October 11, 2011

Clever Tactics Against Clever Spyware

Clever Tactics Against Clever Spyware

Malware continues to grow in both complexity and subtlety, and you’ve got to keep a constant vigil against viruses & spyware to protect your computer and tech gadgets. Virus and spyware detection tools (like our own StopSign Internet Security software) are great, but real computer security starts with you. Knowing what malware comes to us as (i.e. in what form it lands on our computer) is a key to recognizing what to click and what to avoid.

Pictures and software downloads have long been associated with malware. This isn’t to say that all pics and downloads are bad, but it’s best to keep an eye on them before you open them up. Especially if you receive them out of the blue or from an unknown source. Listed below are some different PC security tactics you can use when it comes to attempting to weed out any bad software or files from hopping onto your computer. None of them are foolproof, but they can be a big help in getting rid of potential problems.

  • The Browser Shuffle:

    If you maintain 2 or more different browsers (Internet Explorer and Firefox, for example), you can keep one of them locked down for secure usage (no cookies, no JavaScript, no proxies, etc.) and the other for general surfing. If you find yourself needing to browse to new or unfamiliar sites, just switch over to your secured browser. With fewer parts for potential malware to play with, you’ll help yourself by decreasing your chances of getting a computer infection.

  • Cache/Trash Control:

    I always recommend checking the option (if available) to automatically clear our your browser cache when closing the browser. This makes it a easy way to keep any potential snags away from the browser. It also clears up room for newer bits and pieces of the pages you surf.

  • Dropbox Downloads:

    Using a service like Dropbox will help keep your Inbox cleaned up, and it will also limit who you serve your files to, or who you are served files from. For example, if you know your friend Billy is going to send you a file, have him use Dropbox to keep it clean. This way you’ll know that any new files from Billy in your Inbox might be suspect. (Or it could just mean Billy forgot to use Dropbox)

  • Just Say No:

    Maybe you don’t want to download Billy’s latest funny picture or whatever he’s sending you today. Dropbox or no, just don’t click it. The less you bring into your computer, the less likely you’ll be hit by anything nasty like malware. We’ve all got a friend like Billy who likes to send us lots of junk, don’t we? 🙂

It’s all about being smart about who’s files you choose to open up and/or download, as well as what you keep around. Steering clear of unexpected files is a big first step, but there are plenty of ways to still get the ones you want.

Image courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/ooocha/3051266761/

If you're looking for great anti-virus software that won't break the bank, try StopSign. You don't pay extra for tech support for difficult malware, and our web protection software just works. Download & install StopSign to find out why our members choose us over the other options.

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July 14, 2011

Securing Your Wireless Network at Home

Securing Your Wireless Network at Home

As wireless devices become more common, keeping your wireless (AKA WiFi) network at home secure is increasingly important to many people. And while a lot of people keep their WiFi open, we feel it’s erring on the side of caution to go ahead and lock down your wireless network at home.

Looking at 2 opposite sides of the wireless security spectrum, you have well-known security expert Bruce Schneier who allows his home WiFi network to be open and unsecure, which sounds all well and good. But then you read stories about neighbors and/or strangers using your “wireless network for criminal activities” like downloading child porn, and it makes you think twice about keeping an unsecure network.

Here are a few tips you can use to help keep your wireless network secure:

  • Change the username & password on your wireless router:

    Keeping the default factory settings of any device opens you up to hackers who keep track of these things and share them among each other. And creating a good, secure password is a quick and easy way to alleviate the risk of easily hacked WiFi gateways.

  • Use wireless network encryption:

    Wireless routers in recent years all have the ability to use the WiFi Protected Access (WPA/WPA2) protocol. Break out the instruction manual or do a Google search for your router, and figure out how to set up WPA. Older WiFi routers may have WEP, or Wired Equivalent Privacy, but it has some security holes that make it vulnerable to attack and isn’t recommended. If your wireless router doesn’t support WPA/WPA2, then we suggest you get a new one.

  • Update your Internet security software:

    Whether you use StopSign or another product, make sure that you keep it updated. Most antivirus/anti-spyware packages have a mechanism to auto-update itself. Turn that on so you’re always sure to get the latest updates. Keeping your Internet security software updated can help prevent any problems if/when an attacker breaks into your WiFi network and starts to poke around.

  • Change the Service Set Identifier:

    Also known as the SSID, this also come with a default name that tips hackers off when they see it. Most people who aren’t computer savvy leave the default, and that can indicate to a hacker that there may be other easily found vulnerabilities with a particular network. Change the SSID to hedge your bets against the hackers.

