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Researchers say your Mobile Carrier’s Network isn’t all that Secure

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Gee, even the tools that update your smartphone’s operating system over the air have holes that hackers can slip into.

5WIt’s estimated that as many as two billion handsets are vulnerable, and in some instances, security patches haven’t even been released.

The open mobile alliance device management (OMA-DM) protocol is used by around a hundred smartphone companies to release software updates and conduct network administration. And that’s what they say where the problem lies.

A hacker must know the handset’s distinct international mobile station equipment identity (IMEI) number, plus a secret token, to take remote control. It’s not difficult to obtain the IMEI number or the secret token of the company, thanks to lax networks and vulnerable operating system versions.

Researchers discovered they could easily upload code to a phone after following a WAP message from a base station, then proceed like a hacker would.

Another experiment showed that a fake femtocell could be used to get into BlackBerry, Android and some iOS devices by using weak security protocols. Participants turned off their smartphones and set the femtocell to its lowest power setting. The researchers still managed to pick up over 70 handsets.

They found that Android was the most vulnerable, along with BlackBerry. iOS was tougher to crack, but some devices that were run by Sprint were vulnerable.

Another flaw was that devices could be tricked into checking on their OMA-DM servers; the connections had http instead of https.

The researchers reported that most of the manufacturers and carriers had fixed the OMA-DM systems—most, not all.

What are the network threats?

Hackers practically have the cyberworld at their fingertips, able to attack in so many ways, using so many methods, from apps to users, users to users, and various machines to machines. Hackers don’t just want to access data; they want to manipulate it.

4G refers to fourth generation network, succeeding 3G to offer the fastest speed for wireless activity. The protocol for 4G, however, is flawed, allowing for weakening of the protection for phones and their networks.

The hacker would go right for mobile networks to get simpler, wider entry points. Networks for mobile devices, thus, need to be toughened up. If a smartphone is infected, it will be able to target and scan other smartphones within its proximity (since 4G is IP based), all while the carrier has no clue.

The hacker could infiltrate a desired network, access the 4G network, then have a nice, easy launching pad for the crime.

If a hacker uses weak wireless APN connections for his activities, this forces the smartphones in use to rely upon an ongoing network connection. This will make batteries wear out faster. Furthermore, jammed-up signals may lead to denial of service.

One way to protect wireless networks is by using Hotspot Shield to override any insecurities of open free WiFi and to help protect from some of 4Gs failings.

With the fast speed that stands to come with 4G are also weak security levels and lame network structures. Users will not appreciate this price, and mobile operators will need to step quite a bit up on security tactics for keeping hackers out.

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.

How to Secure Your iCloud

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By now you’ve heard that Jennifer Lawrence’s (and other celebs’) cellphone nude pictures were leaked out, but how in the heck did the hacker pull this off? Tech experts believe it was through the “Find My iPhone” app.

Apple2Someone anonymously posted nude photos of Jennifer Lawrence and Kate Upton to the 4Chan site, and the stars confirmed the photos were of them.

It’s possible that the hacker/s discovered a vulnerability in the Find My iPhone service. This app helps people locate missing phones via cloud. hackers use a “brute force” program to protect hack accounts. These programs make repeated guesses at random passwords for a particular username until a hit is made.

So it’s possible hackers used “iBrute” to get celebs’ passwords, and hence, the photos in their iCloud accounts.

This is only a theory, as most hacking occurs in a more straightforward manner such as:

a person receiving a phishing email and responding with their password

someone’s personal computer gets hacked and spyware is installed

a laptop with all kinds of data is stolen

the wrong person finding a lost cellphone.

Also, evidence suggests that some of the leaked photos came from devices (like Android) that won’t back up to the iCloud.

Apple is investigating the leaks, and apparently put out a security upgrade Sept. 1, to prevent a brute force service from getting passwords via Find My iPhone.

You yourself are at risk of this breach if brute force indeed was used, as long as the problem hasn’t been fixed. If someone has your username, this tactic can be used.

If you want 100 percent protection, stay off the Internet. (Yeah, right.)

