submitted on Apr 19, 2015 from Robert SicilianoGee, it sounds like something out of one of those 1970s TV shows about government spies, but it’s reality: Plug this little thing into a wall socket and it records the keystrokes of a person nearby typing into a Microsoft wireless keyboard. The little gadget sends the information back to ...
Views: 984 - Latest Russian Cyber Attack on White House a Boon for CISA - by Submitted on Apr 10, 2015 from Robert SicilianoThe Russians have come…again—in the form of hackers. Not long ago Russian cyber criminals busted into the U.S.’s State Department system and mangled it for months. This time, they got into a computer system at the White House. Luckily, this system did not hold any ...
Views: 918 - 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: 908 - LinkedIn targeted by Scammers - by Submitted on Nov 06, 2015 from Robert SicilianoLinkedIn is a free service that allows professional people to network with each other. Often, a LinkedIn member will receive an e-mail from another LinkedIn member “inviting” them to join their network. Sometimes, the inviter is someone the recipient doesn’t know, but the ...
Views: 861 - Location Apps make it easy for Thieves - by Submitted on Mar 05, 2016 from Robert SicilianoIf you’re using the app Strava for example, your bike could get stolen, says a report on the manchestereveningnews site. Strava, like many other location apps, isn’t the badguy here. Bicyclists in Greater Manchester are being warned that Strava’s tracking could lead thieves ...
Views: 759 - Look out for Shipping E-mail Phishing Scams - by Submitted on Apr 13, 2016 from Robert SicilianoStop clicking on e-mails about your package delivery! Scam, scam, scam! Look, it’s simple: Scammers are also pretending to be from the DHL and FedEx shipping companies, not just UPS. Crooks know that at any given time, thousands and thousands of U.S. people are waiting for a package ...
Views: 778 - Lost your Master Password, do This - by Submitted on Apr 21, 2015 from Robert SicilianoYou have a master password, from your password manager, for 28 accounts. Life has been so easy since! But then you lose this master password. First off, you can’t fix this like you would if you forgot your password for PayPal or your credit card’s site. Plus, each password manager ...
Views: 911 - Louisiana Woman Tries to Buy a Million Dollar Home with False Document - by Submitted on Dec 12, 2019 from Robert SicilianoHave you ever seen a house and thought…I wish I could afford that? Some people actually try it, but let this story be a lesson learned: if you can’t afford the cost of a house, you probably shouldn’t try to buy it. Pamela Chandler was arrested and now faces forgery charges ...
Views: 837 - Make Your Mobile a Tough Target for Thieves - by Submitted on Feb 22, 2019 from Robert SicilianoYou should definitely pay attention to your mobile phone security. Most of us don’t, which makes it easy for hackers and ID thieves to target us. Here are some tips to protect yourself from becoming a target for thieves. Use a Passcode One of the easiest ways to ensure that you are not ...
Views: 592 - Malware Hack Attacking the Grid…BIGLY - by Submitted on May 16, 2017 from Robert SicilianoFor more than four years, malware has been posing as legitimate software and infecting industrial equipment across the globe. The malware, which looks just like the Siemens control gear software, has affected at least seven plants in the US. According to security experts, the malware was ...
Views: 792 - Man Breaks into Home, hides under Bed for Days - by Submitted on Sep 08, 2015 from Robert SicilianoWow, it’s true: The monster under the bed really does exist! Recently in New Jersey a man broke into a home and hid under a bed in a spare room for possibly five days before being arrested. Margaret Adamcewicz reportedly stated that the man, Jason Hubbard, had dated her daughter five ...
Views: 760 - Man raises a Family on Dead Man’s Stolen Identity - by Submitted on Nov 08, 2016 from Robert SicilianoImagine you learn your husband (or wife) of 25 years is really a different person. That’s what happened to Mary Hickman—25 years after she married a man who had identified himself all those years back as Terry Jude Symansky. The Florida couple had a son and lead an uneventful life, ...
Views: 681 - Managing Your Online Reputation - by Submitted on Jul 24, 2015 from Robert SicilianoYou’ve been “Googled.” No matter how small a speck you think you are in this universe, you have without a doubt created an online footprint that is attached to your name. Chances are high that someone out there has followed this footprint of yours via a Google ...
Views: 928 - Mass Shootings: Driven by Evil or a Desire for Celebrity Status? - by Submitted on Aug 22, 2019 from Robert SicilianoIf all a gunman, who opened fire and randomly killed nine people, wanted was 15 minutes of fame, he could have achieved this running naked into the field at a major league baseball game. At least one criminologist believes that the driving force behind mass shootings is a desire for celebrity ...
Views: 790 - Medical Identity Theft can be deadly - by Submitted on Nov 18, 2015 from Robert SicilianoEvery time you have a medical procedure done, including routine checkups and treatment for minor issues, paperwork is generated. You should have copies of every single paper. This is one line of defense against medical identity theft. Review your paperwork thoroughly for unauthorized or ...
Views: 837 - Medical Identity Theft: 12 Million Patients Breached - by Submitted on Oct 17, 2019 from Robert SicilianoQuest Diagnostics is a US-based company that provides medical testing services, and announced that it used third-party billing collection companies that were hit by a severe data breach. In fact, about 11.9 million Quest customers were affected. The compromised information could include ...
