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A safer internet isn’t a nice thing to have. It’s a necessity because we rely on it so heavily. And there’s plenty we can do to make it happen.
A safer internet might seem like it’s a bit out of our hands as individuals. The truth is that each of us plays a major role in making it so. As members, contributors, and participants who hop on the internet daily, our actions can make the internet a safer place.
So, specifically, what can we do? Take a few moments to ponder the questions that follow. Using them can help frame your thinking about internet safety and how you can make yourself, and others, safer.
Device safety is relatively straightforward provided you take the steps to ensure it. You can protect your things with comprehensive online protection like our McAfee+ plans, you can update your devices and apps, and you can use strong, unique passwords with the help of a password manager.
Put another way, internet safety is another way to keep your house in shape. Just as you mow your lawn, swap out the batteries in your smoke alarm, or change the filters in your heating system, much goes the same for the way you should look after computers, tablets, phones, and connected devices in your home. They need your regular care and maintenance as well. Again, good security software can handle so much of this automatically or with relatively easy effort on your part.
If you’re wondering where to start with looking after the security of your devices, check out our article on how to become an IT pro in your home. It makes the process easy by breaking down the basics into steps that build your confidence along the way.
This includes all kinds of topics. The range covers identity theft, protecting your personal info, privacy, cyberbullying, screen time, when to get a smartphone for your child, and learning how to spot scams online. Just to name a few. And if you visit our blogs from time to time, you see that we cover those and other topics in detail. It offers a solid resource any time you have questions.
Certainly, you have tools that can give you a big hand with those concerns. That includes virtual private networks (VPNs) that encrypt your personal info, built-in browser advisors that help you search and surf safely, plus scam protection that lets you know when sketchy links pop up in emails and messages.
However, internet safety goes beyond devices. It’s a mindset. As with driving a car, so much of our online safety relies on our behaviors and good judgment. For example, one piece of research found that ninety-one percent of all cyberattacks start with phishing emails.i
As Tomas Holt, professor of criminal justice at Michigan State University, states, “An individual’s characteristics are critical in studying how cybercrime perseveres, particularly the person’s impulsiveness and the activities that they engage in while online that have the greatest impact on their risk.”
Put another way, scammers bank on an itchy clicker-finger — where a quick click opens the door for an attack. Educating your family about the risks out there, such as phishing attacks and sketchy links that crop up in search goes a long way to keep everyone out of trouble. In combination with online protection software like ours covers the rest of the way.
A big part of a safer internet is us. Specifically, how we treat each other — and how we project ourselves to friends, family, and the wider internet. With so much of our communication happening online through the written word or posted pictures, all of it creates a climate around each of us. It can take on an uplifting air or mire you in a cloud of negativity. What’s more, it’s largely out there for all to see. Especially on social media.
Take time to pause and reflect on your climate. A good place to start is with basic etiquette. Verywell Family put together an article on internet etiquette for kids, yet when you give it a close read, you’ll see that it provides good advice for everyone.ii
In summary, their advice focuses on five key points:
Of course, the flip side to all of this is what to do when someone targets you with their bad behavior. Such as when an online troll who hurls hurtful or malicious comments your way. That’s a topic in itself. Check out our article on internet trolls and how to handle them. Once again, the advice there is great for everyone in the family.
We’ve shared quite a bit of info in this article and loaded it up with plenty of helpful links too. Don’t feel like you have to take care of everything in one sitting. See what you have in place and make notes about where you’d like to make improvements. Then, start working down the list. A few minutes each week dedicated to your security can greatly increase your security, safety, and savvy.
[i] https://www.darkreading.com/endpoint/91–of-cyberattacks-start-with-a-phishing-email/d/d-id/1327704
[ii] https://www.verywellfamily.com/things-to-teach-your-kids-about-digital-etiquette-460548
The post Internet Safety Begins with All of Us appeared first on McAfee Blog.
If you want to protect your identity, finances, and privacy online, you have a pretty powerful tool at hand. It’s online protection software. Today’s protection is built to get that job done.
For starters, online protection has evolved tremendously over recent years, making it more comprehensive than ever. It goes far beyond antivirus. And it protects more than your devices. It protects you. Your identity. Your finances. Your privacy.
Given how much of daily life has shifted to our computers and phones, like our finances and shopping, there’s a strong case for getting comprehensive online protection in place.
Granted, we’re an online protection company. And of course, we hope you’ll give our protection like McAfee+ a close look. With that, a quick rundown of what it can do for you and your identity, finances, and privacy helps. In all, it shows just how comprehensive this protection gets.
You can keep tabs on your identity.
This form of protection starts with Identity Monitoring. It checks the dark web for your personal info, including email, government IDs, credit card and bank account numbers, and more. If any of it shows up on the dark web, it sends you an alert with guidance that can help protect you from identity theft.
Should the unexpected happen, our Identity Theft Coverage & Restoration can get you on the path to recovery. It offers up to $2 million in coverage for legal fees, travel, and funds lost because of identity theft. Further, a licensed recovery pro can do the work for you, taking the necessary steps to repair your identity and credit.
Another way identity thieves get what they want is through scam texts, emails, and messages. You can keep clear of their shady links with our new AI-powered Scam Protection. It automatically detects links that can send you to scam sites and other destinations that steal personal info. If you accidentally click? Don’t worry, we can block risky sites if you click on a suspicious link in texts, emails, social media, and more.
You can monitor your financial big picture all in one place.
As you conduct so many of your finances online, it only makes sense that you can keep tabs on them just as easily. Features like our Credit Monitoring keep an eye on changes to your credit score, report, and accounts with timely notifications and guidance so you can take action to tackle identity theft.
And if you spot something out of the ordinary, our Security Freeze can quickly stop unauthorized access. It freezes credit card, bank, and utility accounts and prevents thieves from opening new ones in your name.
Rounding things out, you also have transaction monitoring features. They track transactions on credit cards and bank accounts — shooting you a notice if unusual activity occurs. They also track retirement accounts, investments, and loans for questionable transactions. Finally, further features can help prevent a bank account takeover and keep others from taking out short-term payday loans in your name.
You can lock down your privacy.
Several features get the job done. Our Social Privacy Manager helps you adjust more than 100 privacy settings across your social media accounts in only a few clicks. This way, your personal info is only visible to the people you want to share it with.
Another big intrusion on your privacy comes at the hands of online data brokers. They drive a multi-billion-dollar industry by collecting, batching, and selling people’s personal info. To anyone. That includes hackers, spammers, and scammers who use it to their own ends. Yet you can get your info removed from some of the worst offenders out there. Personal Data Cleanup scans data broker sites and shows you which ones are selling your personal info and helps you remove it.
