Entries by Robert Siciliano

Woman Scammed of 400K

Police are warning elderly and those who have elderly parents that not all scams are done online. Some are executed using good ole’ snail mail and the telephone. An “80-year-old woman received a letter in the mail claiming she had been awarded a large amount of money, but was required to pay fees and complete…

One in Three Massachusetts Residents’ Records Breached

Massachusetts has one of the most stringent data protection laws on the books. Businesses are required to disclose data breaches, and companies are now reporting when even a single individual’s information has been compromised. Despite strict laws and security requirements, companies are continually being hacked in record numbers. And if major businesses still being hacked…

Ghosting Identity Theft Scams

There are generally 2 types of financial identity theft. New account fraud and account takeover. New account fraud Identity theft can occur when someone opens a new credit card in your name, maxes it out, and doesn’t pay the bill. Account takeover Identity theft can also occur when a bad guy gets your information, uses…

Do You Have A False Sense of Cybersecurity for Mobile?

Nearly three-quarters of Americans have never installed data protection applications or security software on their mobile devices to prevent data loss or defend against viruses and malware. 72% of us have unsecured smartphones, to be exact, even though we are using them more frequently in our digital lives. A recent survey shows that 44% of Americans…

5 Online Security Tips For Valentines Day

For some, Valentines means they might be lonely. I’ve been there, and I know many who are there now. That loneliness can distort your perspective in a way that trumps common sense. This leads people to make badly considered decisions that only worsen their circumstances. Unfortunately, scammers use this raw emotion as leverage on online…

Barefoot Bandit Gets 7 Years

You may recall the story about Colton Harris Moore who as a teenager was busted for committing over 100 burglaries in the Pacific Northwest. He stole cars, speedboats and airplanes and is known as the “Barefoot Burglar” because he kicked off his shoes running from the police through the woods. Last summer he signed a…

75 Million Unique Malware Samples By 2012

Imagine your body being targeted by 75 million viruses. That is exactly what’s happening to your digital devices. Laptops, desktops, netbooks, notebooks, Macs, iPads, iPhones, BlackBerrys, Androids, and Symbian mobile phones are all being targeted. The most recent threats report from McAfee Labs reveals a grim outlook and a variety of threats. Mobile: Android has…