Happy Holidays and Thank You From Robert Siciliano and Home Security Source - 12/31/10 05:54 PM
25 years ago I was in a situation where I needed some help. A man appeared out of nowhere and seemed to have sensed my desperation and offered assistance. I accepted. Up until that day “It was all about me”. When I asked why he stopped to offer assistance and go out of his way as he did, he simply said, “Sometimes people just need help” That simple act and those 5 words changed my life.
In these posts we spend a lot of time talking about “bad-guys”. I point out their motivations, methods and techniques and what – you -, … (2 comments)

Boston’s Crime Fighting Vigilante - 12/31/10 05:28 PM
No it’s not me, at least not to the level of “Boston Dawna”. Although I am that guy who lives in that house that all those within a 5 mile radius do not like because of his boisterous territorial behavior. I do however have the State Police, City Police and even the Environmental Police on speed-dial (no kidding). I’ve probably called the authorities at least 200 times in the past 7 years.
All of this has occurred within eyeshot of my residence. I don’t live in a crime infested neighborhood, but I do live in an area where people “get away” … (0 comments)

Tips to Keep Your Online Shopping Secure - 12/30/10 03:16 AM
With Christmas coming fast, this is a last ditch effort to enlighten, empower and protect online shoppers. The abridged source of the following information is from the National Cyber Alert System by US-CERT, a government organization.
How do attackers target online shoppers?
Targeting vulnerable computers – If you do not take steps to protect your computer from viruses or other malicious code, an attacker may be able to gain access to your computer and all of the information on it. Creating fraudulent sites and email messages – Unlike traditional shopping, where you know that a store is actually the store it … (2 comments)

Who Is Really Knocking On Your Door? - 12/30/10 12:43 AM
The door bell rings and a man is standing in the doorway with a clip board, measuring tape and he is wearing a tool belt, a green jumpsuit and has a badge saying he is from the local water company. The homeowner, a woman says “Hello, how can I help you?” and he informs the homeowner that he is with the water company and needs to come inside to check the “colorization” and PH of the person’s water.
The homeowner lets him in, he runs the faucet, she goes and takes care of the baby who is crying, and he sees … (5 comments)

Hacking Wireless for Identity Theft - 12/28/10 01:03 AM
The ability to connect wirelessly has a lot to do with the indispensability of the Internet in our daily lives. Wireless Internet is available in our homes, offices, cafes, restaurants, parks, hotels, airports, cars, and even airplanes. The mobility factor allows us to work anytime, anywhere, on numerous devices. “Being connected” is at an all-time high.
Wireless Internet is amazing. But is it safe?
The short answer is: no. Wi-Fi was born to be convenient, not secure. Unsecured, unprotected wireless is everywhere. When a device connects to unprotected Wi-Fi, all the data stored on that device is available to a hacker … (8 comments)

How the Grandparent Scam Works - 12/28/10 12:20 AM
Remember when you were a kid, before “caller ID” (I’m showing my age here), you and your friends would make prank calls by picking up the phone and dialing any number and eventually someone would pick up the phone, you’d hang up, and laugh hard? Then do it another dozen times and with each call you would infuriate the caller, then laugh harder?
You learned that if you make enough calls, eventually you will get someone on the phone that was gullible and you could get a good laugh out of them over and over.
This same process/philosophy is what plays … (5 comments)

Lost and Stolen Wallets Lead To Identity Theft - 12/23/10 03:49 AM
A friend called me in a panic because she had lost her wallet, which contained her driver’s license, credit cards, debit card, store cards, and her Social Security card. (You should never carry your Social Security card or Social Security number in your purse or wallet.)
Anyway, she was freaked out and wanted to know what to do. There are certain things you can do now, before your wallet is lost or stolen, to mitigate future damage, and other things that should be done once a wallet is missing.
While you still have your wallet, thin it out as much as … (2 comments)

How to Recover a Lost iPhone - 12/23/10 03:21 AM
You may be one of the millions and millions who own and love your iPhone. What I love about mine is the ability to work from anywhere and I can also view my home security cameras through an iPhone application. ADT Pulse provides customers with anywhere, anytime access to their home via smart phones or personal computers, including an iPhone application.
But what if you lost your iPhone? Certainly you can just get another one, but what if you are within the timeframe that you can’t get a subsidized phone upgrade? You may have to spend hundreds and hundreds on an … (0 comments)

