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There’s a lot to celebrate about June: the end of the school year, Father’s Day, the start of summer vacations. And with so many great things to celebrate, it’s easy to see why most people overlook the festivities surrounding Internet Safety Month. While you’re free to celebrate this important event by throwing a party, there are some more useful ways to observe this important holiday.
The internet of things—or IOT, as it’s commonly known—was once the stuff of science fiction, a newfangled “wave of the future” concept only experienced at futuristic demonstrations like the World’s Fair. But now many of these devices are already in use in millions of households around the world. They’ve become an interesting yet somehow still unknown entity in the world of technology, and industry experts have stated these products will be the norm just a handful of years from now.
You never want to share sensitive information like online banking accounts or credit card portals over unsecured public web connections, but the truth is online dating profiles can often contain just as much data as either of those. In fact, your online dating profile—if falling into the hands of a hacker—can cause far more personal safety problems than your banking data. After all, with online banking a thief just gains access to your checking account; with online dating data, a criminal could gain access to your home address, your workplace, any children’s or family members’ names, and more.
Within the last decade, our senses of self and identity have made a major shift. Whether we’ve noticed it or not, the items that used to define our identities have gone from hard copy items, such as birth certificates and Social Security cards, to online banking passwords, Facebook logins, and mobile wallets stored in our smartphones. While we still need to safeguard and protect those hard copy documents, we also have to focus on our digital identities.
Kent Lawson, Founder and CEO of Private WiFi, talks about what inspired him to start the company. This is the first in a series of weekly CEO blog posts on this and other topics.
We’ve all heard about antivirus software and firewalls. But we probably don’t know as much about the third leg of computer protection: a VPN, or virtual private network. In his latest article, company CEO Kent Lawson says we do this at our peril, because the damage we can suffer from not using a VPN may far outweigh the risks of the other two combined. After the large-scale hack attacks over the past few years, VPNs are now earning their spot as the third security leg that is vital to every-day computer security.
Earlier this year, the FTC declared a critical announcement for travelers: hotel WiFi is dangerous. Many people assume that because they are paying for it the network must be safe, but that is a dangerous assumption. Hotel WiFi networks are completely insecure; the bad news is that a new exposure in hotel WiFi has just been found. Read more to find out how you can keep yourself protected.
Is your phone a data hog? If so, we have some good news. The makers of PRIVATE WiFi, have a new product on the market to help users improve their Internet experience. With the launch of DataCompress, Android users can cut their mobile data use by up to 50%*. This new app let’s you get the right-sized content, fast! This means using less of your plan as you get more value out of it.
The need for better online safety training to prevent data breaches is a hot topic right now. Coupled with stronger computer and network policies, companies want to prevent the hacking events that leave businesses susceptible to a data breach. While it’s no secret that employees in both the private sector and government service can unintentionally expose organizations to hackers, what is surprising is a report by Wombat Security that shows that 33% of CEOs fell for phishing attacks that led to network access. Why are they falling for this kind of internet activity?
E-filing your annual return to the IRS offers speed and convenience and when coupled with industry-approved software that can plug in the values for you, a lot of the headaches traditionally associated with doing your taxes are eliminated. However, there are some potential dangers that you should be aware of, such as insecure public WiFi networks and online tax fraud.
It’s clear that the era of BYOD is here to stay. Workers are no longer confined to an office desk and computer, and instead are able to do work from anywhere: home, their local coffee shop, and while taking public transportation. The proliferation of public wireless networks has made this possible, and while this has freed employees up to do work from nearly everywhere, it also has introduced many security challenges.
Living a mobile lifestyle does not come without risk, especially where your identity is concerned. But staying mobile secure doesn’t have to be complicated. Consider this: 94.2% of identity victims say they are still highly engaged online and via their mobile devices despite having had their personally identifiable information stolen, according to a recent study from The Identity Theft Resource Center.
So how do we stay safe? Just follow these five tips!
