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Security Tips For Data Privacy Day!

Anna Monette Roberts — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 08:30:34 PST

It's Data Privacy Day, so we're here to give you 10 tips to keeping your computer safe, secure, and totally private. Nothing is worse than having your computer hacked into, your personal information stolen, or becoming a victim of fraud. We've rounded up all of our best tech advice to help keep your computer protected and free from hacker malice. If you haven't implemented these 10 tidbits yet, today is the perfect day to begin to take charge of your computer's safety.

Avoid fraud: Be wary of emails, calls, and log-in screens that ask you to verify all of your information. Always air on the side of precaution when sharing more sensitive information like banking passwords. If a company reaches out to you (rather than you personally reaching out to them), don't give your personal information out. Redial the number or email the company using the information posted on their website.
Set up a hack-proof password: When logging in to websites, come up with difficult and different passwords for each site, using a variety of letters, numbers, and symbols. Change it every couple of months for additional safety.
Double-check your firewall: Most computers have a built-in firewall that protects your computer by stopping hackers and malicious software from accessing your computer via the Internet. Make sure to keep your firewall setting on, and you could even customize what websites, domains, and IP addresses you want to access from your computer.
Forget about free public WiFi: Hackers often create fake networks, titling them "Free Public WiFi" in hopes of stealing your personal data. Even if the WiFi is legit, it's still dangerous to access private information in an unsecured network. Always opt to pay the small fee for a service that requires you to log-in to an official network.
Safely search for celebrities: Googling your favorite celebrities can be a dangerous business if you don't recognize the sites you are clicking on. Many Google results of famous celebrity names lead to infecting your PC with malware and viruses.

See more tips to better privacy.

Passwords: the Promise Rings of a Digital Generation

Kelly Schwarze — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:11:18 PST

Once you've gotten to a comfortable point in a romantic relationship, how do you recognize mutual trust and respect for one another? With our private lives stored within emails, Facebook photos, and Netflix queue preferences, many young couples now see the final pillar in solidifying trust in a relationship is sharing the password into a partner's virtual world.

The New York Times recently profiled what they see as a growing trend of teenagers showing their security in a relationship by sharing the passwords for email, Facebook, instant messenger accounts, even their phone with a girlfriend, boyfriend, or close friend. It's easy to get lost in the euphoria of a new love, believing they should be privy to your every digital thought. The hindsight of a relationship gone sour suggests that sharing a password can lead to a slippery slope where the no-longer-significant other has access to potentially embarrassing information on the former love.

If you've had either a positive or negative experience with sharing passwords in the past, chime in with your thoughts in the comments.

7 Ways You Can Avoid Internet Fraud and Phishing Scams

Kristy Korcz — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 09:53:32 PST

The holiday season is here and millions of Americans are heading out to tackle their last-minute shopping lists. Though doing the lions share of your shopping online can save you time, there are many dangers lurking out there on the Internet, especially where there are credit cards involved.

One recent Internet phishing scam involves Apple fans, and a so-called "Christmas Awards" program. This email-based scam sends you a message from a non-Apple email address (like rediffmail.com) asking you to download an attachment to learn more about the awards program. The attachment is a Word document, which is a red flag for downloading viruses and malware. While the download doesn't appear to host any viruses, it does say that you've won $250 million dollars and a commemorative iPhone 4S. All you need to do to claim the "prize" is hand over all of your personal and sensitive information. Don't! If you get this email, don't open it and be sure to report it to the FTC.

Stay safe while shopping this holiday - and beyond - by following these tips that will keep your personal info out of the hands of hackers.

Don't be fooled by fake log-in screens: If you're already signed into Twitter, Facebook, or your email, you won't be asked to sign in again unless you've logged out. Even if the screen looks like the normal log-in, it probably isn't.
Don't be fooled by emails: I've been asked to reply to my "banking institution" with my account log-in information before. The email is formatted to look legit, but if you check the sender's address, most likely it's from a third-party account like Gmail, Yahoo, or MSN. Be diligent and never reply to emails with your bank log-ins or passwords and always check where they are coming from first! When in doubt, call instead.
Reset your passwords often: Too often, people have some pretty lame passwords, which allow their accounts to get hacked even without a phishing scam. Make sure your passwords are tough to guess, and try to change them every few months.

See the rest of the tips after the break.

A Geek Girl's Guide to Digital Safety

GeekSugar — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 16:19:45 PDT

There's no better time to start thinking of online safety than the present. Whether you're shopping online, signing into your email, or surfing the web on your mobile phone, there are simple ways to protect your identity and information. Check out this guide to protecting yourself in this digital world.

