Cyber Security and Cyber Safety Guidelines

General cyber safety and cyber security guidelines for the layperson. Problems suggested and solutions provided.

Cyber Scams, Cyber Security, Internet Privacy, Phishing

How I saved my Mac from Ransomware

A virus in the apparent form of ransomware found its way onto my computer last week and I'm not going to lie but for a few moments, I experienced sheer panic! Luckily, I had some tactics for dealing with the situation so…

Cyber Scams, Cyber Security, Identity Theft, Internet Safety

How to Minimize Your Damage from Inevitable Identity Theft

“It won’t happen to me!” is what many of us think and hope when we hear about other victims of crime. But when it comes to cyber crimes, it’s become a case of when rather than if. "The number of U.S. data breaches tracked in…

Cyber Privacy, Cyber Scams, Cyber Security, Internet Privacy, Passwords, Phishing

Six fraud avoidance tips from FBI Special Agent

At a recent Cyber Security/Fraud event in Los Angeles, I learned new and valuable information from an FBI Supervisory Special Agent that I want to share with as many people as possible. To that end, I'm passing along what I learned with a…

Cell Phone Security, Cell Phones, Cyber Privacy, Cyber Scams, Cyber Security, Identity Theft, Internet Safety, Passwords, Phishing

Dangers of Seniors and Technology

Looking over my dad’s new smartphone photos, my heart skipped a beat. I was staring at vibrant photographs of every credit card in his wallet – and there were many. That’s not where it ended. There were additional photos such as the…

Cyber Security, Identity Theft, Internet Privacy, Legal/Ethics, Reputation

We Don’t Cover Stupid! How to protect sensitive data.

“We don’t cover stupid” is a reminder that ignorance and lack of expertise have become unacceptable excuses for technological negligence. This entertaining but reasonable statement was made by an insurance company who is suing for reimbursement…

Cyber Privacy, Cyber Scams, Cyber Security, Email, Internet Privacy, Passwords, Phishing

What do you do when you or someone you know has been hacked or spoofed?

I'd like to tell you that I've never clicked on a link I shouldn't have clicked on, but that would be a lie. Do you realize that even a close friend can accidentally give you a virus with an innocent suggestion to download a screensaver,…

Apps, Cyber Privacy, Cyber Scams, Cyber Security, Email, Identity Theft, Internet Privacy, Internet Safety, Passwords, Phishing, Protecting Children, Remove online info, Vishing

Anthem Breach: 7 Tips to Protect Yourself Amidst Attacks

Whether directly impacted or not, there are things we must all learn from the Anthem breach. The sensitive information that was accessed has provided criminals with the ability to create new lines of credit and to steal the identities of…

How to avoid online shopping and travel scams

Cyber Scams, Cyber Security, Identity Theft, Internet Safety, Phishing, Predators

Online deals – tips to avoid becoming a victim this holiday season

It's always a good idea to be careful when shopping online but with the arrival of Cyber Monday and holiday shopping time, it's time to be extra careful as cyber criminals and predators come out in huge numbers. HOW TO AVOID…

Apps, Cyber Privacy, Cyber Security, Facebook, Internet Privacy, Social Media

Facebook’s New Privacy Checkup – Thumbs Up!

When an alligator cartoon offering a Facebook Privacy Checkup popped up while I was using Facebook, I assumed it was fraudulent. Facebook hadn’t seemed concerned about making their privacy settings transparent before and with the unfamiliar…

Cyber Security, Passwords, Phishing

4 Simple Home and Work Cyber Safety Tips

Upon arrival at the Riverside County Sheriff's Department for cyber security training by a division of Homeland Security, I asked for a password to access wireless internet but my request was denied. I was surprised by the lack of Internet…

Cell Phones, Cyber Security, Passwords

How to Protect your Smartphone from Mobile Attacks

With increasing popularity of tablets and more than 1 billion smartphone users in the world, access and storage of sensitive data and information via mobile devices has increased dramatically. Simultaneously, mobile attacks including device…

Cyber Security, Internet Privacy, Passwords, Predators

How to Keep Hackers Out of Your Website or Blog

I was uncomfortable and unhappy after I watched someone hack into a site in less than 5 minutes. It was so easy to do! So, I followed “the hacker’s” advice to reduce this from happening to me and then cried (just a bit) when I completely…