Another great tool for protecting your privacy comes in the form of a VPN. As a “virtual private network,” it encrypts your activity. Think of a VPN as a private tunnel for your internet traffic. It hides your search habits and history from those who might use that info to build a profile of you — whether to serve up targeted ads or to steal personal info for identity theft. In all, a VPN gives you one of the most secure ways you can go online.
The post How to Protect Your Identity, Finances, and Security Online appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Throw open the windows and let in some fresh air. It’s time for spring cleaning.
And that goes for your digital stuff too.
Whether it’s indeed spring where you are or not, you can give your devices, apps, and online accounts a good decluttering. Now’s the time. Cleaning them up can protect your privacy and your identity because when there’s less lying about, there’s less for hackers to scoop up and exploit.
The reality is that we accumulate plenty of digital clutter that needs cleaning up from time to time. Think about it:
Together, these things take up space on your devices and, in some cases, can open you up to security hazards. Let’s take a look at how you can clean up in a few steps.
1. Review your accounts and delete the ones you don’t use. Look through your bookmarks, your password manager, or the other places where you store your passwords and usernames. Review the sites and services associated with them critically. If you haven’t used an account in some time, log in one last time, remove all personal info, and deactivate it.
Doing so can keep your email address, usernames, and passwords out of unnecessary circulation. Major breaches like this one happen with unfortunate regularity, and the sad thing is that you may not even be aware that a site you’ve used has been hit. Meanwhile, your name, password, and info associated with that account (such as your credit card) are in the hands of hackers. Limit your exposure. Close those old accounts.
2. Get organized, and safer too, with a password manager. While creating strong, unique passwords for each of our accounts is a must nowadays, it can be quite the feat, given all of the accounts in our lives. Here’s where a password manager comes in. It can create those strong, unique passwords for you. Not only that, but it also stores your passwords on secure servers, away from hackers and thieves.
Along those lines, never store your passwords on your computer or device, like a text document or spreadsheet. Should your device ever get compromised, lost, or stolen, having passwords stored on them are like handing over the keys to your digital life.
3. Clean your PC to improve your performance (and your security). Let’s face it, so many of us are so busy with the day-to-day that cleaning up our computers and laptops is way down the list. However, doing so once a month can keep our devices running stronger for longer and even give you that “new computer feeling,” particularly if you haven’t cleaned it up for some time. Check out our guide for improving PC performance. We will walk you through some straightforward steps that can make a marked difference.
Moreover, part of this process should entail bolstering your operating system and apps with the latest updates. Such updates can not only improve speed and functionality, but they also often include security upgrades as well that can make you safer in the long run. If your operating system and apps feature automatic updates, enable them, and they’ll do the work for you.
4. Organize and store your photos. Photos. Now there’s a topic all unto itself. Here’s the thing: Estimates show that worldwide we took somewhere around 1.2 trillion photos. And you certainly have your share.
However, your photos may be just sitting there, taking up storage space on your computer or phone, instead of becoming something special like an album, greeting cards, a wall hanging, or popping them into a digital picture frame for your kitchen or living room. And this is where a little spring cleaning can be a bit of fun. For tips on cleaning up your photos, backing them up, and making something special with them.
5. Delete old apps and the data associated with them. Let’s say you have a couple of apps on your phone for tracking your walks, runs, and exercise. You’ve since stopped using one altogether. Go ahead and delete the old one. But before you do, go in and delete your account associated with the app to ensure that any data stored off your phone, along with your password and user id are deleted as well.
For your computers and laptops, follow the same procedure, recognizing that they also may have account data stored elsewhere other than on your device.
In short, many apps today store information that’s stored and maintained by the app provider. Make sure you close your accounts so that data and information is taken out of circulation as well.
6. Shred your old files and encrypt the important files you’re holding on to. This bit of advice calls for using comprehensive security software on your devices. In addition to protecting you from viruses, malware, and other cyberattacks on your privacy and identity, it can help you protect your sensitive information as well. Such security software can offer:
7. Throwing away old computers and tech—dispose of them properly. When it comes time to say goodbye to an old friend, whether that’s a computer, laptop, phone, or tablet, do so in a way that’s friendly to the environment and your security.
Consider this … what’s on that old hard drive of yours? That old computer may contain loads of precious personal and financial info on it. The same goes for your tablets and phones. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) offers some straightforward advice in their article about protecting your data before you get rid of your computer. You don’t want those old tax returns ending up in the trash unprotected.
When it comes time for disposal, you have a few options:
As with any spring cleaning, you’ll be glad you did it
Enjoying the benefits of your work—that’s what spring cleaning is all about, right? With this little list, you can end up with a digital life that’s safer and faster than before.
The post Digital Spring Cleaning: Seven Steps for Faster, Safer Devices appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Just when they need financial security the most, job seekers face another challenge—getting ripped off by job scams.
Scammers will capitalize on any opportunity to fleece a victim, like the holidays with ecommerce scams and tax time with IRS scams. Now, with surging employment figures, scammers have turned to job scams that harvest money and personal information from job seekers.
In some ways, the tactics bear resemblance to online dating and romance scammers who hide behind a phony profile and tell their victims a story they want to hear, namely that someone loves them. With job scams, they take on the persona of a recruiter and lure their victims with what seems like an outstanding job offer. Of course, there’s no job. It’s a scam.
These attacks have gained a degree of sophistication that they once lacked. Years prior, scammers relied on spammy emails and texts to share their bogus job offers. Now, they’re using phony profiles on social media platforms to target victims.
Social media platforms have several mechanisms in place to identity and delete the phony profiles that scammers use for these attacks. Of note, LinkedIn’s latest community report cited the removal of more than 21 million fake accounts in the first half of 2022:
Likewise, Facebook took action on 1.5 billion fake accounts in Q3 of 2022 alone, with more than 99% of them acted on before users reported them.
Still, some scammers make their way through.
As Steve Grobman, our senior vice president and chief technology officer, was quoted in an article for CNET, the continued shift to remote work, along with remote hiring, has also made it easier for online job scams to flourish. And the figures bear that out.
In 2021, the FTC called out $209 million in reported losses due to job scams. In just the first three quarters of 2022, reported job scam losses had already reached $250 million. While year-end figures have yet to be posted, the final tally for 2022 could end up well over $300 million, a 50% uptick. And the median loss per victim? Right around $2,000 each.
While the promise of work or a job offer make these scams unique, the scammers behind them want the same old things—your money, along with your personal information so that they can use it to cause yet more harm. The moment any so-called job offer asks for any of those, a red flag should immediately go up.
