Todays Tips - 1/15/2016

More about "The Internet of Things":

I'm going to be passing along more information to you about "The Internet of Things" (IoT). I believe that the IoT is the future. I've already dipped my toe in to the water by installing a "Sensi" internet-enabled thermostat at my mom's house so I can monitor and adjust her HVAC system from anywhere. As the IoT market and its' devices evolve, there will inevitably security and privacy concerns that arise. I will try to post timely, sensible information to help you make better informed decisions about what, if any of these devices are appropriate for you.

Your internet-enabled doorbell couId help crooks steal your Wi-Fi password

If you have the very popular "Ring" internet-enabled doorbell you could very well be increasing your home's physical security but making your home's wireless network and possibly your data open to attack.

It's easy to convert a cheap webcam into a network backdoor

Although it requires physical access to the device, this article points out that the current state of IoT devices is lacking in security mostly due to market-driven design constraints.

Flawed EZCast media streamer can let hackers run malware on your home network

Cord-cutters beware! A $25 device that can give hackers unlimited access into your home network? Hardly a bargain. Please try to stick to more proven devices like Google's Chromecast, Amazon's Firestick, or Roku's Streaming Stick. And for goodness sake, turn off guest access on these devices and your router, too.

Philips Smart TVs riddled with security and privacy flaws, researcher reveals

And don't forget to update the software on your Smart TV, too!

That's all I have for today. Thanks for reading.

Today's Tips - 1/14/2016

What’s worse than stale coffee? Stale Java.

How to enable Click-to-Play in Adobe Flash.

There's no bigger preventable security and privacy threat today than the continued use of Java and Flash. For most users, Java is not even needed anymore as the Internet is moving from technologies like Java and Flash to HTML5. If you must use these, please keep them up to date by allowing the "Auto-Update" features to be enabled. In the case of Java, until recently, installing a new version of Java did not remove the old version. You may need to do this manually. If you need Java, I recommend removing ALL versions of Java currently installed on your computer, then visiting http://www.java.com and installing the latest version. The current and future versions of Java will remove older versions that are found.

Whatever browser you decide to use - Keep it up to date!

This goes hand-in-hand with keeping your device's operating system (Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, iOS, ChromeOS) updated. Luckily pretty much any modern operating system and browser can automatically apply updates. The instructions to turn on automatic updates for  Windows and OS X are in the "Read This First" section above. Here are some resources to help you make sure that automatic updates are turned on for your browsers:

Internet Explorer and Safari - These are updated as part of the operating system as long as you have automatic updates turned on.

Google Chrome

Mozilla Firefox

Help me help you.

Please feel free to make suggestions about any topic you'd like to see me cover here. I'll do my best to include your requests as quickly as possible.

That's all I have for today. Thanks for reading.

Today's Tip - 1/12/2016

Could your smartwatch be giving away your ATM pin?

The linked article above is kind of complicated but all it really means is that it is possible to figure out your ATM PIN by using your smartwatch to record the motions you make while entering it. The easy fix - wear your smartwatch on the hand that you DON'T USE to enter your pin!

That's all I have for today. Thanks for reading.

Todays Tips - 1/11/2016

In the News - Fitbit Users Take Note:

Fitbit users fall victim to account takeovers. Don’t reuse passwords!

And that brings to today's tip:

This point can never be stressed enough: Don't Use The Same Password Across Sites!

One tip that appears all over the internet is Don't Use The Same Passwords Across Sites! The simple fact is that once an attacker gets one of your passwords they know have access to Everything. Everywhere. Ouch. I know that this is a real pain. Who can remember multiple passwords? 

Use Complex Passwords!

This seems to be problem for most users. I always recommend that a password contains a mix of upper-and-lowercase letters, numbers, and non-alphanumeric characters. In addition, try to make your password at least 8 characters long. This seems to be a good balance of security and convenience for most folks.

How can I make this work for me?

I've scoured the internet and I believe I've found one method that may work for everyone. I can't take credit for it, Instead, I'll send you over to the original article so you can read it for yourself:

Create a Different, Secure, Easy-to-Remember Password for Every Site

That's all I have for now. Thanks for reading.