Tech Tips and Disaster Prep Planning

/in /by

A 93-year-old woman survived Hurricane Sandy, but not before her family went through hell wondering if she was alive, being that her landline was down and she had no cellphone. Lesson learned: Elderly people who live alone should have a cellphone. This technology is available; use it.

7WTexting

With today’s technology, it’s easier than ever to prepare and plan for disasters. Texting seems more functional than calls when lines are jammed say in a tornado-ravaged town (or the Marathon bombings) with no conventional phone lines, or working lines that are jammed.

Prepare by getting used to texting and making sure all family members are savvy with it. Stage mock disasters by texting from dark closets, traffic jams and outside “buried” in a snowdrift.

Keeping updated

Make a list or bookmark the websites for state and local governments, since they will have real-time updates on catastrophes (mud slides, tornadoes, wildfires, etc.). Google “emergency management” for your county or city to get started. Follow local police and other agencies on Twitter and Facebook. Example: the world and media followed the Boston Polices Twitter page all through the bombings all the way to the capture.

Emergency apps

Smartphone apps will also keep you updated such as those from the American Red Cross. There are apps for first aid, earthquakes, hurricanes, wildfires and more, even one for a shelter finder.

Non-tech Preparedness

Before a calamity hits, stock up on water, non-perishable food, first aid supplies, flashlights, other tools, etc. Consider a cloud storage system for things like insurance cards. Practice accessing it.

Keep cool, stay informed

Don’t panic. But at the same time, don’t lose sight of the gravity of a situation. People of all ages need to keep pace with evolving technology and use it to your advantage. .

Take advantage of today’s technology to prepare for disasters—even if it’s just to tell a loved-one, “I’m safe.”

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

Recognize Your Willingness to give up your Privacy

/in /by

If a stranger stopped you on the street and requested your e-mail address and birthdate, would you give it to that person? A rational person would never give up this information.

1PThis is the same guard you should have when giving out your personal information to set up an online account, setting up a social account or to get some bargain or great deal on a product or service. Most people will give up all their data for 10% off at a shoe store.

Many people blindly give out personal information online or in person to get that bargain. Sometimes, these choices are made by people who claim to value their privacy.

Those same people may not know that every time you log into free unencrypted WiFi you are most likely revealing everything you communicate on a PC, laptop or mobile? This is why an encrypted connection like one provided with Hotspot Shield is very necessary.

A study from Carnegie Mellon University, conducted by Alessandro Acquisti, turned up some very interesting results.

He sent some graduate students to a shopping mall near Pittsburgh. The students were instructed to offer a $10 discount card, with an extra $2 discount to shoppers in exchange for their shopping information. Half turned down the extra offer. The $2 wasn’t enough to get them to reveal their shopping cart items.

Another group of shoppers was offered a $12 discount and the choice to exchange it for $10 if they desired to keep their shopping data private. Ninety percent decided to keep the $12 discount, which meant they were willing to reveal their shopping data.

What gives?

It looks as though if people already have ownership of private data from the get-go, they’re more likely to value it. If it’s yet to be acquired, however, the value placed on it is less.

So getting back to cyber space then, have you ever wondered if the data, that the online advertising industry collects on you, is truly scrambled so that it’s not possible to identify individuals?

Acquisti conducted another experiment. With a webcam he took snapshots of about 100 campus students. It took only minutes for him to identify about 30 percent of these nameless students by using facial recognition software.

He then went a step further and gathered enough information on about a quarter of the identified students via Facebook to guess a portion of their Social Security numbers.

Acquisti showed how simple it is to identify people from scratch because they leave a data trail in cyber space—and this includes photos. This shows how easy it is for criminals to use Facebook to steal a person’s identity.

Though it would violate Facebook’s terms of service to register a fake birthdate, the user needs to be aware of the tradeoff: Identity thieves love to find birthdates.

Facebook says that the user can control who sees personal information. So you just have to weigh the pros and cons. Is receiving well wishes on your birthday worth the risk of a thief using your basic information to steal your identity?

And by the way, thieves can use your Facebook profile photo to help steal your identity. Maybe this is why some people use their baby’s or dog’s photo for their Facebook photo?

