The list:

False Story Claims 450 Gaza Grooms Wed Girls Under Ten in Mass Muslim Marriage
Christopher or Jessica Davies Hacker Hoax Warning
How to Survive a Heart Attack When Alone Hoax
Hotmail Account Closure Phishing Scam
Bungee Jumper Loses Head To Crocodile Video
Egg Windshield Attack Robbery Warning
New US Dollar Notes Preview Hoax
Amazing Device From Google Hoax
Scam Rumours About The Westfield Gift Card Competition on Facebook
Errors in Social Security Statement Trojan Email
Email Exceeded Storage Limit Phishing Scam
Facebook Deleting Inactive Users Hoax –Hoax-Slayer

Notice that Facebook was mentioned 2 times?

This time, Trend Micro caught Microsoft being sinister again:

‘Security firm Trend Micro has accused Microsoft of giving malware writers a helping hand by advising users not to scan certain files on their PC.

‘In an article published on Microsoft’s Support site, the company claims it’s safe to exclude certain file types from virus scans because “they are not at risk of infection”. Microsoft claims ignoring these files will help improve scanning performance and avoid unnecessary conflicts.
Cybercriminals may strategically drop or download a malicious file into one of the folders that are recommended to be excluded from scanning

‘However, Trend Micro warns that by making such information available, Microsoft is effectively creating a hit list for malware writers. “Following the recommendations does not pose a significant threat as of now, but it has a very big potential of being one,” the company’s researcher, David Sancho, writes on the Trend Micro blog.’ –PcPro.co

That surely makes sense doesn’t it?

AVG Technologies, developers of the anti-virus software, has warned that cyber criminals watch out for opportunities such as holidays and festive occasions, which they piggy-back in order to lure victims to their malicious websites.

To help users remain safe while using the internet, the company has produced a list of 6 Top Tips to avoid being the victim of scammers:

1. Think before you link. Employ a URL scanning tool to ensure you don’t click on links that lead to infected web pages. The time to find out whether a page is bad is BEFORE you load it into your web browser – AVG LinkScanner does this. It’s free, and it works with all other security and anti-virus offerings.

2. Look for the “S” - Make sure the websites you are purchasing from are secure and have “https” in the URL when you are in their checkout/purchase process. The “s” ensures security. When you are in the secure section of a web site, you will also see an icon of a locked padlock on your browser, either on the address bar or on the bottom right corner.

3. Stay current on security software - This means making sure you have the latest virus protection software updates from your security software provider. It’s important because the bad guys move around frequently, but security software companies are working to stay one step ahead of them. If you are up-to-date, you are staying one step ahead, too.

4. Keep your private information private - When shopping online, create a separate e-mail account that is just for shopping. Use a unique password, different from any other accounts you have. Your dedicated shopping e-mail account should be in no way affiliated with your personal, everyday e-mail account. Also, keep records of your online shopping — print confirmation pages and e-mail confirmations.

5. Mix up your passwords - Each shopping account, bank account, credit card account, and e-mail account should have a unique password. Write them down and keep the information in a secure location. Unique passwords for each account make it tougher for a thief to steal your personal information.

6. Use common sense - Make sure you use reasonable judgement when buying online and be on the lookout for spoof stores. If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. Take a minute or two to make sure it’s not a fake/spoof web site. If the online retailer doesn’t provide a physical address, or contact phone numbers, be cautious. Make sure you understand the refund and return policies of any online retailer you are planning to buy from, especially if it’s based overseas, just in case something were to go wrong.

A friend recently found himself hacked on Facebook, the hackers then masqueraded themselves as him asking for money to help his missionary efforts. The hackers really put a lot of work and effort into this, my friend lost his Facebook account and is now rebuilding his online identity and wondering how it happened.

There are more than a hundred ways to skin a cat, even more ways to dress it up and hide it. Here’s my feeble attempt at detailing my personal policies and procedures to protect myself online.

