Social Media Safety Awareness Tips

Social media provides a way to stay connected and share with others, but did you know that the cyber criminals will also use social media as another technique to conduct their attacks. It is important to protect yourself as well as know the common signs of someone trying to trick or scam you.

Over social media one common method is that cyber criminals will take over someone’s social media account. Once they control the account a criminal will pretend to be the accounts owner and post an urgent message to everyone connected to that account. This message will say they are traveling internationally, and that they were just mugged and desperately need you to send them money.

If you send money, you are not helping your friend you are actually sending money to the criminal. Another common method is similar to phishing email attacks. Cyber criminals post messages attempting to trick you into clicking on a link that takes you to a malicious website.

Watch out for messages that seem urgent suspicious or try to make you feel rushed or afraid. If you receive an odd message from a friend and are not sure if it was really then that sent it call them on the phone to confirm.

Finally, attackers may use software to try and guess your password, if they gain access, they can then use your account to launch attacks on your contacts and friends. Always try protecting each of your social media accounts with a unique strong password and enable two factor authentication whenever possible.

Internet Safety Tips for Parent and Kids [Video]

In a recent interview on the BNC network, I provided a few tips to keep kids safe while online on the Internet. We feel having a set of rules that guides both a child and parent on online usage and expectations makes a lot of sense. It also allows an opportunity for both the parent and child to talk about the components that are in the contract as a way to dialog about the importance of being in the digital world.

You can view a copy of our online agreement here.

Parent/Child Agreement Contract

Nowadays having an online agreement or a set of rules that guides both a child and parent on online usage and expectations makes a lot of sense. It also allows an opportunity for both the parent and child to talk about the components that are in the contract as a way to dialog about the importance of being in the digital world.

Once the agreement is signed, it is still important for parents to stay engaged in the child’s usage.

Below is a parent/child agreement you can use. Feel free to add or remove items as needed.

SecurityOrb – Parent Child Online Agreement

Internet Safety Tips for Seniors and Scams to Watch Out for

According to a Pew Research Center survey, about 66% of Americans over the age of 65 are online. They are keeping up to date with the latest news stories, staying in touch with family, getting medical information, managing appointments, renewing prescriptions, and accessing medical records. In addition, seniors are using the Internet as a way to stay in the workforce and even launch a new career or business as well as a way to make new friends and to find romantic partners through online dating.

All of these attributes are great, but there are always dangers to be aware of from malicious individuals and fraudsters. They use the Internet to scam unsuspecting users. A rule of thumb is if an offer, email, or message sound too good to be true or just seems suspicious, it probably is.

In conjunction with the normal found here, seniors should be aware of:

Personal emergency scam: Scammers email or post social media messages that appear to be from someone you know saying they are in distress, such as having their wallet stolen or having been arrested. If you get such a message, find another way to verify if it’s true, such as reaching out directly to the person. If you get such a message from a friend, there is a good chance that their account was hacked and that it’s a criminal who is out to steal your money.
You owe money scam: Be wary of emails that claim you owe money. If you hear from a bill collector or a government agency about money “owed” by you or a family member, don’t respond unless you are certain it’s legitimate. It’s pretty common for scammers to send “bills” to people who don’t actually owe them money.
Online dating scam: Many people have found love via dating websites, but others have been scammed out of money by online con artists. For tips on safe online dating and a list of red flags, see “Meeting new friends and romantic partners.”
Infected computer scam: You might get a call from “Microsoft,” saying your computer is infected or vulnerable to hacking, with an offer to fix it for you. Hang up. Microsoft and other reputable companies never make these calls. These are criminals trying to steal your money and plant viruses on your machine. Also be suspicious of any messages in email or that pop-up on your computer, in your Web browser, or on a mobile app warning you of a virus or a security risk. If you have reason to suspect that your device is at risk, consult a trusted expert but never download software or apps that you aren’t certain to come from legitimate sources.

