How a Wi-Fi Hacker Snoops on Your Laptop and Mobile

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You have likely heard of the dangers of using unsecure public Wi-Fi, so you know that hackers are out there snooping. It is pretty easy to hack into a laptop or mobile device that is on a public Wi-Fi connection with no protection. Hackers can read your emails, steal passwords, and even hijack your website log ins.

Let’s imagine that you are in a local coffee shop with your laptop. All someone has to do is download a wireless network analyzer, which usually has a free trial, and with the right hardware and additional software they can often see what everyone is viewing online…unless they are protected. In some cases they can also read your emails that are going out and received, as well as texts you might be sending. Scary, right?

Tips on How to Use a Wi-Fi Hotspot Safely

You now know what you are up against when you connect to a public Wi-Fi spot, but you should also know that you can use them with some safety in mind. Here are some tips:

  • When you log onto a website, only use an encrypted connection. This means use the URL that begins with HTTPS, not HTTP. Keep an eye on that as you move from page to page because some sites will send you to an unsecured page, which makes you vulnerable.
  • There are also many websites out there that will allow you to encrypt your browsing session automatically. Facebook, for instance, has this. To turn it on, go to your “Security” settings on the site, and then enable “Secure Browsing.”
  • If you are going to check your email, login to your web browser and then ensure that your connection to your email client is encrypted. (Check by looking at HTTPS). If you are using Outlook, or another email client, make sure that your settings are set for encryption.
  • Don’t use any service that is not encrypted when you are on a public Wi-Fi connection.
  • Consider using a VPN when you are connecting to a public Wi-Fi connection. There is a small fee for this, but it’s well worth it.
  • Beware of “evil twins” which are rogue networks designed to mimic legitimate networks. Example “ATT WiFi” my be “Free ATT WiFi”. Other than downloading special software that detects evil twins, the best case is to ask someone who’s knowledgeable as to which network is the safest.
  • If you are on a private network, make sure you realize that they are also vulnerable. Anyone who knows how can spy on the network. Again, use WPA or WPA2 security so the connection is encrypted. However, if someone guesses or knows the password, they can still spy on any device that is connected

ROBERT SICILIANO CSP, is a #1 Best Selling Amazon author, CEO of CreditParent.com, the architect of the CSI Protection certification; a Cyber Social and Identity Protection security awareness training program.

Raising a Boy to Be a Man, not a Sex Predator

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If you looked at a photo of a baby boy, could you ever predict that he would grow up to become a sexual predator? Probably not. However, a study shows that men who commit sexual crimes are more likely to have something called an “anxious attachment” to their mothers due to feeling rejected as children when wanting attention. As adults, this makes those men unable to create a healthy attachment to women. Research also shows that men who talk to other men known to harass women are even more likely to engage in this behavior.

safr.meThe big question here is how to prevent our young sons from growing up an becoming predatory men. Psychology tells us that the core of all painful behaviors are two feelings: not feeling worthy and feeling shameful. So, to stop creating predators, we must eliminate these feelings. Here are some things that we can do to start raising boys to be men and not sexual predators:

Change the Meaning of Power

Living in a society where “power” means being better than another person only leads to humiliation and judgement. When we are humiliated, we feel shamed, and that, in turn, raises the odds that a child would become a sexual predator.

Stop Associating Sex and Power

Both men and women are raised, in most cases, to believe that they can stop feeling shame if they are attractive. Women tend to do this with making themselves skinny, often with eating disorders. Men overcome shame by feeling attractive too, but also by being successful. Both genders find affirmation of this through sex, but if a person already feels humiliated, sex can make them feel even less worthy.

Celebrate our Differences

A cultural shift to celebrate our differences, including those between men and women, men and men, women and women, and those who identify as them, their, they would certainly help, too. Many men began to wonder how they could cause their maleness to be appreciated, too. However, we have to learn that we are different in regards to certain things, and to understand that it is totally possible to express differences of tolerance while still celebrating our differences.

Learn to Really Love

We also have to teach children that real empowerment comes from unconditional love. This is love that is given with joy and given without necessarily getting love in return.

Push an Evolution of Society

Research shows that when we live with an attitude of love and compassion, we feel less fear. So, we have to change the way we look at life and connect with our core ability to be loving and compassionate.

OK, so will all of the above solve our sex predator problem? NO. But, there’s definitely something to being more loving, compassionate, and mindful to others. So as my wife always says to me “Just be nice”.

ROBERT SICILIANO CSP, is a #1 Best Selling Amazon author, CEO of CreditParent.com, the architect of the CSI Protection certification; a Cyber Social and Identity Protection security awareness training program.

