Is Password Protection not a Big Deal to You?

Last year was a big year concerning password protection.  We saw Target and Adobe get hacked, a slue of malware on the internet, phishing scams all over social media sites and even our own personal emails filled with spam.

If password protection is still not a big deal to you, then you should think again.

You would think after seeing major corporations hacked and personal security being compromised, we would take more time creating passwords that aren’t so simple to crack.

The most commonly stolen passwords are still “123456″ and “password”.  This doesn’t only mean “123456″ and “password” is the easiest for cybercriminals to guess, but those are the most common passwords used by people!

“123456” is finally getting some time in the spotlight as the world’s worst password, after spending years in the shadow of “password.” – Splashdata Security Firm

Weaker passwords are much more susceptible to brute-force attacks.  Hackers first off attempt to access accounts through rapid guessing.





Even though common words and phrases are easier to remember, they are also easier for hackers to determine.  Some people tend to replace similar looking words with letters (like “3″ instead of “E”, or “0″ instead of “O”).  Although, it is good to put a variation of characters into your password, this is still not an effective strategy, at least for sensitive accounts.

There are many password management programs that can you can extremely benefit from.  Try LastPass, KeePass or SplashID.


These programs will maintain all your accounts and all you have to do is remember one master password.
Here is a full list of the worst passwords in 2013:

1. 123456
2. password
3. 12345678
4. qwerty
5. abc123
6. 123456789
7. 111111
8. 1234567
9. iloveyou
10. adobe123
11. 123123
12. admin
13. 1234567890
14. letmein
15. photoshop
16. 1234
17. monkey
18. shadow
19. sunshine
20. 12345
21. password1
22. princess
23. azerty
24. trustno1
25. 000000

If you have an account with any of these passwords, consider it a major fail.  Please change your password immediately.

As more people are doing their banking, bill paying, and buying items online, this problem is only getting worse.

How secure is your password protection?  Tell us what you think in the comment section below!

References:

The 25 worst passwords of 2013: ‘password’ gets dethroned – PC World
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2089244/the-25-worst-passwords-of-2013-password…

’123456′ assumes the ‘worst password of 2013′ throne – Fox News
http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2014/01/21/worst-password-2013-named/

Are Facebook and Microsoft Giving the Government your PersonalInformation?

Microsoft, Facebook Make No Mention of Government Requests

Earlier on, Microsoft and Facebook had requested their users to input personal data and said that it was as per the direction of authorities of the US government. When asked later what matter the information was for, the companies only said that they are still unable to disclose what matter the information was for. Some say that it was to help the search of a missing child. However, many people are upset by the way the companies sidelined the users and did not make any mention of the reason for taking personal data from the users.

Why People Are Upset

Some information may have actually been needed for certain operations regarding national security. But the people of America feel that having been active participants in the matter, they deserve some reconciliation. They feel they should know how their acceptance of allowing their personal details being given to the government has helped. It is understandable that this may have been for a very good cause, however, some are unhappy at the breach of privacy without good reason so far.

Facebook and Microsoft’s Comments on the Matter

The companies mentioned on their corporate blogs that they have been swamped by thousands of queries and comments sent in by users. They also mentioned that they are allowed to give out any data which the government deems to be a matter of national security. This may even include FISA Orders or Directives, according to John Frank, the current deputy counsel at Microsoft.



 Please visit http://www.hyphenet.com/blog/ for more blog posts on the latest technology and IT security news.

References:

Facebook can now say more on user surveillance
http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2013/06/15/facebook-can-now-say-more-on-user-surveillance/
Published June 15th, 2013

Facebook Microsoft Government Broader Surveillance Revelations
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/facebook-microsoft-government-broader-surveillance-revelations-article-1.1373545
Published June 15, 2013

Microsoft and Facebook Release Number of National
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/06/15/microsoft-and-facebook-release-number-of-national.aspx
Published June 15, 2013

Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @hyphenet or “Like” us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest security threats.

Image courtesy of [Free Digital Photos] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

FireMe! Site Serves as a Reminder to Watch What You Say Online

Always think twice before posting your thoughts and/or feelings, especially when doing it in a public forum like Twitter or Facebook.

