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How your Webcam may be spying on You

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Remember that song from 1984, “Somebody’s watching me?” It was a great foreshadowing of things to come: These days, people really CAN watch you while you go about your business at home…through your computer. So if someone confides in you that “they’re spying on me through my computer,” don’t be too quick to assume your friend went off his meds.

2WWebcam technology can enable a hacker to view you via your computer. The technology is called RAT: remote access Trojans. It can record keystrokes and obtain all of your files. And you’ll probably not know someone’s watching you. And how does a computer become a portal through which someone can spy on you? Numerous ways, including installing a “lost” thumb drive you found and clicking on links in e-mails or pop-up ads.

Just think of what all this can mean:

  • Nobody will have to imagine what you look like in your underwear.
  • The government may be spying on you. Your boss may be, too.
  • Your face, captured via your Webcam, can be compared to a face in a crowd. Doesn’t sound like a big deal unless you don’t want anyone to know you were in that crowd, such as a war protest.
  • Your headshot may end up on a selling list—like your phone number and home address surely already have—and these lists can get sold all over the place.
  • Will you ever be truly alone when getting intimate with your partner?
  • Criminals are hacking webcams and holding the footage for ransom.
  • Do you want anyone to know about that secret, disgusting habit you have?
  • Put a piece of masking tape over the Webcam camera.
  • Equip your device with the latest antivirus, antiphishing, antispyware and a firewall.

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

5 Reasons why You will get Hacked

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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:

4DBecause 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 include information about the recipients, fooling them into thinking these e-mails are from their friends or associates. These messages will blend right in with all your other legit messages as far as content and appearance, which include good spelling and grammar.

Because you think you’re not a target. You think you’re too little a fish in a sea of gargantuans for a hacker to be interested in you. However, every fish in the sea, including the tiniest, is a potential target. Sometimes, all a hacker wants is someone else’s e-mail from which to send spam.

Because you think deleting your cookies will keep you from getting targeted. This is like saying your house can’t get broken into because the second story windows are locked. But what if the first floor windows, and the front door, are open? Intruders will find other ways to cyber track you than cookies. For example, your IP address can identify you, which is why it’s always good to run Hotspot Shield to mask your IP address and protect your data on free WiFi. Second, your computer and browser have your unique fingerprint.

Because you think you’re invulnerable with firewall and antivirus software. Did you know that in some cases the best anti-malware detection, especially for larger business networks, spot only 45 percent of attacks? Keeping in mind you have to have antivirus, antiphishing, antispyware and a firewall as necessary layers of protection.

Because you think that avoiding Internet back alleys will keep you protected. Just like a mugging can occur in broad daylight in a busy mall parking lot, so can deposition of malware in that this is many times more likely to occur as a result of visiting popular online shopping sites and search engines, when compared to phony software sites. And if you spend a lot of time on porn sites, consider yourself infected.

Don’t Be a Myth Head

A smart, sophisticated cyber criminal will go after smart, sophisticated users, not just the dumb ones. Don’t let your guard down for a second. There’s always someone out there who’s smarter than you—or, at least—smart enough to trick you, if you become lax.

One step forward is to just commit to never, ever clicking on any links inside of e-mails. And when you receive an e-mail with an empty subject line, even if the sender is apparently your mother…don’t open it. Instead, send her an e-mail and ask her if she sent you one with a blank subject line. And even then, don’t open it, because you just never know. Protecting yourself takes a little more time, but remember, a stitch in time saves nine. Which frankly, I really don’t know what that means, but it sounds good right here.

Robert Siciliano is an Identity Theft Expert to Hotspot Shield. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen See him discussing internet and wireless security on Good Morning America. Disclosures.

Protect Your Gaming Account As You Would Your Bank Account

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Most people are aware of the need to protect their financial accounts, and generally take at least some degree of care to prevent criminals from accessing their money. Protecting your online game account, on the other hand, might not be such an obvious priority, but when accounts created for playing massively multiplayer online games are not properly secured, but connected to credit card accounts, gamers set themselves up for fraud.

PCMech offers some insider tips for MMO players. The fundamentals of account protection include:

Password protection: Never give out your password. If you contact customer service and they ask you to verify your account by providing a “knowledge-based answer,” such as the name of your pet or high school, it’s okay to answer. But never provide any identifying information in response to an unsolicited phone call or email from someone who may be posing as a representative of the MMO.

Beware of infected downloads: Add-ons and modifications downloaded from unofficial sources may be infected with spyware. PCMech’s Nick Greene suggests checking out a game’s online forum to get recommendations for reputable download sources.

Secure connected accounts: For example, if your social networking or email accounts are in any way connected to your MMO account, they both need to be equally secure, with unique passwords.

And, as always, it’s vital to keep your PC up-to-date with antivirus, anti-spyware, anti-phishing, and firewall protection. Remember to update your critical security patches, as well.

While players must do what they can to protect their accounts, the more mature gaming publishers employ multiple layers of defense behind the scenes, to protect their valued members. One proactive anti-fraud technology that doesn’t interrupt the player experience and keeps the bad guys out, is called device reputation, which examines computers, smartphones, and tablets being used to connect to a game, and helps gaming publishers know who to trust in order to keep their players safe and in a fun environment.

 Robert Siciliano, personal security and identity theft expert contributor to iovation, discusses identity theft  in front of the National Speakers Association. (Disclosures)