The TSA confiscated 2,653 Guns in 2015

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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.

7HIt gets better: People have also tried to sneak past the TSA other potentially lethal weapons. In 2015, the TSA confiscated the following potentially deadly instruments:

  • Metal sickle shaped weapon. This could easily dig out someone’s insides.
  • Gun powder; yes, non-metallic weapons can be detected.
  • Lots and lots of knives
  • Ninja climbing claws (yes, don’t know how else to describe these, but what you’re right now picturing is probably pretty accurate)
  • Ninja stars (scads of these, in all shapes and sizes)
  • Cane swords (a sword hidden in a cane that looks like Grandpa’s)
  • Meat slicer, where is someone traveling that they need to bring a meat slicer, and if they really need to do this, why try to bring it on the plane rather than get it checked through with baggage? Although I doubt they had evil intentions with that device.
  • Grenades, real and fake
  • Pepper spray (lots of it)
  • Samurai swords
  • And no kidding: a Klingon sword—you know, that crescent shaped thing. They actually make these things—called bat’leths—Trekkies don’t get special passes on airplanes.
  • Battarangs (can you figure out what these are, based on the name? Hint: “Holy Ravioli, Batman!”)
  • Drugs (hidden in items that you’d think TSA would never suspect to look in, such as peanut butter, candy wrappers and batteries.

Certainly, some of these travelers meant no harm. In fact, maybe the vast majority of them meant no harm with their weapons, and were just innocently (and idiotically) bringing them along, figuring, “As long as it’s not a gun or sword, my Ninja star or can of mace will be okay.”

However, don’t people know by now that anything sharp and metallic, or containing a chemical poison, will be confiscated? See more allowed/prohibited items HERE.

And what were the people with the grenades, handguns and swords thinking? Certainly not “TSA’s gonna get me!” You humans just amaze me.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

Woman Drives her Sleeping Assailant to Police Station

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You don’t always have to outmuscle a assailant to beat him at his game. This is what a New Zealand woman learned after Vipul Romik Sharma abducted her. At first, things seemed fine; she exited a bar in Otahuhu with the 22-year-old and another man. Then they kidnapped and raped her.

Sharma then told her he was going to drive her home. The car began weaving due to Sharma’s sleepiness. The woman told him he was going to kill her first with his driving, and amazingly, Sharma gave control of the car to her.

At first, she intended on driving straight to her home with Sharma as a passenger. This occurred very early in the morning, and she figured that upon entering her driveway and tooting the horn, her roommate—a “big Islander guy”—would come out and take care of Sharma. But she realized he would have already departed for work.

That’s when she decided to drive straight to the Auckland Central police station—with Sharma snoozing and unaware.

But then the slime awakened, realizing where he was and repeatedly said “I’m sorry.” Too late, Tough Guy—you did the crime, you do the time. The woman told him: “You will be sorry; just wait.” Officers quickly placed Sharma on the ground.

During court, he claimed that the victim consented to the sex. This all happened in 2006, reported in the New Zealand Herald online, and Sharma was found guilty. As for the second man, he too was convicted.

Well, is there anything the woman should have done differently? It depends on what point of time in this chain of events. Certainly, she did everything right when Sharma began driving erratically. But what was she doing exiting a bar late at night with two men she didn’t know in the first place?

This is dangerous because once you’re outside late at night, it’s not difficult for a man to whisk an unwilling woman away into a vehicle and drive off with her, no witnesses. Think before you decide the best thing you can do for yourself at 1 a.m. is exit a bar with a man you just met.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

How to recycle Old Devices

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When it comes to tossing into the rubbish your old computer device, out of sight means out of mind, right? Well yeah, maybe to the user. But let’s tack something onto that well-known mantra: Out of site, out of mind, into criminal’s hands.

7WYour discarded smartphone, laptop or what-have-you contains a goldmine for thieves—because the device’s memory card and hard drive contain valuable information about you.

