Managing Tech Time for Your Children

/0 Comments/in , /by

Kids used to be really happy with necklace kits, puzzles, and building blocks, but these days, they really prefer other things, including tech gifts, which can connect them to the rest of the world.

But, with these gifts, not only do they get something techy, but they also come with risks including:

  • Less sleep
  • Obesity
  • Disconnection with family and friends
  • More time focused on these gadgets
  • Higher chances of cyberbullying
  • Using the device as a surrogate parent

Even though all of this is the case, you still probably want to give your kids the best tech devices out there. So, here are some ideas that you can use to manage your children’s tech time:

Have a Family/Parent Night

Give each of your kids a “Parent night” with you and/or your spouse in order to stay away from technology for a couple of hours.

Start New Rules

You also can set new rules in the home. For example, after dinner, the first kid to reach for their phone has to clear the table and do the dishes.

Create Restrictions

You can start creating restrictions, too, and these can definitely help your kid stay away from their devices

  • When you give your kid a smart phone, you should create an agreement with them so that you always know their passwords, and they should know that you will randomly go through their phone whenever you want to.
  • Your child must also agree that you will always have access to their social media accounts, and you will check their posts whenever you want to.
  • Encourage them to get information in other ways besides the internet. For instance, make sure they know how to use a dictionary and how to find a country on a globe.
  • Limit internet use to schoolwork during the week.
  • Have a “black out” time for devices each night. You can confiscate the devices before bed, for instance, or hide them if you have some sneaky kids around.
  • If your kids’ friends come over, ban phone use in your home.
  • Limit the use of devices when your kids are in the car. Eventually, they must learn to drive, and there is a lot of distractions on their devices. Though this doesn’t guarantee that the kids won’t be distracted by other things, they can still learn a valuable lesson and get in the habit of NOT having a device within reach when they begin to drive themselves.
  • Set a good example; don’t text and drive.
  • Get your kids started in activities that don’t require the use of a phone. Do this early, so they look at it as a habit.
  • Put them in sports. It’s difficult to hit a ball or shoot a basket if they have a cell phone in their hand.
  • Have family time for activities that don’t require a phone. Examples are bike riding, hiking, board games, bowling, cooking, baking, etc. When doing these things, phones should be banned.

Some people think that these things are harsh, or to some, even impossible. But really, all of it is easy to do, and you just need to do it. You could also be protecting them from identity theft.

Written by Robert Siciliano, CEO of Credit Parent, Head of Training & Security Awareness Expert at Protect Now, #1 Best Selling Amazon author, Media Personality & Architect of CSI Protection Certification.

Avoiding Online Dating Romance Scams

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

Not too long ago, I heard from a friend, and he told me his mom was scammed. I was immediately intrigued. He goes on to tell me that since his dad died last year, his mom had signed up for online dating. My friend told his mom that online dating can be dangerous, but she blew it off. Soon, she met a man. He was a Sergeant in the US military and stationed in Afghanistan. They exchanged a lot of messages, and soon became close. One day, she got a message from him saying that he had found a large sum of money and he needed help getting it back to the US…and in only three months, he scammed her out of $242,000. Then…he disappeared.

Online DatingThis is only one of the thousands of stories out there. Scammers know that people looking for love, especially women, can be more vulnerable than others. Another guy I know of was meeting women on social media. He was charming them after sending them messages via their inbox, and ultimately tricking them into giving up their personal info. With this, the guy was able to open new lines of credit in the names of his victims.

Preventing Romance Scams

 Here are some tips to stay safe if you are going to date online:

  • Be suspicious of anyone who tries to impress you with romantic or statements that seem cliché.
  • Once they start talking love and marriage and achy breaky hearts and wanting to be with you and I love you this and I love you that, chances are it’s a scammer.
  • Remember, women can be scammers, too.
  • Be wary if the guy you met online keeps showering you with too many complements. He’s trying to be charming but might not have the best of intentions.
  • If you meet someone on a dating site, and they immediately want to exchange numbers after the first message, be cautious.
  • If someone you are newly dating asks for money, run.
  • If they want to come visit you, but then ask you to pay, it’s probably a scam.
  • Don’t talk about how much money you make or have. If he or she keeps asking, tell them you are on a very tight budget.

Who are these scammers?

Well, they might be part of scamming rings, or they might be working on their own. They are probably from a foreign country, and they almost always portray that they have some type of prestigious or exotic job, and in some way, this job is often connected to the scam. If the person says that they have a normal job, don’t get too comfortable. They still could be a scammer. They then will make up an illness or an injury and tell you that they need money.

