IS CONTROL OVER PERSONAL INFO DEAD?

More than 90 percent of Americans feel they've lost control over how their personal information is collected and used by companies, particularly for advertising purposes, according to the results of a survey recently published by the Pew Research Center. 

Eighty percent expressed concern over how third parties like advertisers accessed the data they share on social media sites. Pew did not gather the names of which sites specifically respondents meant.

The survey, which polled 607 adults online, was the Washington, D.C.-based think tank's first in a series to tackle Americans' views toward privacy after the leaks around government surveillance made by Edward Snowden last year. The majority of respondents said people should be concerned about whether the government is listening in on their phone calls or viewing their online communications and other sensitive data.

But beyond government surveillance, the findings also reflect people's attitudes amid the increasing sophistication by which Internet companies leverage people's data for advertising.

Some respondents said they have taken actions to protect their privacy, such as using a pseudonym, but a majority of respondents agreed that achieving anonymity online is not possible. People's concerns around privacy might be part of the trade-off in using a free service. Some 55 percent of respondents said they were willing to share "some information about myself with companies in order to use online services for free."

Fewer people might be willing to make that trade-off, however, if they understood how bits of information about them is pulled together and sold to companies through complex processes, said Joseph Turow, a professor of communication at the University of Pennsylvania, who studies digital marketing and online privacy.

"These findings reflect a major tension at the core of people's relationship with the Internet," he said in an interview. It's a tension that goes back many years. In a 1999 survey conducted by Turow, parents characterized the Internet as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, he said, because they were both afraid of it, and considered it an important and useful service.

But companies are now getting smarter in tracking people's online behavior across devices. Google and Facebook are refining their techniques for connecting the ads people see online to whether they bought items in a physical store. Facebook's recently relaunched Atlas system lets partnered advertisers leverage Facebook members' data across the wider Internet.

To preserve privacy, the recommendation to delete cookie files doesn't really apply anymore, because more tracking is being done on mobile where cookies don't work. Perhaps instead people should contact companies like Google and Facebook, and ask them to be more transparent about exactly what data they sell, and to whom, Turow said.

Government agencies like the U.S. Federal Trade Commission can help to preserve privacy too, or at least help companies become more transparent.  Snapchat entered into an agreement earlier this year with the FTC to settle charges that it deceived users about the amount of personal data it collects. Pew's Rainie said the nonprofit would explore more of the responses people say they can take in the group's upcoming surveys.

Based on article by Z. Miners, IDG News Service, 11.12.14

Money Wiring Fraud Prevention Tips

Money wiring services and reloadable debit cards are still criminals’ payment method of choice when it comes to raking in their ill-gotten gains from scam victims.

So much so, in fact, that a couple of the big money wiring companies themselves have agreed to pay compensation of $200 million to reimburse victims, and one of the leading debit card firms has announced that it will abandon its main reloadable card in 2015.
The attraction to the crooks is simple: Both payment methods are untraceable. Law enforcement is usually unable to track down where the money went.
Wiring and reloadable cards are, of course, perfectly legal and play a very useful role in legitimate money transfers and payments.
But they’re also perfect for scams, like:

• Advance payment (where victims get a dud check and are asked to wire part of the value to a scammer-in-disguise, before the check “bounces”).
• Distress scams (where victims receive a bogus message from a relative, friend or colleague who is supposedly in trouble and urgently needs cash).
• Lottery scams (where victims are told they must pay tax and processing fees before they can collect their — non-existent — winnings).
• Phony fines and overdue bill demands, most recently the widespread IRS unpaid-tax-bill scam.