After all, you never know who’s reading, and there’s no telling when someone will create website that will highlight your incriminating status updates.

Take the new FireMe! site:  it displays public tweets where users have badmouthed their boss or declared a general hatred for their job.

You know, the type of inappropriate comments that have actually gotten other people fired.

Infact, there are additional stories of people getting canned over their social network posts linked from the FireMe! ‘About’ page, which also clarifies that the website was only created to raise awareness about the dangers of public online data.

Users picked up by FireMe! will receive a link to their FireMeter! score, which is a percentage grading how likely they are to be fired based on the amount of job-related negativity in their last 100 tweets.  Users were also provided three followup options:

• Delete that compromising tweet!


• Check my privacy settings on Twitter


• I don’t care!

Considering this isn’t the first website to aggregate foot-in-mouth comments made on Twitter, it may be time to adjust your privacy settings – especially if you have a tendency to overshare or vent your frustrations online.

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The Tracks You Leave on the Internet [INFOGRAPHIC]

We all know that nearly every major website tracks us in some way, shape or form, but do you know how and why it’s being done?

Veracode has created an infographic that illustrates the tracks that we create when we explore the digital world, how we are being tracked, and ways you can get more privacy as you surf the web.

Check it out…

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Can People Find You on Facebook By Searching for Your Phone Number?

It’s understandable that anyone who has added their phone number to their Facebook profile and adjusted the privacy setting to “Only me” would assume that the information would be kept private, right?

Well, technically that information is kept hidden. It’s not visible whenever someone clicks your profile and views your information; however, people can STILL FIND YOU by entering your phone number into Facebook’s search bar.

The issue lies with the fact that there’s another privacy setting that seems to overlap the phone number visibility setting under the Contact Info section of your Facebook profile.

The specific setting in question, “Who can look you up using the email address or phone number you provided?” can be found under the “How You Connect” section on the Privacy Settings page. Apparently it is set to “Everybody” by default.



It is recommended that you select one of the other two options, “Friends” or “Friends of Friends” – unless, you know, you don’t mind people performing reverse phone number look-ups on you.

Have you entered your phone number to Facebook? Are you concerned about people searching your phone number on Facebook to find your profile?

[via Sophos]

Don’t miss out on the latest tech news and computer security alerts! Follow us on Twitter at @hyphenet,  “Like” us on Facebook or add us to your circle on Google+.

Google Agrees to Respect 'Do Not Track' Browser Feature & Add it to Chrome

Show of hands: who here would use a “Do Not Track” feature/button if it was supplied within their web browser? (That actually worked.)

Both Firefox and Internet Explorer have offered “Do Not Track” features since last year, but they’ve been rather ineffective since advertisers and tracking companies refused to honor the system. Google even put forth the effort to find loopholes in order to circumvent user privacy settings in both Safari and Internet Explorer to keep an eye on users’ browsing activity.

With the cat out of the bag and the Obama administration taking interest in an online privacy “bill of rights,” Google has joined the coalition of internet giants that are all-for the idea of a “Do Not Track” option in web browsers – that’s actually respected by online advertisers and their nosey organizations.

However,  there are some things that internet users should keep in mind about this new “Do Not Track” button:

The new do-not-track button isn't going to stop all Web tracking. The companies have agreed to stop using the data about people's Web browsing habits to customize ads, and have agreed not to use the data for employment, credit, health-care or insurance purposes. But the data can still be used for some purposes such as "market research" and "product development" and can still be obtained by law enforcement officers.

Facebook would also still have the ability to track user's online activity with the "Like" button and other functions.

Google plans on adding the ‘Do Not Track’ feature to the popular Chrome web browser by the end of 2012. Apple has already added the anti-tracking feature to Safari in their latest OS update (10.8), code name “Mountain Lion.”

[via Wall Street Journal]
Image Credit: The Italian Voice

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Don't Forget to Clear Your Google Web History Before March 1st

There are only seven days left in February.

Who cares, you ask?

Need I remind you that Google’s new privacy policy – which will allow them to share user data across nearly all of their services – will take effect on March 1^st, 2012? So, pretty much anyone that uses one of Google’s handy-dandy services should care. And let’s face it - that’s a whole lot of users.