It’s possibly a scam if:
In the hands of a scammer, your SSN or tax ID is the master key to your identity. With it, they can open up bank cards, lines of credit, apply for insurance benefits, collect benefits and tax returns, or even commit crimes, all in your name. Needless to say, scammers will ask for it, perhaps under the guise of background check or for payroll purposes. The only time you should provide your SSN or tax ID is when you know that you have accepted a legitimate job with a legitimate company, and through a secure document signing service, never via email, text, or over the phone.
Another trick scammers rely on is asking for bank account information so that they can wire payment to you. As with the SSN above, closely guard this information and treat it in exactly the same way. Don’t give it out unless you actually have a legitimate job with a legitimate company.
Some scammers will take a different route. They’ll promise employment, but first you’ll need to pay them for training, onboarding, or equipment before you can start work. Legitimate companies won’t make these kinds of requests.
Aside from the types of information they ask for, the way they ask for your information offers other clues that you might be mixed up in a scam. Look out for the following as well:
You can sniff out many online scams with the “too good to be true” test. Scammers often make big promises during the holidays with low-priced offers for hard-to-get holiday gifts and then simply don’t deliver. It’s the same with job scams. The high pay, the low hours, and even the offer of things like a laptop and other perks, these are signs that a job offer might be a scam. Moreover, when pressed for details about this seemingly fantastic job opportunity, scammers may balk. Or they may come back with incomplete or inconsistent replies because the job doesn’t exist at all.
Job scammers hide behind their screens. They use the anonymity of the internet to their advantage. Job scammers likewise create phony profiles on networking and social media websites, which means they won’t agree to a video chat or call, which are commonly used in legitimate recruiting today. If your job offer doesn’t involve some sort of face-to-face communication, that’s an indication it may be a scam.
Scammers now have an additional tool reel in their victims—AI chatbots like Chat GPT, which can generate email correspondence, chats, LinkedIn profiles, and other content in seconds so they can bilk victims on a huge scale. However, AI has its limits. Right now, it tends to use shorter sentences in a way that seems like it’s simply spitting out information. There’s little story or substance to the content it creates. That may be a sign of a scam. Likewise, even without AI, you may spot a recruiter using technical or job-related terms in an unusual ways, as if they’re unfamiliar with the work they’re hiring for. That’s another potential sign.
Scammers love a quick conversion. Yet job seekers today know that interview processes are typically long and involved, often relying on several rounds of interviews and loops. If a job offer comes along without the usual rigor and the recruiter is asking for personal information practically right away, that’s another near-certain sign of a scam.
This is another red flag. Legitimate businesses stick to platforms associated with networking for business purposes, typically not networking for families, friends, and interests. Why do scammers use sites like Facebook anyway? They’re a gold mine of information. By trolling public profiles, they have access to years of posts and armloads of personal information on thousands of people, which they can use to target their attacks. This is another good reason to set your social media profiles on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and other friend-oriented sites to private so that scammers of all kinds, not just job scammers, can’t use your information against you.
As a job hunter you know, getting the right job requires some research. You look up the company, dig into their history—the work they do, how long they’ve been at it, where their locations are, and maybe even read some reviews provided by current or former employees. When it comes to job offers that come out of the blue, it calls for taking that research a step further.
After all, is that business really a business, or is it really a scam?
In the U.S., you have several resources that can help you answer that question. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) offers a searchable listing of businesses in the U.S., along with a brief profile, a rating, and even a list of complaints (and company responses) waged against them. Spending some time here can quickly shed light on the legitimacy of a company.
Also in the U.S., you can visit the website of your state’s Secretary of State and search for the business in question, where you can find when it was founded, if it’s still active, or if it exists at all. For businesses based in a state other than your own, you can visit that state’s Secretary of State website for information. For a state-by-state list of Secretaries of State, you can visit the Secretary of State Corporate Search page here.
For a listing of businesses with international locations, organizations like S&P Global Ratings and the Dun and Bradstreet Corporation can provide background information, which may require signing up for an account.
Given the way rely so heavily on the internet to get things done and simply enjoy our day, comprehensive online protection software that looks out for your identity, privacy, and devices is a must. Specific to job scams, it can help you in several ways, these being just a few:
Job searches are loaded with emotion—excitement and hopefulness, sometimes urgency and frustration as well. Scammers will always lean into these emotions and hope to catch you off your guard. If there’s a common thread across all kinds of online scams, that’s it. Emotion.
A combination of a cool head and some precautionary measures that protect you and your devices can make for a much safer job-hunting experience, and a safer, more private life online too.
Editor’s Note:
Job scams are a crime. If you think that you or someone you know has fallen victim to one, report it to your authorities and appropriate government agencies. In the case of identity theft or loss of personal information, our knowledge base article on identity theft offers suggestions for the specific steps you can take in specific countries, along with helpful links for local authorities that you can turn to for reporting and assistance.
The post Job Scams—How to Tell if that Online Job Offer is Fake appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Overheating is a common issue in mobile devices, but it often raises alarms among users. This concern is usually unnecessary, as there are several common and easily resolvable reasons why phones get hot, including overuse, exposure to harsh weather conditions, and battery problems. However, it is essential to cool down an excessively hot device promptly to prevent it from overheating again.
Below we delve into the five most common reasons why your phone might be getting hot and how to cool it down.
Mobile malware can have effects beyond data leaks, software damage, or battery drainage. It can also overload your device’s processor and cause it to overheat by making it work overtime. Utilizing a robust mobile security tool, such as McAfee Mobile Security, can protect your pocket-sized digital life by blocking malicious apps, threats, and malware from entering your device.
McAfee Pro Tip: For more information on current mobile threats, check out this full report. The McAfee 2023 Consumer Mobile Threat Report is one of our latest resources that delve into the ever-evolving realm of mobile security challenges and risks.
Streaming video content, running graphically demanding gaming apps, and recording video content for prolonged periods can heat your phone’s central processing unit (CPU). This can lead to an unexpectedly hot Apple or Android device.
While computers have internal fans to keep them cool, phones don’t. Therefore, if you overwork your phone, it is likely to get hotter than you would like. This elevated heat not only affects user comfort but also poses potential risks to the device itself. Excessive heat can accelerate battery degradation, diminish overall performance, and even lead to thermal throttling, which reduces processing power to prevent damage. It’s crucial to be mindful of your phone’s workload and ensure it doesn’t become excessively hot to maintain optimal functionality and prolong the lifespan of your device.
→ Dig Deeper: What You Need to Know About Livestreaming
Your phone’s battery health plays a significant role in whether or not it overheats. As the battery health degrades, the likelihood of your phone overheating increases. Checking whether the back of your device heats up more than the front can tell you if the battery is at fault.
