In Part I of this article, attention was drawn to the importance of avoiding phishing schemes and of keeping all software updated including virus protection and system updates to your computers and other devices. Today, let’s discuss two seemingly obvious inappropriate things that many of us do anyway because we don’t think anything will come […]
I recently completed two Cyber Security classes provided by TEEX, a Training and Education Division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. I wanted to learn how local communities prepare for and respond to cyber threats and I hoped the training would allow me to make a positive contribution to my readers and my community. […]
When it comes to Identity Theft, I unfortunately write from a position of experience. The good news is that in spite of having to cancel my personal credit card after someone enjoyed a $5,000 shopping spree in New York with a counterfeit duplicate while I was in Los Angeles, my identity is still intact. The […]
The main purpose of Twitter is to help users share information with the world. That means this information is intended to be public and it can even be shared with people who do not use Twitter. The type of information that is shared includes the messages you Tweet, the time of day you Tweeted, lists […]
Smartphones including iPhones and Androids are growing in popularity, and as a result, cell phones are becoming a rapidly increasing target of identity theft. These phones have an ability to store vast amounts of personal information and with all of the new apps out there, you can do almost anything on your phone that you […]
Child identity theft is on the rise. The greatest increase has been seen in children under 5 years old but the reality is that child identity thieves are targeting children of all ages. This is because the personal information of young children is usually legitimate and less likely to be tainted. Additionally, using a young child’s identity […]
When it comes to cyber security at home, it’s important to establish a game plan for all household technology users that is realistic and manageable. An updated and thorough game plan can greatly reduce and even prevent identity theft and infection from computer viruses and malware. Everyone must understand the plan, what risks you want to […]
With my rapidly growing list of over 165 passwords and usernames and an increase in mass password breaches, I decided today is the day to seek out a better and a safer way to create and to keep track of my passwords, usernames and other confidential information. As it turns out, this is easier said […]
Are you certain your privacy settings are doing what you think they should be doing for you? Have you checked all your Facebook privacy settings lately? Many Facebook users are unaware that what they are reading, watching or listening to may be posting to Facebook for others to see. In other words, they probably haven’t […]
I always forward phishing emails to the misrepresented organization (most often Bank of America) but have never gotten a response back. The lack of acknowledgement made me wonder if anyone ever reviewed the forwarded emails or if I was just spinning my wheels. The response I received from Chase made me feel appreciated. Kudos to […]
I usually get phishing emails from Bank of America, but today I got an alert from Chase that almost had me fooled. Following my own advice from a previous article, How to Avoid Phishing Scams , I logged onto Chase on-line by typing in the URL address instead of clicking on the embedded email link. If […]
Yesterday, the controversial Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA) passed by a 248-168 vote of the House of Representatives. The bill was voted against by 28 Republicans and 140 Democrats. What is CISPA about? CISPA encourages Internet Service Providers (ISP’s) to share customer information with one another and with the federal government to help […]
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