Securing your Facebook WiFi connection.

Did you know there is a new Facebook security feature that will encrypt your session so that you don't fall victim to attacks such as Firesheep, which can hijack that session while you are connected to an unsecured WiFi link?
Firesheep can steal your sessions, pretend to be you, and you won't even know it.
The encryption security feature is accessed through your Facebook Account Settings.
Get complete instructions at the following link:
http://blog.eset.com/2011/02/08/change-your-facebook-account-settings-for-better-privacy-and-security

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Tracking you through your smartphone.

Technology has made our lives a lot easier, but you do know there are tradeoffs.
For example, most smartphones today have GPS capability built-in to provide location-based services.
Real-time directions help you get from point A to point B. But, did you know Facebook and third-party Facebook apps can use this same technology to track your location through your cell phone? For your privacy and safety, I recommend that you do not submit your mobile phone number to Facebook. Or if you have, remove it. Here is a link to aid you in that task:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-19518_3-20028708-238.html

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Cell phone privacy reminder

Cell phone numbers became public in March, and telemarketing companies can now call you on your cell.
If you do not want to receive these calls, go to the National Do Not Call Registry https://www.donotcall.gov/Mobile/Default.aspx. You can enter up to three numbers at a time.

The National Do Not Call Registry is managed by the Federal Trade Commission.

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Skype used for scam.

Hello again! Thank all of you that responded to my last post with suggestions to make this blog better. Today, I would like to share a post from another blog I follow.

This particular article is about how Skype is being used to spread a Rouge Virus.
I don't use Skype myself, but I know of several families that do use it to keep in touch with family members in the military or that live far away.
http://krebsonsecurity.com/2011/03/rogue-antivirus-via-skype-phone-call/

For those of you interested in following this kind of stuff, latest viruses, scams, attacks on technology, here is a link to his blog: http://krebsonsecurity.com/

You can also follow him on Facebook at:
 https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brian-Krebs/119740914725557?sk=wall

Hope you find this interesting and keep the comments coming.

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Phone Phishing Attacks

Here is an article I found while doing some research for a problem I am trying to solve for a friend.

I figured with the wide use of smartphones and such, I would pass it along.

I remember a time when the only thing you had to worry about catching from talking on the phone was a cold. Oh the times, they are a changing.

http://krebsonsecurity.com/2010/06/a-spike-in-phone-phishing-attacks/

For those of you interested in following this kind of stuff, the latest virues, scams, attacks on technology, here is a link to the blog I got this story from: http://krebsonsecurity.com/

You can also follow the author on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brian-Krebs/119740914725557?sk=wall

Hope you find this interesting and keep the comments coming.

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Does Your Smartphone Need Antivirus Protection?

I have been asked about smartphone protection. Since I am not very familiar with smartphones nor do I own one, I had to do a little research. The following is an article posted at: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,515583,00.html.

I hope it is helpful and answers some of your questions.



Q: I know my home PC needs antivirus and anti-spyware programs and a firewall to surf the Internet somewhat safely. I've just gotten my first smartphone, so I have to ask: How does one surf the Internet on this phone and not catch any viruses? Or are there programs out there to protect my phone?



A: Opinion is mixed among security experts — including the ones who, just a few short years ago, were predicting real problems for mobile devices. By and large, the threat has failed to materialize, as of yet.



• Click here to visit FOXNews.com's Cybersecurity Center.

• Click here for FOXNews.com's Personal Technology Center.



Not that there aren't examples in the wild, including the recent WINCE_CRYPTIC.A worm, which targets Windows-based smartphones. But such viruses are currently as rare as malware for the Mac.



That may be changing, however, according to Denise Culver, a research analyst with Unstrung Insider.

She writes: "Mobile malware security vendors are preparing for wide-scale attacks by hackers — attacks that eventually will be as headline-grabbing as those that hit e-mail systems. Their hope is that smartphone manufacturers, carriers, and enterprises — not to mention smartphone users — will not wait until the threats have reached that level before securing their mobile systems."

Among my favorite boyhood memories are trips to the North Fork of the Snake River on the opening day of fishing season in Idaho.

In addition to the beautiful scenery and the exhilarating raft ride, there was the great fishing. The trout practically jumped into the boat!

In other words, they were plentiful and easy to catch.

The same concept applies to authors of malware: They prefer targets which are plentiful and easy to attack.



The Windows operating system (in its various versions) is certainly plentiful. It's also easy to attack, as proven by tens of thousands of malware examples.

In other words, Windows systems are "ubiquitous and attractive." To those who are not talented enough to be professional programmers and have to resort to writing malicious code to get their programming jollies, Windows is currently the target of choice.

When Windows Mobile — or Apple iPhone, or Google Android — devices become "ubiquitous and attractive," they, too, will become targets for malware. Be prepared.

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I need your help.

Hello and thanks for tuning in for another episode of the Kesar Tech blog. Today I would like to go in a little bit of a different direction. Instead of me giving you information, I would like you to give me some.
I have noticed that the number of followers of my blog and people that like my Facebook page have dropped a little bit. Anyone that knows me, knows that my ego can not take it when people don't like me. Just kidding :)
What I need from you is any suggestion as to what I can do better, what I'm doing wrong, how can I improve, or are the people that have left just not interested in this subject. The gloves are off and you are free to give me any suggestions you want, just PLEASE make them appropriate and related to the topic. Who knows, maybe this post will cause more people to leave. If so, thank you for hanging with me this far and if I can ever help with a computer problem let me know.