Maybe your Social Security number is in there somewhere, along with credit card information, checking account numbers, passwords…the whole kit and caboodle. And thieves know how to extract this sensitive data.

Even if you sell your device, don’t assume that the information stored on it will get wiped. The buyer may use it for fraudulent purposes, or, he may resell to a fraudster.

Only 25 states have e-waste recycling laws. And only some e-waste recyclers protect customer data. And this gets cut down further when you consider that the device goes to a recycling plant at all vs. a trash can. Thieves pan for gold in dumpsters, seeking out that discarded device.

Few people, including those who are very aware of phishing scams and other online tricks by hackers, actually realize the gravity of discarding or reselling devices without wiping them of their data. The delete key and in some cases the “factory reset” setting is worthless.

To verify this widespread lack of insight, I collected 30 used devices like smartphones, laptops and desktops, getting them off of Craigslist and eBay. They came with assurance they were cleared of the previous user’s data.

I then gave them to a friend who’s skilled in data forensics, and he uncovered a boatload of personal data from the previous users of 17 of these devices. It was enough data to create identity theft. I’m talking Social Security numbers, passwords, usernames, home addresses, the works. People don’t know what “clear data” really means.

The delete button makes a file disappear and go into the recycle bin, where you can delete it again. Out of sight, out of mind…but not out of existence.

What to Do

  • If you want to resell, then wipe the data off the hard drive—and make sure you know how to do this right. There are a few ways of accomplishing this:

Search the name of your device and terms such as “factory reset”, “completely wipe data”, reinstall operating system” etc and look for various device specific tutorials and in some cases 3rd party software to accomplish this.

  • If you want to junk it, then you must physically destroy it. Remove the drive, thate are numerous online tutorials here too. Get some safety glasses, put a hammer to it or find an industrial shredder.
  • Or send it to a reputable recycling service for purging.

Robert Siciliano is an identity theft expert to BestIDTheftCompanys.com discussing identity theft prevention

Go Two-Factor or go Home

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Logins that require only a password are not secure. What if someone gets your password? They can log in, and the site won’t know it’s not you.

http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-images-online-risks-sign-road-banner-image34668294Think nobody could guess your 15-character password of mumbo-jumbo? It’s still possible: A keylogger or visual hacker could obtain it while you’re sitting there sipping your 700-calorie latte as you use your laptop. Or, you can be tricked—via a phishing e-mail—into giving out your super strong password. The simple username/password combination is extremely vulnerable to a litany of attacks.

What a crook can’t possibly do, however, is log into one of your accounts using YOUR phone (unless he steals it, of course). And why would he need your phone? Because your account requires two-factor authentication: your password and then verification of a one-time passcode that the site sends to your phone.

Two-factor authentication also prevents someone from getting into your account from a device other than the one that you’ve set up the two-factor with.

You may already have accounts that enable two-factor authentication; just activate it and you’ve just beefed up your account security.

Facebook

  • Its two-factor is called login approvals; enable it in the security section.
  • You can use a smartphone application to create authentication codes offline.

Apple

  • Its two-factor works only with SMS and Find my iPhone; activate it in the password and security section.
  • Apple’s two-factor is available only in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and the U.K.

Twitter

  • Twitter’s two-factor is called login verification.
  • Enabling it is easy.
  • Requires a dependable phone

Google

  • Google’s two-factor is called 2-step verification.
  • It can be configured for multiple Google accounts.

Dropbox

  • Activating two-factor here is easy; go to the security section.
  • SMS authentication plus other authentication apps are supported.

Microsoft

  • Enable it in the security info section
  • Works with other authentication apps.

Additionally, check to see if any other accounts you have offer two-factor, such as your bank (though most banks still do not offer this as described above, but do provide a variation of two factor).

Robert Siciliano is an identity theft expert to BestIDTheftCompanys.com discussing identity theft prevention. Disclosures.

