Blog Elements

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

Shop Safely on Cyber Monday

2013-12-02/0 Comments/in General Security/by SecurityOrb_Staff

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The holiday season is upon us, and judging by the fact that stores are opening for Black Friday shopping on Thursday (!), it appears that retailers are ready for the gift-buying rush. Cyber Monday should also be a boon for stores and shoppers alike, with experts predicting sales topping the $2 billion mark.

Hack for LA Starts the Ball Rolling at LA Tech Summit

2013-11-27/0 Comments/in Conference, General Security/by SecurityOrb_Staff

omputer hacking gets a bum rap. When you see hackers in movies, they are rebellious social outcasts who dress slovenly and have a grudge against somebody or something that has done them wrong. Sometimes the hacker is portrayed as an upscale hipster who hacks for financial gain.

Shop Safely on Cyber Monday

2013-12-02/0 Comments/in General Security/by SecurityOrb_Staff

Hack for LA Starts the Ball Rolling at LA Tech Summit

2013-11-27/0 Comments/in Conference, General Security/by SecurityOrb_Staff

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Shop Safely on Cyber Monday

2013-12-02/0 Comments/in General Security/by SecurityOrb_Staff

By Stephanie Humphrey

Shop Safely on Cyber Monday

3 tips to protect yourself online this holiday season and year-round

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The holiday season is upon us, and judging by the fact that stores are opening for Black Friday shopping on Thursday (!), it appears that retailers are ready for the gift-buying rush. Cyber Monday should also be a boon for stores and shoppers alike, with experts predicting sales topping the $2 billion mark. Unfortunately with all the folks rushing to the web for a bargain, cyber criminals won’t be far behind trying to take advantage of the chaos. Here are a few tips you can use to try to stay safe while shopping online.

Be on the lookout for phishing scams: The easiest way for someone with bad intentions to take advantage of you is to get you to do the dirty work for them. Sure, that offer from what appears to be Amazon or Walmart for a $99 iPad Air might seem too good to pass up, but you know what they say about something that looks too good to be true, right? Steer clear of emails claiming “amazing” discounts, no matter who sent them, and it’s always a good idea NOT to click on any links. We all know that there are some folk that like to prey on your sympathies this time of year, so do your research before donating to any charities as well. If you insist on checking, copy and paste the link in your browser. Clicking the link could send you to a bogus website where someone is just waiting to steal your credit card info, or it could infect your computer with a virus. Also, make sure your anti-virus software is up-to-date.

Don’t do any shopping over public Wi-Fi: While it might be tempting to try to knock some of those names off your gift list while sipping a latte at Starbucks, try to resist doing any shopping online using public Wi-Fi. It’s much easier than you think to be hacked, and even easier for someone to steal your info simply by looking over your shoulder. If you absolutely have to use public Wi-Fi, consider setting up a virtual private network (VPN) for added security. Even if you’re shopping at home, make sure you have a strong Wi-Fi password, and always look for ‘https’ in the URL on the payment page of any website.

Read the rest here.

Hack for LA Starts the Ball Rolling at LA Tech Summit

2013-11-27/0 Comments/in Conference, General Security/by SecurityOrb_Staff

An interesting article by Catherine Clinch:

Computer hacking gets a bum rap. When you see hackers in movies, they are rebellious social outcasts who dress slovenly and have a grudge against somebody or something that has done them wrong. Sometimes the hacker is portrayed as an upscale hipster who hacks for financial gain. Other times, the hacker is merely a terrorist with a high IQ and the ability to crash any government system with a line of code and the push of a button. Maybe that’s why I get such odd looks from people when I tell them that my newest obsession is participating in Hackathons.

The Urban Dictionary explains that the act of hacking can also be a positive thing.
“Hack: To program a computer in a clever, virtuosic, and wizardly manner. Ordinary computer jockeys merely write programs; hacking is the domain of digital poets. Hacking is a subtle and arguably mystical art, equal parts wit and technical ability, that is rarely appreciated by non-hackers.”

UD goes on to explain that there are three classifications of hackers: “White-hat (hacking for the enjoyment of exploration); Black-hat (hacking to find exploits and system weaknesses); and Grey-hat (someone who is a little of both).

Hackathons focus on White-hat hackers. Sponsor companies lift the veil of secrecy to share their Application Programming Interface (API) code with independent developers who may be the key to innovation in the specific topics featured at each hackathon. In other words, the same code that powers Google maps could be incorporated into an app developed by two kids from Boyle Heights to create a mobile tool that is useful to individuals or a community at large.