• I use secure computers to access the internet. My personal laptop is a MacBook which out of the box is very secure, secondarily my iPhone is a very secure platform for accessing the internet (unless is is jailbroken). At work all the computers there are well managed by an IT department and they have sufficient anti-virus, firewall and computer management procedures in place to keep the office Windows computers safe. The standard out-of-the-box Windows computers is not that secure.
• I’m not that precious with my public personal details. It’s not hard for someone in the know, or the need to know, to get my full name, phone numbers, email addresses or date of birth. So I’m not too precious about these details.
• I am precious about my password. I always have at least 3 passwords on the run. 1 password is my work password which has to change every 60 days (I think it’s about that) which is a smart policy for work. My 2nd password is my personal high security password, this changes every 6 months-ish. The 3rd password is the password I use for websites I don’t trust or don’t care for.

Here’ s the difference particularly between the 2nd and 3rd type of password. There are a select number of websites and services that I trust and need to stay secure. My list is my MobileMe email account (paid service), Gmail (free email), Google Accounts for both, my WordPress.com account, Facebook, Twitter, My personal domain passwords and my laptop password.

For the websites I don’t trust but they’re asking me to sign up, or the websites I don’t think I’ll go back to, I’ll use my generic password, the third password, which I’m sure many of my friends know.

• In my social networks I don’t install applications, unless I really need to or really want to. I’ll block all of your requests to invite me into whatever game you’re playing now (thanks to Mike Penny and others for hooking me on Farmville). Those applications that get installed in your Facebook account, Twitter Account and Myspace (apparently people still use it?) get complete access to your account. The dodgy ones tend to get removed but they still exist and you could still install one. Plus: if you really want to send me a bunch of flowers – send me a bunch of flowers, I don’t want an eFlower.
• On my computer, I don’t install applications without prior research or consulting with likeminded friends. Plus I’m extremely aware that most free apps have a motive. I use some amazing free and open source apps that developers have made out of the goodness of their hearts which I’m rather thankful for, but many free apps are actually ridden with nasties that are out to get you and your identity. (Especially free applications that promise to protect your computer!! Pay for protection!! Free computer protection is like a dodgy back alley guy handing out free condoms!)
• I recognise the benefit in paying for services that I value. When you pay for something you have ground to stand on in the instance that something goes wrong. I pay $119 for my email account because I value a quality email service. I’d also be willing to pay for a secure Twitter service. Facebook not so much, it doesn’t add a lot of value to my life and is well paid for by advertising already. But you should recognise services that are valuable to you then attribute a cost to them. You do get what you pay for.
• Finally, I’m extremely transparent about who I am and what I’m about. Most Facebook friends, Twitter followers and blog readers would know who I am, they know my character and personality. Listeners to my radio show would be in a similar category as would my personal friends. This is because I’m transparent, honest and (try to be) integral. I’m only human (which often leads to error) but I aim to be transparent in all aspects of life, it’s easier in the long run and saves lying which really is a painful process and I don’t have enough brain capacity to be a good lier. The result of this is that if I was actually hacked (which hopefully the above points would prevent) then the witnesses of a hack would recognise that it isn’t me and would hopefully let me know asap.

It’s not a foolproof plan but they say if you build a better foolproof plan the world will breed a better fool.

SysDefence is the latest clone of the WiniGuard rogues.

Ad-Awarewill detect SysDefence as Win32.FraudTool.SysDefence and Win32.FraudTool.WiniGuard.

Immediately as the name suggests, Exchange anti spam filter software assists users to identify spam. This is an exceptional agenda for all users wants, which identifies not needed or unconsolidated e-mail and stops them from feat the inbox. Added frequent names with the purpose of submit to this software embrace Anti-Spam, Exchange Spam Filters, Bayes Spam Filters, Email Spam Filtering or Spam Blocking Software.

Other bonus names are Spam Blockers, Anti-Spam Filter with Spam Filtering Software. into nearly everyone cases, users install the Anti-Spam software during their computers to redirect all homeward bound spam. in case users install the Exchange spam filter software in their mail servers, they willpower never receive the spam.

To constitute the spam filter, users could do with to obtain a eager look on various factors. The criteria might include the fastidious terms into the message body, the issue material in addition to the part-type accompanying the email. Users can position to bring into play the Exchange spam filter meant for filtering out the senders email addresses. A number of internet examine providers espouse blacklists of the habitual spam senders (spammers).

Luckily, the anti-spam identifies all these blacklisted senders whilst at the matching time dispense with them. Although not all users experience spam, it remains an internet reality. It is without doubt difficult designed for users to make a distinction between unwanted emails from valuable ones. designed for own plus business assistance, a good number firms have generated exceptional anti-spam programs to facilitate block the accessibility of unsolicited mail to inbox into 90% or more cases.

