Blog entries

What is malware and why should I be concerned?

Robert Siciliano — Fri, 17 May 2013 07:05:40 +0100

“Malware” is a shortened version of the words malicious software. It is defined as: a generic term used to describe any type of software or code specifically designed to exploit a computer/mobile device or the data it contains, without consent.

Prior to a trip it’s not uncommon for many of us to load up our smartphone with the latest time-killer games, social or travel apps. But an essential family of apps often overlooked revolves around security. Business travelers are in a unique category due to sensitive information they may carry but all of us are more ...

Is That Mobile Application Invading My Privacy?

Robert Siciliano — Wed, 15 May 2013 03:27:45 +0100

Facebook now offers “Home.” Facebook says “With Home, everything on your phone gets friendlier. From the moment you turn it on, you see a steady stream of friends’ posts and photos. Upfront notifications and quick access to your essentials mean you’ll never miss a moment. And you can keep chatting with friends, even w...

JAZD & Executive IT Forums Inc. Announce the Launch of Global B2B GRC Marketplace

Cinthia Pilar — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:13:29 +0100

JAZD, the leader in online B2B directory service platforms, and Executive IT Forums Inc., publisher of ITGRCForum.com, announced today their new online Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance industry marketplace, GRCMarketplace, is now live and open to buyers here.

Yes, such a day exists and it’s today, May 7th 2013. Intel and McAfee are working to make sure consumers increase their security awareness and front line of digital protection by asking everyone to change their passwords today.

You’ve done it. You’ve graduated at last. Your whole life is in front of you. Now is the time to make plans, embrace the world, take responsibility, make a statement, do some good and make this place better than how you found it.

The Federal Trade Commission offers invaluable tools for restoring your identity if it has already been compromised. The tools can be found at http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/pdf-0009-taking-charge.pdf. On this website, you will find a complaint form, affidavit of your identity, and sample letters. You will ...

Do I Need to be Concerned About Cybercrime?

Robert Siciliano — Tue, 07 May 2013 06:54:01 +0100

The short answer is yes! You should be concerned. And even if you’re not concerned for yourself, with the Internet all of us are interconnected so cybercrime does not just affect one person or one group, but all of us.

This question revolves around whether or not you want or need to head out into the wild, wild web wilderness exposed. By “exposed” I mean letting anyone within 300-500 feet of your device peek at the wireless data packets floating through the airand seeing all your raw data, or revealing who and where you are, what yo...

What Should I Know about Mobile Cybercrime?

Robert Siciliano — Sun, 05 May 2013 02:09:02 +0100

The Internet has dissolved the geographical boundaries and technological limitations that have constrained organized cybercrime in the past. We now live with cybercrime syndicates based in the US, Russia, Asia and all over the globe. When hackers in the US are sleeping, the ones in China are flexing their fingers on t...

5 Steps to Securing Portable Devices

Robert Siciliano — Wed, 01 May 2013 04:24:42 +0100

If it’s portable, it is subject to being lost or stolen—and the data contained can be accessed or the applications running may have access to additional information, resulting in your data being compromised. The good news is, you don’t need to be an IT professional to put systems in place, download security programs o...

How Protected is My Tablet on WiFi?

Robert Siciliano — Wed, 01 May 2013 04:20:33 +0100

To understand how protected you are, you need to understand how unprotected free public wireless is. This has nothing to do with how secure Apple devices are compared to Android. By default, free public wireless is open and unencrypted, and the data that travels over it from each device to the router is naked fo...

5 Ways to Browse the Web Privately

Robert Siciliano — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:47:18 +0100

You’ve probably never even thought that “browsing the web privately” was something that you needed to take extra steps to do. Most people think all web surfing is relatively private and nobody is really paying any attention. Unfortunately, there are many people, particularly in the form of marketers and advertisers, w...

2013 Boston Marathon: My Best Worst Day Ever

Robert Siciliano — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 03:29:54 +0100

Training for a marathon is a taxing, physical, emotional and expensive process. For me personally, that means five cortisone shots, almost a hundred physical therapy appointments and a few arguments with my wife. Why do it? Why climb a mountain? Why be a police officer? Why be an emergency room nurse? Why detonate a b...

Beware of Credit Card Micro Charges

Robert Siciliano — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 03:24:09 +0100

Micro charges are charges ranging from 20 cents to $10 and either are fraudulent, legitimate or fall into the category of “grey charges,” which describe sneaky recurring or unwanted charges.

Privacy on social networks seems a little oxymoronic to me. We tell the world about our lives, but we don’t want everyone to knoweverything. I know many people who only want some people to share in their experiences, but those same people often friend people they don’t know. See what I mean? Anyway, it is still a good...

What Exactly is a VPN?

Robert Siciliano — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 02:15:59 +0100

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a network set up to communicate privately over a public network. For example: You occasionally want to or need to work from home and your employer knows that if you do, the data that travels between your PC and an office PC needs to be protected. So your employer installs a program on his server and...

How Hackers Use Our Information Against Us

Robert Siciliano — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 02:01:37 +0100

We hear an awful lot about hackers breaking into systems and taking down networks or stealing millions of data records. The general understanding we have for hacking is bad guys want to disrupt things to make a point or to make money. But how do they really use our personal information against us?

Consumers are oblivious to the dangers of connecting in a free wireless environment. If they actually knew how vulnerable they are, all that coffee shops would do is sell coffee.Nobody would stick around and connect to the internet.