Robert Siciliano is an Identity Theft Expert to Hotspot Shield. 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.

Man beheaded in break-in, missing Wife’s Body found

/in /by

In Putnam County, Georgia, a crazed killer may be on the loose (if he’s not already in another state by now). He (and maybe he had an accomplice) beheaded Russell Dermond, 88. Nobody knows why. At the time his decapitated body was found, his wife, Shirley, 87, was missing. But two weeks later her body was found near a dam, dead from blunt force trauma.5H

Dermond’s head has not been located.

Dennis Higgs is the fisherman who discovered Shirley’s body in the water. He first believed it was a buoy, but as he approached, he realized it was something to back away from, and called 9-1-1.

The body was five to six miles from the Dermond home. Gary McElhenney, the Putnam coroner, announced that the completion of a toxicology report on the body will take two or three weeks, possibly three months. Meanwhile, dental records will verify the identity of the woman’s body. Until then, the sheriff and McElhenney are “pretty certain” that the body is that of Shirley’s, due to the general appearance and some tell-tale surgical scars.

It is believed that the murder of Russell Dermond occurred between 4:30 p.m. on May 2 and 4 p.m. on May 3. Oddly, there are no signs of any forced entry or even a struggle inside the house. Authorities are vexed over who could have done this. It may have been the work of one person, maybe a group, maybe even involving a female accomplice.

No clues have been turned up in the area or at the lake vicinity. No leads exist.

If this act was random, just for some psychopath’s kicks, the killer will likely strike again. A crime like this can’t be a singular event—someone with this kind of evil will surely develop another fix to satisfy.

On the other hand, if this was a personal attack, this still shows a derangement that indicates that the killer will strike again anyways—either choosing a victim he knows or a random victim. When one gets this savage, anything goes.

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

What is an Advanced Persistent Threat?

/in , /by

If you’ve ever seen a movie where the bad guys are using ongoing, invasive hacking to spy on their “enemy,” you have some familiarity with an advanced persistent threat (APT).

11DThis term usually refers to an attack carried out by a group that targets a specific entity using malware and other sophisticated techniques to exploit vulnerabilities in the target’s systems. It is often done for intelligence gathering with political, financial or business motives.

For example, an APT aimed at a corporation could take the form of Internet-based malware that is used to access company systems, or a physical infection, such as malicious code uploaded to the system via a USB drive. These kinds of attacks often leverage trusted connections, such as employee or business partners to gain access and can happen when hackers use spear phishing techniques to target specific users at a company.

Remaining undetected for as long as possible is a main objective with these attacks. It is their goal to surreptitiously collect as much sensitive data as they can. The “persistent” element implies that there is a central command monitoring the information coming in and the scope of the cyberattack.

Even though APTs are not usually aimed at individuals, you could be affected if your bank or another provider you use is the target of an attack. For example, if attackers secretly gather intelligence from your bank, they could get access to your personal and financial information.

Since you could potentially be affected by an APT attack on an entity or company that you do business with, it’s important that you employ strong security measures.

  • Use a firewall to limit access to your network.
  • Install comprehensive security on all your devices, like McAfee LiveSafe™ service, since malware is a key component in successful APT attacks.
  • Don’t click on attachments or links you receive from people you don’t know.
  • Keep your personal information private. Be suspicious of anyone who asks for your home address, phone number, Social Security number, or other personal identifying information. And, remember that once you share personal information online it’s out of your control.
  • Check to see if the websites you share sensitive information with use two-factor authentication. This is a security technique that uses something that you know, such as your password, and something you possess, such as your phone, to verify your identity. For example, your bank may ask for your password online, as well as a code that it has sent via text message to your phone. This is a 2nd layer of protection and should be enabled for sensitive information.

Robert Siciliano is an Online Security Expert to McAfee. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Mobile was Hacked!  Disclosures.

What is Wardriving?

/in /by

Wireless networks have certainly brought a lot of convenience to our lives, allowing us to work and surf from almost anywhere—home, cafes, airports and hotels around the globe. But unfortunately, wireless connectivity has also brought convenience to hackers because it gives them the opportunity to capture all data we type into our connected computers and devices through the air, and even take control of them.