An Exchange spam filter is a best tool produced designed for the protection of mailbox beside spam. The object market designed for this category of spam filter includes both companies in addition to delicate users so as to get hefty quantities of uncalled-for profitable emails. The accessibility of spontaneous emails can be stopped at mailboxes or at getaways depending on the available settings. Right now, Microsoft stopped providing former clever filter updates into clustered environments. This means that the current version of the exchange spam blocker is able to stop spam into all tracks, permitting efficient business development.

This exchange spam blocker depends on a quantity of few techniques that detect messages with the intention of are more likely to be spam. Therefore, apart from using the Bayes Filter, this tool analyzes all spam headers in addition to scans all messages used for spam keywords. Numerous untaken exchange spam blockers essentially inform all senders whether their messages have been treated since spam irrespective of the messages’ inherent authenticity. Additionally, the benefits of stopping spam directly on servers prior to realization the computers are many; no malware, unauthorized installation as well as less viral attacks.

To sum all of these up, quite a number of the tasks needed for special usage with small business operations ought to be covered by the exchange spam filter. A problem with the 2003 blocker version included the impossibility of importing or exporting blocked messages or the sending domains. An additional extra nuisance so as to comes down with this tool is so as to users have no clue on the number of spams with the intention of are blocked plus the functional abilities of the exchange spam filters. It is also essential designed for users to check all settings of the exchange spam filter plus get more teaching on the the majority stupendous outfitted modes of the tool to maximize its anti-spam usage.

Alas spam does not seem to be dying down, in it often surges to new levels. intended for best protection adjacent to spam inside your mailbox you necessitate a good and efficient exchange spam filter. There are a lot of anti spam solutions on the market with one has to be prepared to do a thorough research to find out which exchange spam filter fits the bill to keep your mailbox spam free.
Anti spam exchange server

One year ago, the buzz across the government/technology nexus was focused on a pair of political guessing games. Neophytes mostly engaged in debating over whom the newly-elected President would name to be the nation’s first Chief Technology Officer. Grizzled Pentagon veterans and the more sober Silicon Valley types wondered instead who would get the nod as President Obama’s “Cyber Czar.”

The first group had their curiosity satisfied fairly early. A year later, however, the cyber position remains unfilled, even though there’s been enormous activity around the issue of cyber security: international incidents, the establishment of Cyber Command, inter-service rivalries and related budgetary maneuvers, a constant roster of Beltway conferences and task-forces…. Through it all, information-security and network-security professionals kept their heads glued to their screens, working. The work remains, the work of understanding the defensive and offensive realities of the global cyber environment.

Now there’s a definitive guide to that work. One of the brightest of a new generation of cyber professionals is Jeffrey Carr, who has long been known in certain circles for his influential IntelFusion blog. 

He’s just published a great book, Inside Cyber Warfare: Mapping the Cyber Underworld (O’Reilly Media, December 2009). You can buy the book here on Amazon and get a sweet deal, or you can buy the book from the publisher O’Reilly Media and bundle in an e-book copy in a variety of formats.

The book covers a dizzying array of topics: the rise of botnets; malware-as-a-service; popular wars fought using civilian networks; fake news sites hijacking real-time feeds; psychological manipulation by cyber means. Jeff is an acknowledged expert, in large part because he’s seen it all through his leadership of GreyLogic and its Project Grey Goose.

I was proud that several months ago Jeff asked me to write the book’s Foreword. I did, and you can read it below. Reading it now will save you time when you receive your copy of the book; Jeff received the very first print copy by FedEx today, so yours is now waiting for you to order, hot off the press. Enjoy!

Foreword to Inside Cyber Warfare: Mapping the Cyber Underworld

During his campaign for reelection in 1996, the Internet-savvy President Bill Clinton used the slogan “Building a Bridge to the 21st Century.” It turns out that the bridge is a cyber bridge, and that malevolent actors can disrupt or destroy the bridge, its cyber traffic, and all who rely upon it. And although it is disturbingly clear that the bridge to the 21st century can be taken out, it is even more clear that we don’t always know by whom or why.