The 12 Scams of Christmas and Other Attacks - 12/21/10 11:08 PM
Identity Thieves and Cybercriminals Take Advantage of the Holiday Season, Aiming to Steal Consumers’ Money, Identities and Financial Information. As cybercriminals begin to take advantage of the holiday season, be cautious.
Scam I: Charity Phishing Scams
Hackers take advantage of citizens’ generosity by sending e-mails that appear to be from legitimate charitable organizations.
Scam II: Fake Invoices from Delivery Services
Cybercriminals often send fake invoices and delivery notifications appearing to be from Fed Ex, UPS or the U.S. Customs Service.
Scam III: Social Networking Scams
Cybercriminals send authentic-looking “New Friend Request” e-mails from social networking sites.
Scam IV: Fake Holiday E-Cards
… (0 comments)

Miami Area Police Provide Burglary Prevention Tips - 12/21/10 10:37 PM
FBI reports a burglary occurs in the United States every 15.4 seconds. That’s almost 4 property crimes a minute. Wow! A burglary can be in a home, park, car, parking lot, gym or place of work.
They state:
Most burglaries occur during the day when everyone’s at work or school. Unlocked, unoccupied homes that are off the beaten path have the best escape routes and are big targets. Auto break-ins are “crimes of opportunity”. If the bad-guy sees your stuff in the front or back seat they smash and grab. Home security tips they offer:
Use solid steel or solid wood … (1 comments)

Typosquatting Scams in Social Media - 12/19/10 05:06 PM
Typosquatting, or URL hijacking, is a form of cybersquatting that targets Internet users who accidentally type a website address into their web browser incorrectly. When users make a typographical error while entering the website address, they may be led to an alternative website owned by a cybersquatter or criminal hacker.
In a new twist, some typosquatters have begun using these domains to advertise deceptive promotions, offering gift cards or iPads to lure visitors.
“Twiter.com,” for example, redirects all the would-be Twitter users who missed one “t” to http://twitter.com-survey2010.virtuousads.com/survey.html. Notice that this copycat page’s URL begins with “http://twitter.com,” but clearly is not … (2 comments)

How to Prevent Door to Door Scams - 12/19/10 04:52 PM
A close friend called to tell me a man knocked on her door to sell her on repaving her driveway. In the process, he requested she invite him in to discuss it further and go over different options. The man was persistent and if my friend was anyone else, he may have gotten in. However, she is savvier than that and reminded him that her German Shepherd would not appreciate anyone coming in the house.
Call them con men, grifters, scammers, or thieves. Or simply call them liars. Lying is what they do best. Face to face, via email or over … (1 comments)

Retailers’ Point of Sales Terminals “Slurped” - 12/19/10 04:37 PM
Electronic funds transfers at the point of sale (or EFTPOS) skimming is a relatively new scam that has become more prevalent over the past few years. This form of skimming involves swapping out the self-swipe point of sale terminals at cash registers, and replacing them with devices that record credit and debit card data.
Fast food restaurants, convenience stores, and clothing boutiques are being hit the hardest in Australia. Last year, EFTPOS devices at McDonald’s outlets across Perth were replaced with compromised versions designed to skim cards, cheating 3500 customers out of $4.5 million. The thieves actually replaced the entire device … (0 comments)

This Holiday Season, Beware of Phantom Websites - 12/18/10 07:05 PM
A “fly by night” business is one that quickly appears and disappears, without concern for the quality of their product or service, or for legal regulations. These untrustworthy businesses often operate fraudulently. On the Internet, a fly by night business is called a “phantom website.”
Phantom websites exist to collect personal and credit card information. They can appear online any time of the year, but the holidays are prime time. They imitate the look and feel of a legitimate website, and many simply copy the web code from well-known online retailers, right down to the names and logos. They may also … (0 comments)

Are You Protected From Zeus? - 12/18/10 06:52 PM
In Greek mythology, Zeus is the father of all gods and men. Today in the tech world, Zeus is the father of all computer viruses. The Zeus Trojan virus, which has been around since 2007, has been described as one of the most powerful, sophisticated, and evasive viruses ever. Many antivirus programs have had difficulty defeating it. Experts believe that millions of computers may have the virus without users having noticed.
Zeus behaves like many other viruses in that it may lure the PC user into clicking an infected link in the body of an email, then instantly downloads the virus, … (1 comments)

11 Tips to Secure Online Shopping - 12/18/10 03:54 PM
Here are 11 tips to have a safe online shopping experience during the holiday season:
Avoid spoofed websites. Common sense says any time you receive an offer via an e-mail automatically be suspicious. The same goes with offers via tweets and messages received in any social media site. Don’t click the links in e-mails. Especially if it’s a too good to be true offer. Beware of cybersquatting and typosquatting which may look like the domain of the legitimate eTailer. Look for https:// in the address bar signifying it’s a secure page. Generally, scammers won’t take the time to set up secure … (1 comments)

