Entries by Robert Siciliano

Government risks Consumers’ Identities

Guess who may be compromising the security of your Social Security Number. The Social Security Administration! Yep, that’s right. Did you know that 66 percent of the mail the SSA sends out contains someone’s Social Security number? This is what the inspector general of the SSA, Kimberly Byrd, says, and I believe it. How many…

How the FBI hacks You

In a recent Wired.com expose’, they expose how the FBI has been secretly hacking civilian computers for about 20 years, but thanks to Rule 41, their ability to hack has been expanded. Nevertheless, effective record keeping for these hacking incidents doesn’t exist. For instance, search warrants that permit hacking are issued using elusive language, and…

Home Security Cameras 101: Filming

Before buying a security camera, ask yourself: Where do you want to place it? How well-hidden can it be or does it need to be? Are you familiar with laws pertaining to filming people with or without their knowledge? Where is setting up the camera illegal? Bathrooms, locker rooms, dressing rooms and residences other than…

Business Credit Scores 101

Are you a small business? Do you know your business’s credit score? The range is zero to 100 for most credit reporting agencies, with at least 75 being desirable if you want to be approved for financing and trade credit (business loan or line of credit), says a report at NAV.com and from Gerri Detweiler’s…

Child Predator screws up, gets caught

If you’re a pedophile, you’d be wise not to keep any prescription containers in view of a webcam with your lewd pictures. The information on such a bottle is what helped pedophile Stephen Keating get 110 years in the slammer says a CNN article. But the amazing thing is that the bottle’s information was extracted…

Ransomware Hackers provide Customer Service Dept. to Victims

Yes, believe it or not, ransomware has become such a booming business for thieves, that these cyber thugs even provide bona fide customer service departments to guide their victims! When ransomware infects your computer, it holds your files hostage; you can’t access them—until you pay the hacker (usually in bitcoins). Once paid, the crook will…

The TSA confiscated 2,653 Guns in 2015

How dumb can air travelers be, trying to get guns past the TSA? Duhh, don’t they know that the X-ray equipment or pat-downs will detect them? Just last year, over 2,600 guns were detected. More than 80 percent of these guns were loaded. Talk about the world’s dumbest criminals. It gets better: People have also…

Hacker for hire a rising Trend

Hackers and wannabe hackers can easily purchase cheap tools of the trade online. The security firm Dell SecureWorks Inc. confirms this in their latest report and adds that underground markets for hackers, including those from Russia, is thriving. The “Dark Web” is the go-to place for hackers looking for guidance and tools like malware. Yes,…