Most devices also have a feature allowing you to check your battery’s health. You can find this feature on an iPhone—go to “Settings” and choose “Battery”. To check your battery’s health on an Android device, you can typically navigate to the “Settings” app, and then look for the “Battery” or “Battery & Device Care” section, which can vary in name. Within this section, you’ll often find options to assess your battery’s condition and performance.
Failing to update your apps can pose overheating risks to your device. App updates often include bug fixes, extra features, and security additions, all of which improve your device’s performance and minimize overheating issues. Make sure to regularly update your apps, whether you’re using the App Store on iOS or Google Play on Android.
→ Dig Deeper: Why Software Updates Are So Important
Next, we delve into the potential permanent damage that overheating can cause. While a heat warning on a hot summer afternoon might not seem alarming, continual exposure to heat can slow down your device, cause data loss, and result in battery leakage.
One of the most concerning outcomes of overheating is the potential for battery leakage. High temperatures can accelerate the chemical reactions within the battery, which can lead to the release of harmful gasses, swelling of the battery, and, in the worst-case scenario, leakage of electrolytes. Battery leakage not only compromises your device’s performance but can also pose safety hazards. Therefore, it is important to keep your phone cool and take precautions if it does overheat.
If you find your phone getting excessively hot, it’s crucial to take immediate steps to cool it down. Some of these steps are pretty straightforward but can do wonders in bringing the temperature of your phone down. And in preventing your phone from heating up in the future, here are some techniques:
One of the simplest ways to prevent overheating is by keeping your phone up to date. Regular updates not only keep your device secure but also often fix bugs that can lead to excessive battery drain and heating.
Believe it or not, how you charge your phone can also impact how hot it gets. Always make sure to use the correct charger and charging cable for your device. Avoid full cycle and overnight charging, and never cover your phone or keep it in a hot place while it’s charging.
→ Dig Deeper: US-B Careful: Public iPhone Chargers Lie in Wait
Turning on airplane mode can help cool down your device faster. Airplane mode restricts all wireless communication on your device, such as searching for a cellular signal or Wi-Fi, which can drain your battery and cause your device to heat up.
High screen brightness not only drains your phone’s battery faster but also generates more heat. Your screen needs more power to shine brighter, which can make your device run hotter, particularly if you have your brightness cranked up for extended periods. It’s always best to auto-adjust the screen brightness on your mobile device to match your environmental conditions. At night or in darker environments, your screen brightness doesn’t need to be high.
Additionally, dynamic wallpapers and widgets can cause your device to use more power, which can result in excess heat. Try using static backgrounds and minimizing the number of widgets to help keep your device cool.
While phone cases are essential for protecting your device from accidental damage, they can also trap heat. Removing your phone’s case can allow heat to escape and can help cool down your device faster.
The intense heat generated by the sun can not only make your device uncomfortably warm to the touch but can also trigger thermal stress, adversely affecting its performance and battery life. Direct sunlight can cause your device to heat up quickly, so always make sure to keep your device away from direct sunlight and other heat sources.
As discussed earlier, malware can keep your device working overtime and generate more heat. A security app like McAfee Mobile Security can prevent malicious apps and threats from entering your device and causing it to overheat.
While an overheating phone may cause an alarm, it’s usually not a cause for concern. Several factors can cause your phone to get hot, including overuse, high screen brightness, and malware. Regular updates, correct charging habits, and using antivirus protection can all help prevent your phone from overheating. Remember, if your phone gets excessively hot, it’s crucial to take immediate steps to cool it down and prevent potential damage.
The post Why Does My Phone Get Hot? appeared first on McAfee Blog.
The eagerly awaited holiday sales such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday are just around the corner. As consumers, we look forward to getting the best deals online, but we’re not the only ones. Hackers are also keenly anticipating these holidays but for different reasons. They use this period to come up with all sorts of shopping scams that can potentially put a dampener on the holiday spirit for unsuspecting shoppers.
This article provides you with ten tips to keep you and your family safe from online shopping scams this season. These tips will not only help you spot a good deal but also help you avoid falling prey to online scams, thereby ensuring that you keep your finances safe during this shopping season.
A common tactic employed by hackers involves the use of malware hidden in email attachments. During the holiday sales season, they often camouflage their malware in emails that claim to contain offers or shipping notifications. It is important to remember that legitimate retailers and shipping companies will not send offers, promo codes, or tracking numbers as email attachments. Instead, they will mention these details in the body of the email.
Therefore, be wary of any email attachments you receive from retailers or shippers. If something seems off, it probably is. Do not download or open suspicious attachments, as this could potentially lead to a malware attack.
→ Dig Deeper: McAfee Protects Against Suspicious Email Attachments
Scammers often employ a tactic known as “typosquatting,” where they create phony email addresses and URLs that look incredibly similar to the legitimate addresses of well-known companies and retailers. These are often sent via phishing emails, and instead of leading you to great deals, these links can direct you to scam websites that extract your login credentials, payment information, or even directly extract funds from your account when you attempt to place an order through them.
Therefore, it is imperative to double-check all email addresses and URLs before clicking on them. Look out for subtle discrepancies in the spelling or arrangement of characters, as these are often indicators of a scam. If a link or email address seems suspicious, do not click on it.
→ Dig Deeper: How Typosquatting Scams Work
In continuation with the previous point, scammers also set up websites that resemble those run by trusted retailers or brands. These websites often advertise special offers or attractive deals on popular holiday items. However, these are nothing more than a ruse to trick unsuspecting shoppers into divulging their personal and financial information.
These scam websites are often spread through social media, email, and other messaging platforms. It’s crucial to exercise skepticism when encountering such links. Instead of clicking on them, it’s always safer to visit the brand’s official website directly and look for the deal there.
→ Dig Deeper: 8 Ways to Know If Online Stores Are Safe and Legit
Using a robust and comprehensive security software suite while shopping can provide you with additional layers of protection against scams. For instance, web browser protection features can block malicious and suspicious links, reducing the risk of falling prey to malware or a financial scam.
Ensure your antivirus software is up to date and your firewall is enabled. At the same time, enable secure browsing options available in your web browser. These simple steps can go a long way in securing your online shopping experience.
Using the same passwords across multiple platforms is akin to giving hackers a free pass. If they manage to hack into one account, they can potentially gain access to others that share the same password. To avoid this, consider using a password manager. These tools can generate complex and unique passwords for each of your accounts and store them securely, saving you the hassle of remembering them all.
By diversifying your passwords and securing them effectively, you can significantly reduce the risk of becoming a victim of a hack or a scam. The importance of this proactive approach cannot be overstated in today’s interconnected world, where our personal and financial information is often just a few clicks away from prying eyes and malicious intent.