  • Remove the ability to log in remotely:

    Most wireless routers come with remote log in turned to off by default, but don’t take a chance. Be sure it’s off, and leave it off.

  • Enable MAC address filtering:

    Not to be confused with Macintosh computers, a MAC address is a unique code on all wireless network cards. MAC address filtering tells your router to only allow devices with a known MAC address to connect to your WiFi.

It may seem like a lot to do, but today’s wireless router manufacturers know the dangers associated with an open WiFi network, and most work hard to make changing these things easy on you. Changing defaults, making secure passwords, and keeping updated Internet security software will to a long way in making your home wireless network secure!

Image courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/pixelthing/4401655227/

If you're looking for great anti-virus software that won't break the bank, try StopSign. You don't pay extra for tech support for difficult malware, and our web protection software just works. Download & install StopSign to find out why our members choose us over the other options.

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April 19, 2011

The Road to Internet Security

The Road to Internet Security

When it comes to Internet security, most of us have a hard time finding the time to keep up with the latest trends, monitor all of our accounts, and spend a lot of extra time trying to determine whether something is a credible threat or not. It’s not laziness, it’s very often a time management issue. I mean, would you rather spend an hour a day going over a list of possible threats to your Internet security, or would you rather spend that hour with your friends and/or family?

The harsh reality, though, is that if we’re going to be online, we’re going to need to make the time to keep our online life as worry-free as possible. Because if we don’t, there are plenty of identity theft experts and malware-writing authors out there who would love nothing more than to get a piece of our pie. But it’s about striking a balance between Internet security and real life commitments. Luckily, we can take an 80/20 approach to our digital world and still have time for family, work, and hobbies.

With just a few small tweaks to our day, we can all be that much safer, and take a lot of the pressure of dealing with Internet security and online safety off of our shoulders and onto a computer program that will do it for us. Here are some examples:

  • Use strong passwords to lock down your accounts:

    A good, strong password can do wonders for the security of any Internet-enabled accounts you may have. Do yourself a favor and create a great password that you can remember and stop making it easy for would-be hackers from swiping your info. (Yes, it’s possible to create a strong yet easily remembered password)

  • Use, and update, antivirus, antispyware, and firewall software:

    A good Internet security tool is a great way to get a helping hand with automating your online safety and data integrity. With the triple protection of antivirus, antispyware, and firewall software installed (and automatically updated), you’re taking a great step in preventing a bad piece of software from infecting your computer(s).

  • Check privacy settings in your social media profiles:

    LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter… they’re all being targeted by data harvesters and malware authors. Learn how to keep the information private on your social media profiles such as Twitter and Facebook. Doing so will not only prevent embarrassing status updates away from the public eye, but will also make it that much more difficult for others to siphon off your data.

  • Beware all links to photos, videos, and other media:

    Stop being your own worst enemy when it comes to malware. Learn how to really read whether or not that email, tweet, or instant message contains a link to bad software. For example, if a friend, out of the blue, sends you a link to a video or picture and they ask if it’s you? Yeah, very likely your friend got hacked and their account was taken over and sent you that message to make you click on it and help spread the malware. Unless you know that the source of a message sent you a link to online media on purpose, consider all of them suspect. Clicking on every attachment or link that comes your way is a danger, and unless you’re aware of what’s happening, you’re your own worst enemy.

Using the four tips above, you can spend just a few hours (in total) to keep your online life safe and secure from prying eyes. Your Internet security can’t be 100% guaranteed because there are always more folks out there with creative (yet devious) minds who want your info, but keeping things under wraps will make it that much harder for them to be able to take advantage of you.

Image courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/fboyd/490613015/

If you're looking for great anti-virus software that won't break the bank, try StopSign. You don't pay extra for tech support for difficult malware, and our web protection software just works. Download & install StopSign to find out why our members choose us over the other options.

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February 22, 2011

Tax Scams to Look Out For This April 15th.

Tax Scams to Look Out For This April 15th.

A fool and his money are soon parted.

We’re definitely in the middle of tax time here in America, and most people are stressing about one of two things: how much they’re going to have to pay to Uncle Sam or how much he’s going to be giving back. No matter which camp you’re in, it’s always stressful to have to do a financial recap of your whole year while juggling receipts, donation stubs, and all the other joys of tax preparation.

The last thing you want (or need) during tax time is to be hit with some kind of tax scam. You know what I’m talking about; you’ve probably heard your local news mention something about it in a blurb between stories.