Jeffrey Carr’s Inside Cyber Warfare explores why that is so, who the actors are (and their motivations) and the likely future course of cyber warfare in all its manifestations.

In part, this book’s value is the comprehensiveness of its coverage, across the spectrum of militarized or warlike computer network operations (CNO). New students of the field—and there are many, in academia, government, and private industry—will benefit from the clear explication of the divisions between computer network defense, computer network exploitation, and computer network attack. Examples abound of each, described in dispassionate, factual prose more helpful than the sometimes frightening headlines in media coverage.

Experts in the field of cyber warfare and CNO will find that these pages are required reading, for Jeffrey Carr has applied an evidentiary analytical framework to understanding the intricacies that distinguish state and non-state actors and hackers, and the varying but discoverable mosaic of political, economic, and social motivations that incentivize cyber warfare.

I first became aware of Jeffrey Carr and his expertise while serving in the intelligence community, where like others, I relied on his much-read-within-the-Beltway blog Intelfusion. For this book, Carr’s background is ideal: an early career at the world’s leading software and technology company (Microsoft), his entrepreneurial founding of the highly regarded Project Grey Goose (which I have advised), and the activities of his GreyLogic organization. He now adds to that list the title of “authority,” with its imprimatur stamped by virtue of the pages in this book.

Military analysts, pundits, and warfighters alike have known for centuries the Latin adage attributed to “the Roman Sun Tzu,” Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus, famous for his “art-of-war” classic from 390 BC, De Re Militari: Si vis pacem, para bellum; if you wish peace, prepare for war. Inside Cyber Warfare is the necessary handbook for a 21st century in which all who hope for the new world of cyber-powered peaceful interactions must prepare for cyber war.

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Latest twist on search engine scam exploits interest in the Google Doodle to send Web surfers to malware-laden Web sites, Barracuda Networks says.

Scammers exploit Google Doodle to spread malware
(author unknown)
Wed, 16 Dec 2009 02:11:00 GMT

Latest twist on search engine scam exploits interest in the Google Doodle to send Web surfers to malware-laden Web sites, Barracuda Networks says.

Scammers exploit Google Doodle to spread malware
(author unknown)
Wed, 16 Dec 2009 02:11:00 GMT

A new Winiguard clone has now been released. It’s called IGuardPc.

Due to the wide range of excellent free security software, it can be tough to select ‘the best’ individual products to protect your Windows Vista XP or other Windows based systems. As a matter of fact you can find free security download in a variety of categories some of which you may not even have considered. If you carefully select the combination of security downloads, your Windows XP computer will be protected to the same level as that provided by the best of the expensive purchased alternatives.

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A ‘TRIANGLE’ OF ONLINE PROTECTION

FREE ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE DOWNLOADS

FREE FIREWALL SOFTWARE DOWNLOADS

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Your visitors can purchase the Industry awarded Comodo Internet Security Pro for just $49.00 per year!!! ($99.00 value) 25% sale on Comodo Internet Security Pro Earn $12.25 on each sale PLUS, we offer a BONUS of $100 per every 10 sales!!

http://personalfirewall.comodo.com/comodo-security-pro.html

Author: Greg Shultz

As an IT professional, chances are you read a lot.  And, it’s a good bet that most of what you read consists of manuals and other technical books and articles directly related to your work.  However, you really owe it to yourself read other types of IT-related books.  For example, reading nonfiction IT-related books can help you gain different perspectives on the industry, while reading fictional books about IT will allow you to relax and enjoy the industry.  So as we get ready to close the book (pun intended) on the first decade of the 2000s, I thought I would compile a list of 10 books I think every IT pro should read.–Greg Schultz

1: Does IT Matter? 

Information Technology and the Corrosion of Competitive Advantage

by Nicholas Carr

Every institution on the planet relies on information technology in some shape or form. It is the lifeblood of business and it provides most TechRepublic readers with a solid way to make a living. But does it really make a difference? In this thought-provoking look at the IT industry, the author challenges us to examine the role IT plays in the overall success of business. I highly recommend that everyone in IT pick up this book, no matter what your job is. Everyone from the support specialist to the CIO will find it worth their time to read Carr’s analyses.

