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Top 10 Security Considerations For New Device

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There’s a ton of new devices flooding the market and it has been predicted by the North Pole there have been many good boys and girls this year who will be receiving them. Out of Santa’s sack will come computers, tablets, smartphones, and gaming consoles. But if you happen to get one of these new devices, you should know that the first step in enjoying it is protecting it.

Smartphone or tablet:

Mobile malware is on the rise, and Android is still the most targeted platform.

1. Threats aimed at mobile phones are growing.

o Malicious applications are a main threat area, so be careful of the third-party applications you install— they could end up infecting your phone or sharing your personal information. Only download applications from a reputable app store, and read other users’ reviews. Also, make sure you are aware of what kind of information the app wants to access before you download it.

o Consider mobile malware threat protection to safeguard your device against viruses.

o Apply system or application updates which almost always include security patches and make your devices easier to use.

o Turn off antennas you don’t need. If you’re not using any one of the four typical wireless connections (cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS) on your smartphone or tablets then turn them off. It will help keep you safe and give you the best battery life.

o Don’t store personal information, such as passwords and account numbers, on your phone.

o For more information on McAfee® Mobile Security solutions, please visit:  www.mcafee.com/mobilesecurity.

Apple iPad, iPhone or iPod touch: Apple computers and devices has led to escalated threats. Mac malware has risen throughout 2012, and according to McAfee Labs, this trend looks to continue.

2. Transfer your PC best practices to your new Apple computer or device.

o As a proactive measure, consider installing security software that’s been developed for the Mac since more threats are being aimed at this platform.

o Don’t leave your device unattended, allowing a thief to grab it and your sensitive information.

PC or netbook:

3. Make sure your computer has comprehensive security software.

o Your security software should include at a minimum: anti-virus with cloud computing, a two-way firewall, anti-spyware, anti-phishing and safe search capabilities.

o Additional levels of protection include anti-spam, parental controls, wireless network protection, and anti-theft protection that encrypts sensitive financial documents.

o Don’t just use anti-virus software—this alone is not enough.

4. Keep in mind that free software can leave you unprotected.

o Free security software typically provides only basic protection, and is often offered to get you to buy more comprehensive software. Look for security software that provides up-to-date protection using cloud computing which can help protect against emerging threats.

o Don’t forget to check whether the security software installed on your new PC is only a trial version. If it is, remember to buy a subscription so that you have continuous protection against newly discovered threats.

5. Have data protection in addition to comprehensive security.

o In a recent global survey, home Internet users estimated that their digital assets, such as photos, contacts, and entertainment, were worth approximately $37,000, yet more than a third lacked protection across their devices.Consider a product that offers data backup and restore features as well as advanced security in case of a loss.

o Don’t take a chance on losing important personal photos, creative works in progress, or financial information.

6. Search and shop safely.

o You should know that McAfee Labs counted 43.4 million suspect websites during the third quarter of 2012, up 20% over the previous quarter, and these pose a threat to your computer and your devices.

o To help you weed through malicious sites, be sure to use a website safety advisor that can tell you which sites are safe and which are risky. McAfee SiteAdvisor™ is included in all of the McAfee consumer security suites.

o When shopping, look for theMcAfee SECURE™ trustmark, which indicates that the site has passed rigorous daily testing for 10,000 known hacker vulnerabilities.

7. Be aware of “scareware” and “ransomware”

o Scareware tricks users into believing that the computer may be infected to get them to “buy” fake antivirus software and hand over their personal and financial details, usually via pop-ups.

o Ransomware also appears through pop-ups, and typically accuses Web surfers of visiting illegal webpages. These pop-ups claim to be from the police and threaten to lock up the user’s computer system until they pay a fine.

o Ransomware grew by 43% in the third quarter of this year, while scareware continues to thrive, and is estimated to victimize 1 million people a day.

o Don’t buy antivirus software through pop-up ads. Always purchase your security software from a reputable vendor, and keep it up-to-date to avoid ransomware scams.

