Passwords are a major defense and developing good password practices will help keep your sensitive personal information and identity more secure. Below are some suggestions for developing better passwords: Passwords should have at least eight characters and include upper case (capital letters) and lowercase letters, numerals and symbols. Avoid common words: some hackers use programs…
The Internet allows instantaneous connections with people from across the street or across the world. Because of the perceived anonymous nature of communicating online, however, some individuals use the Internet as a medium to communicate in inappropriate, harmful, and even threatening ways. A growing concern has been the use of the Internet to “bully” or…
Security researchers from RSA warn that cyber criminals are increasingly selling remote desktop access to infected computers by the unit based on several criteria. Such services are being offered by the traditional CC shops that specialize in the selling of stolen credit card information. “It is rather common that CC shop operators are also bot-herders…
For the second time in 3 months, Google pulled dozens of malware-infected smartphone apps from the Android Market. The 34 apps were pulled over the weekend of May 28 and 29, and May 31 by Google after security researchers notified the company. As in the March episode, when Google removed more than 50 apps, the…
The Your home computer is a popular target for intruders. Why? Because intruders want what you’ve stored there. They look for credit card numbers, bank account information, and anything else they can find. By stealing that information, intruders can use your money to buy themselves goods and services. But it’s not just money-related information they’re…
Article by Brian McGinley, Identity Theft 911 Small businesses take note: Verizon recently just released its 2011 data breach report, and the findings have real implications for companies with fewer than 100 employees. The number of stolen records dropped dramatically to 4 million in 2010, down from 144 million in 2009. But the tally of…
It appears that consumers are certainly becoming more proactive about protecting themselves from identity theft. But small business owners don’t seem to share their concern. According to a recent survey, small business owners are victims of fraud at a rate of 15 percent more than the general population. In 2010, small business owners lost about…
Sony confirmed May 24 someone had hacked into its Web site and stole about 2,000 customer names and e-mail addresses. Close to 1,000 of the records have already been posted online by a hacker calling himself Idahc, who said he is a “Lebanese grey-hat hacker.” Idahc found a common Web programming error, called an SQL…
Within days of Facebook implementing new security features designed to block spam, several new social-engineering attacks were spreading that managed to side-step the company’s antispam defenses, a Facebook spokesman told CNET May 16. The company began turning on a feature the week of May 9 that displays warnings when it detects users are about to…
Information about the recent Epsilon Breach On March 30th, Epsilon, a major e-mail marketing services provider experienced a security breach that compromised the customer data of some of the businesses that utilize Epsilon for their e-mail marketing needs. The breach affects over 90 high profile companies including but not limited to drugstore chain Walgreens, electronics…