You’d think that the people who provide these payment methods would be able to spot a scam when a victim comes up to them and tries to transfer money — especially to someone in countries where the crooks operate.
Actually, they sometimes do manage to stop people, mostly in their 80s and beyond, before they pay up.
But consumer organizations, notably the Federal Trade Commission, have been critical in the past, suggesting they could do more, which is why some of them have agreed both to hand money back to victims and to be monitored by the FTC.
Today, all the big money wiring companies provide guidance on their sites to try to steer customers clear of potential scams. We covered the broad details of these guidelines in an earlier issue, The Golden Rule that Halts Money Wiring Scams.
The biggest wirer, Western Union, now offers these 8 simple rules on their site to prevent fraud:

1. Never send money to people you haven’t met in person.
2. Never send money to pay for taxes or fees on lottery or prize winnings.
3. Never use a test question as an additional security measure to protect your transaction.
4. Never provide your banking information to people or businesses you don’t know.
5. Never send money in advance to obtain a loan or credit card.
6. Never send money for an emergency situation without verifying that it’s a real emergency.
7. Never send funds from a check in your account until it officially clears, which can take weeks.
8. Never send a money transfer for online purchases.      from Scambusters.org 10/22/14

THE FIGHT FOR INTERNET NEUTRALITY

Recent court rulings and a proposal from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have called into question the future of net neutrality—something that could have seismic repercussions for small business owners and their websites. Giving service providers the ability to control the speed at which specific content and content providers can be sent to you over your connection allows them to control the flow of data and information from both ends.  This lowers your overall performance and can create monopolies, forcing you to purchase from specific providers in order to have high quality services.  The end result will be a reduction in competition and innovation as these firms create an unfair advantage in the marketplace, forcing out smaller providers that cannot afford the pay-to-play system. The Battle for the Net is calling for those in support of net neutrality to take action by telling lawmakers: “Protect Internet Freedom. Defend Net Neutrality.” You can join the battle by signing the letter on battleforthenet.com and spreading the word on your own website and social media channels.

What is net neutrality?

The idea behind net neutrality is fairly simple. Most of us buy broadband service from a small number of large providers, such as Comcast, AT&T or Charter. For years, the expectation has been that these providers will allow Web traffic to flow unimpeded. In other words, the providers won’t manipulate the data as it flows across the network. This means content is treated equally—download speeds don’t vary depending on the source. This is important because some content providers—Netflix, for example—consume massive chunks of bandwidth due to their popularity. Without net neutrality, Internet access providers would face no restrictions on charging major content providers more money to route their traffic.

Thanks to FCC rules, net neutrality has been the standard to which we’ve become accustomed. That could soon change. A January ruling by a U.S. Appeals Court effectively dismantled the FCC’s existing net neutrality regulations. The ruling opened the door for broadband providers to start charging content providers more money for faster service. This could have adverse effects for consumers, as some movies, videos or websites may load slower if the owners elect not to pay for faster service.
In response to the court ruling, the FCC announced it would consider a plan to allow large firms like Comcast and AT&T to build so-called “fast lanes” that allow for faster connection speeds for high-bandwidth companies like Google or Netflix. The rules would also restrict the ability of Internet access providers to throttle data for customers who don’t pay for faster speeds.

How could a change in net neutrality affect small business websites?

The absence of net neutrality could have significant and wide-ranging consequences for small business owners. Internet service providers may charge businesses more money for “optimized” speeds. If a business declines to pay, website performance may suffer relative to websites with optimized speeds. This means businesses that don’t pay will be at a competitive disadvantage against businesses with faster speeds and performance.
This kind of two-tiered setup could be a major problem for businesses competing against better funded competitors who can more easily assume additional costs. Businesses that pay for high-end speed will be able to do things like process orders and send e-mails faster and more efficiently—a devastating scenario for smaller businesses.
Customer acquisition could be affected as well. Slower websites could mean fewer visitors spending less time on the site—subsequently generating far less online revenue. Because of its low barrier to entry and massive reach, the Internet has long offered start-ups and small businesses a chance to compete against bigger firms—without net neutrality, that opportunity may be dramatically diminished.
The end of net neutrality could also allow Internet service providers to enter into partnerships and contracts with preferred entities. In essence, they could pick and choose who they do business with and which content is privileged. For businesses on the outside looking in, this arrangement could be extremely problematic.
Finally, the loss of net neutrality could have a crippling effect on innovation. Without access to a free and open Internet, the environment for start-ups and smaller businesses will become much less hospitable. It’s hard to imagine small and modestly funded businesses competing against industry giants while using second-tier Internet access—regardless of how disruptive or innovative they may be.

What can we do?