8. Educate your family and pay attention to your children’s online activities.

o Keep your computer in a common area and discuss which information is appropriate to share online and which is not, such as addresses, phone numbers, and other private information.

o If you have kids or tweens, limit their online access and the content they can view. Use aWeb filtering tool that protects kids from accessing inappropriate content such as pornography, nudity, online hate groups, school cheating sites, and profanity.

o Don’t assume your child doesn’t know how to turn off parental controls.

oFor more information on keeping your kids safe, visit McAfee’s Family Internet Safety Center at www.mcafee.com/family and check out the 10-Step

Internet Safety Plan For Your Family.

Gaming or entertainment device, such as a Nintendo Wii or 3DS, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360:

9. Keep in mind that these gaming and entertainment devices are now Internet-connected and vulnerable to many of the same threats as PCs.

o Make reliable backup copies of games to protect your investment.

o Take advantage of built-in parental controls that can help shield kids from violent games or limit when the device can be used.

o Some multiplayer games allow kids to play with strangers over the Internet, so if you are a parent consider activity-monitoring tools.

o Only connect your device to a secure Wi-Fi network.

o Don’t store personal information on yourdevice.

Removable storage device, such as a flash drive or portable hard drive:

10. Use technologies that will help protect your information.

o Consider using a secure, encrypted USB stick, to scramble your information so it is unreadable if your device is lost or stolen.

o Buy security software to protect your portable hard drive, and set a password.

o Don’t leave your removable storage device unattended since they are small and easily stolen.

Of course, many of us have multiple devices. To make protecting them easier, consider using a product such as McAfee All Access, which provides the first complete security protection for PCs, Macs and mobile devices in one cost-effective, single solution. To learn more, go to www.mcafee.com/allaccess.

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)

Top Security Tips against Home Invasions

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In one of the worst publically known home invasions of the 21st century both defendants received the death penalty. Joshua Komisarjevsky, confessed to the attack on the home and family of Dr. William Petit, and the murders of his wife, Jennifer Hawke-Petit, 48, and girls Michaela Petit, 11 and Hayley Petit, 17.

His partner in this horrendous crime convicted killer and home invader on death row Steven Hayes wrote letters confessing to up to 17 murders of women over the course of his life. The New Haven register reported a while back he noted “Yes, I’ve killed before,” Hayes bragged. “I have 17 kills throughout the Northeast United States. Perfect victims and well executed, controlled endeavors.”

In an AP interview with Komisarjevsky when asked about his death sentence he responded “I don’t think I’ll be executed against my will, I think if I volunteer, the state will execute me.”

Here are some home security tips to protect yourself and family:

Get armed: Having a non-lethal weapon in the form of a Taser or a Pepper spray in close proximity to your bed or front door can debilitate your attacker before they gain control. But realize these can be used against you.

Have your mobile handy: Consider a second line or a cell phone in your bedroom. Burglars sometimes cut phone lines and often remove a telephone from the receiver when they enter a home.

Get alarmed: An alarm system activated while you are sleeping will prevent a burglar from getting too far without you knowing it. And keep it on 24/7/365. With a home alarm systemon, when someone knocks on the door, a conscious decision has to be made to turn off the alarm. Most people will keep it on.

Locks: Call a qualified locksmith to take a physical security survey to help you determine the most efficient way to lock up. Many products on the market are a false sense of security. A qualified locksmith should be a professional associated with well-known manufacturers.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to Home Security Source discussing ADT Pulse on Fox News. Disclosures

Summer home security tips before traveling

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As you pack your car for your next road trip, realize someone’s probably watching.

Burglars watch. They look for signs you are traveling. They look for outside lights on 24 hours a day. They look for dark homes inside at nighttime. They look for no car in the driveway, mail and newspapers piled up or uncut grass that’s three weeks overgrown.  And they look to see you packing your car before a trip. A bad neighbor or his bad seed of a kid may be peering through their windows when you pack. That kid may end up in your house hours after you leave.

Contrary to what some might suggest, I’ve never thought it was a good idea to place your name on a “stop mail” list at the post office. Because some crack head postal employee now has a list of opportunities.

It’s the same thing with stopping delivery of your newspaper. Once you are on that list, it is known you are away.

The best case scenario for both issues is to have a trusted friend, family member or neighbor grab your mail and newspaper for you.

Never list your vacation plans on social media. The last thing you need to be doing on Facebook is telling the world you are 2000 miles away.

