Steve Ensley
Internet Safety Specialist
Hackers steal hundreds of thousands of social security numbers
April 10th, 2012
The article in the link below has some disturbing news. I often warn about using your social security number or other personal information online, but what do we do when the information is held by the state and the state gets hacked? This is exactly what happened in Utah! Over 900,000 residents had their information stolen by a hacker from a state computer. So even though some of these folks have taken every precaution to protect their online identity, a careless mistake by a state employee divulged what they worked so hard to protect.
What makes this crime particularly heinous is that many of the identities stolen are for children which means their credit and identity have been ruined even before they get a chance to start using it. Unfortunately all that we can do to protect ourselves from this type of hacking is to monitor our credit and social security number or hire one of the online services to do it. Either way it is an extreme cost to us to protect our identity. The Internet is a wonderful tool, but it also has a dark side. This theft is among the worst. We need to encourage authorities to pursue and prosecute these criminals at all costs.
Here is the link to the story, please read the entire article because it does give some helpful tips at the end.
Posted in Internet Safety | Comments (1)
Don’t Be Evil! Really?
March 23rd, 2012
Is nothing off limits? Now Google plans to spy on background noise in your phone calls to bombard you with tailored advertising.
According to an article published by Ted Thornhill and posted on Mail Online, Google is at it again. Now they plan to capture background noises and data through android powered devices equipped with appropriate sensors in an effort to target more advertising. Their corporate motto is “Don’t be evil”. How does this new invasion reconcile with their motto?
Bottom line, more privacy invasion by a company that has already proven it will push the borders of privacy. And although this is bad enough, what scares me more is who will have access to all that information? Local, state and federal authorities, hackers or Google employees? What if you decide to attend an anti-abortion rally and some local government decides you are trespassing? Can they then fine you electronically based on background noises (like a pro-life speech)?
What if a hacker determines from Google data that you are away on vacation and wants to violate your home and property? Or a stalker determines your daughter is at the mall based on PA announcements. I understand that some of these scenarios may not happen, but why open that door for the sake of advertising? Why put our very lives at risk for the sake of the almighty dollar.
Is this evil? You be the judge! At the very least it is extremely dangerous!
PS. Unfortunately I cannot post a link to the original article, because it has other inappropriate content on the same page. But if this reporter is correct, we will see other confirmation. As always, confirm everything you hear or read from the press and me!
Posted in Internet Safety | Comments (0)
Facebook in new row over sharing users data …
March 3rd, 2012
Here we go again. I know this seems like I am beating a dead horse or crying conspiracy theory. That’s not the case and I am not the boy who “Cried wolf”. But this issue is real, it is serious and it it is largely ignored. Now Facebook has been caught farming out the moderation function to largely unsecured people and places. This is your information, your privacy being exposed to foreign for peanuts. Many of these foreigners know how to use this information to make extra money and have no fear of consequences.
Facebook, Google and many others have no concern for your privacy or security unless they get caught! In the largely unregulated, unmonitored and lawless Internet world money is the bottom line. Not you, but your money. Again lets be honest, Facebook isn’t going away nor is Google, so be vigilant, be aware,, be wise.
The alternatives? There are some, find the Christian sites and use them. Praize.com, AFA.net, GodTube.com and many, many others. Keep your Facebook activity casual and general. Do not put anything on Facebook that you would not want on the front a page of your local newspaper because it will get stolen.
Posted in Internet Dangers | Comments (0)