4WWhile it may sound odd to worry about bad guys snatching our personal information from what seems to be thin air, it’s more common than we’d like to believe. In fact, there are hackers who drive around searching for unsecured wireless connections (networks) using a wireless laptop and portable global positioning system (GPS) with the sole purpose of stealing your information or using your network to perform bad deeds.

We call the act of cruising for unsecured wireless networks “war driving,” and it can cause some serious trouble for you if you haven’t taken steps to safeguard your home or small office networks.

Hackers that use this technique to access data from your computer—banking and personal information—that could lead to identity theft, financial loss, or even a criminal record (if they use your network for nefarious purposes). Any computer or mobile device that is connected to your unprotected network could be accessible to the hacker.

While these are scary scenarios, the good news is that there are ways to prevent “war drivers” from gaining access to your wireless network. Be sure to check your wireless router owner’s manual for instructions on how to properly enable and configure these tips.

  • Turn off your wireless network when you’re not home: This will minimize the chance of a hacker accessing your network.
  • Change the administrator’s password on your router: Router manufacturers usually assign a default user name and password allowing you to setup and configure the router. However, hackers often know these default logins, so it’s important to change the password to something more difficult to crack.
  • Enable encryption: You can set your router to allow access only to those users who enter the correct password. These passwords are encrypted (scrambled) when they are transmitted so that hackers who try to intercept your connection can’t read the information.
  • Use a firewall: Firewalls can greatly reduce the chance of outsiders penetrating your network since they monitor attempts to access your system and block communications from unapproved sources. So, make sure to use the firewall that comes with your security software to provide an extra layer of defense.

Although war driving is a real security threat, it doesn’t have to be a hazard to your home wireless network. With a few precautions, or “defensive driving” measures, you can keep your network and your data locked down.

Robert Siciliano is an Online Security Expert to McAfee. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Mobile was Hacked!  Disclosures.

Graduates beware of Identity Theft

/in /by

Worried about finding a job after you graduate from college? Worried about paying off your debts? It gets uglier: New college grads need to think about their identities being stolen. One-third of identity theft complaints come from young adults.

http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photos-identity-theft-red-words-binary-code-computer-monitor-image39907813A new college graduate will often have a clean credit history. If the new college graduate discovers, however, that their credit score is inexplicably low, it’s probably because their identity has been stolen. This can be a nightmare.

Compounding the issue is that some businesses will check the job applicant’s credit report and use this information against them by not hiring.

Prior to graduation, the college student should do a credit check; it can be done annually online free of charge. Young adults should never have an “It can’t happen to ME” approach to one of life’s raw realities: the proliferation of identity theft.

College students should always shred all of their bank related statements, credit card statements and all other documents that contain very personal information.

College students should avoid posting their birthdates, phone numbers and addresses on social media.

Additional Tips

  • Ask your parents to explain whatever they know to you about online scams like malicious e-mails (phishing), suspicious pop-up ads, buying apps from third party sellers, etc.
  • Avoid debit cards; use only a credit card because thieves prefer to steal identities through debit cards.
  • Memorize your SSN so you can keep your SSN card in a safe place at all times.
  • Check your credit card statements every month for suspicious charges.
  • Never give out your SSN, even if the clerk at the retail store insists they need it so that they can give you an intro 15 percent off with the store’s credit card.
  • Go to www.annualcreditreport.com to check your credit report every year.
  • Get identity theft protection and 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.

How to protect your Home from Zombies

/in /by

There’s all sorts of threats out there—including zombies—just waiting to get you. Today’s zombies look like the ones on TV and in the movies but the ones who walk amongst us are often addicted to hardcore drugs like meth amphetamines and other mind/body destroying chemicals. But you can fight the walking dead off with preparedness.

7HPortals

Zombies can swoop in with hurricane force, and they love windows. Board them up. But not before you install an alarm system that will detect busted windows and doors. Add bars to the windows for extra protection. If you have money left over, add steel shutters.

Perimeter

You can always surround your home with a moat full of crocodiles, but motion sensors will do just fine. A big dog will enhance protection. Complete everything with a metal fence and maybe even with barbed wire.