→ Dig Deeper: Strong Password Ideas to Keep Your Information Safe
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is an invaluable tool that adds an extra layer of protection to your accounts. When 2FA is enabled, gaining access to your accounts isn’t as simple as just entering your username and password. Instead, you also need to input a unique, one-time-use code that is typically sent to your phone or email. This code acts as a second password, making your account significantly more secure.
If any of your accounts offer 2FA, it’s crucial to take advantage of this feature. While it might initially seem cumbersome, the added security is well worth the slight inconvenience.
Public Wi-Fi networks, such as those found in coffee shops and other public locations, can be dangerous due to their lack of security. If you shop online through a public Wi-Fi network, you’re essentially broadcasting your private information to anyone who cares to look. To prevent this, consider using a virtual private network (VPN).
VPNs encrypt your internet traffic, securing it against any prying eyes. This encryption protects your passwords, credit card numbers, and other sensitive information from being intercepted and misused. If you frequently shop online in public places, using a VPN is a must.
In the U.S., the Fair Credit Billing Act protects against fraudulent charges on credit cards. Under this act, you can dispute any charges over $50 for goods and services that you never received or were billed incorrectly for. Moreover, many credit card companies offer policies that add to the protections provided by the Fair Credit Billing Act.
However, these protections don’t extend to debit cards. When you use a debit card, the money is immediately drawn from your bank account, making it more difficult to recover in case of fraud. So, for online shopping, it’s safer to use a credit card instead of a debit card.
A virtual credit card can provide an extra layer of security for your online purchases. When you use one of these cards, it generates a temporary card number for each transaction, keeping your real card number safe. However, there are potential downsides to be aware of, such as difficulties with returns and refunds.
Before deciding to use a virtual credit card, understand its pros and cons. Research the policies of the issuing company so you can make an informed decision about whether or not it’s the right choice for you.
Given the number of accounts most of us manage and the rampant incidents of data breaches, it’s crucial to monitor your credit reports for any signs of fraud. An unexpected change in your credit score could indicate that someone has taken out a loan or credit card in your name. If you notice any discrepancies, report them immediately to the credit bureau and to the lender who reported the fraudulent information.
In the U.S., you’re entitled to a free credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus every year. Utilize this service and check your reports regularly. Remember, quickly identifying and reporting fraudulent activity is the key to mitigating its impact.
McAfee Pro Tip: Have you encountered a suspicious charge on your credit card and felt uncertain about the next steps? Get a credit monitoring service to monitor any unusual credit-related transactions that may be a potential sign of identity theft.
As we approach Cyber Monday, it’s important to stay vigilant to protect yourself and your family from online scams. By taking simple precautions like verifying email addresses, resorting to 2FA, using a VPN while shopping on public Wi-Fi, and monitoring your credit reports, you can significantly reduce your chances of falling for an online shopping scam. Additionally, consider employing cybersecurity solutions like McAfee+, which offer robust protection against various online threats. Remember, if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. Happy and safe shopping!
The post Cyber Monday: Protect Yourself and Your Family from Online Shopping Scams appeared first on McAfee Blog.
In the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, workplaces worldwide have undergone a seismic shift towards remote working. This adjustment involves much more than just allowing employees to access work resources from various locations. It necessitates the update of remote working policies and heightened cybersecurity security awareness.
Cybercriminals and potential nation-states are reportedly exploiting the global health crisis for their own gain. Hackers have targeted an array of sectors, including healthcare, employing COVID-19-related baits to manipulate user behavior. This article aims to provide a comprehensive guide on how you, as an employee, can augment your cybersecurity measures and stay safe when working remotely.
It has been reported that criminals are using COVID-19 as bait in phishing emails, domains, malware, and more. While the exploitation of this global crisis is disheartening, it is unsurprising as criminals habitually leverage large events to their advantage. That said, it’s crucial to identify potential targets, particularly in certain geographic regions.
The data so far reveals a broad geographic dispersion of ‘targets,’ with many countries that are typical phishing targets being hit. However, there are anomalies such as Panama, Taiwan, and Japan, suggesting possible campaigns targeting specific countries. The landscape is continuously evolving as more threats are identified, necessitating vigilant monitoring on your part to stay safe.
→ Dig Deeper: McAfee Labs Report Reveals Latest COVID-19 Threats and Malware Surges
The abrupt shift to remote work has left many employees unprepared, with some needing to operate from personal devices. These personal devices, if lacking appropriate security measures, can expose both you and your company or employer to various potential attacks.
Over the last few years, there has been a surge in targeted ransomware attacks, particularly through “commodity malware.” This malware type is often directed at consumers. Consequently, accessing work networks from potentially infected personal devices without appropriate security measures significantly increases the risk. Both employees and employers are left vulnerable to breaches and ransomware lockdowns.
Office closures and working-from-home mandates due to COVID-19 permanently changed the way we look at workplace connectivity. A recent Fenwick poll among HR, privacy, and security professionals across industries noted that approximately 90% of employees now handle intellectual property, confidential, and personal information on their in-home Wi-Fi as opposed to in-office networks. Additionally, many are accessing this information on personal and mobile devices that often do not have the same protections as company-owned devices. The elevated number of unprotected devices connected to unsecured networks creates weak areas in a company’s infrastructure, making it harder to protect against hackers.
One technology your organization should be especially diligent about is video conferencing software. Hackers can infiltrate video conferencing software to eavesdrop on private discussions and steal vital information. Many disrupt video calls via brute force, where they scan a list of possible meeting IDs to try and connect to a meeting. Others seek more complex infiltration methods through vulnerabilities in the actual software. Up until recently, Agora’s video conferencing software exhibited these same vulnerabilities.
Hackers will usually try to gain access to these network vulnerabilities by targeting unsuspecting employees through phishing scams which can lead to even greater consequences if they manage to insert malware or hold your data for ransom. Without proper training on how to avoid these threats, many employees wouldn’t know how to handle the impact should they become the target.
If you’re an employee working remotely, it is essential to comprehend and adhere to best security practices. Here are some guidelines you could follow:
Considering the rise of remote working, it is more crucial than ever for employees, especially those working remotely, to invest in secure solutions and tools. However, as end-users, it’s also wisest to take extra steps like installing comprehensive security software to ward off cyber threats. These software have features that collectively provide a holistic approach to security, detecting vulnerabilities, and minimizing the chance of an attack.
We recommend McAfee+ and McAfee Total Protection if you want an all-inclusive security solution. With a powerful combination of real-time threat detection, antivirus, and malware protection, secure browsing, identity theft prevention, and privacy safeguards, McAfee+ and McAfee Total Protection ensure that your devices and personal information remain secure and your online experience is worry-free.