Protecting Yourself

 Now that you have read this, you should know how to protect yourself from these types of scams. If you don’t, read this article again. Finally, here is one more trick. Right click on the person’s photo, and then click “Search Google for this Image.” If you see the image on another person’s Facebook profile, or if it’s a stock image, you should run for the hills.

None of this is difficult to understand, and it’s all common sense. But, as stated before, common sense can go right out the window when romance is concerned. So, try to have some smarts as you begin a relationship with anyone. Ask questions, don’t take anything at face value, and most of all, share this post to help other people become aware of these scams.

Written by Robert Siciliano, CEO of Credit Parent, Head of Training & Security Awareness Expert at Protect Now, #1 Best Selling Amazon author, Media Personality & Architect of CSI Protection Certification.

Protecting Your Social Security Number

/0 Comments/in /by

Many people wonder if it is safe in certain situations to give out their Social Security number. We sure are asked for it a lot, but do you have to give it? When is it necessary? Here is some perspective:

One of the best rules you can live by is this: just because a person asks for your Social Security number, it doesn’t mean you have to give it. But also remember there are situations where you will not be provided various services unless you get it out.

You might feel that you have to, though, and freely give it. This could be a huge mistake, though. There are many times when you want to, though, and you should, but you have to do it with discretion.

Here’s the thing. Some of the people and organizations that ask for your Social Security number really have no business asking. Even when they ask for the last four digits of your SSN, don’t give that out, either, unless you know that the company already has it on file.

Really, when the IRS is involved, or other government agencies, or it is something financial that’s credit driven, such as getting a loan, you likely need to give out your Social Security number. In other cases, like applying for a job, you can tell a business you are not comfortable giving your number unless you are hired, and then they would need it for tax purposes.

I give out my Social Security number when required, with a little scrutiny, but in the end, I’m not worried about identity theft due to the fact that I have ID theft protection and a credit freeze which in most cases makes my Social Security number useless to a thief.

Tips to Protect Your Social Security Number

Here are some tips you can use to protect your Social Security number:

  • Don’t put your SSN on any written application or document. If your application is denied because of this, ask them if it’s really necessary, otherwise, give them your SSN.
  • Ask your bank if they absolutely require your SSN to verify your identity. There are other options they can use. But the Patriot Act might require it.
  • Consider extending your ID theft protection to include your children’s SSNs. Teach them to never give it out.
  • If you are at the doctor’s office, find out if you can use another number, such as the account number for your insurance.
  • Don’t send your SSN via email. If someone wants it, call them and give it to them verbally. Even then, don’t give the number out unless you know without a doubt that it’s legitimate.
  • You should get a statement from the Social Security Administration concerning your account each year. If your income is too high, someone else is probably using your number.
  • Don’t keep your Social Security card in your wallet. Instead, memorize the number and keep the card at home.
  • Don’t ever use your SSN as a password for anything.
  • If, for any reason, your SSN is in your PC, make sure the document is encrypted or password-protected.
  • Before you throw away any paperwork that has your SSN on it, black it out, and then shred the documents.

Really, all you have to do is have some common sense when it comes to your Social Security number. For instance, if you are applying for credit, it makes sense that they would need this. If you are getting a gym membership, unless they are granting a credit, they don’t need it.

Written by Robert Siciliano, CEO of Credit Parent, Head of Training & Security Awareness Expert at Protect Now, #1 Best Selling Amazon author, Media Personality & Architect of CSI Protection Certification.

Keeping Your SMB Bring-Your-Own-Devices Secure

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

If you have a small or medium sized business, it is likely that you have staff who are bringing their tablets, phones, iPads, and laptops to work every day. However, all of this puts your business to risk as they can also bring malware into your network.

On top of this, any of these devices can be lost, misplaced, or stolen. Since its extremely likely that your staff are using these devices for their work, think about all of the information that could be on there about your company…and it happens because Joe in accounting left his cell phone on the counter at a local coffee shop, and a hacker picked it up.

Also, think about this: depending on how successful your company is, there also might be a list of clients found on the devices, or at least a few. Now, someone has access to your clients, and what is stopping them from contacting your competitors and sharing your sensitive company information…for a price, of course.

Hacking also often involves the act of phishing where an employee will open up an email and then click on a link or open an attachment. When this happens, malware is unleashed, and the device and network is at risk.