Your Uber Driver May be a Criminal

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Do you Uber? If you do, you probably feel pretty safe getting into the car of a stranger. However, you might not be as safe as you think.

Most people take for granted that Uber does background checks on its drivers, but there are actually a number of shady drivers who have recently been accused of crime, and it’s definitely not the first time they have had run ins with law enforcement. Some of these people are accused of committing crimes against their passengers, and that’s where things really get scary.

CNN recently took a look at both Uber and Lyft and found that both companies approved hiring thousands of drivers who have criminal records. Uber responded to this report by saying it knows that there were some hiring mistakes in the past, but they have improved the way they hire, and in 2017, rejected more than 200,000 people because of issues on the background check. However, both companies are not keen to adopt more scrutiny in the screening process.

Several state and local law enforcement agencies are pushing the companies to put more focus on potential drivers. Right now, for instance, they don’t do any fingerprinting nor federal background checks. Instead, both Uber and Lyft use a third-party background check company. It uses the name and Social Security number of potential drivers to check the national sex offender database, local court records, and suspected terrorist databases. The goal is to get drivers on the road as soon as possible, and many of these checks are instant.

Currently, there are 43 states that require screening for rideshare services, but these laws don’t say that the companies have to use a specific company or screen in a certain way. Instead, 42 of these states allow rideshare companies to take responsibility for the screening. Only Massachusetts requires a company background check and an additional check, which is done by the state. Only New York City requires rideshare drivers to have fingerprinting done.

It’s also worth mentioning that just because a company does background checks that include fingerprinting, it isn’t always fool proof. The FBI system that is used for this has incomplete records and it is not meant to be used in this way.

As someone who uses Uber, it’s important that you keep all of this on the back of your mind before you take your next ride. Yes, there is some type of background check done, but don’t let that fool you; your Uber driver could still be a criminal.

ROBERT SICILIANO CSP, is a #1 Best Selling Amazon author, CEO of CreditParent.com, the architect of the CSI Protection certification; a Cyber Social and Identity Protection security awareness training program.

Quick and Dirty Disaster Prep Guide

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How prepared are you for a disaster? Most of us are not prepared, at all, yet two-thirds of us live in an area where we are at a moderate to very high risk of experiencing a natural disaster. Here are a few things you should do, today, to start preparing for a “just in case” situation:

Be Aware

Think about your home and where you live. What disasters are likely to occur? Fire, of course, could happen to any of us, and statistics show that there is a 25% chance that you will experience a major fire in your lifetime. Fires are not the only thing to consider, though. Flooding, winter storms, earthquakes, tornados, and volcanoes are all things that can affect us in the US.

Examine Your Home

In the event of a disaster, do you know where the gas, water, and electric shut-offs are? Are your CO2 and smoke detectors working correctly? Do they have fresh batteries? Do you have fire extinguishers available? Where can you get water? Do you have flashlights and batteries? A first aid kit? A battery-operated radio to get information? All of these things are essential in a disaster situation.

Prepare and Practice

Talk to your family about emergency preparedness. Consider practicing what to do, too, such as in the case of a fire. You might even want to talk to your neighbors about it. Do you have an elderly neighbor or someone who might have extra difficulties during a disaster? Talk to them, too, and help them make a plan.

Other Quick and Dirty Tips for Disaster

Here are some other quick tips for disaster preparedness:

  • Choose a trusted distant contact. It is often easier to make a long-distance call than a local one in a disaster.
  • Consider buying a landline phone if you don’t have one. This gives you two options for calls.
  • Get a waterproof container for documents. Consider laminating these documents or storing them in heavy duty sandwich bags.

Create an Emergency Supply Kit

Finally, create an emergency supply kit including the following:

  • Water – About a gallon per person, per day, and rotate it every six months
  • Food – Enough for each person for three days. Try to find food that doesn’t need to be
  • First Aid Kit – Basic first aid supplies, and any necessary prescription drugs.
  • Batteries – Have extra batteries available. Generic brands are usually okay, but alkaline batteries tend to be better than non-alkaline.
  • Knife – Having a multi-tool knife, like a Swiss Army Knife, can be indispensable.

ROBERT SICILIANO CSP, is a #1 Best Selling Amazon author, CEO of CreditParent.com, the architect of the CSI Protection certification; a Cyber Social and Identity Protection security awareness training program.

Creating an Effective Business Continuity Plan

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Most of us have no idea when a disaster is about to strike, and even if we do have a little warning, it’s very possible that things can go very wrong.

This is where you can put a business continuity plan to good use. What does this do? It gives your business the best odds of success during any disaster.