Bullet proof your passwords

  • Each site/account should have a different password, no matter how many.
  • Passwords should have at least eight characters and be a mix of upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols that can’t be found in a dictionary.
  • Use a password program such as secure password software.
  • Make sure that any password software you use can be applied on all devices.
  • A password manager will store tons of crazy and long passwords and uses a master password.
  • Consider a second layer of protection such as Yubikey. Plug your flashdrive in; touch the button and it generates a one-time password for the day. Or enter a static password that’s stored on the second slot.
  • Have a printout of the Yubikey password in case the Yubikey gets lost or stolen.
  • An alternative to a password software program, though not as secure, is to keep passwords in an encrypted Excel, Word or PDF file. Give the file a name that would be of no interest to a hacker.
  • The “key” method. Begin with a key of 5-6 characters (a capital letter, number and symbols). For example, “apple” can be @pp1E.
  • Next add the year (2014) minus 5 at the end: @pp1E9.
  • Every new year, change the password; next year it would be @pp1E10. To make this process even more secure, change the password more frequently, even every month. To make this less daunting, use a key again, like the first two letters of every new month can be inserted somewhere, so for March, it would be @pp1E9MA.
  • To create additional passwords based on this plan, add two letters to the end that pertain to the site or account. For instance, @pp1E9fb is the Facebook password.
  • Passwords become vulnerable when the internet is accessed over Wi-Fis (home, office, coffee shop, hotel, airport). Unsecured, unprotected and unencrypted connections can enable thieves to steal your personal information including usernames and passwords.

Use two-step verification.

Apple’s iCloud asks users two personal questions before allowing access. And let’s face it: We’re all wondering what Jennifer Lawrence was thinking when she decided it was a smart idea to put her nude photos into cyberspace.

Passwords seem to be the common thread in data breaches. But passwords aren’t too valuable to a hacker if they come with two-factor authentication. This is when the user must enter a unique code that only they know, and this code changes with every log-in. This would make it nearly impossible for a hacker to get in.

Go to applied.apple.com and you’ll see a blue box on the right: “Manage Your Apple ID.” Click this, then log in with your Apple ID. To the left is a link: “Passwords and Security.” Click that. Two security questions will come up; answer them so that a new section, “Manage Your Security Settings,” comes up. Click the “Get Started” link below it. Enter phone number and you’ll receive a code via text. If your phone isn’t available, you can set up a recovery key, which is a unique password.

All that being said, two factor will not protect your phones data. Apple is lax in making this happen. What Apples two factor does is protect you when you:

  • Sign in to My Apple ID to manage your account
  • Make an iTunes, App Store, or iBooks Store purchase from a new device
  • Get Apple ID related support from Apple

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.

Back to School Time Means Online Safety Time

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It’s August which for parents (and kids) means it is back to school time. It can be easy to reminisce about your school days—passing notes to the cute girl or boy in class, late-night study sessions with friends, or playing tag on the playground.

4HBut your kids’ school experience is way different from when you were in school. Snapchat, Facebook, and text messaging have replaced those folded handwritten notes. Educational apps have replaced flash cards. A lot of your kids have their own smartphone or are probably asking for them.

Your kids are growing up as digital natives, with technology playing a part in almost every aspect of their lives. In a study conducted earlier this year, McAfee found that 54% of teens and tweens spend more than 10 hours online per week and over 60% use either Snapchat, YouTube or Instagram on a daily basis.

And while our kids may be digitally savvy, McAfee found that while 90% of tweens and teens believe their parents trust them to do what is right online, almost half (45%) would change their online behavior if they knew their parents were watching.  So it’s critical that we stay one step ahead of our kids.

With all this technology available, there comes new responsibilities for us as parents. It’s important that we take the time to teach our children how to safely navigate the digital world. Here’s some ways to protect your kids online:

  • Turn off GPS services. Encourage your child to disable this option to keep their location invisible to strangers.
  • Enable privacy settings. This is something we should all do and the McAfee study found that over 1/3 of youth did not use these on their social networking profiles.
  • Discuss the reality of cyberbullying. In the McAfee study, 87% of kids have witnessed cyberbullying and 24% said they would not know what to do if they were cyberbullied.
  • Teach them what is appropriate to share. 50% of tweens and teens share their email address, while 30% post their phone number and a whopping 14% posted their home address.

To help keep our kids safe online, McAfee and HP have teamed together to promote online safety during the Back to School season —and give you a chance to win prizes. To learn more, go to www.BTStips.com to enter to win!

For more tips, like McAfee on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.

