Many people don’t realize how easy it is for others to steal your personal information and bleed your bank account dry in no time at all. InIdentity Theft: What, Me Worry?, PC Magazine tells the story of several people who had their identities stolen; one of them didn’t even happen online. The article
Privacy
Remember long passwords — or throw them away entirely?
By Tom Mighell on
When we talk about choosing the right password, some standard rules apply — it should be at least 8 characters in length, should include both letters and numbers, and the letters should be both lower and upper case (there are other rules, but these are the basics). The problem is, how do you remember such…
The FTC and identity theft
By Tom Mighell on
Learn to protect yourself against identity theft and get other helpful information on the subject at the FTC’s new site, ID Theft.
Stop spyware in its tracks
By Tom Mighell on
PC Magazine’s most recent issue reviews several anti-spyware programs in Spy Stoppers. Their Editor’s Choice is Spy Sweeper, a program I’m currently testing on my PC. I have long been a big fan of SpyBot Search & Destroy, which comes in 2nd place in the PC Magazine article (one thing that makes…
Google Hacking
By Tom Mighell on
Posted in Privacy
You don’t need to spend money on proprietary background search databases to get the dirt you want; just use Google. The article reports that it’s easier than ever to find private information through a relatively simple Google search.
It’s bad enough when hackers are able to get through a secure computer system to confidential…
Too Much Information
By Tom Mighell on
Posted in Privacy
I have always been a big fan of agencies placing their data online, where the general public can find it and make use of it. But this is a problem — a New York agency posted confidential information about hundreds of children on the Office of Children and Family Services website, where it remained available…
Those ugly webjackers
By Tom Mighell on
Posted in Privacy
It seems that spyware just keeps getting worse, and PC World agrees. In Help! I’ve Been Web-Jacked, we learn about nasty programs that install themselves on your computer, and are becoming increasingly resistant to removal.
I can identify — my father recently had a run-in with a browser hijacker called CommonName. For some…
Another Day, another phishing scam
By Tom Mighell on
This time it’s a letter purporting to be from the FDIC (it’s not), warning that if users don’t provide their bank account information online they will lose their insurance protection, citing the Patriot Act as a threat. Again, this is a scam — spread the word.
Goin’ Anti-Phishin’
By Tom Mighell on
Every now and then I mention a new “phishing” scam, where individuals receive spoofed e-mails purporting to be from legitimate websites. Now you can keep up-to-date on the latest in phishing over at Anti-Phishing.org, which features daily headlines on new scams.
ID Theft — it doesn’t stop when you die
By Tom Mighell on
Posted in Privacy
Not even death can save you from ID theft — authorities recently arrested a man who obtained credit information and Social Security numbers just by reading obituaries and then conducting Internet searches on the deceased.
This is a good reason why it’s so important to take steps to protect your identity while you’re still