Self Improvement Site
On The Internet! Take the Self Improvement Tour
On The Internet! Take the Self Improvement Tour
Identity Theft Articles
We are currently looking for an Official SelfGrowth.com Guide to "Identity Theft". If you have expertise in Identity Theft and your own website and/or product for this topic, please review this form for complete details. The Official Guide Position is part of our Premium Placement Package
- Ransomware Scammers get the Big Bucks - by Submitted on Sep 14, 2015 from Robert SicilianoIt sounds almost like science fiction, even in this cyber age: A thief hacks into your computer and encrypts your files, meaning, scrambles the information so you can’t make sense of any of it. He demands you pay him a big fat payment to “unlock” the encryption or to give you ...
Views: 933 - What is a Hacker? - by Submitted on Oct 01, 2015 from Robert SicilianoYou probably think you know what a “hacker” is, but the images portrayed in the media can be misleading. You may be thinking of a geeky-looking guy who causes peoples’ computers to get infected with viruses or cracks passwords to raid the accounts of big business. This is one ...
Views: 933 - Don't Rely on the Password Reset - by Submitted on Jul 25, 2015 from Robert SicilianoThink about your keychain. It probably holds the necessities: car keys, home keys, work keys, miscellaneous keychains you bought on your previous vacations. Now, imagine you have a keychain full of these keys that all look the same, but each only opens a specific door. Sounds kind of like ...
Views: 932 - Hacker isn't a bad Word - by Submitted on Aug 11, 2015 from Robert SicilianoDid you know that the original meaning of hacker, as far as computers, was that of a person who built codes into computers? In fact, the bad guy was called a “cracker.” Somehow, “cracker” didn’t catch on. But the mainstream folk out there hears “hacker,” ...
Views: 932 - Is that Viral Story real? - by Submitted on Nov 25, 2015 from Robert SicilianoThe Internet has almost as many videos as there are stars in the heavens. And you know that some have to be hoaxes. Sometimes it’s obvious, while other times it’s easy to be fooled. For example, the hoax of the “angel” intercepting a truck just about to run over a ...
Views: 931 - Don't be scammed into paying Back Taxes - by Submitted on Mar 31, 2015 from Robert SicilianoIt’s easy to scam someone who did something wrong by telling them they need to fix their mistake. This is why thousands of people get scammed into paying back taxes to the IRS—the IRS has nothing to do with these scams, of course, but the predators prey on peoples’ fear of ...
Views: 930 - How to Burglar Proof your Doors - by Submitted on Jun 01, 2015 from Robert SicilianoBurglars love doors; they frequently gain entry by kicking them down and even using less aggression to get into a house—and that includes simply opening the door because it’s not locked. Don’t believe that if a burglar wants to rob you badly enough, he’ll figure out a ...
Views: 930 - How the Internet of Things is further killing Privacy - by Submitted on Mar 07, 2015 from Robert SicilianoPrivacy used to mean changing clothes behind a partition. Nowadays, say “privacy” and people are likely to think in terms of cyberspace. Stay connected, and you risk losing your privacy. Even if you’re not connected, don’t even own a computer or smartphone, information ...
Views: 929 - Myths Facts and Burglary Prevention - by Submitted on May 08, 2015 from Robert SicilianoMyth: Most burglaries occur at night when nobody can see the intruder. Fact: Most burglaries occur during the day because criminals know that’s the most likely time that people are away at work. Myth: Most burglaries are random and spontaneous. Fact: Most burglaries occur after the ...
Views: 929 - The WPA3 WiFi Security Standard: What Your Enterprise Needs to Know - by Submitted on Aug 21, 2018 from Michael PetersAccording to the Wi-Fi Alliance, there are now more IoT devices than there are humans on Earth, and over 50% of internet traffic travels through wireless networks. As people’s dependence on connected devices has grown, free public WiFi has become insanely popular, but it’s also insanely ...
Views: 929 - Hey Kids, the Internet is FOS - by Submitted on Apr 02, 2017 from Robert SicilianoThe internet is a beautiful place. It is the way we communicate, the way we create, and the biggest business platform that has ever been generated. However, it is also a hazard, as anyone can put anything on it, and it’s extremely difficult to tell fact from fiction…especially if ...
Views: 928 - How to recognize Online Risks - by Submitted on Apr 07, 2015 from Robert SicilianoWould you give up your bank account and credit card numbers to a stranger on the street after he approaches and asks for them? Of course not. But that’s essentially what people do when they’re tricked by online crooksters into revealing sensitive personal information, including their ...