We at Bluehost have always been a proponent of using open source technologies and feel that net neutrality is vital to the health of the Internet as a whole.  Please join us in this fight by contacting your local legislative leaders and let them know that you support net neutrality and are against the two-tier slow lane system.
You can also digitally sign the Battle for the Net letter that will be sent to Congress, the FCC and the White House on behalf of Internet users joining in the battle. You can learn more about the Battle for the Net and sign the letter at battleforthenet.com.

Adapted from 9/10/14 BlueHost.com/blog - Thank you BlueHost for providing this valuable insight into the potential problem facing small businesses on the Internet - Join the Battle for the Net in support of Internet freedom and against Internet slow down.

FRAUD TEST

Online, have you ever:

1.      Clicked on a pop-up ad?

2.      Played solitaire or other games?

3.      Opened an email from someone unknown?

4.      Read a newspaper?

5.      Signed up for a free trial offer?

6.      Kept in touch with someone in Facebook or Twitter?

7.      Sold some merchandise in an auction?

8.      Checked the weather report?

9.      Sent funds through an Internet money transfer service?

10.  Watched a TV show?

11.  Posted your address, phone number, vacation plans, etc. on social media?

If you checked only even-numbered activities, you’re among Internet users least likely to duped by fraudsters. If you checked any of the odd-numbered choices, you may be putting yourself in harms way, i.e. in a scammer’s sights. An AARP directed Fraud watch Network survey of about 12,000 Internet users was studied to figure out the differences between online fraud victims and nonvictims. A surprising discovery: age doesn’t matter. Nonvictims rarely engage in certain online activities (such as the above odd-numbered examples). Victims often have had recent experiences of a stressful event such as illness, job loss, or relationship difficulties. Scammers tend to target those who are emotionally vulnerable because they tend to be more easily forced into making poor decisions.

Based on AARP article 03/2014

Hackers Target Home Devices

Come home to a hot iron and smoldering clothes this afternoon? Soon, it may not be a sign of forgetfulness, but rather evidence that you’ve been hacked.  In coming years, your smartphone will be able to lock your house, turn on the air conditioning, check whether the milk is out of date, or even heat up your iron. Great news, except that all that convenience could also let criminals open your doors, spy on your family or drive your connected car to their lair.

 

As these technologies become more sophisticated, it opens up a broader spectrum of threats. A world of connected devices makes it possible for bad guys to have a permanent entry into ones household. By 2020, some 26 billion such devices may be connected to the Internet, up from 3 billion today, researcher Gartner Inc.  estimates. That’s almost four times the number of smartphones, tablets and PCs that will be in use.

 

The vision is to connect almost everything -- from cars to fridges, lamps, even toilets. Forget to flush? There’s an app for that. Problem is, data security isn’t typically a big focus for toilet, refrigerator or baby monitor manufacturers. Security lapses on such devices could allow bad guys to disrupt home life, gather valuable personal data, or even use stolen information to extort money from victims, Ollmann said.

 

Hijacked Robotoilet

Trustwave, a Chicago company that helps corporate clients fight cybercrime, hijacked a Bluetooth connection that controls toilets made by Japan’s Lixil Group. That could allow hackers to open or close the lid and even squirt a stream of water at the user’s behind, Trustwave said. Lixil said it’s difficult to commandeer its toilets as hackers would need to connect their smartphone to the loo using a special remote that comes with the device, making abuse “a very rare case.”

 

Even some tech companies have created devices lacking sufficient protection. The Ollmann Group broke into a home automation system from Belkin International Inc., a company that makes mobile phone accessories and Wi-Fi routers. Belkin’s WeMo box fits over electrical outlets to control lamps, fans, coffee makers and other appliances via a smartphone app.

 

Interactive Countertop

LG Electronics Inc. has Smart ThinQ technology that lets smartphone users monitor and diagnose problems in washers, refrigerators and ovens. The applications requires buyers to create a username and password. LG declined to comment. Sweden’s Electrolux SA is developing an interactive countertop, a white surface with hidden elements for cooking food and charging devices such as mobile phones without plugging them in. The countertop even comes with a virtual chef to walk you through recipes.