Online Shoppers Concerned About Identity Theft - 12/13/10 05:40 PM
Shopping online is unquestionably more convenient and efficient than traditional commerce. But is it safer?
We face risk everywhere we go. We risk car accidents on the way to the mall. Muggers and thieves present a risk. Heck, you risk catching a cold from a sniffling salesclerk!
Similarly, shopping online creates another set of pitfalls, most of which involve financial loss, credit card fraud, or certain forms of identity theft.
According to a recent study conducted by the National Cyber Security Alliance, of almost 3500 United States adults surveyed, 64% have not made an online purchase from a specific website because … (3 comments)

New Jersey Home Robbery: One Unlocked Window Brings a Life of Pain - 12/13/10 05:07 PM
Robbery as defined in Wikipedia is the crime of seizing property through violence or intimidation. At common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the person of that property, by means of force or fear. Robbery differs from simple theft, a break-in or burglary on its use of violence and intimidation.
Many of us are told that when you are attacked to let it happen so it doesn’t get any worse. In some cases that may be your only option. Studies have also shown that fighting back might be a better option. … (1 comments)

Online Privacy: Fighting for Your Eyeballs - 12/13/10 04:33 PM
You may have noticed that the Internet is expanding. Major newspapers are publishing all their content online, because the readers expect and demand it. 23 of the 25 largest newspapers are seeing declines in readership. And if people aren’t buying newspapers, advertisers won’t place ads in them.
Newspapers hire journalists to investigate the issues that affect us on a daily basis. It’s these well-paid, experienced journalists who keep us informed, disseminating news that helps us make decisions in our own lives. We need these journalists to expose lies and uncover truth. Without quality journalism, the media’s influence will have an adverse … (1 comments)

Twitter Crime on the Rise - 12/09/10 01:09 PM
Twitter is now beginning to see a substantial rise in active users. A recent report found that the percentage of Twitter users who have tweeted ten or more times, have more than ten followers, and follow more than ten people rose from 21% to 29% in the first half of 2010.
Spammers, scammers, and thieves are paying attention.
In the physical world, when communities become larger and more densely populated, crime rises. This also applies to online communities, like Twitter and Facebook.
Twitter’s “direct messages” and “mention” functions are laden with spam, often prompting users to click various links. Why anyone … (1 comments)

15 Break-ins at Boston Area Churches – Nothing is Sacred - 12/09/10 12:25 PM
Last year around the holidays I wrote about burglars preying on churches.
This year is no different. The Boston Globe reports “You know things are bad when they start knocking off churches. And judging by the number of churches knocked off recently, things are very bad indeed.”
“I’m seeing levels of desperation out there I haven’t seen for a long while,’’ said the churches Priest. “Like most priests and ministers, he sees a lot of people who live on the margins. They come to the three churches he oversees for food and laundry money and help with the rent. They come … (1 comments)

Cross-Site Scripting Criminal Hacks - 12/08/10 11:29 AM
Secure computing requires an ongoing process, as you learn about risks and then implement processes and technology to protect yourself. Without a concerted effort to defend your data, you will almost certainly by victimized by some type of cyber-invasion.
JavaScript is everywhere, making the Internet pretty and most websites user friendly. Unfortunately, hackers have learned to manipulate this ubiquitous technology for personal gain. Java can be used to launch a cross-site scripting attack, which leverages a vulnerability often found in applications that incorporate Java. The vulnerability allows hackers to insert code into a website you frequent, which will infect your browser … (3 comments)

Prolific Burglar Shares Tips from Prison - 12/08/10 11:20 AM
Who better to tell you how to protect your home than a career criminal that began breaking into homes at the tender age of 14. Up until he was finally jailed, he fed a heroin addiction for almost 30 years by breaking into over 200 homes. That’s an average of breaking into one home every 2 months for 30 years!
How he chose homes:
He randomly chose single level homes that had open shades where he could see inside if anyone was home. He cased the homes over a few days.
Often he would choose a home near the parking lot … (0 comments)

Top 5 Vishing Techniques - 12/07/10 02:01 PM
“Vishing” occurs when criminals call victims on the phone and attempt to lure them into divulging personal information that can be used to commit identity theft.
The name comes from “voice,” and “phishing,” which is, of course, the use of spoofed emails designed to trick targets into clicking malicious links. Instead of email, vishing generally relies on automated phone calls, which instruct targets to provide account numbers.
Vishing techniques include:
Wardialing: This is when the visher uses an automated system to call specific area codes with a message involving local or regional banks or credit unions. Once someone answers the phone, … (1 comments)