Lookout Point

You need to be at your house’s highest point so that you can observe what’s coming from the distance. The ideal observation location is the roof like a widows walk.

Essentials

In the event of a zombie apocalypse, you must have a stock of water, nonperishable food, bedding, indoor clothes, towels, toilet paper and outdoor clothes. And don’t forget enough medications for emergency pain and pre-existing conditions.

Essentials also include tools like an all-everything knife, duct tape, a battery powered radio, a first-aid kit, map and compass, battery powered lights and an ear horn.

Weapons

Zombies can come in the hundreds so it’s best to run the entire gamut with weapons: firearms, explosives, knives and bludgeons. Then practice using them: from grenades to swords to axes to golf clubs to pepper spray (although I’m not sure zombies are affected by pepper spray?). Make sure your weapons are strategically placed in your home so that you’re always within 10 feet of one.

Physical Condition

Finally, make sure you’re in tip-top physical condition so that when holing up in your house is no longer an option, you can make a mad dash for the hills without falling to the ground in exhaustion. You’ll need to be fit enough to leap over obstacles and keep on running. Or just run faster than the zombies and you’ll be fine.

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

How to Prepare a Storage Device for Resale

/in /by

If you want to sell a storage device, first back everything up on it with a flash drive, external drive or automated backup service. For Android or iOS, activate the Google Auto Backup service or Apple’s iCloud.

12DNext, wipe the device. No, not with a rag, but wipe out the data, completely. Reformatting the hard drive can still leave data. Hitting “delete” won’t work, either.

To wipe a Mac, use WipeDrive or the OS X Disk Utility. For Windows PCs, use Active KillDisk or McAfee Shredder. For most recent smartphones, do a factory reset, but also remove the SIM card. For extra security, use Blancco Mobile for the Android or iOS.

If you want ultimate reassurance of destroying data, destroy the device with a hammer or drill through the drive with multiple holes.

If your device is headed for recycling, make sure that the recycling company is a part of Responsible Recycling (R2) or e-Stewards certification programs. This way your recycled device won’t end up in the wrong hands.

If you donate your device, hold onto the receipt for a tax write-off.

Did you just buy an external drive or flash drive? You should format it to rid the extra software that it probably came with. This will give you more space for storing data.

How do you format an external drive in Windows?

  • Plug the drive into your computer or wall outlet.
  • Open Windows Explorer, click “Computer” and locate the drive.
  • Right-click it and hit “Format.”
  • Under “File System,” select the desired file system.
  • Under “Volume Label,” name your drive, then check “Quick Format.”
  • Hit “Start.” Confirmation will take a few seconds.
  • In Windows Explorer, open the drive; it’s ready to use.

How do you format an external drive on a Mac?

  • Go to Finder, then Applications/Utilities; double-click Disk Utility.
  • Click on your drive, go to “Erase.”
  • Under “Format,” select the desired file system.
  • Name your drive, then click “Erase.” Formatting will take a few seconds.
  • In Finder, click on the drive; it’s ready to use.

How do you format a computer’s main hard drive?

This is more complex than the above tasks. You will need a bootable USB drive or a CD. If your plan is to sell your hard drive or computer, you’ll need to completely wipe the device. Wiping is the only way to eradicate all data. Once this is done, you can reinstall the operating system by inserting the installation disk or drive.

Of course, before you reinstall, make sure that all of your data is securely backed up!

Additional instructions for installing: For Linux or OS X, you’ll probably need to just select the option to install from scratch, and this will erase the drive. For the Windows installer, wait till you see a screen that has a list of your drives. Hit “Drive Options,” then hit “Format,” and this will format your drive as NTFS. After this, click “Next” to install Windows.

Robert Siciliano is an Identity Theft Expert to Hotspot Shield. 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.

How to choose a Video Surveillance System

/in /by

Selecting a video surveillance system will depend, in part, on the nature of your home: size, layout, number of possible entry points, etc. Before purchasing a video surveillance system, figure out exactly why you need this technology and where you’d like to have the cameras mounted.

2WBut one thing’s for sure; no matter how many cameras you have, they must be able to provide a good view of prominent areas like rooftops, attics, doorways and other locations where intruders can gain entry or hide.