The bottom line is to speak out and don’t be ashamed if you do get scammed and become a victim of fraudulent activities. Criminals are very good at what they do and there have been lots of very smart people who have been victimized online. If it happens to you, report it to a trusted person and, if appropriate, law enforcement. Even if you let your guard down, it’s not your fault if something bad happened to you.

5 Teen Internet Safety Tips

How could our teens live without their smartphones, laptops, and other devices that allow them to go online, communicate and have fun with their friends in a safe manner? We have provided five (5) tips they should remember.

1. Keep Your Online Identity Private

We all understand on the Internet, you really never know who is at the other end. Therefore, a good rule is to not tell anyone your real name and address or schedule such as practice locations and etc.

2. Your Password Belongs to You … And Only You

Don’t ever give your password to anyone (except your parents). It’s just that simple because someone can post information that gets you expelled from school, in trouble with your parents,

3. What You Post Can Live Forever

Watch what you post about yourself or others and watch what your friends post about you because you may have to live with it for a long, long time.

4. Be a Good Digital Citizen

Watch what you write and post while online somebody is or will be reading what you write. Also, illegally downloading music or movies and making online threats are just as illegal on the Internet as they are in the real world. You cannot hide behind a screen name and get away with it.

5. Be Careful and Smart about Meeting Someone in Person

The FBI presents a strict warning: “Never meet anyone in person that you meet online.” That said, many teens do make good friends online. You just have to be careful and smart as well as make sure other people you know, and trust also know this “new” online person.

Internet Safety Day 2021

Today, Tuesday, 9 February 2021, we celebrate the 18th edition of Safer Internet Day with actions taking place right across the globe. With a theme once again of “Together for a better internet”, this day calls upon all stakeholders to join together to make the internet a safer and better place for all, and especially for children and young people.

securityorb.com/ would like to share a few links to some useful content that can help you, your family, and your business.

Internet Safety 101 The Ultimate Guide for Parents

This is the ultimate, easy-to-digest guide to keeping your family safe online.

Let’s get straight to the point:

As parents, we worry about our kids and the internet. We want to keep them safe but aren’t always sure how. Where do we start?

Right here.

This Internet Safety 101 guide issimple to follow and very practical.

If you want to be clued-up and confident but are short on time, we made this for you.

You’re going to see the issues and risks and be given actionable tips for protecting your family.

Let’s dive right in.

Retrieve from – https://wetheparents.org/internet-safety-for-parents

Safer Internet Day 2021: History, Theme And Tips For Personal Online Security

The safer internet day is celebrated in February each year and this year, Feb. 9 marks the day. The day was launched in the U.K. to raise awareness about correct internet practices and reflect on the concerns around the online world such as cyberbullying and other forms of online harassment.

The day focuses on a range of topics, including consent, ownership, and data privacy, and also aims to rid the online world of malevolence of any sort and ensure the security of children and adults alike.

Retrieved from – https://www.ibtimes.com/safer-internet-day-2021-history-theme-tips-personal-online-security-3141176

Ex-Facebook security boss: U.S. elections risk becoming ‘World Cup of information warfare’

After three years in the trenches of Facebook’s war against disinformation, Alex Stamos brings bad news from the front: US elections are at risk of becoming the “World Cup of information warfare.”

“That campaign to drive wedges into American society has not stopped. If anything, it has intensified,” Stamos told CNN recently.

Stamos is not an alarmist. He has spent the better part of the past two decades in the digital security business, most recently as the head of information security at Facebook. Before that, he spent a few years at Yahoo — where, among other things, he warned US lawmakers about the impact of online advertising on data security and privacy. He has over the years earned a reputation for speaking his mind, and at one point challenged Michael Rogers, head of the National Security Agency at the time, on the finer points of data encryption.

His warning comes as Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg and other tech leaders are set to appear before the Senate Intelligence Committee. The panel, led by Republican Richard Burr and Democrat Mark Warner, wants to know just what Facebook, Twitter, Google, and others are doing to safeguard November’s midterm elections against the sort of disinformation campaigns that peppered their platforms in 2016.