McAfee Pro Tip: Gauge your security protection and assess your security needs before you get a comprehensive security plan. This proactive approach is the foundation for establishing robust cybersecurity measures tailored to your specific requirements and potential vulnerabilities. Learn more about our award-winning security products award-winning security products.
In the current digital age, employees must be aware of their crucial role in maintaining organizational security. As such, you should consider engaging in tailored security education and training programs that help employees identify and avoid potential threats such as phishing and malicious downloads. Regular training and updates can be beneficial as employees are often the first line of defense and can significantly help mitigate potential security breaches.
To ensure effective acquisition of knowledge, engage in security training that is designed in an engaging, easy-to-understand manner and utilizes practical examples that you can relate to. Successful training programs often incorporate interactive modules, quizzes, and even games to instill important security concepts.
Effective communication and collaboration are paramount in a remote working environment. Employees need to share information and collaborate on projects effectively while ensuring that sensitive information remains secure. Use and participate in platforms that enable secure communication and collaboration. Tools such as secure messaging apps, encrypted email services, secure file sharing, and collaboration platforms will ensure information protection while allowing seamless collaboration.
Make sure that you’re provided with detailed guidelines and training on the proper use of these tools and their security features. This will help prevent data leaks and other security issues that can arise from misuse or misunderstanding.
→ Dig Deeper: Five Tips from McAfee’s Remote Workers
The transition to a remote working environment brings with it various cybersecurity challenges. Prioritizing secure communication and collaboration tools, coupled with ongoing education and adherence to best practices, can help you navigate these challenges with confidence, ultimately reaping the benefits of a flexible and efficient remote work environment while safeguarding critical data and information. McAfee can help you with that and more, so choose the best combination of features that fits your remote work setup.
The post Staying Safe While Working Remotely appeared first on McAfee Blog.
As healthcare integrates increasingly digital processes into its operations, the need for robust security measures increases. For many of us, visiting our healthcare provider involves filling out forms that are then transferred into an Electronic Health Record (EHR) system. We put our trust in these healthcare institutions, expecting them to take the necessary steps to store our sensitive data securely. However, with a significant rise in medical data breaches, a whopping 70% increase over the past seven years, it has become more important to understand how these breaches occur and how we can protect ourselves.
Recently, LabCorp, a medical testing company, announced a breach affecting approximately 7.7 million customers, exposing their names, addresses, birth dates, balance, and credit card or bank account information. This breach occurred due to an issue with a third-party billing collections vendor, the American Medical Collection Agency (AMCA). Not long before this, Quest Diagnostics, another company collaborating with AMCA, experienced a similar breach, affecting 11.9 million users.
Medical data is, by nature, nonperishable, making it a highly valuable asset for cybercriminals. This means that while a credit card number or bank account detail can be changed if compromised, medical information remains constant, maintaining its value over time. This also suggests that once procured, this information can be used for various malicious activities, from identity theft to extortion.
Realizing that the healthcare industry is riddled with various security vulnerabilities is crucial. Unencrypted traffic between servers, the ability to create admin accounts remotely, and the disclosure of private information are all shortcomings that these cybercriminals can exploit. With such access, they can permanently alter medical images, use medical research data for extortion, and much more. According to the McAfee Labs Threats Report, the healthcare sector witnessed a 210% increase in publicly disclosed security incidents from 2016 to 2017, resulting from failure to comply with security best practices or address vulnerabilities in medical software.
→ Dig Deeper: How to Safeguard Your Family Against A Medical Data Breach
While the onus lies on healthcare institutions to ensure the security of patients’ data, there are several steps that individuals can take on their own to safeguard their privacy. These steps become particularly pivotal if you think your personal or financial information might have been compromised due to recent breaches. In such instances, following certain best practices can significantly enhance your personal data security.
One such measure is placing a fraud alert on your credit. This effectively means that any new or recent requests will be scrutinized, making it challenging for fraudulent activities to occur. Additionally, the fraud alert enables you to access extra copies of your credit report, which you can peruse for any suspicious activities.
Another effective step you can consider is freezing your credit. Doing so makes it impossible for criminals to take out loans or open new accounts in your name. However, to execute this effectively, remember that credit needs to be frozen at each of the three major credit-reporting agencies – Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian.
Moreover, vigilance plays a critical role in protecting your personal data. Regularly checking your bank account and credit activity can help you spot any anomalies swiftly, allowing you to take immediate action.
McAfee Pro Tip: To lock or to freeze? That is the question. Credit lock only offers limitations in accessing an account. A credit freeze generally has more security features and financial protections guaranteed by law and the three major credit bureaus, so you’ll have more rights and protection if identity theft, fraud, scams, and other cybercrimes occur with a credit freeze compared to a credit lock. Learn more about the difference between credit freeze and credit lock here.
Identity theft protection services offer an additional layer of security to protect your personal as well as financial information. They actively monitor your accounts, provide prompt alerts for any suspicious activities, and help you recover losses if things go awry. An identity theft protection service like McAfee Identity Theft Protection can be beneficial. Remember, however, that even with such a service, you should continue practicing other security measures, as they form part of a comprehensive approach to data security.
These services work in the background to ensure constant protection. However, choosing a reputable and reliable identity theft protection service is essential. Do thorough research before committing and compare features such as monitoring services, recovery assistance, and insurance offerings. This step can help protect you not only during medical data breaches but also on other digital platforms where your personal information is stored.
If you suspect your personal data has been compromised, you should check your bank account and credit activity frequently. Regular monitoring of your accounts empowers you to stop fraudulent activity. Many banks and credit card companies provide free alerts—through an email or text message—whenever a new purchase is made, an unusual charge is noticed, or your account balance drops to a particular level.
Besides, you should also consider utilizing apps or online services provided by banks and credit companies to keep an eye on your accounts. Such tools can help you track your financial activity conveniently and take instant action if any suspicious activity is spotted. Regularly updating your contact information with banks and credit companies is also important, as it ensures you receive all alerts and updates on time.
→ Dig Deeper: Online Banking—Simple Steps to Protect Yourself from Bank Fraud
Increased digitization in the healthcare sector has brought convenience and improved patient services. However, it also presents attractive targets for cybercriminals eager to exploit vulnerabilities for personal gain. Medical data breaches are concerning due to their potential long-term impacts, so it’s critical to protect your personal information proactively.
While healthcare institutions must shoulder the primary responsibility to safeguard patient information, users are far from helpless. By placing a fraud alert, freezing your credit, using identity theft protection services like McAfee Identity Theft Protection, and maintaining vigilance over your financial activity, you can form a comprehensive defense strategy to protect yourself against potential breaches.