Views: 839 - Meet the FBI's most wanted Hackers - by Submitted on Aug 28, 2015 from Robert SicilianoWant to earn up to $4.2 million? Then find the hackers on the FBI’s most wanted list. Or at least give the FBI information leading to their arrest and/or conviction. These snakes have stolen hundreds of millions of dollars. Here is the list from the hackernews.com: Evgeniy Mikhailovich ...
Views: 906 - 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: 982 - Mobile Carriers spying on Users - by Submitted on Dec 22, 2014 from Robert SicilianoHow does my mobile phone know I like tools, electronic gadgets and tarantulas? It keeps showing me ads for these products! Christmas is coming and my kids like bugs, big bugs. How does it know? It’s called “supercookies”. And they aren’t yummy. If Verizon is ...
Views: 1177 - Mobile Employees Are a Security Risk - by Submitted on Nov 30, 2014 from Robert SicilianoNot too long ago, the office computer filled an entire room. Now, it fills the palms of one-third of employees—those workers who use only the mobile device for their jobs. Security, however, lags behind in keeping up with this growing trend. This is the BYOD generation: bring your own ...
Views: 1015 - 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: 802 - 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: 758 - Most Locks are stupid easy to pick - by Submitted on Mar 10, 2016 from Robert SicilianoI hate to say this, but…any dummy can learn to pick a lock. This means that the locks on your house’s doors are probably very “pickable” unless you have a top-flight lock system—which few homes actually have. An article on lifehacker.com describes how easy it ...
Views: 868 - Mother Nature can ruin your business: Get ready for natural disasters now - by Submitted on Sep 28, 2015 from Robert SicilianoSeptember is almost over. This means National Preparedness Month is nearing its end. Nevertheless, you must be prepared all year long to stay safe. National Preparedness Month culminates September 30th with National PrepareAthon Day. In the boxing ring, if you focus on the knockout ...
Views: 839 - Must-have Apps for Safe Long Distance Driving - by Submitted on Oct 27, 2016 from Robert SicilianoWhether you’re driving long distance to make a career move, visit family/friends, or just sightsee multiple states, you may be wondering what kind of helpful applications for your phone are out there. There’s just tons, and many fall under the category of convenience, such as apps ...
Views: 824 - My EMV for a Week Challenge is DONE! - by Submitted on Feb 20, 2016 from Robert SicilianoThis week I worked with Gemalto, as part of Gemalto’s #ChipAwayAtFraud campaign. I was tasked with using my “chip” card when making a bunch of every day purchases like getting coffee and shopping. Gemalto, one of the world’s leaders in digital security, wanted a ...
Views: 791 - Myths Facts and Burglary Prevention - by Submitted on May 08, 2015 from Robert SicilianoMyth: Most burglaries occur at night when nobody can see the intruder. Fact: Most burglaries occur during the day because criminals know that’s the most likely time that people are away at work. Myth: Most burglaries are random and spontaneous. Fact: Most burglaries occur after the ...
Views: 929 - Never put these Docs in your Wallet - by Submitted on May 17, 2016 from Robert SicilianoYes, believe it or not, you CAN get by in life with a wallet that just has a little cash, a store card or two, one to two credit cards and your ID. Unless you absolutely need your insurance card or Social Security card, leave those items at home. For years now, wallets have been on the market ...
Views: 779 - New Phone Scam Scares with Social Security Sham - by Submitted on May 01, 2019 from Robert SicilianoWe all get scam phone calls, but the newest one is meant to scare. When you pick up the phone, you get a message that your Social Security number is suspended due to suspicious activity, and then prompts the victim to speak with an agent to get help. The FTC makes something very clear: your ...
Views: 732 - Nineways to shop safely on Cyber Monday - by Submitted on Nov 24, 2015 from Robert SicilianoWith Cyber Monday, you don’t have to camp outside in the cold overnight so you can be the first person busting through the doors like on Black Friday. But you still may get trampled to a pulpby cyber scammers waiting for their prey. How can you avoid these predators? You know that ...
Views: 823 - Oh No, iOS Hacked by NSO - by Submitted on Dec 22, 2016 from Robert SicilianoRecently, says a report at wired.com, it’s been unveiled that the obscure Israel-based NSO Group has been selling spyware delivered to smartphones through vulnerabilities in Apple’s iOS operating system. “Pegasus” spyware can put a surveillance out on nearly everything ...
Views: 845 - 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: 912 - Online Shopping and Counterfeit Goods – The Facts Don't Lie - by Submitted on Dec 09, 2015 from Robert SicilianoAs the holiday season creeps upon us, research shows that an astonishing 24% people who are buying online have been duped by scammers. Whether you are buying shoes, electronics or the latest fashions and accessories, research companies are showing that you are at risk of being duped. When you ...
Views: 898 - Opportunities in Government for Skilled Security Personnel - by Submitted on Sep 15, 2015 from Robert SicilianoAs recent data breaches have shown, cyber attacks are particularly threatening to government entities handling sensitive data like Social Security numbers. Unfortunately, state agencies struggle to hire cybersecurity professionals. The cause of this staffing shortage? There simply ...
Views: 825 - Parents Beware of Finstagram - by Submitted on Apr 25, 2017 from Robert SicilianoYou have surely heard of Instagram, the photo sharing social network, but what about “Finstagram?” If you are like most parents, you have rules about the social media practices of your kids. However, once you learn about Finstagram, those might all go out the window. When you ...
Views: 752 - 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 ...
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