I could probably give you a whole slew of advice on how to avoid tax scams like we did last year with our blog post about “IRS tax and refund scams“, but I’m going to be distilling it even further this year and only give you two. The number of tips may seem a little thin, but you’ll see that these two scams account for the majority of all phishing/etc. attempts at tax time.

  • Email scams:

    These are rising in popularity across the board with scammers. Email is so cheap and easy to spread that they can send out millions with the push of a button. Be smart: know who the sender of an email is, and be careful about clicking on any links from emails. It’s not too difficult to create a convincing looking email. My suggestion is that if an email looks legit, trust but verify; Contact the agency that contacts you. And if it is a scam, report it to the IRS.

  • Website scams:

    These should be easier to discern because if the domain name doesn’t end with “irs.gov” (or at the very least the “.gov” part, since only government agencies can register those domains), then it’s very likely a scam. The IRS and other government offices may direct you to a .com website for informational purposes, but never for anything important wherein you’d be requested to enter personal information. Be sure let the IRS know if you find a possible scam site by reporting tax scam web sites to them.

As a general rule of thumb, the IRS won’t contact taxpayers individually via unsolicited email. And more importantly, they aren’t going to be asking for your Social Security Number, your PIN numbers, or any other sort of personal financial information in said email.

Image courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/jdhancock/3446025121/

If you're looking for great anti-virus software that won't break the bank, try StopSign. You don't pay extra for tech support for difficult malware, and our web protection software just works. Download & install StopSign to find out why our members choose us over the other options.

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January 27, 2011

Social Engineering Techniques – Pretexting

Social Engineering Techniques – Pretexting

Pretexting is a social engineering technique wherein a hacker uses false pretenses to engage with with his/her intended victim in order to get information from that target. Basically it’s a lie with a made-up story to go along with it. Pretexting is often used to gain trust, and when trust is gained by the pretexter, data and privacy are in danger.

A classic example of pretexting in the offline world is someone pretending to be a pizza delivery guy (or gal) to gain access to the front door of a house. Once the door is open, the would-be criminal can peek inside, look for valuables, guard dogs, and the layout of the home. Pretexting in the online world tends to be electronic, such as IMing with someone over a long period of time and gaining their trust on a social networking site by pretending to be someone they aren’t.

Pretexting can be found anywhere sensitive information or privacy issue are a concern: your home, your work, or even you local cable company.

It would be virtually impossible to steer clear of a master pretexter, but you can keep your eyes (and ears) open (figuratively speaking) for someone online or offline who seems relatively innocuous at first, but then gets a little too nosy. Just remember that loose lips sink ships and you should be fine.

Image courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipmovie/.

If you're looking for great anti-virus software that won't break the bank, try StopSign. You don't pay extra for tech support for difficult malware, and our web protection software just works. Download & install StopSign to find out why our members choose us over the other options.

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January 19, 2011

Online Safety for Kids

Online Safety for Kids

It’s getting close to the middle of the school year for most kids, and by now they’re probably pretty comfortable with the swing of things. As such, you’re probably finding your kids on the home computer surfing the Internet, “studying” online (haha), and chatting with their friends the web. As a parent and a tech geek, I’m all for kids learning and playing online. But as the school year progresses, most kids become lax in their safety consciousness when online.

It’s always a good idea to remind your kids about the importance of online safety, but here are three things you should make sure to keep on top of all year long:

  • Don’t give out personally identifiable information:

    First names are probably fine, but a last name should always be kept under wraps from anyone your kids interact with online. Other things to keep quite about are the locations of their home and school, frequent hangout spots, and after-school schedules. The last thing you want is some creepy stranger taking a 3 hour drive to visit your kid at little league!

  • Keep kids social networking profiles private:

    Places like Facebook allow kids (and adults) to post anything they want at any time they want, with little to no repercussions. Make sure that your kids don’t accidentally invite a web perv into their online life with an open and public profile.

  • Let an adult know about cyberbullying:

    Cyberbullying is no joke, and it’s happening more and more. Be sure to keep an open and honest dialog with your kids about online harassment, whether it’s about them, their friends, or someone they know at school. No child should have to live in fear or shame because of a cyberbully.

If you keep those three things alive and well during the entire year, your kids will have a much better, and safer, time on the Internet.

Image courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/madame_furie/

If you're looking for great anti-virus software that won't break the bank, try StopSign. You don't pay extra for tech support for difficult malware, and our web protection software just works. Download & install StopSign to find out why our members choose us over the other options.

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