Views: 928 - Investigators Using Social Media to Find Missing Children - by Submitted on Apr 24, 2017 from Robert SicilianoGone are the days when social media is only used to share what you had for dinner or announcing to the world that you are headed to the gym. But social media has become a platform for any and everyone to say what’s on their mind, and sometimes that’s great, but all too often it ...
Views: 928 - Managing Your Online Reputation - by Submitted on Jul 24, 2015 from Robert SicilianoYou’ve been “Googled.” No matter how small a speck you think you are in this universe, you have without a doubt created an online footprint that is attached to your name. Chances are high that someone out there has followed this footprint of yours via a Google ...
Views: 928 - How to hide your Cash at Home - by Submitted on May 19, 2015 from Robert SicilianoIt’s good to have a stash of cash for emergencies. If the grid goes down and the power goes out, an ATM or bank does you no good. But there are security issues too. Where do you put it? A safe is certainly a smart idea. You can get creative too. What burglar would not think to look ...
Views: 926 - Is your Website and Data secure? - by Submitted on May 28, 2015 from Robert SicilianoImagine a lifeguard at the beach sitting on his perch. His job is to patrol and monitor for signs of trouble. He sees a surfer being attacked by a shark. Wow, a lot of good it does that he’s in a completely helpless position; by the time he scrambles off his perch and runs towards the ...
Views: 926 - Woman Drives her Sleeping Assailant to Police Station - by Submitted on May 14, 2016 from Robert SicilianoYou don’t always have to outmuscle a assailant to beat him at his game. This is what a New Zealand woman learned after Vipul Romik Sharma abducted her. At first, things seemed fine; she exited a bar in Otahuhu with the 22-year-old and another man. Then they kidnapped and raped ...
Views: 926 - Consumers sacrificing Privacy for Convenience - by Submitted on May 06, 2015 from Robert SicilianoIt’s hard to believe that, according to a recent poll from the Pew Research Center, most Americans aren’t too upset that the government can track their e-mails and phone calls. There’s too much of a blasé attitude, it seems, with people thinking, “I don’t ...
Views: 924 - Many U.S. Companies Unaware that the GDPR Applies to Them - by Submitted on May 02, 2018 from Michael PetersWith just over three weeks to go until the May 25, 2018, deadline, many U.S. companies are woefully unprepared for the EU’s new General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR. In fact, quite a few of them don’t yet realize they have to achieve GDPR compliance. A new survey by CompTIA found that “A ...
Views: 924 - What is HIPAA Compliance? - by Submitted on Apr 09, 2017 from Michael PetersConfused about HIPAA and whether your business must comply with it? This article will explain HIPAA and the importance of complying with this complex federal law. What is HIPAA? HIPAA is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, which was signed into law by President ...
Views: 924 - How to Know Your Health Records are Safe - by Submitted on Jul 31, 2020 from Katie GordenAre you the owner of medical practice? One of your biggest sources of concern is sure to be the security of your health records. This is a vast mine of data that hackers, phishers, and cybercriminals of all types would love to get their hands on. It's more crucial than ever to keep these records ...
Views: 923 - Sad Scary State of Bank Security - by Submitted on Mar 04, 2015 from Robert SicilianoWho needs guns, threatening notes to rob a bank when you can do it with just your fingertips inside your home? A hacking ring in the eastern portion of Europe may be the most successful team of bank robbers to date, having purportedly robbed $1 billion from multiple banks. This can only be ...
Views: 923 - The High Performance Router for a Many-Device Home - by Submitted on May 27, 2015 from Robert SicilianoYou will love the Tri-Band WiFi technology; it can connect all of your devices at the same time. The only router capable of this is the Netgear Nighthawk X6 AC3200 Tri-Band Wi-Fi Router (a.k.a. Netgear R8000). This router provides three connections and has six wing-like antennas. Another ...
Views: 923 - 3 More Ways Criminals use influence to steal - by Submitted on May 23, 2015 from Robert SicilianoCriminals use six basic principles to influence and steal. In the first post we discussed: Reciprocation: Do something nice for a person and they will feel obligated to return the favor. Social Proof: This is the “It’s okay if everyone else does it” approach. Commitment ...
