Entries by Robert Siciliano

10 security tips when selling your house

The housing market is coming back, and lots of people are selling their homes—and you may be considering it too. Will you use a real estate agent or do it yourself? No matter which path you choose, there are safety and security considerations for both. When opening your home to strangers, the risks to your family’s personal…

11 Easy and Simple Home Security Tips

Occasionally it’s good to be reminded of the fundamentals of home security. Print this out and stick it on your bulletin board at work or on your refrigerator as a reminder to everyone in your family. Daytime burglaries: Many burglaries happens during daylight hours; very few occur at night—which means even when you step out…

Cellular Base Station Range Extenders Vulnerable to Attack

Low-powered cellular base stations are often found in residential homes and small businesses where mobile coverage is scant. The device, which also known as a femtocell, connects to DSL or cable connections and extends cellular coverage to a functional level where cell towers simply don’t reach. Some cellular base stations can accommodate up to 16…

10 Years: National Cyber Security Awareness Month 2013

Today marks the beginning of National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM). This year we celebrate the 10th anniversary of NCSAM. Since its inception a decade ago under leadership from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance, NCSAM has been a collaborative effort between government and industry to ensure every American has the resources…

Identity Thieves Go After the Deceased

There are a reported 2.5 million cases of identity theft among the deceased every year. Theft of deceased people’s identity happens partly because of the availability of public records coupled with the time it takes for credit bureaus, the Social Security Administration, financial institutions and others to process a deceased person’s Social Security number (SSN) in…

5 Ways to Limit Mobile WiFi Risks

WiFi is everywhere, and some connections are more secure than others. There are five ways to ensure more secure use of a mobile WiFi connection: Turn off WiFi. The most secure WiFi is one that is turned off. Disabling the WiFi signal on your device prevents anyone from seeing your device. If WiFi is turned…

It’s Even Easier Now For Regular Folks To Conduct Cybercrime

Here’s a late night infomercial for you: How’s that burger flipping going? That cubicle working out? Anyway, I’m sure your boss is such a nice guy. Guess what! If you’re interested in a career in criminal hacking, you don’t even need a computer! This (scary) special, one-time offer comes to you right now from the…

Danger: Wireless Toilets Next on Hackers’ List

Just about anything wireless is hackable today. Everything—from PCs to mobiles to tablets to home automation devices to pacemakers to insulin dispensers and even cars—are hackable. And now “smart” toilets. CNET reports, “[Smart] toilets can be controlled using an Android app, but the Bluetooth PIN is hard-coded to ‘0000.’ Just knowing that code number means the awesome…