Cheers to a safe, fun school year!

Robert Siciliano is an Online Security Expert to McAfee. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Mobile was Hacked!  Disclosures.

10 Tips to Stay Safe Online

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Hang ten, dude! It’s summertime and surfers are taking to the ocean to go catch some gnarly waves. Experienced surfers know that there are dangers out in the water and are trained to look out for them. These dangers include rip currents, shallow water, and of course, sharks.

4HJust like there are dangers in the ocean, there are many dangers lurking on the Internet. And a savvy web surfer and searcher knows that there’s ways to protect themselves. Here are some tips to keep you safe while you surf the internet.

  1. Know the scams. Read articles and blogs, follow the news, and share this so you can  learn about different kinds of scams and what you can do to avoid them and also help your friends.
  2. Think before you click. Never click on links in messages from people you don’t know or vaguely know. These phishing emails have links that lead to websites that can lure you into giving personal information or download malware to your computer. You should even be wary with emails from people you do know if it looks or sounds suspicious. Hackers can create a malicious email that looks like it came from your best friend’s email account.
  3. Safely peruse. Beware of phony websites. These sites may have an address that’s very similar to a legitimate site, but the page can have misspellings, bad grammar or low resolution images. However, scammers are getting better at replicating sites so make sure. If a site asks for personal information, that you double check the URL and make sure it’s not asking for information it shouldn’t.  McAfee SiteAdvisor is a free download and protects you from going to risky sites
  4. Shop safely. Don’t shop on a site unless it has the “https” and a padlock icon to the left or right of the URL. Also, protect yourself and use a credit card instead of a debit card while shopping online—a credit card company is more likely to reimburse you for fraudulent charges.
  5. Kick-butt passwords. Do away with the “Fitguy1982” password and use an extremely uncrackable one like 9&4yiw2pyqx#. Phrases are good too. Regularly change passwords and don’t use the same passwords for critical accounts. For more tips on how to create strong passwords, go to www.passwordday.org
  6. Protect your info. Keep your guard up. Back up all of your  data on your computer, smartphone and tablet in the event of loss, theft or a crash. Also, routinely check your various financial statements for questionable activity.
  7. Watch your Wi-Fi connectivity. Protect your network by changing your router’s default settings and making sure you have the connection password-protected. For more information on how to protect your Wi-Fi connection, click here.
  8. Install a firewall. A firewall is a great line of defense against cyber-attacks. Although most operating systems come with a firewall, you might want to consider installing McAfee LiveSafe™ service which has a much better firewall than the one that comes built into your operating system.
  9. Keep up to date. The best security software updates automatically to protect your computer. Use the manufacturer’s latest security patches to make regular updates and make sure that you have the software set to do routine scans
  10. Use your noggin. You do not need to be a seasoned computer whiz to know that it’s not smart to open an attachment titled, “Claim Your Inheritance!” Using common sense while surfing the Web can protect you from some hungry cyber-shark.

These are the basics to help you stay safe online. To stay on top of the latest consumer and mobile security threats by following @McAfeeConsumer on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.

Robert Siciliano is an Online Security Expert to McAfee. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Mobile was Hacked!  Disclosures.

What is an Advanced Persistent Threat?

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If you’ve ever seen a movie where the bad guys are using ongoing, invasive hacking to spy on their “enemy,” you have some familiarity with an advanced persistent threat (APT).

11DThis term usually refers to an attack carried out by a group that targets a specific entity using malware and other sophisticated techniques to exploit vulnerabilities in the target’s systems. It is often done for intelligence gathering with political, financial or business motives.

For example, an APT aimed at a corporation could take the form of Internet-based malware that is used to access company systems, or a physical infection, such as malicious code uploaded to the system via a USB drive. These kinds of attacks often leverage trusted connections, such as employee or business partners to gain access and can happen when hackers use spear phishing techniques to target specific users at a company.

Remaining undetected for as long as possible is a main objective with these attacks. It is their goal to surreptitiously collect as much sensitive data as they can. The “persistent” element implies that there is a central command monitoring the information coming in and the scope of the cyberattack.

Even though APTs are not usually aimed at individuals, you could be affected if your bank or another provider you use is the target of an attack. For example, if attackers secretly gather intelligence from your bank, they could get access to your personal and financial information.