Views: 922 - Tips to being anonymous Online - by Submitted on Jun 18, 2015 from Robert SicilianoOne of mankind’s greatest inventions (besides the wheel) is the Internet. Unfortunately, with this marvelous invention comes the drawback of privacy—or shall we say, lack of. The Internet is a wonderful tool, but users must fight to remain as anonymous as possible, because ...
Views: 922 - Why install a Home Security System? - by Submitted on Mar 10, 2015 from Robert SicilianoQuestion: No. 1 reason people get a home security system? Answer: Recently burglarized; The majority of the people I hear from who want to install a home security system were recently burglarized. It often takes adversity or even tragedy for us to wake up to the realities of a harsh ...
Views: 922 - 2016 Information Security Predictions - by Submitted on Feb 02, 2016 from Robert SicilianoNo bones about it, 2016 is sure to see some spectacular, news-chomping data breaches, predicts many in infosec. If you thought 2015 was interesting, get your seatbelt and helmet on and prepare for lift off… Wearable Devices Cyber crooks don’t care what kind of data is in that ...
Views: 921 - Company for sale includes your Data - by Submitted on Aug 14, 2015 from Robert SicilianoWhen you subscribe to an online service, be careful of how much information you give out about yourself. Most businesses in their terms and conditions, say they “respect your privacy.” But what if these companies go under or are sold? An article from the online New York Times ...
Views: 921 - How prepared are You for your Long Distance Road Trip? - by Submitted on Nov 01, 2016 from Robert SicilianoIf you’re planning a lengthy road trip, there are many things you’d never think to bring with you that could get you out of a crisis situation. You need way more than just that blanket in the trunk, car jack and spare tire, umbrella, rainproof poncho, utility tool and fire ...
Views: 921 - The Impact of Ransomware on Small Businesses - by Submitted on Sep 01, 2015 from Robert SicilianoWhat’s going on this September? National Preparedness Month. This will be the time to increase your awareness of the safety of your business, family, pets and community. During disasters, communication is key. National Preparedness Month concludes on September 30 with the National ...
Views: 920 - Fake Realtor scams Children and their Parents - by Submitted on Aug 30, 2016 from Robert SicilianoEver peruse Craigslist for a new home? Nothing against Craigslist for doing that, but that’s where Coty Houston and David Yost happened to find a very alluring four-bed home for sale; looked perfect for their five young kids. Then they all got squashed by a bomb: The man who sold it to ...
Views: 919 - Home Security App/Camera witnesses two Burglars - by Submitted on Oct 17, 2015 from Robert SicilianoDanny Wheeler was alerted by his smartphone that had a home security app and a do it yourself camera/home security system that his home was being robbed. He was at work and could do nothing but send the real time video to New York City police, reports a story on abcnews.go.com. The burglars got ...
Views: 919 - How to prevent your Pics from being lifted: Part 1 of 2 - by Submitted on Oct 13, 2015 from Robert SicilianoYou need not be a celebrity or some big wig to suffer the devastating fallout of your online images (and videos) being stolen or used without your permission. So how does someone steal your image or use it without your permission? Hacking Hacking is one way, especially if passwords are ...
Views: 918 - Latest Russian Cyber Attack on White House a Boon for CISA - by Submitted on Apr 10, 2015 from Robert SicilianoThe Russians have come…again—in the form of hackers. Not long ago Russian cyber criminals busted into the U.S.’s State Department system and mangled it for months. This time, they got into a computer system at the White House. Luckily, this system did not hold any ...
Views: 918 - 5 Improvised Secret Self-Defense Weapons - by Submitted on Aug 02, 2016 from Robert SicilianoCane If you use a cane, take “cane-fu” classes if possible. Yes, it’s a thing. A sturdy cane with a strong handle works best. Do not assume you can fight with a cane just because you need one to walk. Avoid a cane with a hidden knife or sword unless you specifically ...
Views: 917 - DNC Email Hack Highlights Need for Proactive Email Security - by Submitted on Apr 18, 2017 from Michael PetersThe NSA isn’t the only Washington organization being embarrassed by a data breach. The sorry state of cyber security in America has taken center stage in this year’s presidential election. In June, it was discovered that Russian cyber criminals had managed to hack the Democratic National ...
Views: 917 - Having the Privacy Talk with your Kids - by Submitted on Feb 05, 2015 from Robert SicilianoYears ago, having “the talk” with your kids meant telling them where babies come from. Nowadays, “the talk” has a whole new meaning. Your kids may be able to explain in detail how a baby is created, but may be clueless (because so many adults are) about something called ...