The post 4 Tips to Protect Your Information During Medical Data Breaches appeared first on McAfee Blog.
The moment you hop online, you lose a little privacy. How much depends on what you’re doing and what steps you’ve put in place to protect your privacy. The reality is that any online activity will generate data. As you surf, bank, and shop, data gets created. From there, other parties collect, analyze, and sometimes sell or share that data with others.
The most notable example of this is, of course, social media. Social media companies gather hosts of data and personal information about their users in exchange for free use of their platforms. Yet similar data collection happens far more broadly online. Internet service providers (ISPs) will often gather browsing data and information about their users. Some search engines will also gather information about their users, their searches, and where those searches take them. Another high-value form of data collection entails location tracking. App creators, ISPs, cell phone companies, and others will pair what you’re doing online with where and when you’re doing it.
Make no mistake that all this data has value. Whether it gets collected for advertising purposes, or to generate profit by selling data to others, your privacy has a price tag on it. Yet you have some say in all this. You can take several steps that can minimize the data trail that you create by going online. Put simply, you can take control of your privacy online.
→ Dig Deeper: How Data Brokers Sell Your Identity
Although data creation and collection naturally come with using the Internet, you can take several steps to make you and your data more private. Some of it comes down to behavior, while other steps involve settings and technologies that help cover your tracks. Here are 10 ways you can stay more private online:
Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and others give you the option of making your profile and posts visible to friends only. Choosing this setting keeps the broader internet from seeing what you’re doing, saying, and posting—not to mention your relationships and likes. Put another way, keeping your profile public makes it searchable by search engines. Your profile is out there for anyone to see.
Taking a “friends only” approach to your social media profiles can help protect your privacy because that gives a possible scammer or stalker significantly less material to work with. Yet further, some platforms allow you to create sub-groups of friends and followers. With a quick review of your network, you can create a subgroup of your most trusted friends and restrict your posts to them as needed.
→ Dig Deeper: Over 10 Million Facebook Users Hacked in Ongoing Phishing Scam
Different devices and platforms will have their own privacy settings, so give them a look and see what your options are. For example, Facebook offers an entire page dedicated to privacy settings and offers a Privacy Checkup as well.
As for devices, Windows and Mac OS have extensive privacy controls available. Android provides visual guides on the topic, and Apple has a similar resource for iOS users as well. A quick search about privacy on any device, platform, or app should turn up some helpful results that can get you started if you have questions.
→ Dig Deeper: Privacy, Identity, and Device Protection: Why You Need to Invest in All Three
Privacy policies spell out what data a company might be collecting, for what purposes, what they do with it, and if they might share or otherwise sell it to third parties. The language in privacy policies can get somewhat long and complex. However, several companies have been making good faith efforts to explain their privacy policies in plain language on user-friendly websites.
Google provides a good example of this, which includes a link to their Privacy Checkup experience. Additionally, Apple offers users on iOS 15.2 or higher an app privacy report that shows what iPhone features and data apps have recently accessed. Once again, a web search will help point you to similar resources for the devices, platforms, and apps you use.
→ Dig Deeper: What Personal Data Do Companies Track?
Location tracking has become a prominent form of data collection. Smartphone applications are usually the prime culprits. Thankfully, you can easily disable the location-sharing feature on an app-by-app basis. Some apps allow you to enable location services only when in use, while for others, you can entirely disable location services. An alternative option is to set the app to ask for permission each time. This is an effective way to find out if any apps are using location services without your knowledge. For iPhone users, this can be found in Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services. Android users can go to Settings > Locations > App Location Permissions.
Deactivating location sharing in your apps doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll stop seeing location-based ads. Advertisers often guess your general location by looking at your internet connection. They might not know your exact address, but they can get a pretty good idea of which city or town you’re in.
If you’ve been using the internet for a while, you likely have several old accounts that you no longer use or have forgotten about. Old accounts may still contain your personal data, exposing it to potential hackers or cyber thieves. It’s advisable to close any old accounts that you no longer need. Before doing this, ensure that you delete as much personal data from them as possible.
Deleting an account is often more complicated than simply not using it anymore. In many cases, you’ll have to contact the company or service provider to close your account. If you can’t find information on how to delete your account, a quick web search can often lead you to step-by-step instructions.
McAfee Pro Tip: Your online presence expands as you create more internet accounts, and these accounts may potentially be leveraged by data brokers or third parties to gain access to your personal data. Improve your data security by erasing unused or old accounts to eliminate public-facing information. Know how to delete old accounts containing personal information.
Virtual Private Networks (VPN) can significantly enhance your online privacy. A VPN encrypts your internet connection, making it harder for third parties to track your online activities or capture your personal information. While connected to a VPN, your ISP can only see that you’re connected to a VPN server, but not what websites you visit or what data you’re transferring.
Besides protecting your data, VPNs can also prevent websites and online services from tracking your physical location. This can be particularly useful if you’re accessing the internet in a region with stringent internet censorship or if you want to access region-locked content.
Many people are surprised when they Google themselves and see how much information about them is publicly available. Data brokers collect information from various sources and make it available to anyone willing to pay for it. This can include personal information, such as your home address, estimated income, shopping habits, and more.
Fortunately, you can take steps to clean up your personal data trail. Start by Googling yourself to find out what information about you is publicly available. Next, contact the websites or data brokers that publish this information and request them to remove it. Several online services can help you with this process by automating it and making it more efficient.
→ Dig Deeper: How Data Brokers Sell Your Identity
Online privacy is a serious concern in today’s digital age. While it’s impossible to completely avoid data collection, there are numerous steps you can take to protect your personal data and make your online activities more private. These include being strategic with your social media settings, regularly reviewing your privacy settings, understanding the privacy policies of the apps you use, disabling location sharing, deactivating old accounts, using a VPN, and cleaning up your personal data trail. For added protection, use a comprehensive security solution such as McAfee+ Ultimate, which comes with features like password manager, antivirus software, and firewall protection; users can efficiently navigate the internet while avoiding online threats.
Whether we admit it or not, a significant portion of our privacy is within our control. By becoming more aware of what data we share and who we share it with, we can make decisions that protect our privacy. In an era where data is the new oil, taking steps to safeguard our digital privacy is more important than ever.
The post 10 Tips to Keep Your Data Private Online appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Read this statement, then read it again: Just five distracted seconds at 55 mph is equivalent to driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed. This alarming truth from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), highlights the need for parents to address the issue of distracted driving with their teens.
Additional distracted driving statistics are mind-blowing. According to the NHSTA, 77 percent of drivers admitted to using their phones while driving, 74 percent used their map app, 56 percent read emails or texts, 27 percent updated or checked their social media accounts, and shockingly, 19 percent of drivers—equivalent to one in five—engaged in online shopping while driving.