Woman Finds Facebook Photos on Porn Site: How to Keep Your Pics Private

Kristy Korcz — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 10:32:39 PDT

Talk about a nightmare! A 20-year-old Minnesota woman found her Facebook account had been hacked. Not only was she denied access, but also she found her Facebook photos had been stolen and posted to a porn site. Getting hacked is just like being robbed - you feel totally violated - but she wasn't the only one being taken advantage of online. Turns out, the same hacker had gained access to at least 100 other Facebook accounts, posting names and places of residence alongside photos on sexually explicit sites.

Not only is this kind of incident bad for your online reputation, but for your reputation as a whole. Imagine if a potential employer decided to Google your name, only to find photos of you on a not-so-savory website promoting pornography! The good news is there are steps you can take to lower your risk of being hacked on Facebook, Twitter, and other online destinations. Get the tips when you read more.

How to Create a Hacker-Proof Password in 5 Easy Steps

Kristy Korcz — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 12:51:22 PDT

You've heard it a hundred times before: you need to create a hacker-proof password to keep from falling victim to cybercrime. But not only are you supposed to choose a hard-to-guess password, it's best to have a different one for each website you've registered with. This fact was reinforced after the recent hacking of Gawker, which allowed hackers to gain access to Gawker user accounts, as well as any other online account that used the same password. Even more worrysome: this weekends massive email data breach.

Talk about confusing! So how do you go about creating a hacker-proof password that's easy to remember? Find out after the break.

Is It Time For Thumbprint-Recognition Software?

GeekSugar — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:45:46 PDT

A new report published by the Georgia Institute of Technology says that eight-letter passwords are on the way out, soon to be replaced with 12-letter passwords. The reason? Researchers were able to crack all eight-letter passwords in about two hours using clusters of graphics. Swell.

For more on the joys of complicated passwords, keep reading.

Norton Lists the Top 10 Worst US Cities For Cybercrime

GeekSugar — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 03:47:23 PDT

Unfortunately, it may be a few years until Spencer Pratt begins his war on cybercrime, so until then, we'll have to rely on this Norton study - that ranks the 10 worst US cities for cyber security - to keep our Internet safe. Cybercrime costs Americans $560 million dollars a year (mostly from fraudulent online purchases), and according to Norton's latest figures, Seattle tops the list as the most vulnerable city for cybercrime. The results were tallied using stats like access to available hotspots, online shopping figures, potential cyberattacks, and malware infections. Seattlites - watch out!

To see the full list of the 10 worst cities in the country, and to get some tips on maintaining a healthy online presence, just

How-To: Not Get Hacked by Twitter Phishing Attacks

GeekSugar — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:30:17 PST

Twitter was hit with another phishing attack this week. Just last night in fact, I got this message in my Twitter DM inbox. It's from a person I know, so I clicked on the link only to be brought to a Twitter-like login screen. I knew I was already logged in so I quickly clicked away and notified my friend that she had been hacked. Earlier this week Twitter was hit with a similar phishing scam, which after gaining your login deets, sent out mass messages about herbal Viagra. I'm sure your friends would have loved that!

If I had actually "logged in" again, my Twitter account would have been taken over by hackers (most likely hacking "bots"), then used to send out the same message to all of my followers. Spam messages could then be sent out in epic proportions. Don't get scammed by these (or any) hackers! Find out how to keep your accounts safe on Twitter, and on any other website, with a few easy tips when you

Do You Worry About Digital Security?

GeekSugar — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 01:47:27 PST

There are some things I purposely try not to worry about because it'll drive me crazy - online security is one of them. I certainly don't take it for granted, and I try hard to create strong passwords, especially for sites containing personal or important information. I was happy to learn that after Twitter's recent hacking incident, they've put systems in place to try and keep data as secure as possible. Turns out they have a list of 370 passwords that won't work on the site. Most of them are the obvious no-nos, like "password" and "Twitter," but the list also includes popular first names and well-known number combinations like "8675309."

But then, every time I read a news story like this one, which details how a German computer engineer discovered and published a code used to encrypt mobile phone calls, I get a little worried. I like to streamline my life by storing information and using services online as much as I can, but knowing there's a world full of hackers trying to break codes and steal information always makes me uneasy.

Do you worry about online security as much as I do? It's slightly reassuring to know there is a whole new generation of online security talent being discovered, but I know that also means there are more "bad guys" out to steal information, too.