Internet Safety Tips for Kids & Teens

Internet Safety Tips for Kids & Teens

Personal Information. Don’t give out personal information without your parents’ permission. This means you should not share your last name, home address, school name, or telephone number. Remember, just because someone asks for information about you does not mean you have to tell them anything about yourself!

Screen Name. When creating your screen name, do not include personal information like your last name or date of birth.

Passwords. Don’t share your password with anyone but your parents. When you use a public computer make sure you logout of the accounts you’ve accessed before leaving the terminal.

Photos. Don’t post photos or videos online without getting your parents’ permission.

Online Friends. Don’t agree to meet an online friend unless you have your parents’ permission. Unfortunately, sometimes people pretend to be people they aren’t. Remember that not everything you read online is true.

Online Ads. Don’t buy anything online without talking to your parents first. Some ads may try to trick you by offering free things or telling you that you have won something as a way of collecting your personal information.

Downloading. Talk to your parents before you open an email attachment or download software. Attachments sometimes contain viruses. Never open an attachment from someone you don’t know.

Bullying. Don’t send or respond to mean or insulting messages. Tell your parents if you receive one. If something happens online that makes you feel uncomfortable, talk to your parents or to a teacher at school.

Social Networking. Many social networking websites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Second Life and MySpace) and blog hosting websites have minimum age requirements to signup. These requirements are there to protect you!

Research. Talk to your librarian, teacher or parent about safe and accurate websites for research. The public library offers lots of resources. If you use online information in a school project make sure you explain where you got the information.

For more tips, please see the following: https://securityorb.com/is4k/

10 Year Old Talks about Cyber Bullying

10-year-old Cassidy Warner says she has been bullied since the first grade and made a public plea on Facebook to put an end to it. In an interview with CNN’s Chris Cuomo, she said that she is still being bullied.

The Internet of Toys and Games by @mhbjr for My Security Thoughts

I am a father of two teenage boys. I love my boys. They are one of the main reasons for me to advance making sure they have a safe and secure home. They are also Xbox-heads.

They love that console. I have come to see it as not just a gaming console but as an extension of their social lives. They not only play games with their friends and others but they use it as a communication hub to connect with their friends from school even though they are not engaged in a game. I have watched as one of my sons watched a video on YouTube on his phone while talking with one of his friends about the video over Xbox Live. No game being played just talking.

Now walking away from his room started me thinking about what is going thru that console. My wife and I have learned to give them the throwaway credit stores you buy at the grocery store rather than use our cards. Thanks you Sony. Still the amount of information that is collected such as birthdates and full names for some games is disturbing.

I know that those collecting the information have privacy policies that are supposed to put us at ease. We know that protecting our information overrides any financial incentives that they may have. Plus if there is a breach and the data gets out they will give us free support for a whole year.

Still we are talking about humans under the age of 18 providing information that could hurt them in the future. In addition I feel that our younger children are being targeted to provide detailed information or at the very least being trained to provide the information.

Why do I believe this? Well one recent example is the new Barbie doll that is coming to stores or that may already be on the shelves. It is the ‘Internet Connected Barbie’. It has voice recognition and you or your child can have conversations with it.

See this link: http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/barbie-internet-connected-doll-conversations/story?id=29026245

I am not going to go into the types of hacks that could be done on this toy. Not even the possibility to turn it into a spy device for the paranoid divorced parent that wants to spy on the estranged spouse. Let’s just not go down that road.

I just have to assume that this doll if using voice recognition is tied into some server in a cloud farm. I think that they are storing some of this information.

You might say that want can a pre-teen or younger say to a doll that would have any consequences. I don’t know what they could say. I do know that children have been known to repeat things that they hear at the most inopportune ties. Remember I have two boys and they had an uncanny ability to embarrass my wife and I. We had to watch what we said even if we did not think they could hear.

Now take a small child with an Internet connected toy with voice recognition and you have potential for leakage of information. If I was to be paranoid how long before this Internet connected doll gains the Xbox Kinetic-like ability to do visual recognition of the people and objects in the room.

Will law enforcement now send subpoenas for the audio and video recordings from Barbie? Will Mattel be subjected to National Security Letters?

Thoughts?