Mobile Security Tips

smartphone-securityAs we add more mobile and portable devices to our digital collection, cybersecurity for mobile devices becomes more important.  Smartphones, tablets, wearable tech,  and ultra-portable laptops are certainly convenient and easy to carry, but that makes them easy for a thief to carry off.  When these devices are stolen, you lose much more than the hardware.  Every bit of information on the device is up for grabs too, from contact lists, personal information, mobile ...

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What Is Your Data Worth?

penetration_test_436x270When you lose your login credentials to an online account, it can be devastating.  Depending on what was compromised and what was lost, you may have an expensive and time-consuming task on your hands.  So the bad guys took your user ID and password, or some other personal information.  Was it worth it?  There is an active resale market for this information, and ...

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100 Things Facebook Knows About You

facebookI read about this on Naked Security, and popped over to the Washington Post to read the full story and list.  I knew this was happening, but it is freaky to see the entire list.  Facebook collects this information to deliver ads that are targeted at your interests and preferences.  If it seems that some of the ads that show up in your feed are weirdly right ...

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BEC – How Cyber-Attackers Can Rip Off Your Company

ic3We warned our readers about the FBI alert regarding the Business Email Compromise scam on July 6.  Cyber-criminals have successfully bilked US companies of over 3 billion dollars since January 2015.  Typically this exploit starts by the attacker gaining knowledge of the CEO’s or other highly placed executive’s user credentials to their email account.  This is most often done using a spearphishing email, but could also be ...

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Spotting a Phish

Phishing HookPhishing is still the overwhelming go-to choice for cyber-criminals launching an attack.  Over 90% of computer system breaches start with a phishing email in an inbox.  Finding ways to unmask these impostors is a good first step are protecting yourself from a phishing exploit.  Let’s look at this first example, apparently from a law firm about a legal action.

 

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Business Email Compromise Report from FBI

image_thumbI very rarely will publish a news item or statistics, because we focus on discussing vulnerabilities, exploits, and countermeasures and leave the cyber news to others.  This report is important enough I had to share it.

On June 14th the Internet Crime Complaint Center of the FBI reported loss numbers for businesses that succumbed to the “Business Email Compromise” scam.  This scam works when an attacker is able to get ...

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Your Smartphone and Tablet Need Security Too

phone-thiefMobile smart devices have all the capabilities of a laptop or computer.  What this means from a cybersecurity perspective is that they are every bit as vulnerable as a laptop or desktop computer.  The fact that they are small makes them easy for a thief to slip in a pocket or backpack and carry away, along with your personal information, contacts, pictures, geo-location history, and a raft of critical and revealing ...

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Was Your Email Password Stolen?

Email_thumb2One of the very worst breaches that can happen to you is for an attacker to be able to access your email account.  If someone else can access your email, and read the messages you send and receive, and access your contact list and calendar, then they can learn many personal details about you that would make it easier to steal your identity, access other web accounts using the password reset ...

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Best Data Security – Throw It Out!

databaseI read a couple of thought provoking articles recently on the subject of data security, and more directly, on how data destruction can serve to permanently “secure” the data that is destroyed.  One article appeared in the Wordfence security blog, and the other article from security and encryption guru Bruce Schneier on CNN.com.

The Wordfence article was looking at improving WordPress website security by removing unused items and information, ...

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IRS Strikes Again – IP PIN Epic Fail

irs-logoWe wrote last year about how the IRS and their Get Transcript service was instrumental in helping identity thieves file fraudulent tax returns for big refunds.  The problem was that the IRS used static user identity information that was available elsewhere online.  They promised to fix this security problem, but have not.  This year, many users of the IP PIN  system that was supposed to harden ...

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