Is Your Spouse Cheating? Your Kids Lying? They Might Use a Vault Application

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If you have a child who has a smartphone or a spouse who is acting suspicious, they might be hiding things on their mobile devices. How are they doing this? By using a vault application.

Basically, these apps offer a place where people can hide things like videos, photos, and other files, and you would probably never realize it by looking at their phones.

vault application

Vault application – how does it work?

A vault application is basically little storage app where people can store things they want to hide. Some of them are called “Calculator Vault,” “Ky-Calc,” and “Calculator Percent.” Unsurprisingly, if you were to open these apps, they simply look like a calculator.

In fact, you can use them as a calculator. But, if a secret code is put into the app, you can store things. For example, “Ky-Calc” allows users to store images, keep a separate contact list, and it even has a hidden internet browser.

If you are like most people you probably don’t want your kids to hide things from you, but at the end of the day, the real danger is hiding in the vault application. Yes, apps like these are commonly found on the phones of sneaky kids and spouses, they also are popular for predators. These are people who begin to engage with your kids online, and then ask your kids to download these apps… and then, they can communicate with them without you realizing it.

Here are some things that you should know about vault applications:

  • Vault apps are not very safe. Though they might seem safe, people can easily take a screen shot, and then share it with someone else.
  • These apps look just like other apps. Typically, they are calculators, and they even work like calculators, but they are accessed with a secret code.
  • If you look at a person’s phone and they have two or more calculator apps on the phone, there is probably something weird happening. All smart phones have a calculator on them, so why would you need another?
  • Vault apps are usually free, and they are quite easy to find in the App Store or the Google Play Store. People find them by searching for “hidden apps,” “photo vault,” or even “ghost apps.”
  • You may also be shocked to learn that teens often have competitions with their friends to see what type of content they can hide on these apps without getting caught.
  • Most people who use a mobile phone know what a vault application is, and even kids as young as 12-years old or younger use them.

If you are a parent, or even if you think your spouse is acting strange, you should start looking into the mobile devices of those in your family. There should be an open and honest discussion about this, and it shouldn’t be a taboo subject, especially when it comes to a loved one.

Quite frankly, your kids shouldn’t expect total privacy until they are 18 years old. With a spouse, it’s respect for each other. If you don’t have trust with your kids or spouse, there is an issue.

Written by Robert Siciliano, CEO of Credit Parent, Head of Training & Security Awareness Expert at Protect Now, #1 Best Selling Amazon author, Media Personality & Architect of CSI Protection Certification.

Digital Literacy: A Smart Parent’s Guide

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Do you have a child, tween, or teen who uses the internet? If you want to be a Smart Parent, you should be aware of the following facts:

Smart Parent Guide to Digital Literacy

  • Teens largely believe that the internet is, for the most part, pretty private
  • Teens think that they are mature enough to make decisions for their life online
  • Teens think that they are safe when on the internet and that people don’t typically hide their identity or pretend to be someone else
  • Teens don’t generally feel “friending” a stranger can be dangerous
  • Teens think that since they are “better” with technology, that they can make better decisions than their parents about what are the best online practices

These are very obviously pretty naive views that most teens have, and if you, as a smart parent, don’t step in and explain why these are not correct, and could be dangerous, you could be putting your kids into a bad situation. And, if you as an adult share the same beliefs as teens, you are sorely mistaken.

Make sure that you are always in communication with your kids about their use of the internet. Explain the risks involved and share stories with them about other teens who have gotten into trouble online.

A study done by McAfee Antivirus concluded that more than one in 12 tweens who would befriend a stranger online would them meet that stranger in public. The reality is, “17-year-old Eddie” could easily be “47-year-old Bill”.

Online Rules That Every Smart Parent Should Consider

Experts recommend that parents have a set of rules for their kids when it comes to using the internet. Here are some that you might want to consider:

