Home invader stuffs victim into gun closet…and…

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And he comes out shooting! Three invaders in Houston kicked in a homeowner’s door then proceeded to beat him up and stuff him into a closet that just happened to contain all the homeowner’s firearms. How ironic.

What would you do?

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I suppose most people would come out shooting. There are other options here: If I were by myself, maybe I’d wait it out until the home invaders left—or, if they did come back to get me in the closet, be ready to shoot them. However, there are significant risks associated with pulling a gun on someone. It may not fire. The other guy may have his own gun or guns. You may miss. He may not. And if you had family to protect, laying low may not even be a consideration.

Gawker reports, “Waiting until the coast was clear, the victim armed himself and exited the closet. He proceeded downstairs, where he encountered one of the three perps, and gunfire was exchanged. The burglar was struck in the shoulder and leg; the victim was unharmed. The two other intruders quickly fled the scene in a Chevy Tahoe. Their injured accomplice chased after them for a short while before collapsing on the street.”

Well, there you go. Happy ending. Bad guy is bloodied in the streets. Let’s celebrate!

I’m all for justice. But sometimes these things don’t turn out so well. When asked what the most effective deterrent to a burglary or home invasion is, many people will answer, “A gun.” And while the United States has more guns per capita than any other country on the planet (Yemen is second, and you see how well that’s working out for them), a gun is a purely reactive form of security—and it only works if you are home, and you have to be lucky enough not to be killed first or be stuffed into your gun closet.

Just get a home alarm. A home security system is paramount to protecting your family, home and stuff. If you want guns too, lovely—but at least get a home alarm too.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

Passwords: Fingerprint, heartbeat or brainwaves?

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There is no such thing as a truly secure password; there are only more secure or less secure passwords. Passwords are currently the most convenient and effective way to control access to your accounts. But passwords are a mess. We have too many; sometimes they are all the same, which makes it easier for a hacker; many passwords are “123456” and easy to crack; and there are numerous ways that a criminal can spy on us to log our keystrokes.

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The internet’s weak link is the difficulty in reliably identifying individuals. When online, our identities are determined by IP addresses, cookies, and various “keys” and passwords, most of which are susceptible to tampering and fraud. We need a better strategy.

Currently, positive ID (or “authentication”) is only possible by using a biometric. A biometric can be either static (anatomical, physiological) or dynamic (behavioral). Examples of static biometrics include your iris, fingerprint, face and DNA. Dynamic biometrics include your signature gesture, voice, keyboard and perhaps gait—also referred to as something you are.

Verification, on the other hand, is used when the identity of a person cannot be definitely established. Various technologies are used provide real-time assessment of the validity of an asserted identity. We don’t know who the individual is, but we try to get as close as we can to verify his or her asserted identity. Included in this class are out-of-wallet questions, PINs, passwords, tokens, cards, IP addresses, behavior-based trend data, credit cards, etc. These usually fall into the realm of something you have or something you know.

Biometrics, it seems, is taking on a whole new meaning.

Mashable reports, “A wristband dubbed Nymi confirms a user’s identity via electrocardiogram (ECG) sensors that monitor the heartbeat and can authenticate a range of devices, from iPads to cars. Developers at Bionym, the Toronto-based company that makes the device, say the peaks and valleys of an individual’s heartbeat are harder to imitate than the external features of biometric systems, like fingerprints or facial recognition.”

And then there are “cognitive biometrics”—yes, brainwaves. For example, when signing up for an account, people are provided pictures to look at, then choose one that would allow them access to their account. When they were to log in, they’d be presented with numerous pictures and when the one they chose showed up, their brain would light up a bit, telling the website to allow access. But while the process has been proven to work, people need to wear a helmet that attaches to their scalp to pick up their brainwaves. So it’s not exactly ready for prime time.

What do you think? Would you wear a bracelet that identifies you? Or a tinfoil hat!?

Robert Siciliano, is a personal security expert contributor to Just Ask Gemalto and author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Mobile was Hacked! . Disclosures For Roberts FREE ebook text- SECURE Your@emailaddress -to 411247.