What Exactly is Business Continuity?

Business continuity, or BC, generally refers to the act of maintaining the function of a business as quickly as possible after a disaster. This might be a fire, a flood, or even a cyber-attack. With this plan in place, you can refer to it for specific instructions and procedures that need to be done following these disasters.

Some people believe that a disaster recovery, or DR, plan is the same as a BC plan, but that’s not the case. A DR plan focuses specifically on the IT side of things. In fact, the DR plan is one part of a full BC plan.

Think of your own organization. Do you have a plan in place to get sales up and running immediately? What about HR? Manufacturing? Customer service? If your physical business was leveled in a tornado, how would your CS reps handle calls from customers? If you have no idea, you probably need to think about a BC plan.

Why Having a BC Plan Matters

It doesn’t matter if you have a small business or large corporation, it’s very important that you remain competitive. It is imperative that you keep your current customers while also bringing in new ones…and there is no better test for you than a disaster.

Making sure that your IT capabilities are restored is critical, and there are a number of solutions available. You can certainly rely on your IT team to do this, but what about the rest of the company functions? The future of your company depends on you getting back on track quickly. If not, you can see your value plummet and customer confidence tumble.

Your company can also experience losses. These include financial losses, but also legal losses, and, of course, your company’s reputation.

The Parts of a BC Plan

If your business doesn’t have any type of BC plan in place, you should start by assessing all of your business processes. Take a look at and point out all of the vulnerable areas, and what your losses might be if you lose function in those areas for a day…a couple of days…a week, or even more.

Next, you want to start developing a course of action. There are six steps here, in general, including:

  • Step #1 – Identify what you need to do with this plan
  • Step #2 –Choose your key areas to focus on
  • Step #3 – Pick what functions are critical
  • Step #4 – Look for dependencies between different areas and functions of your business
  • Step #5 – Calculate how much downtime is acceptable for all critical functions
  • Step #6 – Make a plan to keep your company going

One of the best tools that you can have for a BC plan is a checklist that includes all of your equipment and supplies, the location of all of your backups, who should have the plan, and any contact information regarding emergency contacts, important personnel, and backup providers.

Remember, a disaster recovery plan is only one part of the BC plan, so if you don’t have a DR plan, this is a perfect time to do it. If you already have a DR plan, don’t assume that it’s going to work in with your BC plan. You need to make sure that all parts align together.

As you work to create this plan, think about meeting with people who have successfully gone through a disaster with success. They can give you some great insight and valuable information.

You Need to Test Your BC Plan

It is very important that you make sure your plan works before a disaster strikes, and the only way to do that is to test it. The best test, of course, is a real incident, but you can also create a controlled environment and test your plan.

You want to make sure that your BC plan is totally complete and that it will meet your needs in the event of a disaster. You don’t want to take the easy way out, either. Any testing you do should be a challenge for the plan. You also have to make sure that the objectives you have are able to be measured. If you just try to “get away with it,” you will have a weak plan and no success when a disaster strikes.

It is recommended that you test your BC plan a few times a year, especially if there have been any changes, such as a change in key personnel or new equipment. Doing things like walk-throughs and simulations can help everyone on your team practice, and make sure you are all ready should a disaster hit.

Always Review and Improve Your BC Plan

The efforts your put into testing your BC plan cannot be stressed enough. Once that is done, some organizations leave it and focus on other tasks. However, this is when things get stale.

Evolution is happening all of the time with both your personnel and your technology, so it’s imperative that your plan is updated to reflect that. So, you should, at least annually, bring your key personnel together to review the plan and point out any areas that might need modification. You also might want to get some feedback from your staff, too, which you can add to your plan. If you have different branches, make sure to include them in this, too.

Ensuring Your BC Plan is Supported

Having a casual attitude towards your BC plan is a sure-fire way to have it fail. Every BC plan must have the support of all staff from the CEO on down. Senior management, especially, must take a role in supporting the plan, as they can delegate to their teams. Additionally, the plan has better odds of staying fresh in the mid of everyone when it is a priority for management.

Finally, it is also very important that senior management promotes user awareness of the BC plan. After all, if your staff doesn’t know about it, how can they act during a disaster when every second of action counts? Plan distribution and training can help here, too, so consider some type of HR-led initiative to bring all employees onboard with it. This way, your staff will know how important a plan like this is, plus you make sure that they see it as a credible part of the business.

ROBERT SICILIANO CSP, is a #1 Best Selling Amazon author, CEO of CreditParent.com, the architect of the CSI Protection certification; a Cyber Social and Identity Protection security awareness training program.