Entries by Robert Siciliano

What is Identity Theft?

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…

Jailbreaking an iPad Exposes Vulnerabilities

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…

Vacation Rentals Are Scam Bait

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…

Don’t Let Location-Based Services Put You in Danger

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…

Wireless Security:Wi-Fi Hacking Burglars Busted

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…

5 Smart and Safe eBay Shopper Tips

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,…

McAfee Mobile Security Delivers at Mobile World Congress

In Barcelona, Spain on Feb. 27, 2012 McAfee unveils its series of technology advancements that deliver upon its vision of providing comprehensive mobile security and privacy protection for devices, data and apps. McAfee® Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM™) 10.0, available now, includes significant security updates for enterprise customers to enable ‘bring your own device’ practices in the enterprise. With EMM 10.0,…

Protecting Your Customer Data from Hackers

Criminal hackers hack for fun, fame, revenge, trade secrets, or terror, but mostly they hack for financial gain. According to a data breach study, based on 75 incidents in the second half of 2010, 13% of web hacking cases involved leaked client data leading to financial fraud. (The top two reasons hackers attacked websites were…