10 Holiday Security Tips

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Christmas trees, mistletoe, candy canes, turkey and stuffing bring out scammers, phishers, burglars and identity thieves. I’m not purposefully trying to be a Grinch here, but I’m just reminding you that good times, unfortunately, bring out the worst in bad people. This time of the year is prime season for criminals to seek out victims and separate them from their money and stuff.

Stay merry. Here’s how:

  1. Lock up. No matter how long you are gone, lock your home’s doors and use quality locks from Schlage.
  2. Don’t forget car locks. Don’t leave your keys in the ignition; lock your car doors, even when you are at the gas station and filling up.
  3. Be aware. When in parking lots or garages, at malls or festivals, watch your back, be aware of your surroundings and look for red flags.
  4. Free up your hands. Don’t weigh yourself down with lots of bags and packages. Use a carriage.
  5. Get delivery notices. Package theft is big. Most shippers offer email notifications for tracking packages, so you have the tools with which to become acutely aware of when your stuff is supposed to arrive and be there to accept it.
  6. Set up security cameras. Inside and outside your home, you should have cameras to allow you to peek in on all home activity. They also act as a deterrent to burglars and thieves.
  7. Put your jewels away. When home or away, and even when you are entertaining, lock up your stuff in a bolted safe.
  8. Update your browser. Viruses often end up on a PC because the browser is out of date.
  9. Update your operating system. It’s not enough to have antivirus; you must also update the critical security patches in your computer’s operating system.

10. Check your statements. Every week around the holidays, pay close(r) attention to your credit card statements and reconcile your charges.

Robert Siciliano home security expert to Schlage discussing home security and identity theft on TBS Movie and a Makeover. Disclosures. For Robert’s FREE eBook text- SECURE Your@emailaddress -to 411247.

High-tech vs. Low-tech Locks

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High technology doesn’t necessarily mean better, stronger or faster. It does usually mean more convenient, as the word technology is defined as “including the use of materials, tools, techniques, and sources of power to make life easier or more pleasant and work more productive.”

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This is the opposite of low-tech, which is essentially utilizing equipment and production techniques that are relatively unsophisticated—but unsophisticated doesn’t necessarily mean insecure. For example, all Schlage Grade 1 deadbolts, keys or touchscreen locks endure 300,000 cycles of testing in the company’s state-of-the-art testing facility…which is 50,000 more than required for Grade 1 certification. A bad guy with intent is going to have a hard time compromising even a low-tech lock

And then there are high-tech locks, such as Schlage’s Touchscreen Deadbolt, which is the best keyless lock out there. It’s a motorized bolt that automatically locks and unlocks when a four-digit user code is entered, and its lock-and-leave functionality requires only one touch to instantly safeguard the home. The Touchscreen Deadbolt can hold up to 30 unique access codes and is designed to support temporary codes when used with Nexia Home Intelligence for homeowner convenience. For example, codes can be tailored to specific days and times of the week to provide home access only when scheduled, such as for cleaning service personnel – a benefit of having an easy to use keyless lock with a built in alarm.

The biggest difference between high-tech and low-tech locks is the ability to remotely manage a high-tech lock. Nexia Home Intelligence makes it high-tech. This is a home automation system that allows you to control locks, thermostats, lights, cameras and more from wherever you and the internet happen to be. Lock or unlock your door from anywhere with your cell phone, or schedule lock codes to be active only on certain days at specific times. You can also receive text alerts when an alarm triggers or when specific codes provided to your kids are entered at the lock.

Robert Siciliano home security expert to Schlage discussinghome security and identity theft on TBS Movie and a Makeover. Disclosures. For Roberts FREE ebook text- SECURE Your@emailaddress -to 411247.

Why mobile security is a must

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Smartphone use continues to increase. More than one third of Americans have dropped landlines and only use mobiles. It is very possible that within the next 10 years, the landline will be obsolete and we will all be wireless.

