A couple of weeks ago, the RSA Security conference took place in San Francisco, CA. The increasing sophistication of hackers and visibility of data breaches (including one on the conference’s namesake company last year) makes this an exciting time to be in the security business.. While this show is for corporate IT and security professionals,…
You’ve seen barcodes all your life. So you know what they look like: rectangles “boxes” comprised of a series of vertical lines. When a cashier scans a barcode, you hear a familiar beep and you are charged for that item. A QR code looks different and offers more functionality. QR stands for “quick response.” Smartphones…
The Internal Revenue Service issued its annual “Dirty Dozen” ranking of tax scams, reminding taxpayers to use caution during tax season to protect themselves against a wide range of that aren’t necessarily always perpetrated by an outsider trying to scam the business or individual, but sometimes these are inside jobs that put the company in…
USB flash drives are handy little devices that can cause big security headaches. Even with robust datasecurity policies USBdrives often fall thru the cracks (and out of pockets). These flash drives are often used by employees for both personal and business use which could potentially spread a virus from a home PC to the corporate…
Identity theft occurs when someone takes your personally identifiable information (PII), and misuses it, abuses it, and adapts it to his or her own life, often for financial gain. When an identity thief does this, your good name is soiled—the name you have worked so hard to keep in good standing. Rectifying it can be…
At the McAfee FOCUS conference in October of last year, members from McAfee Labs™ spoke about malware and other threats that affect security. One of the most popular events was when they brought an iPad on stage and did a live hack. The researchers were able to remotely watch as a user accessed his email and even interacted with…
Although it’s been a mild winter people still get itchy to head out for a ski vacation or a tropical one. Many people are searching online classifieds like Craigslist, eBay, newspapers and real estate listings for vacation rentals. The most suspect site is Craigslist. I’m fully engaged in Craigslist and continually receive scammy communications from…
Location-based services utilize geo-location information to publish your whereabouts. In some cases, these services can also provide discounts or freebies as a reward for “checking in” at participating businesses and gathering “points.” These services can also be used to share photos and other media in real-time with your friends and followers. Geo-location or geo-tagging can be used…
In Seattle 3 men have been arrested for hacking the wireless networks of over a dozen businesses along with 41 burglaries. They are alleged to have stolen at least $750,000 in funds, computer equipment and other items. SeattlePIreported their Wi-Fi hacking techniques included “wardriving,” in which hackers mount a high-strength Wi-Fi receiver inside a car and…
Shopping is for people with time and money. When I am a consumer, it’s because I need something, and not necessarily the biggest or the best something. I need something practical, safe, and smart. eBay allows consumers to search for exactly what they need, and can be a great place to find hard-to-get items. Overall,…
