Category: Security Page 76 of 79

Facebook Security Tips

On October 10, 2014

October 10, 2014

Besides being the most admired place for social networking, Facebook is a website where people share most of their personal information such as photos, likes, habits, places they visited and even the place they are at the present moment. Therefore, it is extremely important to keep your Facebook account secure in order to prevent any misuse/ account hacking.

Here are some tips to keep your Facebook account secure:

Create a strong password: Although it is the most basic advice to be given, but most people do not always follow it. Not just for Facebook, it is advised to keep a strong password for all the websites you use. Avoid using simple password like names, date of births, and successive alphabets or numbers. Instead, use a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols to make it bit complex. To change your existing password, click on Account Settings> General> Password

Customize your privacy settings: You would not want everyone to view your personal stuff that you or your friends post on Facebook. In order to restrict people, you should choose appropriate privacy settings for your account. For that, you need to click on the padlock icon on the extreme right in the top toolbar, click on ‘Who can see my stuff’ and choose your preference from the drop down menu. It is recommended to you limit your privacy to ‘friends’ or ‘friends of friends.’

Confirm Mobile Number: This will help you to reactivate your Facebook account in case you forget your password. To enter your mobile number, go to Account Settings> Mobile> Add a Phone. After this, you will receive a confirmation code on your mobile which you have to enter in the given column. Now, you have your mobile phone registered with Facebook.

Setup login notifications: You can set up notification alert if anyone tries to access your account from an unknown device. This is an easy way to prevent unauthorized use of your Facebook account. To do this, go to Account Settings > Security > Login Notifications. From here, you can choose either to receive an email or a text message notification for any unapproved login.

Always log out: Whether it is a public computer or a personal device, make it a habit to log out of your account after every session.

By putting these simple tips into practice, you can be assured of your Facebook account being safe and secure.

CloudAlloy Makes Docs In The Cloud More Secure By Breaking Them Into Pieces

By centexitguy

On September 17, 2014

In Security, Tech Buzz

September 17, 2014

A major concern for most companies, while putting their important documents in the cloud, is their security. Storing important documents without enough security can lead to a breach and loss of important information. CloudAlloy, one of the companies who exhibited at the Disrupt SF 2014 Startup Alley, follows a simple concept of breaking your documents into small pieces, spreading them across the cloud and getting them back again whenever you need them.

The creator of CloudAlloy, Vinay Purohit, reveals the details behind the whole process. The software just splits any documents into small bits, puts them into codes and deciphers them back for you. He further adds that by splitting the documents into different pieces, it becomes extremely difficult for hackers to put them together. Thus, in his words, “the encryption makes it bullet proof”. Whenever you request for the document, all broken pieces are decoded and combined together without any adjournment. In fact, Vinay insists that it would be faster than calling the whole document in a customary scenario of content retrieval. Also there is no need to worry even in the case of a service drop as they save some additional information along with each bit they allocate to the cloud and are still able to get it back even if the service stops working.

As of now, the service is compatible with Google, HP, Microsoft and Amazon S3, but the company is willing to work with a large enterprise if they want to avail their service. Vinay says that a person can also merge the local storage in the data center as well as the open cloud data in a hybrid model. It usually requires a minimum of 2 services however, you can also do this with a single service while considering on layering more services at a later time. The more services you use; more will be the level of security.

CloudAlloy is a very simple mean to certify security in the cloud. It does not require any complex inputs from the user or a huge IT involvement. You just have to subscribe to the service and as you store your docs in the cloud, it will break them into segments and provide the companies with a simple yet competent way to ensure content security.

Online Security Tips For Youngsters

By centexitguy

On September 10, 2014

In Networking, Security

September 10, 2014

Internet has provided various means for youngsters to connect, share, explore and socialize with other individuals instantly. Social networking and social media sharing have become an important part of their daily lives. This has not only provided them ability to interact instantly but has also made them vulnerable and easy target for cyber criminals and hackers. Here we have jotted few security tips for younger generation that will help them to be safe and enjoy the social buzz to the most.

Keep computer system updated: Software companies keep updating their products to address potential online threats. Therefore, computer systems should be regularly updated whenever updates are available or it should be configured to automatically update itself.

Enable Firewall: Firewall acts as a security layer between the computer and internet. It helps to keep hackers away from accessing personal information, stealing identity or destroying files from the computer.

Create strong passwords: Passwords for all online accounts should be strong enough and should contain letters, numbers and symbols. Users should also refrain from using same password on multiple sites.

Only use secure websites: While making online purchases, make sure the credit card credentials are processed through a secure connection, known as SSL (Secure Sockets Layer). For this you can check for https:// (“s” in end of http means the page is SSL protected) in the URL of the page. Also it is advisable not to use public computers for any kind of banking activities.

Securing Wi-Fi hotspots: Before using free Wi-Fi hotspots, users should verify that it is a secure connection. Using Virtual Private Networks provides a layer of security by routing data to a separate and secure network when using public connection.