And when there’s a major transition in technology, the newness of it all creates a perfect storm for scammers to attack the new systems. Hackers are creating scams and viruses that are designed to spy on and collect our data the same way it’s done on a PC. (Keep in mind that what makes smartphones smart is the fact they are nothing less than small computers with the same power and reach as desktops or laptops. The only difference is they fit in your pocket.)

It is as essential to protect your mobile as it is to protect your PC. You need to make sure you protect yourself, as our mobile devices are our most personal of personal computers. Here are some things you should do to protect yourself:

  • Use a PIN code and set it to lock your device after one minute.
  • Download apps only from reputable app stores, and review the app permissions to make sure the app isn’t sharing more information than you’d prefer.
  • Don’t store sensitive information on your phone, like user names and passwords, and log out of apps that provide access to personal information.
  • If you use online banking and shopping sites, always log out and de-select any options to keep you logged in or your password saved.
  • Don’t access critical websites sites when using free WiFi connections unless you are using a virtual private network (VPN) application.
  • Review your mobile carrier accounts and app store accounts to check for any suspicious charges. If you do see charges you have not made, contact your service provider and credit card provider immediately.
  • Never respond to text, email or voicemail messages with personal information like credit card numbers or passwords.
  • Never click on a link in an email, text, social networking site or message from someone you do not know (or, in some cases, someone who poses as someone you know).

Robert Siciliano, is a personal security expert contributor to Just Ask Gemalto and author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Mobile was Hacked! . Disclosures For Roberts FREE ebook text- SECURE Your@emailaddress -to 411247.

Hackproof your facebook account

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With over one billion people connected to Facebook, we have to assume that many of them are criminals. (Criminals are people with friends too!) But the criminals we need to be concerned about are the ones who create all kinds of scams designed to do everything from getting us to open our wallets to clicking links so we enter our personal information that lets them infect our devices.

4DHere’s some insight as to what they may do to get access to you and your account:

Phishing: Emails coming into your inbox right now may in fact be coming from Facebook because by default, you allow that contact in your notifications settings. The problem is that at any time, scammers can duplicate these same emails and you may never know what’s real and what’s fake.

  • Never click links in Facebook emails. Instead, simply log in via your favorites menu or use a password manager. Anything you need to do is right there in your notifications menu.
  • Turn off email notifications. Do you really need 20 emails a day telling you that someone just liked or commented on what you posted? Seriously? Go feed the homeless if you have that much time on your hands.
  • Stay out of your spam folders. Most internet service providers and email providers to a pretty good job of filtering out spam and phishing emails. But if you go into spam and start clicking away, you’ll get yourself in trouble.

facebookInfected links: Criminals know how to get your attention to entice you to click links. They create copy that is supposed to elicit emotional responses that send you deep into their rabbit hole. This status update is a perfect example of someone who is now infected because the user probably clicked on this and is now sharing it with everyone else, just like a virus. Everything about this screams CLICK ME!

  • Don’t mindlessly click links simply because you need to know what they’re going to show you. Be conscious about scams and fraud, and know scammers are paying attention.
  • Keep your browsers up to date, as well as your antivirus, antispyware, antiphishing and a firewall.

Wireless hacks: Whenever using a free WiFi connection, there is always the possibility your device, its data and your accounts can be compromised. Free WiFi is not secure; it has no encryption, and your data is right there for criminals to sniff.

  • Set up encryption on your home or office router. At a minimum, use WPA or WPA2 encryption to secure your data.
  • Use a VPN (virtual private network) such as Hotspot Shield VPN that locks down and encrypts your wireless communications.

Robert Siciliano is an Identity Theft Expert to Hotspot Shield VPN. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen See him discussing internet and wireless security on Good Morning America. Disclosures. For Roberts FREE ebook text- SECURE Your@emailaddress -to 411247.

