Category: Security Tips

Outside of other security topics, these posts provide tips and tricks to staying safe while using various technologies.

  • BYOD Rules, Network Security & Your Business

    BYOD Rules, Network Security & Your Business

    The integration of sophisticated interfaces in modern devices has made it difficult to draw a line between personal and business usage. Nearly a decade back, it was fairly easy to differentiate between data/software/applications targeted or being used at an enterprise level and those at a personal scale.

    The data that is being circulated around can be classified as business and non-business. Each has its own specific attributes with respect to sharing and security management. For instance, under no circumstance would you want enterprise data (account information, client detail, etc.) to be circulated freely.

    (more…)

  • The Top 3 Most Dangerous Computer Viruses

    The Top 3 Most Dangerous Computer Viruses

    Computer viruses have come a long way since the very first one in early 1970s. Back in those days, computer viruses were basically self-replicating programs which didn’t do a lot of harmful activities (or anything harmful at all).

    Most were intended as academic testing purposes, and some were pretty much intended as jokes. The first virus in the wild was Elk Cloner, which essentially cloned itself from floppy disks to spread and upon 50th use, it will show a poem.

    Since then, viruses were developed with different purposes. These days when you talk about a computer virus, you think about malicious programs with evil intentions.

    For good reasons, too.

    Do you know how much destruction computer viruses are causing every year?

    Billions.

    Yes, that’s in dollars. Millions of computers get infected every year, and billions of dollars are lost.

    (more…)

  • Advances in Technology that Keeps Your Home Safe

    Advances in Technology that Keeps Your Home Safe

    Everyone knows that a good security alarm system can help protect your home from intruders, but since the first home security alarms, released in the 1850’s, technology has made giant leaps to make our homes even safer. Check out these recent advances in technology that can help keep you safe within your home.

    (more…)

  • Is Your Computer Ready for Cyber Attacks?

    Is Your Computer Ready for Cyber Attacks?

    Small businesses and private individuals should step up their computer security today. Statistics reveal that cyber criminals are attacking those two factions more intently now. Fortunately, reinforcing your line of security is not as hard as you think.

    Small businesses and private individuals are both prone to thinking that they are the last in any cyber criminals’ hit list. With so many large corporations around the world, there’s little chance that any smart criminal will waste his time on you. The one thing you got right in that mindset is that those criminals are indeed very smart, and because they are, they understand that the small things are what make up the big things…and that is you.

    (more…)

  • Java – A Huge Security Problem in Your Computer

    Java – A Huge Security Problem in Your Computer

    Many of the attacks on a computer system involves exploiting weaknesses in installed software. Everything from the operating system, Web browsers, office software, and software that just connects to the Internet, may have weaknesses that hackers can exploit to install malicious software. Most of the time malicious software that targets a particular application exploit is limited to a particular type of computer, such as Windows or Apple. This is why it is always important to ensure you keep the applications installed on your computer updated with the latest patches.

    There is one piece of software that is exploited on a regular basis, and the exploits aren’t limited to a particular system. This software is designed to work on many different systems, so it is an extremely easy target for hackers. The software is Java.

    (more…)

  • How LastPass Keeps Your Passwords Safe and Secure

    How LastPass Keeps Your Passwords Safe and Secure

    The reason I trust my passwords in LastPass is because of the security of the system. LastPass is about as secure as you can get for keeping your passwords safe. The reason is how the lengths they go to to ensure your personal information remains as secure as possible.

    In order to see why I trust LastPass, it is important to understand how your passwords are secured within the service. Let me try to explain the security process of LastPass as best as I can.

    For those that have used LastPass you know that you are required to log in using two pieces of information: your email address and your master password. These two pieces of information is the key to the whole security process, and without one of the pieces, it is impossible for anyone – including LastPass – to gain access to your passwords and other information.

    (more…)

  • 3 Applications You Must Keep Updated at All Times

    3 Applications You Must Keep Updated at All Times

    It seems that each week we are constantly interrupted by popup windows on our computers instructing us to update an application. If you are like me, these popup windows can be quite annoying. As annoying as I might find them, they appear for a good reason – to ensure that the software we have on our computer is the latest, and hopefully, the most secure version available.

    While you can have any number of applications installed, there are three popular applications that you most definitely must keep as updated as possible. While you may not use all three described below, if you do use any of these, ensure you perform the updated when requested.

    (more…)

  • Beware Of The Scam!

    Beware Of The Scam!

    Beware scammers from all directions! Criminal elements will try and trick you into handing over your money by telephone, email, post and via the web. Remember the following tips to avoid being caught out.

    (more…)