Since you could potentially be affected by an APT attack on an entity or company that you do business with, it’s important that you employ strong security measures.

  • Use a firewall to limit access to your network.
  • Install comprehensive security on all your devices, like McAfee LiveSafe™ service, since malware is a key component in successful APT attacks.
  • Don’t click on attachments or links you receive from people you don’t know.
  • Keep your personal information private. Be suspicious of anyone who asks for your home address, phone number, Social Security number, or other personal identifying information. And, remember that once you share personal information online it’s out of your control.
  • Check to see if the websites you share sensitive information with use two-factor authentication. This is a security technique that uses something that you know, such as your password, and something you possess, such as your phone, to verify your identity. For example, your bank may ask for your password online, as well as a code that it has sent via text message to your phone. This is a 2nd layer of protection and should be enabled for sensitive information.

Robert Siciliano is an Online Security Expert to McAfee. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Mobile was Hacked!  Disclosures.

Don’t Get Kicked By Football Players Online

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The biggest sporting event of the year just kicked off. If you’re not a football fan (that’s soccer for us Yanks), this is the ultimate goal and it’s just getting started. Many fans will head to Brazil to watch these games and their favorite players, but many more fans will flock online to find out information about the players and teams.

Cybercriminals once again are taking advantage of these large numbers and have pounced on the eagerness of fans of the world’s most popular sport. Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro just barely edges other football stars as the world’s riskiest football player to search for online and tops the McAfee “Red Card Club.”

The McAfee “Red Card Club” is a list of eleven Brazil bound players whose web pages are considered to be risky for fans to search for online. Following Ronaldo are Argentina’s Lionel Messi, Spain’s Iker Cassillas, Brazil’s Neymar and Algeria’s Karim Ziani.

The sites most likely to be risky are those offering videos showing the athlete’s skills, and screensaver downloads. These rigged sites are just waiting to trick you into giving up personal information so that the thieves can steal your identity or get ahold of credit card information and max out your cards.

The study uses McAfee® SiteAdvisor® site ratings, which indicate which sites are risky when attached to football players’ names on the Web and calculates an overall risk percentage.

So what’s an excited football fan to do? While it’s probably not feasible for us to stop searching for information about these stars, we can make sure we are safe while doing so. Here are some tips for you to stay safe online:

  • Be suspicious — If a search turns up a link to free content or too-good-to-be-true offers, it usually is.
  • Be extra cautious when searching on hot topics—Cybercriminals set up fake and malicious sites that dominate these time-sensitive search results.
  • Use web protection— Make sure to use a safe search tool that will notify you of risky sites or links before you visit them. McAfee SiteAdvisor software can be downloaded for free here.
  • Check the Web address—Look for misspellings or other clues that the link might be directed to a phony website.
  • Protect yourself—Use comprehensive security on all your PCs, Macs, smartphone and tablets, like McAfee Live Safe™ service, that comes with McAfee SiteAdvisor, a complimentary tool that protects your from going to risky websites and prevents malicious downloads.

Stay safe online!

Robert Siciliano is an Online Security Expert to McAfee. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Mobile was Hacked!  Disclosures.

Teens’ Online Behavior Can Get Them in Trouble

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Do you really know what your kids are doing all the time? Probably not, unless you’re a stalker (just kidding). But really, there has to be some element of trust and you can’t physically be everywhere your kids are. And that also applies to the online world. As parents, we need to be aware of what our kids are doing, teach the “rules of the road,” and help them stay safe, but we can’t always be there with them every moment of every day.

But we do need to understand that our kids are doing things online that could expose them to risk. McAfee’s 2014 Teens and Screens study showed that tween and teens continue to interact with strangers online and overshare information, even though they realize that these activities can put them at risk.

So what else did the study unveil? About 75% of tweens and teens friend people whom they know in the real world, however, 59% engage with strangers online. And one out of 12 meet the online stranger in real life. This could be because 33% of them say they feel more accepted online than in real life.