2: The Road Ahead  [Available through Onondaga Co. Public Library]

by Bill Gates

Soon after Windows 95 radically changed computerdom as we knew it back then, Bill Gates released The Road Ahead, in which he examined the personal computing revolution and how it was to play out in a future being paved by the information superhighway of the Internet. There are two editions of this book. The first was published in December 1995 and the second was published in October 1996. The second edition was put together so soon because Gates realized that the Internet was changing the world faster than he had originally theorized in the first edition, and he wanted the book to be as accurate as it was innovative.

While companion CDs are pretty common these days, The Road Ahead was one of the first books I remember purchasing that came with one. Not only does the CD contain the text of the book and supplemental information, but it also includes a couple of video shorts – mini-dramas that provide a look into how the technology discussed in the book would play out in the future. For example, a mother and son take advantage of home-based technology, such as information appliances and interactive TV. In another, a pair of Seattle police detectives uses video conferencing, mobile communications, and electronic wallets. When the boy from the earlier video goes to school, we see all sorts of electronic gadgets being used in education, such as tablet PCs and digital whiteboards.

Even though this book is relatively old, it is still a good read. It offers an interesting perspective of the man who, back then, recognized the path technology was on and steered Microsoft in that direction.

3: Showstopper!:

The Breakneck Race to Create Windows NT and the Next Generation at Microsoft

by G. Pascal Zachary

If you’ve been in IT for a while, you remember when Windows NT 3.1 was released in July 1993 and how, as the first fully 32-bit version of Windows, it began to change the world of IT professionals. At the time, this operating system was revolutionary for a number of reasons, including the fact that it was processor-independent, provided a full preemptive multitasking kernel, featured a new file system called NTFS, and possessed many other innovative technological advances.

To create a new version of Windows from the ground up, Microsoft hired Dave Cutler, from Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), and tasked the creator of the VMS operating system for the VAX superminicomputer with picking up the pieces of what was being developed as OS/2 3.0 and transform it into what would become the foundation for today’s Windows 7.

In this fascinating story, you get a rare and detailed look at the day-to-day machinations that went on inside the walls of Microsoft as the powerful and intelligent Cutler orchestrated the development of the most complex OS ever created for the PC.

4: iWoz: Computer Geek to Cult Icon: [Onondaga Co. Public Library] 

How I Invented the Personal Computer, Co-Founded Apple, and Had Fun Doing It 

by Steve Wozniak

Everyone knows that Steve Jobs is now the leading force at Apple, but he didn’t get there by himself. Back in 1976, Jobs and his business partner, Steve Wozniak, formed Apple Computer and began work on the Apple I, which when released was essentially a circuit board containing about 30 chips. To this circuit board, end users had to connect a power supply, keyboard, and a standard television to get a working system. Using a keyboard for input and a television for output made the Apple I stand out from the competition. For example, the Altair 8800 used toggle switches for input and colored indicator lights for output.

In this book, Wozniak presents the story of his early years and his fascination with emerging computer technology and how he teamed up with Steve Jobs and created the first modern computer. Not only does the book provide an interesting, yet quirky, historical perspective on the beginnings of Apple, but it is filled with wonderful techy anecdotes, old photos, and even a glossary of computer terms.

Even if you’re not an Apple fan, this book is a fun read.

5: The Cuckoo’s Egg:  [Available through Onondaga Co. Public Library]

Tracking a Spy through the Maze of Computer Espionage

by Cliff Stoll

Back in 1986, an astronomer named Cliff Stoll took a job as a computer operator at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratories when his grant money ran out. He stumbled upon and began tracking an unauthorized user through a maze of networks that included hacking into computers at universities, defense contractors, and military bases. Stoll eventually uncovered an international spy ring that was hacking into these computers, seeking out U.S. intelligence, and selling it to the KGB.

As a methodical scientist, Stoll began keeping a daily log book in which he documented the hacker’s movements and methods. To add credibility to what he was witnessing, he set up traps, such as making sure that the hacker had access to the Lawrence Berkeley network where a teletype printer recorded everything the hacker typed and setting up a honeypot in the guise of a fake Strategic Defense Initiative account filled with fake documents that would keep the hacker involved long enough to backtrack the connection to its origin. The investigation lasted close to a year and involved a multitude of federal agencies, including the the FBI, CIA, NSA, and Air Force OSI.

Based on his experiences and vividly recounted with the aid of his detailed logs, this book documents an incredible true story of international computer espionage that is both educational and entertaining.