Here are a few home security tips to help protect your home while you are on vacation:

Pack your car in your garage or late at night under the cover of darkness.

Use timers on indoor and outdoor lights.

Let a trusted neighbor and the police know you are traveling.

Unplug garage door openers.

Have a neighbor park their car in your driveway.

Have a landscaper mow your lawn.

Don’t share your travel plans on social media or on a voicemail outgoing message.

Lock everything of significant value in a safe.

Invest in a home security camera system and home security alarm system.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist toHome Security Source discussingADT Pulse on Fox News. Disclosures

10 Security Tips For Holiday Shopping

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1. During the holidays, criminals engage in “black-hat SEO,” wherein they create fake websites and then use the same techniques as legitimate online businesses regarding search engine optimization, marketing, and online advertising via Google AdWords. They use keywords to boost rankings on Internet searches, causing their spoofed websites to appear alongside legitimate websites. These same processes are also used to infect unsuspecting users with malware.

2. Many victims who wind up on malicious websites when holiday shopping have found their way to these sites via phishing emails, which offer high-end products for low prices. It’s easy enough to avoid this. Common sense says that whenever you receive an unsolicited email offer, you ought to automatically be suspicious. The same applies to any offers received through tweets, or messages sent within social media. Scammers are committing social media identity theft everyday. If you aren’t familiar with the online retailer behind an offer, don’t even bother clicking a link, especially if the offer sounds too good to be true.

3. If a familiar and trusted website sends you an email offer and you decide to click, make sure you’ve been taken to the correct URL for the retailer. Beware of cybersquatting and typosquatting, in which the address only resembles the legitimate domain.

4. When placing an order online, always look for “https://” in the address bar, signifying that a page is secure. Scammers generally don’t take the time to create secure websites. Note that an image of a closed padlock also indicates that a website is secure.

5. Beware of emails from eBay scammers. I’ve been getting ten a day. The fact is, it’s difficult to tell a real eBay offer from a fake one. If you are seeking deals on eBay, go directly to the site itself, and don’t bother responding to emails. If a deal in an email is legitimate, you can find it by searching eBay.

6. Whenever you decide to make an eBay purchase, look at the seller’s history. eBay is based on the honor system. If a seller is established and has a record of positive feedback, they should be trustworthy.

7. Don’t worry about credit card fraud. But do pay close attention to your statements. Check them online at least once every two weeks, and refute unauthorized charges within two billing cycles, otherwise you will pay for an identity thief’s shopping list.

8. Don’t use a debit card online. If your debit card is compromised, that money comes out of your bank account directly and immediately. Credit cards offer more protection and less liability.

9. Avoid paying by check online. It’s fine to use checks in person, but when using an unfamiliar virtual website, it is not. Once money has been taken from your account and the goods, you’ve ordered fail to arrive, getting it back proves difficult if not impossible. Use a UniBall gel pen to prevent check washing.

10. Do business with those you know, like, and trust. I, for one, am guilty of buying from retailers who offer the best deals. But I only buy low-ticket items from unfamiliar sellers, generally spending less than $50. It’s best to buy high-ticket items exclusively from retailers that also have brick and mortar locations.

Robert Siciliano is a personal security expert contributor to Just Ask Gemalto, and he is running the Boston Marathon in April 2012 to support Miles for Miracles for Children’s Hospital Boston.

The 12 Scams of Christmas and Other Attacks

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Identity Thieves and Cybercriminals Take Advantage of the Holiday Season, Aiming to Steal Consumers’ Money, Identities and Financial Information. As cybercriminals begin to take advantage of the holiday season, be cautious.

Scam I: Charity Phishing Scams

Hackers take advantage of citizens’ generosity by sending e-mails that appear to be from legitimate charitable organizations.

Scam II: Fake Invoices from Delivery Services

Cybercriminals often send fake invoices and delivery notifications appearing to be from Fed Ex, UPS or the U.S. Customs Service.

Scam III: Social Networking Scams

Cybercriminals send authentic-looking “New Friend Request” e-mails from social networking sites.

Scam IV: Fake Holiday E-Cards

Cyber thieves cash in on consumers who send holiday e-cards in an effort to be environmentally conscious. Worms mask as Hallmark e-cards and more.