Additional facts to understand:

  • Our tweens and teens overshare personal information – 50% posted their email address, 30% their phone number and 14% (which is 14% too many) posted their home address, even though 77% know that what is posted online can’t be deleted and 80% have had a conversation with their parents on how to stay safe online
  • Social media friends are not always friendly – 52% have gotten into a fight because of social media, 50% have gotten into trouble at home or at school and 49% have regretted posted something.
  • Our kids are still hiding things from us – Although 90% believe their parents trust them to do what is right online, 45% would change their online behavior if they knew their parents were watching, 53% close or minimize their web browsers when their parents walk into the room and 50% clear the history of their online activity

Alarmingly, 24% said that they would not know what to do in the event of cyberbullying (how about stay away from the bully’s page and block the bully from your page?). A whopping 87% have witnessed cyberbullying and 26% have been victims themselves.

So with all these, how do we ensure we help our kids stay can enjoy the benefits of being online, while staying safe online. Here’s my top tips:

  • Establish rules: Parents should establish pinpointed rules about computer activities including sites the kids can visit and what is and isn’t appropriate behavior online, including the fact that online is forever.
  • Check in: Kids should be told to immediately report cyberbullying. whether they are witnessing it or being a victim.
  • Meet their “friends”: If it’s not possible to meet that person in person, then your child shouldn’t be chatting with them online.
  • Learn their technology: You should know more about the various devices that your kids use than your kids do, not the other way around.
  • Get their passwords: Parents should have full access to their kids’ devices and social media accounts at all times; they need the passwords.
  • Have security software on all their devices: Make sure all your kids’ devices and yours have comprehensive security software, like McAfee LiveSafe™ service.

Or you can just relegate your kids to their rooms and never let them out—like I’ve told my girls. Just kidding. But on a serious note – parents, it’s time to make this a priority, for you and your kids.

To join the conversation online, use #TeensNScreens or follow @McAfeeConsumer or like McAfee on Facebook.

Robert Siciliano is an Online Security Expert to McAfee. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Mobile was Hacked!  Disclosures.

USB Drives – With Convenience Comes Risk

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I’m sure most of us have used a USB drive (or thumb drive) at one point or another. They are super convenient to transfer files, especially when they are too large for email or you don’t have access to an Internet connection.

2DBut it’s this same convenience of being portable, readily available, and inexpensive that make them a prime target for cybercriminals. There’s a number of ways that these devices can fall victim to the underworld.

Because USB drives are primarily used to share and transfer files, it’s an easy target for hackers who are looking to distribute malware. And because most USB drives are set to auto-run (meaning that when you plug it into your computer, it will automatically open up the drive), the malicious software could be automatically transferred to your computer as soon as you plug this in. So once they get you to copy an infected file to the USB drive, it’s easily spread to other computers every time the USB drive is plugged in.

While their small size and portability make them easy to carry in your pocket or pretty much anywhere, it also makes them susceptible to loss or theft. Depending on what type of information is stored on here, losing this device could expose your personal information. A USB drive could easily be misplaced, dropped or taken from a table so it’s important to be careful when using these devices.

Another thing to keep in mind is that files aren’t really deleted, even if you hit the “delete” button to take something off your USB drive. In this case “delete” really means “hide” so unless you run a “wipe” program to really get rid of the files, someone could still retrieve your data, so you still need to make sure you are careful with these devices.

So here’s some tips how can you ensure that you stay safe and protect your information when using USB drives:

  • Watch your USB drive – don’t set it down and make sure you keep track of it so it’s not lost or stolen.
  • Disable auto-run – Turn off auto-run on your computer so that if a USB drive has malware, then it won’t automatically be transferred to your machine.
  • Be careful who you share your USB drives with – Be careful what computers you place your USB drive in and who you let borrow your USB drive.
  • Use comprehensive security software – make sure your security software not only scans your computer for threats, but also any drives that are attached.

Remember just as with being online, we need to make sure our conveniences don’t expose us to risk.

Robert Siciliano is an Online Security Expert to McAfee. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Mobile was Hacked!  Disclosures.

What is a Man-in-the-Middle Attack?

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There’s a reason why most people feel uncomfortable about the idea of someone eavesdropping on them—the eavesdropper could possibly overhear sensitive or private information. This is exactly the risk that computer users face with a common threat called a “Man-in-the-Middle” (MITM) attack, where an attacker uses technological tools, such as malware, to intercept the information you send to a website, or even via your email.

11DJust imagine you are entering login and financial details on an online banking site, and because the attacker is eavesdropping, they can gain access to your information and use it to access your account, or even steal your identity.