Views: 916 - Illegal Workers And Identity Theft - by Submitted on Jan 17, 2011 from Darren BaumanIdentification theft is a rising drawback all through the United States and the world. As many as nine million people in this country could have their identities stolen every year. One source of id theft, although not the one one, is the follow of illegal staff utilizing someone else's Social ...
Views: 916(1 vote) - ATM Skimming rising, again - by Submitted on Jul 08, 2015 from Robert SicilianoDo you know what ATM stands for? For crooks, it stands for A Thief’s Moneymaker. A new report from FICO says that “skimming” crimes have made their biggest spike in the past 20 years. This includes ATMs on bank premises, but of course, public ATM kiosks have seen the biggest ...
Views: 914 - Do It yourself home security getting easier - by Submitted on Oct 23, 2015 from Robert SicilianoHow would you like a home security system that’s also your personal assistant? Angee Inc., a new company out of San Francisco, knows you’d like one. Features of the Angee Device Smartphone controlled Has a Full HD camera with night vision. Learns habits of and senses presence ...
Views: 914(1 vote) - Feds warn of more Online Predators - by Submitted on Jan 21, 2015 from Robert SicilianoWhat goes on in the home life of a 14-year-old girl such that she feels there’s nothing better to do than send nude photos of herself to a man whom she’s been corresponding with online? Though this goes well-beyond the parents not bothering to find out what their kids do online, ...
Views: 914 - Can an App really act as a Bodyguard? - by Submitted on Mar 27, 2015 from Robert SicilianoIn the event of an attack, new smartphone applications can be used to send an alarm to a pre-chosen person. And the potential victims location can then be tracked. But is this faster and more secure than a woman whipping out pepper spray and blasting a drunken buffoon who has her cornered in ...
Views: 913 - Beware of those hackable Holiday Gifts - by Submitted on Jan 12, 2016 from Robert SicilianoIf you’re going to drone on and on about how you got hacked by a cyber thief, maybe it’s because you played with your new drone—you know, those rad little flying devices that hover via remote control over your street? Yes, they are hackable. If you don’t have a drone, ...
Views: 912 - Online Data less safe than ever - by Submitted on Feb 17, 2015 from Robert SicilianoIt’ll get worse before it gets better: online data safety. It’s amazing how many people think they’re “safe” online, while one huge business or entity after another keeps getting hacked to the bone. And “safety” doesn’t necessarily mean the ...
Views: 912 - How to plan for Digital Disasters - by Submitted on Jun 16, 2015 from Robert SicilianoIn this day and age, we should never hear someone proclaim, “Oh my God, my computer crashed! I lost everything!” You can’t lose something that’s been properly backed up. So many people, including ones with businesses that rely upon cyber communication, continue to ...
Views: 911 - Lost your Master Password, do This - by Submitted on Apr 21, 2015 from Robert SicilianoYou have a master password, from your password manager, for 28 accounts. Life has been so easy since! But then you lose this master password. First off, you can’t fix this like you would if you forgot your password for PayPal or your credit card’s site. Plus, each password manager ...
Views: 911 - Protect Yourself from Online Fraud - by Submitted on Apr 29, 2015 from Robert SicilianoYes, it’s possible: preventing fraudsters from getting you via online trickery and other stealthy actions. Yes, it’s possible to be thinking one step ahead of cyber criminals. Let’s begin with e-mails—the conduit through which so many cyber crimes like ID theft ...
Views: 911 - Go Two-Factor or go Home - by Submitted on Apr 13, 2015 from Robert SicilianoLogins that require only a password are not secure. What if someone gets your password? They can log in, and the site won’t know it’s not you. Think nobody could guess your 15-character password of mumbo-jumbo? It’s still possible: A keylogger or visual hacker could obtain ...
Views: 910 - How Hackers are Hacking Smarthomes - by Submitted on Apr 09, 2015 from Robert Siciliano“My house was hacked!” Had you said this 25 years ago, people would have thought a burglar vandalized it with an axe. Say it today and nearly everybody will know what you mean: A thief or prankster “broke” in to your house via its connected-to-the-Internet gadgets. If ...
Views: 910 - NIST Privacy Framework Under Development to Complement NIST CSF - by Submitted on Oct 05, 2018 from Michael PetersCiting the success of its cybersecurity framework and the advent of IoT devices, artificial intelligence, and other technologies that are making it more challenging than ever for enterprises to protect their customers’ privacy, NIST has launched a collaborative project to develop a voluntary ...
Views: 910