6: Gödel, Escher, Bach:  [Available through Onondaga Co. Public Library]

An Eternal Golden Braid

by Doug Hofstadter

A deep exploration of the workings of the human mind, using as examples the works of logician Kurt Gödel, artist M. C. Escher, and composer Johann Sebastian Bach, this book provides a philosophical outlook on how life, thoughts, and technology are all linked together. There are so many different and fascinating ideas presented in this book, along with wonderful illustrations, charts, diagrams, and complex formulas, that reading it is like exploring a foreign yet familiar land.

It is a captivating book, but because of its heavy subject matter, I found it best read it in small chunks over time.

7: The Google Story  [Available through Onondaga Co. Public Library]

by David Vise and Mark Malseed

Over the years, we’ve all picked up bits and pieces of the history behind Google’s rise and its brilliant cofounders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin. But in this book, which was updated for Google’s 10th birthday, we get the real inside story, because the authors were allowed seemingly unfettered access to historical documents and people at Google — including Page and Brin.

They present a unique perspective on the people behind the scenes as you learn about the company’s milestone events, such as the arrival of the first investor, the development of the Googleplex campus, the origins of keyword-targeted Web ads, the IPO, new product developments, and much more. Along the way, you’ll learn a lot about how the search business works and much more about Google’s plans for expansion of its searchable database.

8: Wikinomics:  [Available through Onondaga Co. Public Library]

How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything

by Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams

By now, everyone is familiar with Wikipedia — the massive collaborative effort aimed at providing the world with an encyclopedic source of information about everything. Thousands of people contribute to Wikipedia on a regular basis and it has become a terrific example of what can be accomplished when people use the world wide access of the Internet to work on a common goal.

This book explores how many companies have and can use mass collaboration and wikis to grow quickly and successfully. In fact, the book begins with the story of how Goldcorp CEO Rob McEwan learned of the success of the Linux open source initiative, realized that the closely guarded company secrets of mining for gold were no longer yielding viable results, and decided to share the company’s geological data on the Web along with the offer of $575,000 in prizes to those who could come up with the best way to find and extract gold on the company’s 55,000 acre mining facility. Suggestions based on the data poured in and out of the 55 new targets that were identified, 80% hit pay dirt.

Citing Goldcorp’s success as an example of Wikinomics, the authors go on to provide examples of other companies and describe in detail how these companies employed and harnessed collaborative efforts, or Wikinomics, to grow and be even more successful.

9: Microserfs  [Available through Onondaga Co. Public Library]

by Douglas Coupland

This is a thoroughly amusing story about a group of fictional characters working at Microsoft who feel that life at the company is like being in a feudalistic society, with Bill Gates as the lord and the employees as the serfs. As the story progresses, you learn more about each of the characters and how their lives are intertwined with each other, their products, and Microsoft.

Later, the group leaves Microsoft and Seattle and moves to the San Francisco where they start a new company. Living in California is different from Seattle, and you see the characters shed their Microserf skin and evolve in different ways.

10: The Soul of a New Machine  {Available through Onondaga Co. Public Library]

by Tracy Kidder

We all know what a cutthroat business the PC industry is and that the extreme competition that exists between rival companies can also exist inside a company as employees vie for resources and power. This type of competition is more widely publicized nowadays, but it wasn’t invented by those in the PC industry. In The Soul of a New Machine, Kidder documents the internal turmoil that embroils two groups of Data General Corporation engineers tasked with developing a new a minicomputer that will go head-to-head with a new VAX computer from archrival Digital Equipment Corporation.

Along the way, we learn more about the lives of the engineers, most notably a fellow by the name of Tom West, and how he and his team beat out the other group and then have to prove themselves worthy as they grapple with such challenges as making sure that the new system is backward compatible with earlier systems, using new and untested technology, and relying on young team members fresh out of college.

