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Teen Dies Fighting Off iPad Thief

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There is nothing that I have, other than family members that I would risk my life for. Whether it is jewelry, money, a wallet, bag or expensive electronic item, I’m simply not going to offer resistance if some whacked-out mentally ill person wants to take it from me. The fact is, I’m too pretty to have a box cutter slashed across my face in exchange for any material item.

Although it’s a normal reaction to fight for what’s right (and what’s yours), it’s not necessarily the right decision when you fight over material items. I think we learn this as kids when we tussle with a sibling over toys. As we grow older, we become territorial when it comes to things like standing in line, driving and even land disputes.

But dying over a $400iPad simply ain’t worth it.

The Las Vegas Sun reports, “A teenager died after a man grabbed an iPad out of his hands and fled in an SUV that ran over the boy as he struggled to hold onto the tablet.”

Investigators determined the boy was walking with the iPad when a white vehicle stopped and a man exited the passenger side of the vehicle. The man attempted to steal the iPad and started to drag the teen, who was trying to hold onto the device, to the vehicle. Facing resistance, the suspect got back into the SUV with the teen still grasping at the tablet, but the vehicle then fled and the boy fell and was struck by the SUV.

Think about it like this:

About 12,000 laptops are lost each week in US airports alone, and 113 cell phones are lost or stolen every minute in the U.S. Now imagine if everyone was fighting over every device. Mind blowing, isn’t it? Instead of fighting over this replaceable item, simply:

#1 Let it go. It’s not worth fighting over.

#2 Activate a lost/locate/lock/wipe software that helps you recover, lock or wipe the data.

#3 Call the police and be happy you are OK.

#4 See if your homeowners insurance will cover lost or stolen devices.

#5 Make sure all your devices are password protected. Do it today. This way, the chances of your data being exposed are reduced.

Better to lose your device—even lose your data—than your life.

Robert Siciliano is an Identity Theft Expert to Hotspot Shield VPN. 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.

Managing Family Time On The iPad or iPhone

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On our way home from a recent family vacation, my two year old grew understandably anxious and uncooperative while waiting for a flight in an airport terminal. So I handed over my iPhone, hoping to distract her. Within seconds, she had launched the photo application and begun scrolling through the videos of our trip. She’d watch a video, giggle a little, and then scroll to the next. This went on for about ten minutes.

During this time, a small crowed gathered near my kid. I realized that they were marveling at my daughter’s ability to work an iPhone like an adult. But while she may be pretty smart, it was Steve Jobs’ brilliance that created this magical device that passes both the grandmother and toddler tests.

Parents everywhere are equipping their families with digital devices for numerous reasons. There are many advantages and some disadvantages to this practice. Most, but not all, of the applications available on the iPhone and iPad are more or less harmless. The web as whole, though, is fraught with content a child should not be exposed to. The following are helpful tips to address these concerns:

1. Engage in ongoing dialog. Become as savvy about these devices as your child may be, and spend at least as much time using them as they do, if not more. Set firm boundaries regarding what is and is not permitted.

2. Enable restrictions. Go to Settings > General > Restrictions and apply a passcode to any applications your kids shouldn’t be using. Children shouldn’t be exploring the Internet via Safari or YouTube on their own. Lock down the App store, too, otherwise this could become costly.

3. Set appropriate times. We learned the hard way that any digital activities in the early morning can make it difficult to get them ready for school. The same goes for right before dinner, homework, or bed. It’s tough to peel a kid away and readjust their senses to their real world responsibilities.

4. Set time limits. Addiction to gaming and virtual worlds is a real thing. Allowing a child unlimited access to television is bad enough. Allowing a child unlimited access to the digital world could cause behavior issues. We don’t allow any more than 15 or 20 minutes per hour on any game, and no more than 45 minutes in a day. Usually, they don’t want to spend more time than that, because they have so many other fun activities.

For more tips on protecting your kids online, visit JustAskGemalto.com.

Robert Siciliano, personal security expert contributor to Just Ask Gemalto. Disclosures

Myth: Apple Products Don’t Get Viruses

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Have you ever bitten into an apple and found a worm? I have, and it’s yummy! Anyway, how many times have you heard, or even said, “I won’t get that computer virus because I have a Mac”?  While Mac users tend to feel somewhat insulated from viruses, it’s time for anyone who owns an Apple computer, iPhone, iPad, or other Apple device to listen up.

The growing popularity of Apple products has inspired cybercriminals to create viruses that will harm Macs. Until now, Macs have been immune to these threats, but McAfee Labs is seeing the very first wave of fake programs targeted at Mac users. In other words, there are an increased number of programs known as “scareware,” which claim to protect users from viruses, but users who attempt to install the supposed antivirus software are actually downloading malicious software. This malware can damage the user’s computer or compromise personal information, including banking details.

Mac users are also equally susceptible to phishing and other social engineering scams, if not more so, since they may have an inflated sense of security that can lead to riskier behavior.

It’s important for Mac users to be aware of these emerging threats and take the appropriate precautions.

To avoid becoming a victim, download Mac updates as soon as they’re available, so you’re protected from these latest threats.

Never download or click on anything from an unknown source.

When searching the web, use the safe search tool, which tells you if a site is safe to click on or not, right in your search results.

Keep your computer safe by installing security software.

With more than 11 million victims just last year, identity theft is a serious concern. McAfee Identity Protection offers proactive identity surveillance, lost wallet protection, and alerts when suspicious activity is detected on your financial accounts. Educate and protect yourself by visiting CounterIdentityTheft.com.

Robert Siciliano is a McAfee consultant and identity theft expert. See him explain how to protect yourself from identity theft on CounterIdentityTheft.com. (Disclosures)