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Arm Yourself Against Social Media Threats

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Raj Goel - CISSP

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What construction company

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INSIDE Arm Yourself Against Social

Media Threats Does My Computer Need Regu-

lar Monitoring & Maintenance?

8 Ways To Keep Your Tablet Secure

Android is the NEW Windows —

PROTECT YOURSELF! The Lighter Side The Architecture of Global

Surveillance

Most do not realize it, but there is serious and real danger with sharing too much information on the Internet and in particular, social media. Maintaining personal privacy is vital to keeping you from becoming a statistic. The social media generation do not seem to share these same fears or have the filters of private vs. public. Social media concerns fall into two distinct areas: The fact nothing on the Internet will be deleted; companies mining information about users to market to them. Professionals in the industry point out that 16 year old students who share nude pictures of themselves across the Internet is just as likely to be branded a sexual predator as an adult. Many are clueless as to the severity of these actions, yet they continue to do so. Here is a tidbit to consider, “there are district attorneys in this country who have jailed kids and have labeled them sexual predators for life even when they were in a consensual relationship with each other with parental approval. So now they're branded as sex predators for life. They will not get certain jobs. They will not live in most neighborhoods, and Joe Average really doesn't distinguish between 2 kids who are stupid at 16 who sent naked pictures of each other and a 40-year-old creep who rapes little girls.” This issue is not going away. ID theft is on the rise, and public records are moving online. This means anyone can find information about potential marks. Posting personal and private information online can bring unintended and serious consequences as evidenced by the above. This is only the beginning of the problem. Most of the youth of today think they are bulletproof and immune because they are online. This is not the case, as evident by the number of ‘cyber detectives’ who specialize in finding and prosecuting those who would download, post or view child pornography. It is a serious crime, and most children do not understand this. Being branded as a sexual predator is a stigma that will stick with someone for the rest of their lives, and the ramifications are severe. While this is important, there are other aspects of social media and privacy many do not understand and never consider. One of the least understood examples, metadata, is another topic that people need to know about and be concerned about their personal safety and privacy. A good example is a person laid off from a job. Raj Goel, the IT expert, sums it up like this, “Now that this person is laid off, they go home and post this information on social media. Now, red flags begin to pop up. Questions like, “Why were they fired? Is the business going under? Does my

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This is probably one of the biggest and most costly misconceptions that many business owners have. Usually this is because they’ve been fortunate enough to never have encountered a major computer-related disaster, but that’s similar to someone thinking they don’t need to wear a seat belt when driving a car because they’ve never had an accident.

Computer networks are complex and dynamic systems that need regular updates and maintenance to stay up, running fast and problem-free. In fact, it’s surprising how fast a brand-new computer will slow down after a few weeks or months of use without proper updates and maintenance. Here are just a FEW of the critical updates that need to be done on a weekly – if not daily – basis:

Security patches applied – with NEW viruses and hacker attacks cropping up DAILY, this is a CRITICAL part of maintaining your network

Antivirus updates and monitoring Firewall updates and monitoring Backup monitoring and test restores Spam-filter installation and updates Spyware detection and removal Monitoring disk space on workstations and

servers Monitoring hardware for signs of failure Optimizing systems for maximum speed

A computer is just like a car: if you don’t change the oil, replace the filter, rotate the tires, flush the transmission and perform other regular maintenance on your car, it will eventually break down and cost you FAR MORE to repair than the cost of the basic maintenance – and cars are far simpler than a computer network!

company need to continue working with this company?” Suddenly, there is a wildfire from a small spark. Posting too much information on social media can have thieves triangulate your location for the perfect robbery. Posting one thing on Twitter, another on Facebook and LinkedIn can lead the thieves to your door at the best possible time to rob you completely blind, and you are clueless as to how it happened. One of the best possible ways around this problem is to enact laws similar to Canada and Europe. Companies have to have permission to use any personal information and data, but the U.S. does not have this particular law. This is why credit bureaus are so frequently targeted for attacks, and why it takes such a long time to rectify the situation. Email is another area that many do not understand, and this understanding goes beyond those of the social media generation. According to the 1986 Electronic Communication Privacy Act, email more than six months old does not require subpoena for access. This means Google/Yahoo/Microsoft routinely provide information to the government. The solution is to be smart with what is done and how it is done. It is easiest to equate this to guns. A gun is safe is used properly; in the wrong hands, guns are dangerous. Training children to use technology wisely is no different than teaching them to drive, or to continue the previous metaphor, use a gun. Goel continues, “Start with the basics and move forward. Maturity is the key to proper online behavior. Young people need to learn about the dangers of sending sexually explicit pictures to one another and the ramifications of being labeled a sexual predator for life. Using computers and technology needs to fall under the same lines as driving. In driving, parents discuss the basics of driving, perhaps even while driving themselves. Then the young driver takes the wheel, slowly working their way up to more and more driving with varied situations. Finally, the young driver has the skills for independent driving. To review: Parents need training and skills in dealing with today’s digital teenager and world. There is no generation gap with technology when it comes to parent and child, particularly when it comes to what is and what is not appropriate online or sent via text message. Parents should be willing to take necessary steps to protect

their children, even if it means taking away or severely

limiting time online or on a cell phone. Just like any child,

today’s Net generation needs to understand bad behavior and

consequences.

