Hacking happens in ways you haven't thought about, and this post will open your eyes to that. People need to keep this in mind when posting their details online.

Protect your computer and your online information like you protect your wallet - you would keep others out of your wallet, and keep your wallet on you at all times, so why aren't you protecting your computer physically, software-wise and on the internet similarly?

Computers these days contain as much information, if not more than your wallet, which makes it easy for your information to be stolen.

Far too often I see people acting blaze about their information on their computers and online. Some peoples' Facebook accounts contain enough information that you would be able to steal their identity.

Ok, the answer to your question Anonymous commenter, but this also applies to everybody who uses the internet full-stop:
There would indeed be plug-ins in Mozilla Firefox, but honestly, I would run separate software instead - and avoid getting myself into situations where my details would be hacked. I will offer you information protection solutions you might not have thought of, and software you an install - and my favourite, how to avoid getting yourself into the situation of installing a virus completely.

I would recommend you do not save any passwords, usernames, credit card details, names, addresses, phone numbers in your web browser full-stop.

I also recommend you take most of your information off Facebook or other social media websites, and only have friends on your list who you know in person - people put far too much information on Facebook and it tends to be more dangerous than getting your information stolen from your computer itself. Oftimes this puts your and your family's safety, your pets and your belongings at risk also.

Who truly has 500 friends they know well? Or even 100, or 50 for that matter? Most of those people on your friends lists are strangers who are potential criminals who will steal your information.

Let's face it, you don't know all those people on your friends list. Hell, your partner could be a murderer and you don't even know it, thus if it's hard to truly know your own partner, how can you expect to know someone's intentions if you've met them once at a party for five minutes? Thus, remove all that dead-weight and potential-risk for your own protection.

Strangers on friends lists have been known to track people via the Facebook and break into their houses when they find you're not home. Thus, the "location" app (i.e., you're at a restaurant 10km from your home) and your status are very dangerous places for you to place your whereabouts. Fantastic for criminals when they also see your address or phone number (reverse look-up will allow them to find your address) and REAL NAME on Facebook.

Never use your real name and other details online. Never, ever. With your name, address, full date of birth, phone number and other random information added to Facebook in picture form (say, you take a photo of your car with its licence plate number in view) or added "fun" applications, or status updates - your identity could be stolen quite easily.

Don't send emails with your usernames and passwords or bank account details in them.

Don't send sms' with those details in them, either.
Neither methods are encrypted and can be viewed by anybody between yourself and the recipient - your information often travels around the globe whenever you send an email, going through numerous servers open to hacking attack, before landing at your friend's inbox.

Don't store bank details, credit card numbers nor passwords in any format on your computer.

Make all purchases online through BPay or PayPal, who do not give your bank details to those you purchase from.

Aside from being smart about your information, the best thing for you to do is to run a computer program like the following indicated spyware removers daily.

Also keep your AntiVirus definitions up to date, then complete AND heuristic scan daily.

Learn more about where viruses and malware hide - understand the software you're using so you can make better use of it. Advanced settings are a lot more powerful than basic settings.

SpyBot Search and Destroy free from < here > or even better, the best on the market I have used (paid for) SUPERAntiSpyware to protect you from what is already running on your machine, and what you might come across. Both will clear your temporary files where viruses like trojans hide, remove malware and spyware, check your system and memory files, and also clears your web browser cookies and will let you know if there are start up files that might be a program you think is authentic.

You can clear cookies, your search history, downloaded files manually in your Options, Spanner or Properties dialogue, or set most browsers to clear cookies, passwords, etc., upon shut down of your web browser of course, but not knowing what operating system and web browser you are running makes it difficult for me to offer you too much specific advice.

Clear all information off public computers you use, i.e., cookies and passwords - but avoid putting any important information into web browsers etc., on public computers anyway.

3G connections (say, WiFi ADSL from a provider) is NOT safe. Your information is available to anyone with computer knowledge. Do not walk around with your phone on mobile roaming, and don't use Free Wi-Fi for anything but fun. These services are open to everyone on the web, especially those connected to the 3G service itself, thus is not firewalled.

The best thing you can do to keep from being hacked? Unless you're experienced with computers, do not download torrents. Ever. End of story.

If you must download a tv show or two (because let's face it, only the USA EVER get tv shows in a timely fashion. Who doesn't hate waiting 6 months or more for a show to make it to network tv?), make sure it is from a trusted website AND verified user who does not include the show in zipped or RAR format, nor includes other unnecessary files in the upload. Always read user comments before torrenting something.

And never, never, NEVER download computer software, as there is a 99% chance that trojans, other viruses, spyware or malware WILL be contained within either the zip file, the executables, another folder the set up file accesses, or most commonly, in the key generation or crack software executable itself.

Few people ever do something out of the goodness-of-their-hearts, so why would you expect a person to take the time to rip, develop a crack for then upload a normally costly software application for you to use for free... without expecting them to be getting a little something-something out of the deal? Their deal is often stealing your information via trojans, or destroying your data, or hardware.

Don't ever open attachments in emails from people you do not know and be wary of emails you receive from people you DO know that seem strange, i.e., they send you an attachment you weren't expecting, or they include internet links for you to click on. I avoid opening any emails I am unsure of.

Never open emails supposedly from bank websites. When you click on the URl they supply you with to "update your details", they have almost perfectly duplicated that official website onto their own server and are currently stealing the details and money off thousands of people.

Always type your bank's URL into the web browser yourself, in the address bar. Don't use links from Google for your bank website etc., nor from links on your computer - these can be malicious.

 

 

Labels: 3G, black market, encryption, Facebook, Facebook friends, Google Chrome, hacking, information, information trade, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, online safety, protect your computer, stolen details

what are your thoughts? 0 Comments

posted by Da at 10:42:00 PM