Good Versus Evil: How To Further Protect Your Privacy on Mobile Devices and Wireless Networks
Your bank account has just been drained and the bank says that you willingly did it and there is no chance for a reversal. Well, for all purposes, you did. Your username, password and security questions were all answered correctly just prior to the transaction, but the problem is, it wasn’t you, it was the work of a hacker who gained your information through a public forum in which you had both joined the same wireless network. Can it happen? Yes it can, and it does. One party figures out how to gain information for the benefit of the consumer and the other party figures out the information for the detriment of the consumer. It’s the ongoing battle between certified ethical hackers and malicious hackers.
As the world anticipates the unveiling of the gadgets and technological advances at the upcoming 2012 Consumer Electronics Show, TakeDownCon, a conference organized and presented by the International Council of E-Commerce Consultants, wrapped up its “Taking On Mobile and Wireless Technology” sessions this week in Las Vegas. With a sharp focus on providing security solutions, businesses and consumers alike who are chasing the latest technology products entering the marketplace should be aware of the implications of possessing gadgets that continue to become smarter and more powerful than ever.
Speaking with presenter and Chief Security Officer for Sequrit CSI, Wayne Burke, at TakeDownCon, he explains how the following five tips can help consumers shield themselves from hackers:
1.Choose your passwords wisely.
We’ve all heard it before, “Make them difficult. Don’t make them predictable.” The pet’s name, your favorite sports team, your home town, it’s simply not good enough and when you least expect that someone is observing, you may just be the next victim of a hacker. Passwords should be alpha numeric, including upper and lower case letters as well as special characters. A creative way to use numbers and special characters is to use substitutions. For example, substitute a “3” in place of an “E” and to substitute the “@” symbol for an “a”. Or, a zero can be used in place of an “O”. It is also important to use different passwords for different sites.
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