Here are some tips to keep devices secure that you can share with your staff:

  • Only use apps that have been purchased from a reliable source like iTunes or Google Play.
  • Do not reuse passwords and use a different password for each login that you have.
  • Keep all apps and operating systems updated. Any update that comes in should be downloaded and installed immediately. Don’t choose to update later, as this is a great opportunity for hackers to get into a vulnerable app.
  • Start using anti-virus software. These apps can be found in iTunes or in the Google Play store.
  • Be cautious when installing anything with a “free download.” Sometimes viruses and malware can be found there, and they can get out onto your network before you know it.
  • Choose the feature where device passwords are protected and wiped clean after a certain number of log-in attempts.
  • Make sure that all staff understands that free Wi-Fi spots are not secure. So, they should be using a VPN anytime they are trying to connect to a free Wi-Fi network.
  • Phishing scams are becoming more common than ever before, so make sure that your staff knows how to recognize scams like this.
  • Don’t trust email addresses that you don’t know and don’t trust any email that claims it is coming from the CEO or Board of Directors unless it’s an email that you can verify.
  • Do not use any device that is jailbroken. This opens it up to too many viruses.

Understanding MDM

Mobile device management software, or MDM, should be used. This software helps to protect devices, and it is a safety net for any type of business or personal device. For instance, if a mobile device is lost and the person who finds it tries to enter the passcode a certain number of times, the device will lock out the person doing it. You can also set it so that the entire device is erased if there are too many login attempts. MDM also offers firewall protection, encryption, and antivirus capabilities. Additionally, it can monitor the system to add another level of security. There should be a policy in place that every employee must use this software on their device, or they can’t use it.

Utilize Additional Experts

“Do it yourself” information security for small business in theory might seem to save a few bucks. But in the long run it might cost your small business a lot more. Engaging experts such as Managed Security Service Providers, or for smaller businesses, also known as a Virtual CISO’s (chief information security officer), can run the most comprehensive vulnerability scanning software among other ethical hacking tools, will make sure bad guy hackers can’t get in and make a mess of all you have worked for.

Written by Robert Siciliano, CEO of Credit Parent, Head of Training & Security Awareness Expert at Protect Now, #1 Best Selling Amazon author, Media Personality & Architect of CSI Protection Certification.

Protecting Yourself from Cyber Extortion

/0 Comments/in , /by

You might not think that you could ever be a victim of cybercrimes, but you would be incorrect. You are just as much of a possible victim than anyone else, and you have to know how to protect yourself.

passwordOne of the easiest ways that hackers can get victims is to trick people into clicking links in emails or opening attachments. Something as simple as this can easily lead to viruses and other security issues, like ransomware, and no one is ready to deal with this.

Cyber extortion is on the rise, and it involves infecting a computer with ransomware, which means the victim will not be able to access their files unless they pay money via bitcoin to the attacker. This software is installed when the victims click on links in emails.

Many of these emails ask for information that is sensitive. If you get one of these emails, you should have alarm sounding off. If you don’t, you could, blindly, give the hacker information about you, such as your passwords, account numbers, or worse.

Extortion Prevention

Here are some things that you can do to prevent yourself from cyber extortion:

  • Install a password manager software
  • Don’t use the following in your passwords: words or names that are obviously yours, any keyword sequence (ZXCVB), any password under eight characters, or anything easy to guess.
  • Make sure every account has a unique password.
  • If an account offers it, enable two-factor authentication. Each time you try to log in, you cannot gain access to the account unless you insert a one time code, which is delivered to your phone via text. If someone contacts you and asks for a code like this, you should hear alarm bells in your head.
  • Create passwords with a mix of letters, symbols, and numbers. Randomly choose these like a toddler would if they were typing and add them to your password manager.
  • Don’t ever click on any link that comes to you via email unless you confirm its legitimacy with the sender. A single click might download a virus, or you might be directed to a site that can lure you into typing your username, password, and other information. A red flag that you might be at risk of doing this is if you get an email that says, “Your Account Was Suspended.”
  • Often, these emails seem like they come from a source you trust like PayPal, a bank, the IRS, or your employer.
  • You also might see a sense of urgency in these emails, such as “Act within 24 hours” or “You must…”
  • Don’t open any attachments including those from a person or company that claims they want to offer you a job.
  • Do not post any sensitive personal information on your social media accounts. Hackers can use this information to figure out login information.
  • Have a business email account and a personal one.
  • Don’t connect to public Wi-Fi and do anything like shopping or banking. If you don’t have a choice, you can browse by using a VPN, virtual private network.

Some of this might sound like a pain, or even inconvenient, but believe it or not, you are a target for hackers, and they are just waiting for you to take the bait.

Written by Robert Siciliano, CEO of Credit Parent, Head of Training & Security Awareness Expert at Protect Now, #1 Best Selling Amazon author, Media Personality & Architect of CSI Protection Certification.