5 Considerations Before Buying a Home Security System

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There are numerous considerations to be made when investing in a home security system today. While the options for the type and scope of system have been narrowed down, it’s the nuances of price, service, contracts and if it’s a do-it-yourself (DIY) project, among other things, that can all make or break the long-term satisfaction rating you’ll have.
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  1. Costs: You get what you pay for. Bells and whistles add up to more fees up front and with monthly monitoring. Some alarms cost little up front and have larger monitoring fees. Others cost more up front and may be a DIY job, but with smaller monitoring fees. Do the math.
  2. Remote control: For a few bucks more, most systems are equipped with the ability to control them from your smartphone, tablet or PC. Straight up, it’s worth every penny.
  3. Invest in monitoring: An alarm system that triggers a breach always sets off a siren. And while noise is a good deterrent, it’s not nearly as effective as gun-wielding police being dispatched and showing up in your driveway. Spend the few extra bucks for the monitoring.
  4. Customer service: Alarms have many little parts that “brick.” Over time, they fail, parts break, things go wrong, and alarms need replacement parts or service. Check out the reviews of a company’s ability to service its customers before you sign on the dotted line. There’s nothing more frustrating than bad customer service.
  5. Installation: Are you a do-it-yourselfer? If so, you can often save lots of money in the long term. If you need hand holding and don’t know how two-sided tape works, then having an alarm company do the installation may be your best option. Keep in mind that with a DIY job, you do it on your own time. With an alarm company doing it, you will have as many as five service installers traipsing through your house for up to three days.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

12 biggest home security mistakes

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We all make mistakes; the key is to make them once or twice and learn from them. If you keep making them, bad things happen—and home security mistakes are not ones you want to repeat. Here are a dozen mistakes that you don’t want to make even the first time.

  1. Cheap locks. It’s easy to walk into the hardware store and see all the shiny locks and look at the prices and see considerable differences. With locks, like anything else, you get what you pay for. Schlage is my go-to, and I’ll never be cheap and make that mistake again.
  2. Unlocked doors. What’s the point of having locks if you aren’t going to lock them? Burglars walk up to doors all day, ring the bell, get no answer, jiggle the doorknob and walk right in. And people are surprised their home was chosen.
  3. Hide a key. Burglars know they are in or under the flowerpot, under the mat, in the mailbox, in that stupid fake-looking rock and in/under/behind whatever else is on your porch. Get Schlage’s Touchscreen Deadbolt; it is the best keyless lock out there.
  4. Ladders in yards. It’s a good thing I’m not a burglar, because I see ladders in yards every day. They boost a bad guy to the unlocked second-floor windows easily enough. Lock ’em up.
  5. Disabled alarms. You were smart enough to get the alarm, so be smart and activate it when you are home, sleeping and away—even for 10 minutes. Set it and forget it.
  6. Opened unlocked windows. Sure, you’re only going to the store and you’ll be right back…but the kid next door with his little crack problem knows your routine and as soon as you leave, your grandmother’s ring and your husband’s knife collection are his. Lock up.
  7. Unlocked garages. Just because the garage door is down and the side entrance is closed, doesn’t mean a burglar won’t just walk right in and through to a home that is attached. Lock up.
  8. Valuables in plain sight. Everyone in the neighborhood knows you just got a 70” LCD TV because it’s prominently displayed in your living room window. Put your shades down.
  9. Social media postings. When you let everyone know you are sipping a margarita in Cabo, you are also letting a burglar know you aren’t home. Be discreet.

10. Revealing trash boxes. That Dell computer box, the Sharp TV box and the Xbox box in your garbage tell bad guys to come into your home to do their shopping. Hide those boxes in a trash bag.

11. Dark house. When you are away and your mail and newspapers are piling up and your house looks abandoned, you make it easy for burglars to choose your house. Give it that lived-in look with timers, and have a trusted neighbor grab your stuff.

12. Dark yard. Burglars like to creep around in the dark. Put your lights on timers from dusk to dawn.

Robert Siciliano home security expert to Schlage discussinghome security and identity theft on TBS Movie and a Makeover. Disclosures. For Roberts FREE ebook text- SECURE Your@emailaddress -to 411247.

