Cyber Crime Security .... Continued

Update your browser
When you use the internet, you view websites in a browser. A browser is a program that accesses and displays files and other data available on the internet and other networks. IE (Internet Explorer), Mozilla Firefox, opera, are some popular internet browsers around. Browser programs are frequently updated to add functionality and address problems. If you are using an older version, there could be security issues.

So download the latest or updated browser you are using from the company's website over the internet. This is very important to update your browser as the hackers or frauds try out new ways to scam you. Recently there has been some serious security issues with IE7. To update IE7 go to the Microsoft's website update the browser.

Cookies
While you browse the internet, information about your computer may be collected and stored fraudulently. To increase your level of security, adjust your privacy and security setting to block or limit cookies in your web browser. Make sure that other sites are not collecting personal information about you without your knowledge by choosing only to allow cookies for the website you are visiting. Block or limit cookies from any third-party. If you are using a public computer, you should make sure that cookies are disabled to prevent other people from accessing or using your personal information. If you are using Fireforx then press [Shift] + [Ctrl] + [Del] and use the dialogue box that pops up to clear all personal data and history. In IE go to Tools > Internet options, and delete the cookies. Anyway if you delete your cookies while surfing the internet then, incase you are viewing email or forum, they may ask for your username and password again. So it is better to remove cookies before and after you surf the internet.

Spoofing attacks
* Spoofing attack are as common as phishing frauds. The spoofed sites is usually designed to look like genuine site, using a similar look and feel to legitimate the site. The best way to verify whether you are at a spoofed site is to verify the certificate.

* "Lock" icon- check for lock icon in the lower-right or along the address bar of the browser window. This tells you that the website uses encryption to protect sensitive personal information -credit card number, ATM PIN, Social Security number, etc. The lock only appears on sites that use an SSl connection, which is typically used only on sites where you enter sensitive information. The secure site lock icon when closed means that the site uses encryption. Double-click the lock icon to display the security certificate for the site. This certificate is the proof of the identity for the site. While checking the certificate, the name following "Issued to:" should match the site you are on. In the even of the names not matching, you are on a spoofed site and should quit.

Counterfeit Websites
Often you are guided to fraudulent websites via email and pop-up windows in order to collect your personal information. You can detect such web sites if you type the said URL into a new browser window. If it does not take you to a legitimate website, or you get an error message, it is a fake web site. Never click on an email to a site involving financial transactions. Either enter the URL of the website by hand or use your bookmarks.

Some Downloading tips
* Download programs from legitimate and trustworthy sites. Enter the program in a search engine to check whether the program has been reported for spy ware issues.
* Be cautious while downloading free music, movies, software, and surfing file sharing sites.
* Read the privacy statements and licensing agreements of the software you download.
* Never enter financial information in pop up windows.

The first part

Cyber Crime Security- Some Basics to your Security

In the current age of the IT revolution, more and more people are getting hooked into the cyber world for their various needs. Details of our personal information, such as name, addresses, passwords and bank accounts are in process of being attacked by various fraudsters, hackers, terrorists and criminals freely roaming the cyber world. Here we discuss the kind of risks that you are exposed to and the ways in which you can tackle those risks. There is no fool-proof system, but it doesn't hurt to be a little careful while on the internet.

How to protect personal and work data
*Protect yourself with relevant software from viruses and trojan horses that may steal or modify data on your own computer. A trojan horse program is software that claims to do something genuine, but does exactly the opposite. For example, a program that claims it will speed up your computer may actually be sending personal PC information to a hacker.
*Update your PC with the latest anti-virus software and operating system patches. Make sure these updates happen automatically.
*Install a personal firewall and anti-spy ware to protect your PC.
*Periodically change your online password.
*Check your credit card and bank statements regularly and report any irregularities to the relevant authorities.
*Modify your browser security settings to limit the amout of infromation you are willing to accept from a web site. It is recommended to set it to medium or higher.

Be careful while doing online Shopping
*Shop online only with known and reputable merchants; enter their URLs yourself, and do not click on links in emails; these may very well contain hidden commands to trick you.
*Do not respond to any emails asking for personal information.
*Check web site's privacy policy before providing any personal or financial information.
*Make sure your data is encrypted. Many sites use SSl, or secure sockets layer to encrypt information. Indications that your information will be encrypted include a URL that begins with https: instead of http: and a lock icon in the bottom right corner of the window.
*In case you doubt the legitimacy of the certificate, refrain from entering any personal information. If the site does not require you to enter sensitive information, it probably won't display the lock icon.
*Use a credit card instead of a debit card, because credit cards have pre-defined limits and in case your credit card details are compromised this will minimise possible losses. Use credit cards with low credit line.
*Check your statements to keep an eye on any unusual transactions.

[This post will be continued ...]

Social Network on Mobile Phone

ShoZu
http://www.shozu.com
These days, it seems like every passing season adds another digit to the megapixel count of cameras on mobile phones. Even the most basic phones come with a VGA camera now. In fact, this has made life quite difficult for people who aren’t allowed to carry camera-equipped phones at their office.

Still, there’s reason so many phones are coming with cameras: it’s that people really like to click photographs.

Also, a lot of camera-touting users are quite Web-savvy, and have accounts on photo-sharing sites, blogs and social networks. ShoZu seeks to be a conduit to easily upload the pictures you click on your cell phone to your online life. What’s more, it’s compatible with almost every handset out there!

Setting it up is a bit of a process, but it’s worth while. For example, let us suppose you have a Flickr account. First, you go over to the ShoZu website, download the application compatible with your phone and install it. The site already supports accounts from a few popular photo sharing services, and Flickr is one among them – saving your trouble of registering all over again.

Run the application and proceed to you camera. Hold it up, click a picture and wait for just a second – there it is! Shozu’s dialogue box pops up, asking if you want to upload the just clicked photo to you Flickr page.

Now if you have multiple services to upload to, you can choose from a quick list that pops up: but if you’re a single service user, then you can even set ShoZu to automatically upload all pictures you click.

Apart from Flickr, it supports Picasa, Photobucket, Facebook, Twitter, TwitPic, Blogger, LiveJournal, Wordpress, YouTube, Friendster, etc. And you can add few email address too.

There are some additions you can make to the photo if you so desire. For starters, basic details can be added to the photo, such as title, tag, description, etc. And if you have a GPS enabled phone, then geo-tagging is supposed by the application.

Honestly, given the wide range of phones and services that it supports, it would be criminal not to have ShoZu installed on your handset.

Platform: Symbian, Windows mobile, iPhone, all Java based phones
Price: Free