 

Though not many criminal hackers are targeting such devices today, that will change once there’s a reliable way to make money from exploiting them, said Sebastian Zimmerman, a member of the Chaos Computer Club, a German hacker collective campaigning to raise awareness of security and privacy.

Based on an article by By Amy Thomson Jun 10, 2014

 

Anti-Virus Virus

It's easy to believe that once you have Internet security software installed, your PC is protected and safe.

The truth is that no anti-virus, anti-spyware, anti-spam or anti-anything-else program is 100% safe.

And, since scammers and hackers are producing new malware every day, even today's most effective security program may become vulnerable tomorrow.

To add to the risks, the FBI has issued a warning about malware that actually disables security software, rendering it useless and leaving PCs wide open to potential attack. It's a new kind of malware, known as Beta Bot, and is mostly used to target businesses. But it can find its way onto any Windows-based PC via infected websites and even USB drives.

One of the clever techniques it exploits is the genuine Windows User Account Control (UAC), which notifies users of attempts to modify the computer's settings. A window that looks exactly like the UAC pop up and asks for permission to run something called "Windows Command Processor," which, it says, is published by Microsoft.

But if you click the "Yes" button to allow the program to run, it makes alterations to the computer and disables security software.  If this happens to you, you may need professional technical help to get things back to normal -- unless you have a recent system backup you can reinstate.

But you can avoid this scam by closing the pop-up if you haven't initiated any actions to make changes to your PC. Then run your full Internet security program.

Also, a recent came from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) who issued a warning about what they're calling "last dollar scams" -- the techniques that heartless crooks use to relieve people who are already struggling financially of what little money they have. It's cruel and you can learn more about what the FTC is doing to tackle it in their article, Last Dollar Scams.

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Sourced from scambusters.org

IBM S/360 TURNS 50 WHILE WINDOWS XP EXITS

This month the IBM System 360 turns 50 while Microsoft discontinues support for it's Windows XP operating system.

Fifty years ago on April 7, IBM announced the computer that the task force had designed, the System/360.                                      [ See Video ]

The system eventually became a huge success for the company -- and a good thing too. IBM's president at the time, Tom Watson, Jr., killed off other IBM computer lines and put the company's full force behind the System/360. IBM's revenue swelled to $8.3 billion by 1971, up from $3.6 billion in 1965. Through the 1970s, more than 70 percent of mainframes sold were IBM's. By 1982, more than half of IBM's revenue came from descendants of the System/360.

But its impact can be measured by more than just the success it brought to IBM.

When an organization bought a new computer in the early 1960s it "generally had to throw out all of its software, or at least rejigger it to work on the new hardware," Spicer said. "There was no idea of having computers that could run compatible software over the generations."

Amazingly, IBM has steadfastly maintained backward compatibility in the decades since. Programs for the original System/360s can still run, sometimes with only slight modification, on IBM mainframes today (which is not to say IBM hasn't aggressively urged customers to upgrade to the latest models for performance improvements).

Compare that longevity to one of IBM's largest competitors in the software market. This month, Microsoft ends support for its Windows XP OS after a mere decade since its release.  

[ComputerWorld full article]

And speaking of Windows XP, here is an Alert - If you're one of the tens or even hundreds of millions using the Windows XP operating system on your computer, you may already know that Microsoft announced it would no longer support the product after April 8. If you want to understand more, read Microsoft's Support is ending soon article.

You should also be aware of two important potential scam issues. First, the end of support will likely mean no further security updates for the XP operating system from Microsoft. It's possible that your existing Internet security software may be sufficient to protect you if you keep it up to date. But then again, it may not. You shouldn’t take a chance, if crooks look to exploit new vulnerabilities in the software.  Microsoft has said its own security suite (Microsoft Security Essentials) will continue to be updated "for a limited time."  If you use another security product, check with the producers about their plans for continuing coverage.

Secondly, crooks may also try to use this event as an opportunity to send out a whole host of malware-laden attacks, from pop-ups and phone calls to email attachments and infected websites, claiming you're at risk -- when really they're trying to trick you into installing their malware. Be alert to these risks if you plan to stick with XP.

Scambusters.org Apr’14