I’ve been quiet for a while, sorry. Mainstream media has been peddling more FUD than normal over the past few days so I feel obliged to weigh in with my opinion and some clarification.
Two Weeks to Cyber Apocalypse
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Category Archives: Security
DNS and Web Security
What is DNS and why it is important for security on the web.
Last week a pretty big mishap slipped by with only the briefest mention in techy news circles. The Domain Registrar for Ireland was compromised resulting in web traffic looking for the Yahoo and Google Irish websites being redirected to unofficial counterfeit websites. You’ll be forgiven if this doesn’t mean much to you but suffice to say it could have been very very serious. In this post I’ll explain what this means to the average web user…
WiFi Security
Some quick pointers on how to stay safe when using wireless networks
In recent years wireless networking (WiFi) has become so common place that you’ll find it in most homes, businesses and social venues like cafés, bars and hotels. Some areas have begun rolling out metropolitan networks covering shopping centres, air ports or whole city centres. The convenience of wireless networks however comes with a trade-off in security that is often taken for granted or overlooked entirely. Here I’ll go over a few quick fixes to help you stay safe…
Banking Security – Part 2
A look at the misplaced confidence, trust and liability that surrounds the consumer banking industry.
In last week’s post we looked over the physical security around the use of bank and credit cards. This week we focus on remote banking services such as telephone and internet, the security measures that are enforced and why they often aren’t worth the effort. These posts are not seeking to suggest a solution but are intended to raise awareness of the risks in the hope that you might be better equipped to spot a problem and deal with it should you be so unfortunate.
Banking Security – Part 1
A look at the misplaced confidence, trust and liability that surrounds the consumer banking industry.
Bank accounts. Everybody has one, many people have several. They vary from every day current accounts, savings accounts, credit accounts and various other guises. We trust faceless corporation’s with our hard earned money because we have very little choice if we want to be part of the modern world. Many of us never question the trust and confidence we place in these banks and hopefully we will never have need to do so. These posts are intended to shine a little light on what most of us take for granted…
Staying Safe with Shopping Online
Top tips for staying safe and avoiding scams while shopping on the web, particularly relevant for the Christmas period.
In the weeks before Christmas more and more people are avoiding the manic high street crowds and buying gifts for friends and family on the web. As the shopping transactions increase so does the malicious activity and crooks are quick to exploit people who wouldn’t normally shop online and who might not be savvy to the risks. Here I’ll outline some quick tips for how to lessen the risk of being conned but the number one rule as I’ve mentioned previously is to pay attention…
A Simple Question
Q: What’s the one best way to protect my computer?
Recently at a PurleyDinnerClub gathering I was asked a seemingly simple question: What’s the one best way to protect my computer? In thinking through the usual stock responses I came to a conclusion which typifies the intent of this blog and so I thought it appropriate to share here…
Facebook’s New Settings – part 1 – Security
The first in a series that will describe the many and varied new or hidden options of Facebook.
In recent weeks Facebook have released several updates to their platform, some are right on the home page like Top Stories and News Tickers while others are behind the scenes and often go unnoticed. Over the next few weeks I aim to outline the major changes and options that might not receive so much mainstream publicity.
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When Bugs Strike
A blunt look at the damage that can be caused when a computer infection takes hold with examples from recent news.
Computer bugs can take many forms, some are harmless while others are devastating, some need coaxing and provocation while others can crop up during business as usual. In last week’s post I described how bugs occur as a reason to patch your computer. Here I highlight the damage that bugs can cause as a persuader to patch your computer in case you’re not convinced.
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Why We Need Patches
A brief look at why we need to patch our computers.
Many people treat a computer in the same way as a car or washing machine; if it’s not broke don’t fix it. Unfortunately there are varying degrees of broken and only when it gets to ‘really broken’ do we tend to notice. Here I take a look at why we should make the effort to patch a computer even when there appears to be nothing wrong.