Socint: disseminating cybercrime through social intelligence

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People talk—A LOT. They can’t stop talking. Talking, getting something off your mind and out there feels good. Talking takes the pressure off one’s mind; our mouths are like relief valves for our heads. The problem has always been that people blurt out whatever is on their mind and say things that often get them in trouble. And yes, I’ve done it too.

But now people now post their thoughts online, which in many cases is even worse because it’s not one on one; it’s to the world. We’ve seen numerous kids, teachers, employees, officials, politicians, celebrities, and folks from just about every walk of life say or post something that has resulted in backlash and sometimes arrest.

The arrest part is very interesting. Law enforcement and government are paying close attention to social media and what is being said. A man in Toronto posts on Twitter he’s looking for a drug dealer, provides a location for where he is, and says, “I need a spliff”—slang for marijuana—and the Toronto police respond, “Awesome, can we come too?”

But it goes much deeper than that. NextGov.com reports, “Criminals, organized crime syndicates, gangs and terrorists also use social media. They post information and share photos and videos, and terrorist groups use the tools to recruit new members, disseminate propaganda and solicit funds.”

It seems the next stage to investigate and prevent crime is through social intelligence combined with social analytics, hence “Socint”. Continues NextGov.com: “Officials can use this type of social media-driven intelligence to gain insight, investigate, construct countermeasures and refocus resources.”

So what do YOU do? If you are doing anything illegal, stop…or just keep doing what you are doing and let’s just hope you get caught. For the rest of us who want a little more privacy or don’t want to get in trouble because we say stupid stuff, pay attention:

  • Know that everyone’s watching: What you say or post lasts forever, and it can and will bite you.
  • Lock down privacy settings: Each social site has its own privacy settings. They change often and they require your attention at least semiannually.
  • Update security settings: Criminals are creating viruses in record numbers for computers, mobiles and tablets. It is essential to updates your operating system’s critical security patches and antivirus, antispyware and antiphishing.

Robert Siciliano, is a personal security expert contributor to Just Ask Gemalto and author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Mobile was Hacked! . Disclosures For Roberts FREE ebook text- SECURE Your@emailaddress –

Laptop theft leads to identity theft

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Ever lose a mobile device? Have one stolen? Know someone who has? Device loss and theft is a common issue when it comes to identity theft and results in data breaches. Some studies have shown as many as 2.5 million laptops are stolen annually, which equates to a laptop stolen every 12 seconds.

It used to be that laptops were stolen only because of their resale value. However, a laptop today can be purchased for under $500 and the resale value might be less than $100. Criminals know that depending on the data, a stolen laptop could be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in the right hands.

For example: SecurityInfoWatch reports, “The health information of 729,000 patients was compromised when thieves stole two laptops from an administration building of a San Gabriel Valley-based hospital group, officials said. The thieves swiped the laptops from a video-monitored sixth-floor office on a medical campus that officials said is ‘gated and patrolled by security.’ The suspects broke into the office and stole two password-protected laptops, they said.

“According to the hospital group, the computers contained data, including patients’ names, Medicare/insurance identification numbers, diagnosis/procedure codes and insurance/patient payment records. Some of the files contained the Social Security numbers of Medicare patients, officials said.”

What officials didn’t say is that this kind of laptop theft can result in a data breach that is the equivalent of a crook hitting the jackpot.

Consumers are at a significant disadvantage in these situations. Due to no fault of their own, brazen thieves got access to their data, and there’s nothing they can do about it. More than likely, the hospital will be saddled with providing the victims with some form of credit monitoring that will cost the hospital millions.

Chances are good that at some point this year or in the future, your data will be on a laptop that is either lost or stolen—and you may never even hear about it. My suggestion is to always be proactive. Today, make an investment in identity theft protection and double up on your protection by getting a credit freeze.

Robert Siciliano is an identity theft expert to BestIDTheftCompanys.com discussing  identity theft prevention. For Roberts FREE ebook text- SECURE Your@emailaddress -to 411247. Disclosures.