Holiday Shopping: Beware of Unethical Online Merchants - 12/07/10 01:48 PM
We have all encountered a sales clerk who was rude, a customer service representative who was incompetent and an online purchase that went south. Even I’ve been scammed out of an entire order and spent dozens of hours trying to get a return on another.
But when it comes to outrageous and shocking, including threats of violence and outright fraud, this story takes the cake. An online merchant based in Brooklyn New York retailing designer sunglasses, some counterfeit and some real, thrives on bad customer service, over charging, making threats, stalking and abusing clients into giving up the fight over what’s … (1 comments)

Black Friday Launches Holiday Fraud Horrors - 12/06/10 12:16 PM
The Christmas shopping season traditionally kicks off on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. This also begins a time when criminals swarm the shopping malls as well as the Internet, seeking to take advantage of holiday opportunities.
When shopping in stores, keep the following in mind:
Employees: Seasonal employees are more likely to steal, from their employer and from the customers. It has been said that only 10% of employees are honest, 10% of employees will always steal and 80% will steal based on circumstances. So always count your change.
Credit Card Skimming: When a salesperson or waiter takes your credit … (2 comments)

How Much Longer Does the Magstripe Have? - 12/06/10 12:02 PM
Every U.S.-based credit card has a magnetic stripe on the back. This stripe can be read and rewritten like a rewritable burnable CD, using card burners that are easily available online.
The simplicity of the magstripe’s design, coupled with the availability of card reading and writing technology, results in billions of dollars in theft and fraud.
EAST, the European ATM Security Team, recently released European ATM crime statistics for January through June of 2010. Apparently, skimming at European ATMs increased by 24%, with 5,743 attacks reported in the first six months of 2010, compared with 4,629 during the same period in … (3 comments)

Protecting Yourself and Family During The Holidays - 12/06/10 07:07 AM
Criminals share the same calendar as you and I. Their lives are no different than ours. They anticipate the holidays and feel the same pressures to provide. But they “shop” in a different way than we do. I’m already seeing news reports of “Woman attacked while shopping” and “Teens jump man leaving jewelry store”
The only thing that separates us from them is the boundaries they have established. While you and I are civilized humans who feel sympathy, empathy and understand personal boundaries, the bad guys don’t.
It is an unfortunate fact that we must cope with this sub-species that views … (5 comments)

“Flash Attacks” Make Big Money for Debit and Credit Card Scammers - 12/04/10 07:43 AM
The latest ATM scam is so brilliantly simple, it’s hard to believe that it actually works. Apparently, banks’ fraud detection systems are unable to flag nearly simultaneous transactions from the same account. This leaves bank customers vulnerable to what’s been termed a “flash attack,” in which multiple scanners use a stolen debit card number to withdraw cash from the same account.
Once a victim’s debit card number has been successfully skimmed, the card can be cloned, say, 100 times, and the cloned cards can be distributed to 100 people. All 100 people can then use the cloned cards to withdraw cash … (9 comments)

City or Suburbs, Which is Safer? - 12/03/10 11:49 AM
There are many obvious differences between suburbia and city life including noise, congestion and crime. City kids are usually a little more street wise and suburban kids less so.
My parents grew up in the city and their parent’s grew up in the city. When I was young we lived in the city.
We moved to the “Leave It to Beaver” suburbs when I attended the first grade and I went through high-school a suburbanite. And because my parents were so young, (they were both 19 when I was born) I pretty much spent every weekend with my grandparents in the … (0 comments)

5 Tips to a Secure Cyber Monday - 12/02/10 01:56 AM
For the past five years, Cyber Monday has been the marketing term for the Monday immediately following Black Friday. It is now one of the biggest online shopping days of the year, with 77% of online retailers reporting substantially increased sales.
Scammers seek to take advantage of seasonal opportunities like Cyber Monday, so beware of the following scams:
Fake websites: Criminals draw visitors to their deceptive websites using the same techniques as legitimate eTailers: search engine optimization, search engine marketing, and online advertising via AdWords. They use keywords to boost their rankings on Internet searches, causing their scam sites to appear … (1 comments)

Supercookies: What Websites Know About You - 12/02/10 01:45 AM
Most major websites now install cookies on your computer, which track what you do online. Over time, these cookies develop a profile, which becomes your digital fingerprint, to a certain extent. You may have noticed after searching for a specific product, advertisements for that particular product or brand appearing on various other websites you visit.
The New York Times reports , “advertisers are increasingly using powerful software known as supercookies, such as so-called Flash and document object management (or DOM) cookies, which can hold more information, and Web bugs or beacons, which let sites record statistics like what ads attracted you … (6 comments)

 

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