  • You should know how to get into every account your kid has, including social media accounts. You should also check their accounts periodically.
  • This might sound ridiculous, and maybe even the impossible, don’t allow your kids to use social media, chat online, or (unless it is schoolwork related) text their friends until they are in 9th or 10th grade, and even then, never let them use any app or site that allows for anonymous communication.
  • Your 13-year old won’t “die” if they don’t have a TikTok or Snapchat account. Nothing good will come out of letting them have one. My kids don’t.
  • Let your kids use the internet but put a time limit on it. And it should be primarily used for school.
  • Don’t let your kids reply to messages from strangers and don’t allow them to add people online that they don’t know.
  • Don’t give out any personal info online, including phone numbers and addresses.
  • Make sure your kids know that kindness and respect are extremely important, and bullying others online is never acceptable.
  • Don’t give your kids your personal passwords for your accounts.
  • Don’t let your kids have access to devices any time they want. Have a “screen-free” family night where you go for a walk, go get ice cream, or have a family game night, instead.
  • Don’t allow digital devices to babysit your child.
  • Don’t allow mobile devices in the bedroom, and don’t let laptops into the bedroom unless your kids are using them for homework.
  • You shouldn’t let your kids post photos of themselves online without your permission.
  • Always look at chat logs, texts, and other online communications your kids are sending. Make sure they know that there will be consequences if you find out they are deleting messages.
  • Don’t let your kids download software or apps without permission.

Watch for These Mistakes

  • Don’t allow your kid to have a traditional smart phone before they are in the 9th You can give them a feature-phone, however, that you monitor.
  • Don’t let your kid use the internet when you aren’t watching what they are doing.
  • Don’t let your kids use the internet in areas where you can’t see what they are doing or behind closed doors.
  • Don’t let your kids play games online with chat enabled, as these are common magnets for sex predators.

Finally, lead by example. Just because other parents are letting their kids do some of these things, it doesn’t mean that you need to.

Written by Robert Siciliano, CEO of Credit Parent, Head of Training & Security Awareness Expert at Protect Now, #1 Best Selling Amazon author, Media Personality & Architect of CSI Protection Certification.

Election Civil Unrest: Plan Ahead for Turbulent Times

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We all know that the election could lead to turbulent times, and there are going to be risks out there. What can you do if you come across some type of violence or protesting? Let’s start with some general tips to keep yourself safe:

  • Don’t wear candidate-specific clothing. You are only bringing attention to yourself.
  • Stay away from areas where there are demonstrations
  • Check out the situation before you head out
  • Things can change very quickly so have a plan to get out of violent situations.
  • Keep up with local news
  • Don’t go near large gatherings
  • Stay home if you hear about demonstrations in your area
  • If you come upon a protest, leave the area as quickly as possible.
  • If you have to go where there are protests, bring a friend and stay together.
  • If you see police trying to settle a situation, leave.

Protests and Demonstrations – Safety Tips

If you want to participate in a protest or demonstration, here are some tips:

  • Don’t get involved if civil unrest breaks out. You could get jailed, hurt, or even killed.
  • Don’t take videos or photos. Law enforcement might see it as threatening.
  • Leave if things get violent.

Unexpected Civil Unrest – Safety Tips

If you find yourself in the middle of unexpected civil unrest, here are some tips:

  • If things get violent, do your best to get out quickly. Try to find a safe, public place like a museum, hospital, church, or hotel.
  • Plan a few routes out of the area. Keep in mind that roads could be closed.
  • Curfews might be imposed, and it’s best to follow them.
  • Try to get to the edge of the crowd, and as soon as you can get away, you should.
  • Walk and try not to run. Running can bring unwanted attention
  • If you get arrested, don’t resist, even if you are totally innocent. You can work it out later.
  • Stay away from glass windows and try to move with the flow of the crowd.
  • Avoid banks, fast food places, government buildings and police stations, as they are often targets during uprisings.
  • If you get into a tight spot, grab your wrists and push your elbows out. This will give you a bit of air.
  • If you are pushed or fall to the ground, try to get close to a wall and roll into a ball. Cover your head.
  • If shots ring out, drop to the ground and cover your neck and head.
  • Don’t try to drive a car through a crowd.
  • If you do end up in a crowd while driving, turn down the nearest side street, turn around, or reverse.
  • If you can’t move, park, lock it, and leave the car. If you can’t get out, turn off the engine and lock the doors.

Stuck in a Hotel or Your Home – Safety Tips

If you are home or in a hotel when violence occurs, here are some tips:

  • Stay inside and don’t leave
  • Reach out to your family and police to let them know where you are.
  • Stay away from windows, draw the blinds, and lock all windows and doors.
  • Find a place to sleep in the center of the home or hotel room.

Following Civil Unrest – Safety Tips

Once things have settled down, keep the following in mind:

  • Stay where you are safe until you know it’s okay to leave.
  • If you are hurt, get medical attention
  • Report damage to police
  • Reach out to family to let them know where you are
  • Report damage to your insurance company

Shut Downs – Tips

Shut downs can happen during times of unrest. Keep the following on hand:

  • Cash
  • Water
  • Food
  • Medication
  • First aid kits
  • Baby and pet supplies
  • Radios and batteries
  • Flash lights
  • Gas in your vehicle
  • Phones, laptops, and chargers
  • A bag with a couple of days of clothes for everyone in your family
  • Essential documents
  • Emergency contacts

ROBERT SICILIANO CSP, is a #1 Best Selling Amazon author, CEO of CreditParent.com, the architect of the CSI Protection certification; a Cyber Social and Identity and Personal Protection security awareness training program.

