Entries by Robert Siciliano

Think You’re Protected? Think Again!

In 1990, when only the government and a number of universities were using the Internet, there were 357 unique pieces of malware. The need for security began with desktop computing when the only means of compromising data was by inserting a contaminated floppy disk into a PC or opening an infected email attachment. That was…

Social Web Loaded With Profile Misrepresentation

“Social fakes” are invented profiles on social media (often referred to as profile misrepresentation), which can be used to harass or mock victims anonymously. But the more lucrative fake profile is one that imitates a legitimate business, damaging that business’s online reputation. The imposters’ ultimate goal? Spam leading to scams. Social-web security provider Impermium published…

Burglar Hits 60 Houses in 60 Days

Police in Morristown NJ have a prime suspect in mind which they call an “opportunist”. Sometimes the burglar breaks in by using a crowbar or breaking a window but mostly he just goes in through an unlocked door or window. He’s going after the standard gold jewelry and laptops, stuff that’s easy to fence. But…

Check Out These Hurricane Prep Apps

Hurricane Irene whacked the east coast over two weeks ago and people are still pumping out. Roads are still messed up and life has changed for many. My property was in the path, although she went a little west of me so I was spared any damage. But if she did head a little east…

Study Shows Banks Blocking More Fraud

Network World reports, “The Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center (FS-ISAC) polled 77 financial institutions and asked how many account takeovers occurred in 2009 and during the first six months of 2010. The FS-ISAC consists of a group of banks that shares threat information and interacts with the federal government on critical infrastructure issues.…

Nicolas Cage’s First Hand Home Invasion Experience

  Apparently Nicolas Cage at one time didn’t believe in home security systems. He recently filmed a movie called “Trespass” about thieves’ who con their way into the opulent mansion where Cage’s character lives with his unhappy wife (played by Nicole Kidman) and their daughter, Reuters reports. The tagline for the title is: “When terror…

Celine Dions Burglar Takes a Bath

The burglar apparently sauntered up her driveway and jiggled the door of an unlocked car in the driveway. The door was open and of course the keys were in the ignition along with the garage door opener. This was all the burglar needed to open the door, head inside and make himself a tasty snack…

Online Auto Sales Often Involve Scary Scams

Online auction and classifieds websites are unwittingly participating in car sale scams. Ads gain credibility by appearing on eBay, Craigslist, and other online automobile sales websites, but some are either completely phony or have been copied and pasted from other websites. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received nearly 14,000 complaints from 2008 through 2010, from…