As the Electronic Frontier Foundation pointed out, one of the things that users may want to do before March 1^st is erase their Google Web History.

Currently your Google Web History is kept out of reach of Google’s other products and while you may not realize it, your search data can reveal an awful lot about you, such as your location, interests, health concerns, religion, and a whole lot more.

With that being said, it’s probably a good idea to wipe your Google Web History data before the new privacy policy kicks in and Google gets a very clear understanding of every aspect of your life.

How to Erase Your Google Web History

1. Sign into your Google account.


2. Visit google.com/history
   -or-
   Click the arrow on the top right corner of the page and select ‘Privacy’.
   Scroll down until you see ‘Sign into Dashboard’.
   Scroll until you see ‘Web History’ and click ‘Remove items or clear Web History’


3. Click ‘Remove all Web History’


4. Select ‘OK’.

Keep in mind that this will “pause” your web history tracking, so if you want to start fresh then remember to enable it after clearing it out. To enable Web History again, just click the blue ‘Resume’ button at the top of the Web History page.

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Lift Those Virtual Rose-Colored Glasses & Face 6 Truths About Online Dating Site Privacy

Thinking about giving online dating a try?

You may want to consider the fact that whatever information you type – or photos you upload – into the dating site to build your profile may linger around for a while, waiting for you to come back.

You know, kind of like a creepy ex.

That’s right; the Electronic Frontier Foundation found that even though you may deactivate your dating profile at some point, like when you start dating someone, it doesn’t mean that your information is removed from the dating site’s servers.

In fact, they keep that information on file to make it easier for you to return - and that’s just the beginning.

Here’s the list of 6 things that the EFF suggest online daters keep in mind:

1. Pressing “Delete” or “Deactivate” doesn’t really mean your information has been removed.
   While it sort of makes sense that they’d keep your information on file just “in case” things don’t work out with your new partner, we must remember that same information is subject to come back to haunt you if a court order ever calls for it. This includes any photos that you upload, too. But, before you freak out, keep in mind that Facebook doesn’t really delete photos either.


2. Dating sites are not always as secure as we’d like to think.
   It wasn’t that long ago that a rather huge security flaw was discovered in the popular dating site, PlentyOfFish.com that exposed the personal data and login credentials for ~30 million users. Then there was the more recent exploit of a security flaw within the mobile app, Grindr that allowed the attacker to impersonate other users. Suddenly it’s not so comforting knowing that your information may be hanging around on dating site servers, huh?


3.  Google may index your dating profile.
   While this isn’t always the case, it’s something you have to think about. What if someone you know happens to Google your name one day – like your boss? Are you ready for THAT [potentially awkward] discussion?


4. Trying to discreetly find love online? Your pictures would tell on you anyway.
   If you were thinking on using a variety of tricks to shield your identity by using an alias or flubbing the information a bit, you may want to be careful what photos you use. Otherwise services like TinEye and Google Image Search would blow you out of the water by matching photos you’ve used before.


5. Your data helps online advertisers sell you stuff.
   This shouldn’t be too much of a shock, especially if you’re on Facebook or use anything of Google’s (who openly admits they use your data to serve you relevant ads). If you don’t want this happening while you’re on the hunt for love, it’s probably best if you check the site’s privacy policy first.


6. HTTPS is usually poorly implemented on dating sites.
   This leaves any data transmitted during your dating site browser session open for eavesdroppers to listen in on – messages, browsing history, or even account hijacking. Remember when Ashton Kutcher’s Twitter account got hijacked because he didn’t have HTTPS enabled on his Twitter account? Imagine that, only you’re Ashton.

With all of that being said, is there any way to keep your data safe and still partake in online dating?

A Few Privacy Tips for Online Daters

• Read the privacy policy of whatever dating website you intend to use to see what their policy is regarding data deletion.


• Avoid using your name and use a disposable email address that’s dedicated solely to your online dating activities.


• Think twice before handing over your billing information to a dating site that calls for it. You may want to search for data breach history, user reviews, learn more about the security measures in place, etc.


• Double-check the settings within your profile to make sure you’re only visible to logged-in users.


• Consider using TinEye or Google Image Search to look for other instances of photos you intend on using in your dating profile before uploading them.