This is Why We are Irrational In Times Like These

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Though we, as humans, are supposed to be pretty smart, we do a lot of things that might not seem rational.

For example, we do things like text and drive, we don’t get flu shots that can stop us from getting sick, and we hoard things like toilet paper…Dan Ariely, a professor from Duke University, has some reasons for this.

Ariely has released a book called “Predictable Irrational,” and it takes a look at why we do these irrational things…especially in a time of crisis. One of the most mind-boggling things is why we have all become such toilet paper hoarders and why, when we see empty shelves, we start to panic.

According to Ariely, when we are in these situations, you are saying to yourself “This must be something I need to get very quickly and let me get a lot of it so I don’t run out.” But, in general, our responses to things like this are flawed.

On top of this, we don’t do a good job at thinking ahead. Ariely says, “We don’t pay much attention to things that will happen in the future, even if the future is two weeks from now.” He also says that we “don’t pay attention to things that are invisible like viruses.”

All of this is compounded even more as COVID-19 started to spread, and this led to a slow government response and the population’s collective apathy to the threat. Another thing that compounds it is that we, at our core, are also pretty selfish.

“We do what is selfishly good for us and not what’s good for other people,” Ariely says. This means that people who should be staying home because they are sick, go out anyway, and then they contaminate others. This is a normal impulse to defy the stay-at-home orders that many of us are under. And wearing a mask is NOT a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of caring for others than yourself.

Ariely says, “What’s interesting about public goods problems is, as long as everybody participates, everybody gets a lot of benefits, and when people start defecting or betraying the public good, lots of bad things happen. And in a situation like a pandemic, it’s enough that a small percentage of people don’t adhere to the rules and they can hurt everybody.”

Now, we also have the issue of some government officials and health experts being at odds with themselves. President Trump is pushing governors to open their states back up quickly, while public health experts are warning that doing this could quickly cause a huge uptick in cases.

What does Ariely say about this? He says, “The sad reality is that we’ve always had a tradeoff between money and saving lives. This is not something new.”

He also adds that the best thing we can do right now is make the best of our quarantine:

“It’s an opportunity to start new habits, new routines like exercise, eat better, spend time with your family,” he says. “It’s also an opportunity to start worse habits, like not exercising, overeating and developing addiction to social media and the news.”

ROBERT SICILIANO CSP, is a #1 Best Selling Amazon author, CEO of CreditParent.com, the architect of the CSI Protection certification; a Cyber Social and Identity and Personal Protection security awareness training program.

Raising a Boy to Be a Man, not a Sex Predator

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If you looked at a photo of a baby boy, could you ever predict that he would grow up to become a sexual predator? Probably not. However, a study shows that men who commit sexual crimes are more likely to have something called an “anxious attachment” to their mothers due to feeling rejected as children when wanting attention. As adults, this makes those men unable to create a healthy attachment to women. Research also shows that men who talk to other men known to harass women are even more likely to engage in this behavior.

safr.meThe big question here is how to prevent our young sons from growing up an becoming predatory men. Psychology tells us that the core of all painful behaviors are two feelings: not feeling worthy and feeling shameful. So, to stop creating predators, we must eliminate these feelings. Here are some things that we can do to start raising boys to be men and not sexual predators:

Change the Meaning of Power

Living in a society where “power” means being better than another person only leads to humiliation and judgement. When we are humiliated, we feel shamed, and that, in turn, raises the odds that a child would become a sexual predator.

Stop Associating Sex and Power

Both men and women are raised, in most cases, to believe that they can stop feeling shame if they are attractive. Women tend to do this with making themselves skinny, often with eating disorders. Men overcome shame by feeling attractive too, but also by being successful. Both genders find affirmation of this through sex, but if a person already feels humiliated, sex can make them feel even less worthy.

Celebrate our Differences

A cultural shift to celebrate our differences, including those between men and women, men and men, women and women, and those who identify as them, their, they would certainly help, too. Many men began to wonder how they could cause their maleness to be appreciated, too. However, we have to learn that we are different in regards to certain things, and to understand that it is totally possible to express differences of tolerance while still celebrating our differences.

