Did you know you can buy Social Security numbers (SSNs) online? It’s legal to do so in most cases, and pretty much anyone who has an internet connection can make a purchase. Information brokers or data brokers, as they are known, sell this information in the form of background checks. In some instances, the SSN…
WiFi connects us everywhere, such as in parks, subways, airplanes, coffee shops and public WiFi hotspots. The WiFi Alliance says there are more than a million hotspots worldwide, and a report by market research company Informa Telecoms and Media (Informa.com) reports that Wifi hotspot numbers are set to grow to 5.8 million globally in the…
Baby monitors have evolved from simple one-way radio communications based on older radio waves to highly evolved IP based, internet-connected cameras that can be viewed on a smartphone or tablet. Back in the day, when cordless phones were 900 MHZ, it was common to hear someone else’s conversations on your own phone or easy enough…
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…
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…
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…
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…
We all do it. We probably all just don’t admit it. Well I admit it—I’ve searched for that elusive picture of Kimye’s baby North (who I thought would be called Kadence, but I’m not in the know, which is why I’m on the search engines constantly). But what most of us don’t realize is that searching…
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…
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…