• Look into using a plugin like HTTPS Everywhere for Firefox to automatically change URLs from HTTP to HTTPS.

Do you have any other tips to help improve privacy for online daters? Share your thoughts below!

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Google: We'll Pay You $25 If You Let Us Track Everything You Do

Have you been sitting back, wondering when companies will start paying YOU for your personal data and browsing habits?

The day has finally arrived! And who better to pony up the dough than the one company that likely has the most user data of them all (and recently announced their intent to share it across all of their services)?

Yes, I’m referring to none other than Google.

The search engine giant has started a new project called “Screenwise” that involves panelists who agree to install a browser extension that will share all of the sites you visit – and how you use them – with them.  That, in turn, will help Google improve their products and services to “make a better online experience for everyone.”

So what is Google looking to pay for users who agree to this?  A maximum of $25 per year, depending on how long you keep it installed:

Up to $25 in gift cards. Our panel management partner, Knowledge Networks, will give you a $5 Amazon.com Gift Card code instantly when you sign up and download the Google Screenwise browser extension.¹ Then you’ll get additional $5 Amazon.com Gift Card codes every three months for staying with it.² It's our way of saying "Thank you."

It seems that a lot of people were open to the idea of being paid for their browsing data too.

Even though Google only launched the Screenwise project on Tuesday, they’ve already reached the number of panelists they were hoping for and the option to sign-up for it has been replaced by the following message:

We appreciate and are overwhelmed by your interest at the moment. Please come back later for more details.

Were you one of the users that signed up for Screenwise? What do you think about the Screenwise project? Share your thoughts below!

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Photo Credit: L_K_M

Google Updates Its Privacy Policy – Cool or Creepy?

Google announced on their official blog yesterday that they will be rolling out a new privacy policy that blankets over 60 different Google products.

The new policy – which takes effect on March 1^st, 2012 – will allow Google to share collected user data between all of the Google products it encompasses (Google Books, Google Wallet & Chrome are not included for legal reasons).

Users do not have the option to opt-out of the new policy and if you don’t agree with it, well, your only recourse is to close your accounts with Google. Good thing about that is Google is committed to “data liberation” and they provide instructions on how to take your information elsewhere if you’d like.

A simple, more intuitive Google experience

On one hand, Google sharing data between their services seems like it can prove helpful.

As stated on the official blog post, Google can provide reminders that you’re going to be late for a meeting based on your location, your calendar and the traffic in that area on that given day. It would be like having a personal assistant by your side to keep you on track.

Plus, the unified privacy policy is easy for consumers to understand. Basically, they’re using your data to keep you on task, provide better spelling suggestions based on what you’ve typed before (even with your friends names) and, of course, serve more relevant ads and search results based off your activity when the opportunity arises.

Stuck between Google and a hard place

On the other hand, I’m not a fan of the fact that I cannot opt out of the new privacy policy.

It’s a little unnerving to think that I’m being watched everywhere I go on the internet – even if I’m doing as little as reading technology articles and surfing social networking sites. It’s just plain creepy.

It’s no surprise that Google’s plan to roll out this new privacy policy has privacy experts concerned.  As Common Sense Media chief executive James Steyer told the Washington Post, “Even if the company believes that tracking users across all platforms improves their services, consumers should still have the option to opt out — especially the kids and teens who are avid users of YouTube, Gmail and Google Search.”

As for Android users? Well, Google is collecting device information (hardware model, operating system version, etc.), log information (search queries, your phone number, calling-party number, duration of calls, IP address, device event information along with cookies that may uniquely identify your browser or Google account). So you can go ahead and expect whatever you do on your mobile device to be logged and compiled into your user profile and used to both your advantage and Google’s.

What it all boils down to...

Privacy concerns aside, we must remember that Google already had mountains of information on users that utilize their services and they're just sharing the data between their services.  As the saying goes, “Why have the information if you’re not going to use it?”

If you don’t want Google to peek over your shoulder while conducting your online activities, you can simply log out of your Google account(s) and go about your business. Oh, and don't do anything on your Android phone that you don't want Google to know about or track.

If you're curious to see what information Google has on you, I suggest you check out your Google Account Dashboard.

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Google eyes logo credit eSarcasm