Learn to Really Love

We also have to teach children that real empowerment comes from unconditional love. This is love that is given with joy and given without necessarily getting love in return.

Push an Evolution of Society

Research shows that when we live with an attitude of love and compassion, we feel less fear. So, we have to change the way we look at life and connect with our core ability to be loving and compassionate.

OK, so will all of the above solve our sex predator problem? NO. But, there’s definitely something to being more loving, compassionate, and mindful to others. So as my wife always says to me “Just be nice”.

ROBERT SICILIANO CSP, is a #1 Best Selling Amazon author, CEO of CreditParent.com, the architect of the CSI Protection certification; a Cyber Social and Identity Protection security awareness training program.

You Know Tom Might Kill You So Why Do You Stay with Tom?

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“Tom” can also be “Alicia.”

Nevertheless, it happens often enough to come up every so often in a crime documentary aired on the Investigation Discovery channel.

The premise is as follows:

  • A person is SO convinced that their spouse or soon-to-be ex-spouse is going to kill them, that they actually tell friends something like, “If anything ever happens to me, Tom did it,” or, “If anything bad ever happens to me, have the cops question Alicia.”
  • There was one case in which a woman spoke from the grave. Detectives discovered a note she had hidden inside a piece of furniture explaining that if she was ever murdered, her husband was responsible.
  • Yet these men and women continue living with the person they think is capable of murdering them.

These aren’t cases in which the future killer warns their future victim, “If you move out I’ll kill your parents and your dog and boil your bunny.”

The irony is that there’s often no threat given to the future victim of any devastating consequences if they move out.

Another thing about many of these cases is that there aren’t young children living with them who could provide the future victim an excuse for continuing to live with the man (or woman) they’ve told friends might kill them.

So this begs the question: Why would anyone want to continue living under the same roof with someone whom is so threatening, that the future victim has actually told friends or other family members, “If something happens to me…it was Alicia”?

One might think, “Well, maybe these individuals don’t have any other place to go.” Yet in the documentaries, friends or extended family members are speaking lovingly of them and are very distraught over what ultimately had happened. Certainly, they would have taken in the person they cared about.

But this element is never explored. Thus, the assumption is that a place to stay was offered but declined.

There are many reasons people stay in destructive relationships. Fear and uncertainty play a huge role. Bad judgment might be another. But one things for sure, the victim in these situations isn’t to be blamed. They are no more “at fault’ than someone who is walking down the street and gets bit by a dog. And Tom just plain sucks.   

Why stay?

#1 Self-esteem might be so damaged through emotional abuse the victim simply can’t make a move.

#2 Abusive behavior seems “normal” in a society that is abusive towards each other.

#3 Leaving can be very dangerous. Its not unlikely for their abuser to act on his feelings of violence when feeling abandoned.

#4 Abuse is all about control of the mind and body. A victim’s decisions are often not their own.

#5 Abusers are skilled at making the victim think everything’s their fault.

#6 The victim might think they can change the abuser. They cannot.

#7 Embarrassment, being judged by others and shame often keeps the victim from leaving.

#8 Family. Having kids together is huge and the victim might stay “for the sake of the kids”.

The worst-case scenario is living in a mission, a safe house or even on the street – which would be a lot safer than living in the same house as someone you’re convinced might kill you.

Would you spend even ONE NIGHT in a house if you knew that somewhere in that house, a 20-foot python was loose? Of course not. If you were told you had a choice of a nice warm bed and bath facilities – in a house with that roaming snake – or…a homeless shelter…which would you choose? This however is easier said than done.

If you’re compelled to hide a “from the grave” note or inform a friend, “Tom did it,” then GET OUT NOW. If you or someone you know is in danger call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233

Robert Siciliano personal security and identity theft expert and speaker is the author of Identity Theft Privacy: Security Protection and Fraud Prevention: Your Guide to Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft and Computer Fraud. See him knock’em dead in this Security Awareness Training video

The First Step to Secure Your Data

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Your personal information and data are literally everywhere for criminals to target, and there isn’t much you can do to keep it from spreading. You use your email credentials on countless websites, you use your credit card number with countless vendors, and, believe it or not, your Social Security number is shared rapidly immediately after you’re born.

It’s almost impossible to give out your personal information nowadays. However, criminals know this, and they lurk around the same places that your information is used. You need to take action to secure your information so you are less of a target. Let me show you one simple step you can take today that will create one layer of security and improve your defenses.

There is one specific action you can take to secure your information, and after you do it, you’ll be much less likely to be targeted because criminals tend to take the path of least resistance. That said, if you DON’T do this action today, you ARE the path of least resistance.