Check out these three informative videos:

What To Teach Your Kids About Social Media - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpOg1Sgmpok What To Teach Adults About Social Media - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpOg1Sgmpok Why Cyber Civil Rights Matter - http://www.brainlink.com/de-volkskrant/

My Computer Network Doesn’t Need

Regular Monitoring and Maintenance, Does

It?

Continued from Page 1

1. Did you know it is Candy Month? Go ahead and satisfy your sweet tooth – you’re supposed to!

2. Also, the polar opposite: it is also Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Month.

3. Aside from that, June is National Turkey Lovers’ Month. Americans consume more than 353 million pounds of turkey during National Turkey Lovers’ Month.

4. Marilyn Monroe (Norma Jeane Baker Mortenson) was born June 1st, 1926.

5. On June 19th, 1997, Cats became the longest-running show in the history of Broadway.

6. The American War of Independence began in June of 1775 with the battle of Bunker Hill outside of Boston.

7. The very first baseball game was played on June 19th, 1845, across the Hudson River in Hoboken, New Jersey.

8. June 1st also marks the start of Atlantic Hurricane Season – be careful!

9. And, of course, we can’t forget the holidays in June – Flag Day is the 14th, Father’s Day is the 19th, and the first day of summer also falls in June!

THE LIGHTER SIDE:

Did June Know This?

8 Ways To Keep Your Tablet Secure

1. Don’t leave it lying around

Although this is common

sense, you’ve probably

violated this rule more than

once. Tablets are easy

targets for thieves, so don’t

let it out of your sight when

in a public place – and don’t leave it in plain view in your

car or you might end of up with a broken window in

addition to a stolen tablet.

2. Use a LONG passcode

Although it’s not 100% hacker-proof, it will block

unauthorized users from accessing your information.

Forget the 4-digit pincode. Use an 8 or 12 character

passcode.

3. Consider enabling automatic data erasing

You can configure your iPad to erase your data after 10

failed pass-code attempts. Clearly this is not a good

solution for anyone who constantly forgets a password or

for those who have kids trying to log in repeatedly.

However, if you have a Microsoft Exchange account

connected to your mobile device, your IT guy can remotely

wipe your mobile device as soon as you report that it has

been lost.

4. Encrypt your hard drive

On your iPad, simply enabling the password will turn on

encryption. All iOS devices also come with a second layer of

encryption (called data protection) that protects your e-

mails and attachments. This protection can’t be broken,

even if the passcode is stripped. On Android tablets, you

need to enable hard-drive encryption in the security

settings.

5. Enable iCloud Find My Phone or Android Device Manager

These are valuable tools to use when you misplace your

tablet. Both of these services allow you to log in and find

your tablet or even wipe it if you have sensitive data on it.

6. Install software updates

As with all software, make sure you have the latest security

updates and patches installed to protect against hackers

and viruses.

7. Only connect to trusted WiFi networks

Public WiFis are open territory for hackers and identity

thieves. Whenever you connect, make sure it’s a

legitimate, secure connection.

8. Run AntiVirus on Android Tablets - see page 4

According to leading security researchers, malware on the Google Android platform has increased 600% - and now has over 650,000 viruses and Trojans. In more ways than one, Google is aping Microsoft. Windows became the global desktop leader due to it’s low cost and compatibility with a wide range of manufacturers. Security wasn’t even an after thought. Whereas Apple has kept tight control on the iOS platform (and as such, has seen 2 viruses in 4 years), Google has made Android open to all, with minimal (none?) security standards. So, how do you protect yourself? Just like windows, you need to install and run an Android Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware scanner. My current favorite is the SOPHOS FREE ANTIVIRUS AND SECURITY app from the playstore. Download it, install it, use it. My favorite features are: 1) SCANNER—this scans all your apps and identifies

any infected ones. 2) SECURITY ADVISOR—reviews the security settings

on your android device and makes recommendations.

The Architecture Of Global Surveillance

www.brainlink.com 917-685-7731 / raj@brainlink.com Serving NYC businesses since 1994!

Do civil liberties still exist? Or is privacy dead? How do you raise children in the era of Snapchat, smartphones and Google Glass? Abstract: Snowden, Anonymous, NSA, FBI, GCHQ, Boeing, China, Cisco, ATT, Verizon, Google, Facebook, GM, Ford, Apple, Amazon, Your doctor, Spouse, Grocer, iPhone, android, your child's school. What do they have in common? Each and everyone is a spy. Individuals, corporations and governments have built the modern surveillance state. Executive over reach, insufficient planning, systemic flaws, and blind faith in institutions has led to a global panopticon. Our jobs, social interactions and technology have made it extremely easy to become a spy...or a peeping tom. It's much harder not to look, than to look. App stores, vendors, governments have transmogrified society into the Truman Show. This presentation delves into how we got here, what lessons we have learned, what lessons we have yet to learn, and where we're headed. Based on 10 years of research, this presentation will delve into history, technology, the Bill Of Rights, EU Privacy Charter, George Orwell and others to discuss the origin and architecture of the modern surveillance state and what we can do about it. This presentation will discuss the origin of the modern surveillance state and what we can do about it. What's the difference between the US & China? US & Russia? Come and find out.

Jun 3rd — NYS CyberSec, Albany Oct 1st — ASIS60 / ISC2 SecureCongress, Atlanta

Android is the NEW Windows—PROTECT

YOURSELF!