Published in 1981 (incidentally the same year that the IBM PC made its debut), this book won a Pulitzer Prize.  [Source:  http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/10things/?p=1209&tag=nl.e124]

Significant success rate

A security researcher has devised a successful attack on a Google-owned system for blocking malicious scripts on web-based email services and other types of sites.…

Offloading malware protection to the cloud

Google’s reCAPTCHA busted by new attack
(author unknown)
Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:00:01 GMT

Significant success rate

A security researcher has devised a successful attack on a Google-owned system for blocking malicious scripts on web-based email services and other types of sites.…

Offloading malware protection to the cloud

Google’s reCAPTCHA busted by new attack
(author unknown)
Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:00:01 GMT

Source: Dave Pearson's Flickr page

Facebook’s introduction of a new privacy policy was apparently like throwing a pine cone at a hornet’s nest. I get it…only I don’t. Are people really under the impression that what the publish to the Internet is private, private? I password-protect a lot of stuff online, but I’m not under any illusion that I’m immune from mistakes, hacks or fine print.

I’m not trying to scare anyone out of social networking—maintaining an online presence is one of the easiest ways to build up a personal brand. But if you’re going to join the Internet community, you should know what you’re getting into and you should be armed with some general advice. Here’s mine:

Basic Internet Privacy

I assume that everything I put online, whether it’s password protected or not, can be made public (accidentally, via hack—whatever). I don’t sit around fearing this kind of thing, but, like plane crashes or lightning strikes, stuff can happen. That said, there’s some information that I just don’t publish anywhere (home address, etc.).

I also adhere to some steadfast rules:

• Make your passwords confusing: I rotate out different passwords at arbitrary times for all my accounts and none of them have any pattern at all. My birthday, hobbies, etc. are all pretty easily findable if you’re really committed. I lean heavily in favor of paranoia when it comes to passwords—I even think something like NCC-1701 D would be too obvious, so I just type in a bunch of random stuff and remember it. Then I change it again.
• Know other people’s privacy preferences before you publish anything about them: This is just a common courtesy thing. If I’m ever going to mention someone who doesn’t already have a strong, online presence (or if I’m going to mention something about them that I can’t find online) I consult that person first.
• Understand what it is you’re doing: If there’s one thing that drives me nuts about the recent Facebook fallout, it’s that everyone complaining seems to think that their Facebook privacy is a right. Look: You’re publishing your personality to a corporate entity’s Web site. Like any sort of storage site (re: tangible or otherwise) you’re trusting a businesses security practices with your belongings. You wouldn’t keep your great-grandmother’s diamond ring in a rental storage locker, so don’t enter your social security number into Facebook.
• Accept the fact that you’ll never have full security: If you’re that worried, keep yourself off the Internet.

Use SEO to “direct traffic”

One of the best ways to keep the information you don’t want to be found from being found is to highlight the information you do want people to find. If you have no online presence at all, your identity is at the mercy of whatever anyone else says about you. Google your name—what do you see? If you don’t like the results, consider setting up multiple points of contact—a Web site, a Facebook account, etc.—and make your name prominent on all those pages.

The more often you update your profiles, the better your search engine rank becomes. The upshot is that your Web site is more likely to appear before that 8-year-old news report of your DUI in college (which has probably never been updated). I own my name on a whole slew of social media sites—even ones I never use. Consequently, I own most of the results on the first several pages of a Google search for my name.

Set your social network privacy settings

Most social networks allow you to customize your privacy settings, so spend some time poking around to see what you’re able to do. One of the most useful things I’ve found is Facebook Friend Lists, which allows me to organize friends into lists (duh) and give certain levels of access to each one. This means I can make a list called, for instance, “people who are likely to say inappropriate things” and refuse them permission to write on my Wall. This, in effect, gives me several Facebook profiles all within the same account.

Get advice from the pros

Most people don’t bother reading the lengthy privacy agreements when they sign up for social networks; fortunately, sites like Mashable, TechCrunch and ReadWriteWeb usually take the time to synthesize changes to privacy outlines. If you’re not a lawyer, or if you don’t have time to read 10 pages of 10-point fineprint, do some searches on these sites for “[X social network] privacy policy” and see what you can find. Usually they’ve pulled apart whatever it is that’s offending a lot of people.

Keep in mind, too, that you’ve got friends who are on all these networks, too (you do, don’t you?)—pick their brains. In all likelihood, you’re going to start your first foray into social media by keeping up with your in-person friends anyway, so it sort of makes sense to adopt the same settings they have.

Resources

• 10 Privacy Settings Every Facebook User Should Know
• Facebook’s New Privacy Features: A Complete Guide (August 2009)

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Be secure online

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A few reminders

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