All you have to do is set up a credit freeze. There are four major credit bureaus in the United States, and you need to get a credit freeze with them. Just use your preferred search engine and look for Experian credit freeze, Equifax credit freeze, TransUnion credit freeze, and Innovis credit freeze. You should freeze your credit with all four, but you should still review your annual credit reports. More importantly, you should dispute discrepancies with the appropriate bureau AND the lender. Getting a credit freeze won’t gum up your credit score or make it so you can’t use credit. You are able to “thaw” the frozen credit as needed and then freeze it again. You can literally do this in a single day. Then you’ll want to put more layers of defense in place to become an even harder target than the other guy.

A credit freeze will secure your information, but setting up multiple layers of defenses is really what will make you a hard target. Criminals are constantly probing defenses, and even while technology advances, crimes against your data are usually ahead of the curve. You don’t need to know everything about security, but you do need to take on the responsibility of protecting yourself. I’ve created a free guide that will make you a pseudo expert on your own security, and if you follow it’s simple steps, you will have more layers of defense than the average person. If you want to create even more layers of defenses, bring this guide to my next webinar, and I will walk you through each step so you can rest assured that you are creating a smart, secure, safer “me.”

The Shrimp Tank Podcast

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I recently had the opportunity to join The Shrimp Tank Podcast hosted on iHeartRADIO. I discuss my background, and how I became interested in the security field, including when my first business was hacked. I talk about Safr.Me and recommendations for all of you out there who need help staying secure. Enjoy!

Robert Siciliano personal security and identity theft expert and speaker is the author of Identity Theft Privacy: Security Protection and Fraud Prevention: Your Guide to Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft and Computer Fraud. See him knock’em dead in this Security Awareness Training video.

Robert Siciliano on FOX Nation

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I recently had the opportunity to join a panel discussion on FOX Nation. We talked about the grid, and how cyber threats could be the next medium for global warfare. I was able to share opinions with fellow experts on privacy, information security and cybersecurity. Please watch and learn why it is so important to take control of your own security, and ultimately your life.

Robert Siciliano personal security and identity theft expert and speaker is the author of Identity Theft Privacy: Security Protection and Fraud Prevention: Your Guide to Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft and Computer Fraud. See him knock’em dead in this Security Awareness Training video.

FTC Brings Office Depot Fines and a Strong Warning to Other Companies

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The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that Office Depot, along with a tech support firm, must come up with $35 million to settle a lawsuit over claims that both organizations were part of a computer repair service scam, which involved a fake malware scan.

In the FTC complaint, it was stated that Office Depot, OfficeMax, and Support.com ran a program called PC Health Check. This program is designed to search for malware on a customer’s computer. However, it actually doesn’t quite do that. Instead, it gives the customer a questionnaire, and then it uses the answers given by the respondent to flag some malware…even though malware might not have even been on the computer.

Some of the questions asked by the PC Health Check program included asking if the computer was slow, if it had a lot of pop-up ads, or if it crashed a lot. When the person clicked “yes,” to these questions, the software prompted them to buy fixes for the issues, which could cost hundreds of dollars.

Additionally, the complaint alleges that Office Depot and OfficeMax told their store employees to run PC Health Check on every computer that was brought into the store. In total, it is estimated that there were tens of millions of dollars lost in this scam.

On top of this, it is alleged that this scheme went on from 2009 until late 2016. It was only stopped when KIRO 7, a CBS-affiliate, began looking into it after viewers started reporting complaints about the program. Employees were also upset, and the FTC shared an incident from 2012 in its report. It said that an employee complained to upper management and said that they could not keep “lying to a customer” or be subject to being “tricked into lying” just so their store could “make a few extra dollars.”

If all of this wasn’t enough, the complaint also alleges that Office Depot advised its stores to never run a PC Health Check on any computer that had been repaired, because the program would still report malware, even though there was none on the machine. In other words, Office Depot knew that the program would flag malware even if there wasn’t malware on the computer.

Because of this scam, Office Depot will have to pay $25 million and Support.com must pay $10 million to settle with the FTC. The agency says that it will use the money to repay people who were victims of this scheme. Joe Simons, FTC Chairman, said in a statement that this should “send a strong message” to any other companies that might be considering this type of deception to trick people into buying services that they might not really need.

Robert Siciliano personal security and identity theft expert and speaker is the author of Identity Theft Privacy: Security Protection and Fraud Prevention: Your Guide to Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft and Computer Fraud. See him knock’em dead in this Security Awareness Training video.