Take a Women’s Self-Defense Course

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Crimes against women are often “crimes of opportunity”. The predator doesn’t care if the opportunity presents itself in a major bustling city or in a tiny town with a population of only 400. If he sees prey and nobody else is around, he’ll strike—big town, medium town or small town.

1SDWomen should take self-defense classes, regardless of their age, weight or height. Just do it. There’s more to a high quality self-defense program than learning how to throw a punch, get out of a choke-hold and deliver a kick.

Sometimes, a predator can be frightened away by a woman’s eyes and tone of voice. In fact, a predator will “interview” a woman before assaulting her. He wants to first make sure he can overtake her. He won’t automatically assume he can simply because he’s taller and heavier. He has to qualify her as victim material.

He may do this by asking her for the time, for directions, or just looking at her in a creepy way. Her response, tone of voice and body language will be very telling. Self-defense and martial arts teaches a woman how to display a posture that makes a dangerous man back off.

Sometimes a woman who’s trained to fight will get attacked anyways.

Its simple enough, you have to be willing to injure, hurt and harm your attackers. A good self-defense program will include instruction in how to get out of real attacks and how to fight from the ground and even when there is a weapon involved.

Attackers generally don’t expect their victims to fight back. So what you do, your response to an attacker in the first few moments of an attack, can very well determine the outcome. Scratching a man’s face is a good start, but may anger him rather than scare him, but a solid punch to the throat or a deep gouge to the eyes is better.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

What to Do if Accosted on Street and Dragged by a Man

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The video of Carlesha Freeland-Gaither, 22, being grabbed on a street corner and forced along a sidewalk to her assailant’s car gripped the nation, bringing more attention than ever to how easy it seems for an unarmed man to abduct a woman.

1SDThere are things a woman can do to help prevent such a situation, as well as break free and bolt to safety before the assailant can get her into his car.

  • Sometimes, the abduction seemingly occurs in a microsecond when caught on video. But prior to what we see, there’s been an exchange of communication. Body language accounts for 55 percent of communication: gait, posture, eye contact, facial expression.
  • Thirty-five percent of communication is vocal. Yelling and screaming like an insane angry person is a lot more offensice than cryting and begging like a week person. Many self-defense programs for women instruct them that one of the first things they should do is let out a primal vocal directive to the suspicious man following them, such as “GET LOST!, STOP, NO or even yell PROFANITIES.
    While walking alone at night (or even during the day), be alert to way beyond your personal space, extending your alertness at least one block out in all directions.
  • Never walk close to vans.
  • Have a weapon in your hand at all times. This can be pepper spray (yes, it works) or a huge mock metal key that’s part of your key ring.
  • Using the typical smaller keys to your car or house may not work; they can break.
  • Carry loose single-dollar bills in a decoy pocket. If someone demands your money, pull it out and toss it, then run while the mugger is distracted by the money.
  • If a mugger wants your purse or wallet, toss it, then run. Don’t hand it to them because they could then grab your arm.
  • Be tactical if the assailant grabs you. Though this may seem like an unrealistic way to handle an assault, it’s your only chance unless you’re a lot physically stronger, and even then, a much stronger victim needs to be tactical.
  • Gouge the attacker’s eyes out. This really works. Rather than try to out-muscle him or break away from his strong hold, go for his eyes. The eyes of a 220 pound thug are just as fragile as the eyes of an infant. If this is not possible, then become dead weight.
  • As long as you’re on your feet and those feet are moving, the assailant can transport your body to his vehicle! If you weigh 130 pounds, even 105 pounds, and become willfully paralyzed, your assailant will be forced to carry all of this weight. Drop it to the ground and don’t move. Unless your assailant regularly performs powerlifting exercises at the gym with heavy weights, he’s going to have one helluva time picking you up from the ground.
  • Though it’s not all that difficult for a fit young man to scoop a 120 pound woman into his arms while she is standing, the biomechanics drastically change if the lift begins from the ground!
  • If you’re lying flat, he must either lift up all your weight from a squatted position, or, he must do it with straighter legs but a very bent-over back. This will be impossible for the average man—especially if the victim is heavy-set. Should he decide to just drag your dead weight along the ground to his car, at least this will buy you time in that it gives passers-by more time to see the abduction in progress and call 9-1-1 or directly intervene.
  • If the assailant manages to get you to his car…then it’s time to fight. Grab his groin and squeeze. It’s right there. If he has a cup (he probably won’t), then go for the eyes. Women have been known to escape their attackers. They just don’t make the news very much.
  • Learn self-defense and fighting skills. Never underestimate what a well-trained woman can do to the average or even not-so-average man.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

