A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. This common phrase can be applied to almost anything. In the security industry we call this a “vulnerability” or the “path of least resistance”. In your home, in regards to home security, this weak link is often your front or back door. If you take…
Imagine being overseas, and in the process of using your credit card to make a purchase—and it’s declined—and you have no currency or checkbook. Nightmare. The decline could be to prevent fraudulent use; perhaps it was recently reported lost, but then found or the country you are in is known for fraud. To clear this…
The threat of data theft follows travelers; there’s never a vacation from hackers. So what should the traveler do? Anticipate snooping by hackers. This way, you can prepare for the worst. If you must bring a laptop, use it as a shell to access data remotely. Leave private information behind. If this is not possible,…
If a loved-one has gone missing, the first thing you should do is call the police. That sounds obvious, but how many times have you read about parents or spouses who delayed calling the police (even though they weren’t involved in the abduction)? A myth is that there’s a waiting period before the police will…
Don’t be part of the “I’ll never get hacked” camp. Do you really think it won’t happen to you? If so, it’s: Because you think no phishing e-mail could get past your radar. Just because you can spot a Nigerian scam doesn’t mean you can’t be tricked. Phishing campaigns today are ingenious and sophisticated, and…
Keeping your hard drive in tip-top shape is key to a well-running computer. A crashed hard drive means smacking a big wet-one goodbye to all of your data. Eliminate Unnecessary Data De-clutter the drive to make its workload easier. One way of de-cluttering is to uninstall programs you never use (go to the control panel).…
Those cutesy photos in your phone of your puppy can reveal your location because the images leave footprints leading straight to your home. The trace data is called EXIF: exchangeable image file format. It may contain GPS coordinates of where you took the photos. Apple’s and Google’s smartphones ask owners if it’s okay to access…
Despite the fact that tens of millions of consumers were hit by the numerous big breaches, and tens of millions more by less sensationalized breaches, you can still take the reins and yield some protection for your credit cards. Make online payments with single-use or prepaid cards. What a great idea! If you have multiple…
After a long day of hard work, there’s nothing like coming home, throwing on some PJs, and watching some good old late night television. I love catching up on all the latest news and watching celebrities like Kaley Cuoco-Sweetin discuss the celebrity photo hack (what can I say? I’m a security junkie). It seems like…
Maybe you’ve heard of burglars stealing porn…but leaving it at the victim’s house? A man in Salem, Oregon, broke into a woman’s apartment, leaving behind a porn video in a seven-year-old girl’s bedroom. Police think the man broke in earlier and hid in the girl’s closet, then made his move soon after midnight, replacing the…
