Saturday, August 16, 2014

Facebook’s Browser-spying Campaign

Facebook using the browsing data of its members to target the ads of its advertising partners

The Facebook used by billions is sharing its users' online behavior in ways it previously said we could opt out of. 

As Venture Beat reports, anytime a Facebook user visits a site with a "Like" button (any site, not just a Facebook page), that visit is stored by Facebook and used to better target the ads of its advertising partners. No need for the user to actually click the Like button. The page visit is enough to trigger the storage of user data.

I actually tested this by visiting several types of websites I've never visited before. Low and behold, I started seeing ads for associated items on my Facebook page.

There are a few tools that allow you to block sites like Facebook from inserting tracking code into your browser. Learn about them here

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Video Footages: ATM Skimming!

Be on the lookout for these four tricks and traps

A Handy Way to Foil ATM Skimmer Scams - Thieves continue to place hidden cameras at ATMs to surreptitiously record customers entering their PINs. This previously reported way to stop from being a victim still works against the hidden cameras.

Friday, August 8, 2014

Basic Security for Personal Cloud Storage

Avoid using Personal Cloud Storage for confidential/sensitive data

Dropbox and other file-storage and sharing applications like it are incredibly helpful to business travelers. Not having to lug along a laptop or risk misplacing a thumb drive certainly add to the enjoyment of time away from the office.

However, these applications do come with some risks. This is especially true when users generate links to share information with others. Several basic flaws within Box and Dropbox specifically allow the shared documents to be viewed by third parties.

It comes down to this: Many people do not take basic security steps, even when communicating highly sensitive information. Worse, they may even mix their personal communications and information with confidential workplace data.

For its part, Dropbox disabled all access to public links and created a patch to keep shared links from becoming public. However, this is the third security breach for Dropbox in as many years, so diligence on the site and others like it has to be considered among users.

When considering a file-sharing service site, follow these rules of thumb:

  1. Use a strong password.
  2. Encrypt files in storage ("files at rest").
  3. Encrypt files sent to and obtained from the site ("files in motion").
  4. Look for a third-party security and privacy audit or some other validation that the site truly is secure.
  5. Do an online search to see if the service has been breached in the past year or two.
  6. Make sure that you can completely remove all files from the site when you stop using it.