There are a variety of ways that attackers can insert themselves in the middle of your online communications. One common form of this attack involves cybercriminals distributing malware that gives them access to a user’s web browser and the information being sent to various websites.

Another type of MITM attack involves a device that most of us have in our homes today: a wireless router. The attacker could exploit vulnerabilities in the router’s security setup to intercept information being sent through it, or they could set up a malicious router in a public place, such as a café or hotel.

Either way, MITM attacks pose a serious threat to your online security because they give the attacker the ability to receive and request personal information posing as a trusted party (such as a website that you regularly use).

Here are some tips to protect you from a Man-in-the-Middle attack, and improve your overall online security:

  • Ensure the websites you use offer strong encryption, which scrambles your messages while in transit to prevent eavesdropping. Look for “httpS:” at the beginning of the web address instead of just “http:” which indicates that the site is using encryption.
  • Change the default password on your home Wi-Fi connection so it’s harder for someone to access.
  • Don’t access personal information when using public Wi-Fi networks, which may, or may not, be secure.
  • Be wary of any request for your personal information, even if it’s coming from a trusted party.
  • Protect all of your computers and mobile devices with comprehensive security software, like McAfee LiveSafe™ service to protect you from malware and other Internet threats.

Robert Siciliano is an Online Security Expert to McAfee. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Mobile was Hacked!  Disclosures.

Spring Clean Your Online Reputation

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Spring is fast approaching, which means that spring break and college graduation are not too far away. Things could get ugly if your friends take photos of you acting foolish and then post them online for everyone to see.

14DWhether you’re searching for your next career move or are on the verge of graduation and feverishly sending out your resume, like it or not, potential employers are going online and Googling you. (Yes, Googling is considered a verb now.) Every time they find something online that is appropriate, they print it out and attach it to your resume. While I can’t confirm whether or not people are pulling your past and laughing at your expense, let’s just say I’d put money on it.

When was the last time you cleaned up your online (especially on social media) profile so that prospective employers can’t discover “bad” things about you? McAfee conducted a study, and the results show that 13.7% of people ages 18-24 know someone who was given the pink slip, courtesy of online postings.

Job seekers and upcoming college graduates take note: Difficulty getting or keeping a job due to negative social media content is a reality. I assure you anything on your social media profile that makes you look less than desirable as an employee, even an innocuous comment such as, “I always have trouble being on time,” can kill your chances at getting that dream job.

Tips on how you (the job seeker) can make your online profile look good:

DON’T:

  • Don’t friend someone you don’t know, just so you can crank up that friend-total tally. (Wow, 8,000 friends! Really?)
  • Don’t let anyone photograph or video you holding alcohol, smoking, being promiscuous or aggressive, shirtless, using vulgar gestures, or even doing something perfectly legal but stupid looking like the seflie fishy face.
  • Don’t use offensive language online, even if your privacy settings are at the highest. If you really need to get your point across, use “fudge,” “freakin,” “effing,” etc.
  • Don’t log on when your judgment may be compromised by raging hormones or alcohol/drugs.
  • Don’t negatively comment online about any person in authority (your boss, former boss, parents, a political candidate). Exception: The object of your scathing remark is a puppy beater.

DO:

  • Make sure your social network privacy settings are on high, but remember that this doesn’t give you the green light to be inappropriate.
  • Look at the past year of what you’ve posted on social media profiles. Delete every photo, video and comment that is even remotely off color.
  • Google your name, address, phone number, email address and pseudonyms to see what’s out there about you. If it’s bad and it’s deleteable, then delete.
  • If it’s not deleteable, but under the control of someone else, see what your options are to have them remove it. Email, call, beg and plead if you must.
  • Once you’ve removed what you can then start the process of pushing out good stuff. This means propagating social and search with digital content that would make your mother actually proud she spawned you. The more good stuff that shows on the first few pages of search, the more the bad stuff will be pushed down into the abyss.

If you are saying “I’m not concerned, my life is an open book, if a potential employer doesn’t want to hire me because of who I am, then I don’t want that job anyway.” Fine. But when it comes time to pay the bills, you’ve been forewarned.

You may be a college grad with a 170 IQ or a businessman with 10 years of experience, but to a prospective employer, your fishy face selfie makes you look like a tool. Be careful what you do online!

Robert Siciliano is an Online Security Expert to McAfee. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Mobile was Hacked!  Disclosures.