Protect against malicious software: Software programs downloaded from unsecure websites are designed to track user’s login details, monitor online activity and transmit confidential information. Software programs should be downloaded only from safe and familiar websites. Anti-Spyware, Anti-Virus and other security software should be installed that detects the presence of bots and viruses in the computer system, thereby helping keep the computer system clean.

Be Social Media smart: Social networking sites let youngsters connect with friends, relatives or family members. However, friend requests should be filtered and only people who are known should be added into the inner circle. Also be selective in sharing information with Apps on social networks.

Not answering phishing mails: Chain mails claiming to be from a bank or individuals asking for bank details should never be answered. These are spam mails and should be immediately deleted.

Online security is an important issue; therefore one must stay vigilant while using the internet. These preventive steps can help to keep information safe and also provide a sense of security while browsing the internet.

Heartbleed Bug

By centexitguy

On April 19, 2014

In Security

April 19, 2014

The Heartbleed bug has taken the world of web users by storm. A major vulnerability in the open SSL cryptographic software library, Heartbleed threatens to compromise the security of passwords on millions of servers running across the globe. The bug infringes on secret information and data by encroaching upon and reading the memory of systems that are protected by the vulnerable versions of the open cryptographic software library. As a result, attackers gain illegitimate access to user communication and secret data, thus creating a major security loophole.

The Heartbleed bug was discovered independently by two parties – Google, and a cyber security firm “Codenomicon”. A hacker can use Heartbleed bug to get important data like passwords, session cookies, server private keys, user login information etc from portals

Open SSL or open secure sockets layer is one of the most basic means for encrypting important information over the internet. It helps to protect users from any potential eavesdropping over communications or compromise of sensitive and confidential data. The vulnerability in the open SSL software allows hackers to access 64KB of server memory at one time.

How Heartbleed Bug Allows information to be hacked:

While exploiting Heartbleed bug, the hacker sends in a request with small payload and large length field to the server, which returns upto 64 kilobytes of server memory. For example, a hacker may send in a request to server to “send back 500-letter word cat”. This would cause server to return “cat” followed by 497 characters of whatever was stored in the server’s active memory. This way hacker can get sensitive data from servers.

The problem confronting many companies today is that not all of them have implemented measures that counter Heartbleed vulnerability. Barring tech giants like Google and Facebook, and a few others, many companies have not yet incorporated appropriate technological measures into their systems. This leaves them all the more vulnerable to damage through Heartbleed.

With major portals quickly shifting on to better systems, many android based mobiles, tablets are still vulnerable to Heartbleed bug security vulnerability.

As a precautionary measure, you could get in touch with your bank and other portals where you store important information to know if their website is still secure and what measures you should take. You could also go in for changing passwords so as to possibly avert the threat posed by Heartbleed.

Using Unsecured Wi-Fi Hotspots

By centexitguy

On July 15, 2013

In IT Support, Networking, Security

July 15, 2013

Public Wi-Fi hotspots are trendy and popular, for the obvious convenience that they offer. No wonder most restraints, cafes, hotels, and other public places are jumping on the bandwagon and allowing visitors to freely access their Wi-Fi networks without needing a password. Despite how tempting it is to simply go ahead and connect to these networks, you need to be prudent while doing so, as you could unknowingly put your computer at a risk of getting hacked.

The following tips guide you on how to use unsecured Wi-Fi hotspots smartly, while keeping your computer protected:

Remember that Wi-Fi hotspots are always unsecured connections, even if they require a password to access them. This means that hackers can easily access your private information if you are not careful.

Some operating systems like Mac OS X and Windows have built-in security features that can protect your computer when you are accessing the internet through such a connection. Make use of your “Firewall” by checking the “block all incoming traffic” option. Another effective security measure is to disable fire sharing.

One of the most targeted personal information is passwords. Installing a browser add-on like LastPass could be effective in keeping your passwords safe. Normally, a hacker can easily view your passwords by accessing your Registry or viewing your keyboard activity through something like keyloggers. LastPass stores all your passwords in a cloud which means that neither do you have to type your passwords, nor will they be stored in your computer.

Websites that encrypt your activity are usually safe to use, since all the information accessed on these sites remains confidential. You can identify such websites either by looking for a padlock in the address bar, or checking the URL for https:// Even if a website does not have HTTPS, you can download an add-on like HTTPS Everywhere, which will convert the connection on most popular websites into an encrypted one.

Before accessing any public Wi-Fi network, you want to confirm from the owner of the venue that you have the correct name of the network. This is because hackers can create their own fake network with a similar name to the original, putting your information at a high risk.

Finally, even after taking all the above-mentioned measures, you still need to exercise some common sense while using an unsecured Wi-Fi network. Avoid activities that expose your private details, such as banking and online shopping.

Centex Technologies based in Dallas and Killeen TX provide Computer Network Security solutions. Call us at (855) 375-9654 for more information.