Another thing to consider is the hidden camera, if you want to build evidence, not just deter an intruder. For instance, who keeps stealing your milk? One homeowner wanted to find out who kept taking off with his freshly delivered milk every morning. The hidden surveillance recorded the thief in action: the neighbor’s dog.

A camera in plain sight, though, is a very effective deterrent to potential intruders and vandals.

Camera Types

  • Box camera. Nothing fancy here, but this style is very practical and cost effective, some with the capacity for interchangeable lenses. They’re perhaps the most commonly used.
  • Dome camera. Some makes have interchangeable lenses, and this type can be easily mounted in many locations and are not as bulky as the box type.
  • Bullet camera. This style can vary greatly in size, are good deterrents simply by their look, and can come with the interchangeable lens option.
  • PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) come with more monitoring and installation choices, including a panoramic view just from a single unit. Most are remote controlled.

Indoor and outdoor cameras differ, mainly in that outdoor cameras are bigger and tougher to withstand tampering as well as the elements. However, nowadays higher-end cameras can function for both indoor and outdoor surveillance. Also, some outdoor cameras can be disguised as common items like a hose reel or a rock.

Wired or wireless? No matter what, your camera will need a wire. That wire may be “cat5” which is an internet cable also know as a “networked camera”. Or, the camera will need a power cable to plug into an outlet or hardwired back to a panel. Otherwise wired cameras are generally considered “analog” which means the video signal travels through the cable itself back to a digital video recorder. So one way or another, you have to have wires.

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

Bankers on the Front lines of Cyber Defense

/in /by

There was once a time when the only threat to a bank’s security was when that innocent-looking man hands a note to the bank teller that makes her face go ashen. And the only security, save for video surveillance, was the armed guards and the silent alarm that the teller triggers.

2DNowadays, terms like firewalls, encryption, anti-virus and cloud providers are just as important to a bank’s security as are the armed guards, huge windows, security cameras and steel vaults. No longer is the masked robber who says “Hand over the money” a bank’s biggest threat. ATM skimming, where nobody is ever shot at, is at the top of the list.

The Three Directions of Banking Security

  • Analyzing big data and assessing potential threats
  • Banks joining forces by sharing information relevant to protection against cybercrime
  • Focusing more on fast recovery and less on prevention of crime

That last point is because breaches are always going to occur no matter how thick the security is, and there’s a lot of room to improve in terms of recovery speed. So it makes sense that this shift in attention is developing at an increasing rate.

A New Breed of Locks

Banks require many layers of protection, and this includes keycards, which allow select employees through specific doors at specific times. Just stick the card in a slot and the door opens (a common device also used in hotels).

Keycards are also used by extraneous service people. A lost card can be immediately turned off, and cheaply replaced, whereas traditional locks would cost a bundle.

Customized badges are another way that financial institutions have improved security measures, replacing keys and keycards. Employees can be “add onto” a badge, and a lost and found badge can be deactivated and activated, respectively.

Anti-Skimming Devices

Anti-skimming devices can significantly reduce this crime, when a thief puts a phony reader over an ATM device to capture a customer’s card data. The volume of skimming crimes is enormous, yet many ATMs still have no anti-skimming protection.

Cloud Storage for Data

More and more financial organizations are relying upon cloud computing, though this technology also brings with it some concerns, since the cloud involves a third-party provider—which can turn bank data over to the government without the bank’s permission.

A way around this is for the bank to encrypt data prior to placing it in a cloud, and to keep encrypting it even when at rest, and retain the encryption keys.

Biometrics

Fingerprint swiping to withdraw money is one of the latest security tactics: multispectral imaging (MSI). Who can possibly “skim” that? This is biometric technology and is already in thousands of ATMs. This “inner fingerprint” is immune to breakdown from grime, wear or moisture, making it very tamper resistant.

Look for even more progress in the multilayered security of financial institutions in the years to come—technologies that right now we can’t even comprehend.

For more information about this shifting industry, visit:

securitymagazine.com/articles/print/85356-banking-battlegrounds-cyber-and-physical-security-risks-today

Robert Siciliano is an Identity Theft Expert to AllClearID. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen See him knock’em dead in this identity theft prevention video. Disclosures.