Father nabs Daughter’s Kidnapper

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So if your family goes to bed, and a sociopath walks in at 4:30 in the morning (because you left a door unlocked!), and grabs your child while you’re asleep …you’d better hope your guardian angel is on steroids.

2BAn Associated Press article reports that a Utah man managed to rescue his 5-year-old daughter as an intruder was carrying her across the lawn after kidnapping her at 4:30 am.

The parents left a door unlocked! The father never heard screams, but was a light enough sleeper that he heard the front door opening, then heard the child talking.

The time lapse between when the front door opened and when the father caught the intruder outside is not clear. But there was enough time for the sociopath to get into the girl’s basement bedroom, pick her up, exit the house, and make it partway across the front lawn before dad came out and demanded he hand her over to him. The intruder did so, then fled. If dad had been a few seconds delayed…this could have been another “missing child’s body found” story.

The intruder is Troy Morley, 48. He was stupid enough to break into another house shortly after this incident, just a few blocks away, entering through a doggie door. Good thing he wasn’t bright enough to figure that a doggie door means a dog lives there and will start bark its head off at his presence.

And yes, that’s how the house’s owner knew he was there; the dogs barked. By this time, police were already nearby searching for the scumbag, and a police dog bit him in the shoulder after the house’s occupants called out for help.

Police said that the attempted abduction was random and still don’t know if Morley knew ahead of time a little girl lived there, or if he decided to kidnap her on a whim upon discovering her bedroom while looking for things to steal.

Though one account says that the little girl was “talking,” a neighbor says that her younger sibling heard screams. The girl’s family is keeping a low profile and trying to get on with their life as normally as possible. No doubt, the parents will never go to bed with an unlocked door ever again.

It took this incident to inspire a couple down the street to consider a home security system. April Parry has three kids and says in the AP article, “That is your biggest fear as a parent.” But don’t wait till someone tries to abduct a child down the street to get an alarm system! Get one NOW. Sociopaths aren’t waiting for you to get smart.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

6 Survival Tips for Being Lost in the Woods

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Some may remember the James Kim case out of Oregon in December 2006. Kim inadvertently chose an old logging road while driving home, getting lost in the woods. He left his wife and two young kids in the vehicle while he sought help, promising to return by early afternoon. He never did and his body was found in a creek. Based on snow tracks it was determined he walked practically in the same loop over and over for 16 miles. Awful.

1MHere are no-nonsense, easy tips for surviving mentally and physically if you ever become lost.

  1. Once you realize you’re lost, assess for injuries or situations that interfere with life sustenance. This assessment is ongoing because it includes avoiding doing anything that could interfere with breathing, blood flow, consciousness, you know, life.
  1. Next is think and observe. Where are you? What landmarks did you spot prior? How did you get here? Assess the environment: Hot? Cold soon? Darkness soon?
  1. Get logical, not emotional. Admit you’re truly lost. If you have an idea from where you came, backtrack mentally for clues, e.g., if you see wet mud on the trail where you think you came, check if your shoes are muddy. Think before you wander.
  1. Inspect your inventory. Maybe you have something that could help like a sharp tool, whistle, cellphone. And, how much water do you have? Sip in small amounts when thirsty, and limit exertion.
  1. It’s time to plan. Once you decide to find your way back, leave trail markers. But don’t budge unless you’re 100 percent sure you know the way out. It’s safer to stay put in your lost spot and wait for rescue than do what James Kim did (rescuers eventually found his vehicle and his unharmed family).
  1. What about food? Don’t panic (cavemen certainly didn’t; long fasts were a way of life). The body can go up to three weeks without food (but only two or three days without water; less in scorching heat).