Scam V: “Luxury” Holiday Jewelry

Scam campaign that leads shoppers to malware-ridden sites offering “discounted” luxury gifts from brand names.

Scam VI: Practice Safe Holiday Shopping – Online Identity Theft on the Rise

Researchers predict online holiday sales will increase this year, as more bargain hunters turn to the Web for deals. While this is the season for giving, don’t give away your identity.  Cybercrooks promote fake gift card offers and other schemes with the goal of stealing consumers’ money and information, which is then sold to marketers or used for ID thefts.

Scam VII: Risky Holiday Searches

Hackers create fraudulent holiday-related websites for people searching for a holiday ringtone or wallpaper, Christmas carol lyrics or a festive screensaver.

Scam VIII: Job-Related E-mail Scams

Scammers are preying on desperate job-seekers with the promise of high-paying jobs and work-from-home moneymaking opportunities.

Scam IX: Auction Site Fraud

Buyers should beware of auction deals that appear too good to be true, because often times these purchases never reach their new owner.

Scam X: Password Stealing Scams

Thieves use low-cost tools to uncover a person’s password and send out malware to record keystrokes, called keylogging.

Scam XI: E-Mail Banking Scams

Cybercriminals trick consumers into divulging their bank details by sending official-looking e-mails from financial institutions.

Scam XII: Ransomware Scams

Hackers gain control of people’s computers then act as virtual kidnappers to hijack computer files and encrypt them, making them unreadable and inaccessible.

Protect yourself:

1.     Never Click on Links in E-Mails: Go directly to a company or charity’s website by typing in the address or using a search engine.

2.     Use Updated Security Software: Protect your computer from malware, spyware, viruses and other threats with updated security suites.

3.     Shop and Bank on Secure Networks: Only check bank accounts or shop online on secure networks at home or work, wired or wireless. Wi-Fi networks should always be password-protected.

4.     Use Different Passwords: Never use the same passwords for multiple online accounts. Diversify passwords and use a complex combination of letters, numbers and symbols.

5.     Use Common Sense: If you are ever in doubt that an offer or product is not legitimate, do not click on it.

6.     Get Identity Theft Protection: McAfee Identity Protection includes proactive identity surveillance to monitor subscribers’ credit and personal information and access to live fraud resolution agents who can help subscribers work through the process of resolving identity theft issues. For additional tips, please visit http://www.counteridentitytheft.com.

Robert Siciliano is a McAfee consultant and identity theft expert. See him discuss how a person becomes an identity theft victim on CounterIdentityTheft.com. (Disclosures)

11 Tips to Secure Online Shopping

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Here are 11 tips to have a safe online shopping experience during the holiday season:

  1. Avoid spoofed websites. Common sense says any time you receive an offer via an e-mail automatically be suspicious. The same goes with offers via tweets and messages received in any social media site.
  2. Don’t click the links in e-mails. Especially if it’s a too good to be true offer.
  3. Beware of cybersquatting and typosquatting which may look like the domain of the legitimate eTailer.
  4. Look for https:// in the address bar signifying it’s a secure page. Generally, scammers won’t take the time to set up secure sites. Note the closed padlock in your browser to back up the HttpS.
  5. Beware of e-mails coming for eBay scammers. If you are seeking deals on eBay, go right to the site and don’t bother responding to e-mails. Search deals on an e-mail directly on eBay.
  6. Look at the eBayers history. eBay is set up on the honor system. If the eBayer is an established seller with great feedback, they should be legit.
  7. Pay close attention to your statements. Check them every two weeks online and refute unauthorized charges within 2 billing cycles.
  8. Don’t use a debit-card online. If your debit card is compromised, that’s money out of your bank account. Credit cards have more protection and less liability.
  9. Avoid paying by check online/mail-order. Once the money is taken from your account and you don’t receive the goods, you are going to have a difficult, if not impossible, task of getting it back.
  10. Do business with those you know, like and trust. It’s best to buy high ticket items from eTailers that also have brick and mortar locations.
  11. Secure your PC. Update your critical security patches and anti-virus and only shop from a secured internet connection.

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing
credit and debit card fraud on CNBC.