On a related note, I would like to thank a good friend, Lori Devine, for getting the word out about me. I have received several questions from friends Lori has pointed in my direction and I do appreciate the business.

Lastly, I have been asked the following question several times, so I will just answer it now and clear up any further miscommunication. I do not charge for advice, but I do charge if I do any work.

Again, thank you for your time and I hope this doesn't make me look like the lonely pathetic loser that I am. :( I think I may need a hug now.

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Package Delivery Failure Virus

A good friend forwarded me this e-mail and I felt it was worth passing along.

The newest virus circulating is the UPS/Fed Ex Delivery Failure. You will
receive an e-mail from UPS/Fed Ex Service along with a packet number. It
will say that they were unable to deliver a package sent to you on
such-and-such a date. It then asks you to print out the invoice copy
attached.

DON'T TRY TO PRINT THIS. IT LAUNCHES THE VIRUS! Pass this warning on to
all your PC operators at work and home. This virus has caused Millions of
dollars in damage in the past few days.

Snopes confirms that it is real.

http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/ups.asp

Thank you Kim for this information.

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How Anonymous Are You Online?

These days, we share more and more personal details about ourselves online — whether intentional or not. You may think that you are anonymous as you browse websites, but pieces of information about you are always left behind. This information can include browsing behaviors, but more importantly, it could also include personally identifiable information, which can potentially be exploited by criminals for identity theft. Luckily, the information revealed about you can be reduced by taking a few simple measures.

Below is an overview created by US-Cert.org (see attached link) to help you minimize your risk of revealing too much.



What information is collected?



When you visit a website, a certain amount of information is automatically sent to the site. This information may include the following:

• IP address - Each computer on the internet is assigned a specific, unique IP (internet protocol) address. Your computer may have a static IP address or a dynamic IP address. If you have a static IP address, it never changes. However, some ISPs own a block of addresses and assign an open one each time you connect to the internet — this is a dynamic IP address.
• Domain name - The internet is divided into domains, and every user's account is associated with one of those domains. You can identify the domain by looking at the end of URL; for example, .edu indicates an educational institution, .gov indicates a US government agency, .org refers to organization, and .com is for commercial use.
• Software details - An organization is usually able to determine which browser you used to access its site. The organization may also be able to determine what operating system your computer is running.
• Page visits - Information about which pages you visited, how long you stayed on a given page, and whether you came to the site from a search engine is often also available to the organization operating the website.

If a website uses cookies, the organization may be able to collect even more information, such as your browsing patterns, which include other sites you've visited. If the site you're visiting is malicious, files on your computer, as well as passwords stored in the temporary memory, may be at risk.

How is this information used?

Generally, organizations use the information that is gathered automatically for legitimate purposes, such as generating statistics about their sites. By analyzing the statistics, the organizations can better understand the popularity of the site and which areas of content are being accessed the most. They may be able to use this information to modify the site to better support the behavior of the people visiting it.

Another way to apply information gathered about users is marketing. If the site uses cookies to determine other sites or pages you have visited, it may use this information to advertise certain products. The products may be on the same site or may be offered by partner sites.

However, some sites may collect your information for malicious purposes. If attackers are able to access files, passwords, or personal information on your computer, they may be able to use this data to their advantage. The attackers may be able to steal your identity, using and abusing your personal information for financial gain. A common practice is for attackers to use this type of information once or twice, then sell or trade it to other people. The attackers profit from the sale or trade, and increasing the number of transactions makes it more difficult to trace any activity back to them. The attackers may also alter the security settings on your computer so that they can access and use your computer for other malicious activity.

How can you limit the amount of information collected about you?

Be careful supplying personal information - Unless you trust a site, don't give your address, password, or credit card information. Look for indications that the site uses SSL to encrypt your information.

Limit cookies - If an attacker can access your computer, he or she may be able to find personal data stored in cookies. You may not realize the extent of the information stored on your computer until it is too late.

Browse safely - Be careful which websites you visit; if it seems suspicious, leave the site. Also make sure to take precautions by increasing your security settings, keeping your virus definitions up to date, and scanning your computer for spyware.

Here is how you would erase your browsing history for Internet Explorer 7 from Windows:

1. Click Start on the desktop.

2. Click Control Panel.

3. Double-click Internet Options.

4. Make sure the General tab is selected.

5. Click Clear History in the History box.

6. Click OK when it asks if you want to delete all items in your history folder.

7. Click OK at the bottom of the General box to exit.

Here is how you would erase your browsing history for Internet Explorer 8 from Windows:

1. Click Start on the desktop.

2. Click Control Panel.

3. Double-click Internet Options.

4. Click Delete under the Browsing History.

5. Select what you want to delete and then click the Delete button.

A couple of other things I recomend are:

1. Under Browsing History, check "Delete browsing history on exit."

2a. Also under Browsing History, click Settings.

2b. Under History, set "Days to keep pages in history" to Zero.

To do this from your browser:

1. Click on "Tools" from your menu bar.

2. Then Internet options.

3. Follow the steps for your browser from above.

For other browsers or Operating Systems, check the following link: http://kb.iu.edu/data/ahic.html.

Hope this helps.

Source: http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/tips/ST05-008.html

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