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

Risk Reduction: #1 Concern of Bank Boards

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The Bank Director’s 2014 Risk Practices Survey reveals some very interesting information about the risk management programs that bank boards have in place.

11DIt’s classically challenging for many banks to assess how risk management practices affect the institution. However, banks that have worked at measuring the impact of a risk management program report favorable outcomes on financial performance.

Survey Findings

  • 97 percent of the respondents reported the bank has a chief risk officer in place or equivalent.
  • 63 percent said that a separate risk committee on the board oversaw risks.
  • 64 percent of banks that have the separate risk committee reported that the bank’s strategic plan plus risk mitigation strategies got reviewed; the other 36 percent weren’t doing this.
  • 30 percent of the respondents believed that the bank’s risk appetite statement encompasses all potential risks.
  • Of this 30 percent, less than half actually use it to supply limits to the board and management.
  • The survey found that the risk appetite statement, risk dashboard and the enterprise risk assessment tools aren’t getting fully used.
  • And only 30 percent analyze their bank’s risk appetite statement’s impact on financial execution.
  • 17 percent go over the bank’s risk profile monthly at the board and executive level, and about 50 percent review such only quarterly; 23 percent twice or once per year.
  • 57 percent of directors believe the board can benefit from more training in the area of new regulations’ impact and possible risk to the bank.
  • 53 percent want more understanding of newer risks like cyber security issues.
  • Senior execs want the board to have more training in overseeing the risk appetite and related issues.
  • 55 percent believe that the pace and volume of regulatory change are the biggest factors in leading to risk evaluation failures.
  • Maintenance of data infrastructure and technology to support risk decision making is a leading risk management challenge, say over 50 percent of responding bank officers, and 40 percent of survey participants overall.

Robert Siciliano is an Identity Theft Expert to AllClearID. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen See him knock’em dead in this identity theft prevention video. Disclosures.

How to safely and securely recycles Devices

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Don’t just throw out your old devices; take measures to protect your personal information.

13DBack Up

Before ridding your device, back up everything on it—everything. Use an automated PC service and/or a flash drive. For the iOS and Android, activate Apple’s iCloud or the Google Auto Backup service.

Wipe

Wiping refers to removing all your data. Simply hitting “delete” or reformatting the hard drive won’t do. I purchased 30 used computers off Craigslist, scoured their hard drives with a forensics expert, and discovered that half of the devices—that had been reformatted—still had personal information.

To wipe Windows PCs, you can use Active KillDisk. For Macs, use the OS X Disk Utility or WipeDrive. “A factory reset should be enough to secure most recent smartphones, provided that you remove any SIM cards that could contain personal info. To be super safe, use Blancco Mobile to wipe the iOS or Android.

Destroy

If you can’t wipe the device, destroy it if you don’t plan on donating or reselling. For example, I recently recycled a laptop that was missing its power supply, so there was no way to turn it on and wipe the disc. Instead I removed the hard drive with a screwdriver, and then took a sledgehammer to it. (Aside from protecting my personal data, it was also a lot of fun.)

Recycle
Ask the recycling company just who does the downstream recycling so that your e-waste doesn’t find its way into a foreign landfill. Make sure the company is part of R2 (Responsible Recycling) or e-Stewards certification programs.

Keep Records

Make sure you document donations with a receipt so that the IRS can give you a little return.

Robert Siciliano is an identity theft expert to BestIDTheftCompanys.com discussing  identity theft prevention. For Roberts FREE ebook text- SECURE Your@emailaddress -to 411247. Disclosures.