In the United States, distracted driving has become a leading cause of fatal crashes, accounting for 25 to 30 percent of all fatal crashes. Furthermore, overall highway fatalities have increased by 22 percent, as reported recently by The Los Angeles Times, which attributed this rise to the allure of technology turning our cars into “candy stores of distraction.”
While technology plays a significant role in distracted driving, other everyday choices and factors can also contribute to accidents. Eating while driving, managing a lively pet in the car, navigating unfamiliar streets, and even talking with peer passengers can distract young drivers. Studies have shown that crash risk doubles when teens drive with one peer passenger and quadruples with three or more teen passengers.
In the throes of summer, it’s a great time for parents to have a conversation with their teen drivers about the dangers of distracted driving and texting while driving. Here are some important topics to discuss and tips to help keep your kids safe on the road:
Remember, developing good (or better) habits takes time, effort, consistency, and parental involvement in teen driving. Preventing distracted driving with positive behavior change won’t happen overnight. Repeat yourself when it comes to road safety without apologies. Giving your child rules and expectations demonstrates love. By making some of these shifts, hopefully, you will worry less, raise wiser drivers, and improve safety for everyone on the roads.
The post Parent’s Guide: 8 Ways to Help Your Teen Combat Distracted Driving appeared first on McAfee Blog.
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The time has come. Your kids are chafing at the bit to get on social media and you can no longer hold them back. But you’re terrified. ‘What if they say the wrong thing? What if they meet some unsavoury types or worst case, what if they get bullied?’ I hear you – everything you are concerned about is completely normal and totally valid. But this is not the time to put your head in the sand people, tempting as it is.
So, make yourself a cuppa. I’m going to run you through the basics so you can get your offspring (and yourself) through this quite significant moment in the best shape possible.
Ah, such a tricky question!! While there is no specific Aussie law that dictates the minimum age kids need to be to join social media, most social media platforms require their users to be 13 years old to set up an account. This is a result of a US federal law, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) , which affects any social media platform that US citizens can join. So, therefore it affects nearly all social media platforms worldwide.
But let’s keep it real – most kids join before they are 13. Some do with the consent of their parents, but many don’t. So, if your kids are consulting you on their move into social media, then pat yourself on the back. You’ve done a great job of keeping the lines of communication open and staying relevant. But if yours just charged ahead without involving you (like some of mine did) then it’s still not too late to be part of their journey.
In my opinion, there is no simple answer. A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work here. Some kids mature faster than their peers, others may have a bigger dose of emotional intelligence and instinctively understand the ramifications of poor online behaviour. Some kids are more resilient and robust while others are more sensitive. There are so many things to consider when advising but ultimately, this is your call as a parent.
This is where many of us can come unstuck because it can feel so overwhelming knowing where to start. But don’t worry – I’ve got you. I’m going to give you 5 things that you can action that will make a huge difference to your kids’ online safety. And these strategies are relevant to all of us parents – regardless of whether your kids are new to social media or old hands!
I can’t stress enough just how important it is to have real conversations with your kids about all aspects of their lives, including the digital part. Asking them what they do online, why they like a certain app, and who they play online games with are just some of the ways of starting a conversation. I am also a fan of sharing details of your online life with them too. Whether it’s sharing new apps with my kids, funny posts, or relevant news articles, I think if I regularly demonstrate that I get social media then I generate a little ‘tech cred’. And when you’ve got ‘tech cred’, they are more likely to come to you when things aren’t going swimmingly. And that’s exactly what we want as parents!
I love the idea of a clear contract between parents and kids that details your expectations about their online behaviour and technology use. It’s a great way of developing a set of guidelines that will help them navigate some of the risks and challenges associated with being online. Now, this agreement should be a family exercise so ensure your kids are invested in the process too. If you want a starting point, check out McAfee’s Family Device Agreement.
Without a doubt, one of the most powerful ways to stay safe online is to ensure you have super duper passwords for each of your online accounts. So, take some time to ensure your kids have got this covered. Every online account needs its own individual password that should have no link to your child’s name, school, family, or favourite pet. I’m a big fan of a crazy sentence – I find they are easier to remember. If you include at least one capital letter, a few numbers, and symbols then you’re doing well. Password managers can be a great way of remembering and also generating complex passwords. These can be a godsend when your list of online accounts grows. All you need to do is remember the master password. How good!
And ensure they know to NEVER share passwords. Tell them that passwords are like toothbrushes – never to be shared! That always worked with my boys!
Unless you are proactive, privacy settings on social media platforms will remain on the default setting which usually means public. Now, this means that anyone who has access to the internet can view the posts and photos that you share whether you want them to or not. Now, this is not ideal for anyone but particularly not a young tween who is trying to find their feet online.
So, take some time to help your kids turn activate the privacy settings on all their online accounts. Turning their profile to private will give them more control over who can see their content and what people can tag them in.
There is some amazing technology that can really help you, help your kids stay safe. Installing security software on your kids’ devices is essential. McAfee+, McAfee’s new ‘all in one’ privacy, identity, and device protection is a fantastic way to ensure all your family members are protected online. It features identity monitoring and a password manager but also an unlimited VPN, a file shredder, protection score and parental controls. A complete no-brainer!
My absolute hope is that your kids’ social media career is smooth sailing. However, with four kids of my own, I know that curveballs and challenges are often inevitable. But if you’ve developed an open line of communication with your kids and possibly even generated a little ‘tech cred’, then it is likely they will reach out to you if things go awry.
Depending on the issue they are experiencing, you may just need to talk them through the situation. Perhaps they need help understanding they should have expressed something in a less inflammatory way or that they may be over-reacting to a comment. It may be helpful for you to work with them to develop an action plan or formulate a response to someone who is perhaps being a bit tricky.
But if they have experienced behaviour that you consider to be unacceptable, then you may need to take further action. I always recommend taking screenshots of concerning behaviour online. These may be important if you need to take further action down the track. Once you’ve taken screenshots, then block the person who is causing your child grief. You can also report the behaviour to the social media platform. If the perpetrator goes to the same school as your child, then I would approach the school and ask them to assist. If the situation is super serious, you can always report it to the Office of our ESafety Commissioner in Australia or the Police who can both work with social media platforms.
Congratulations! You have completed the basic course in social media parenting. I know letting them go can feel quite terrifying, but I know that if you cover off the basics and keep talking to them, then you’re setting them up for success online.
Over to you now, mum and dad!
Good luck!
Alex
The post 5 Minute Parent’s Guide to Social Media appeared first on McAfee Blog.
How it works • Installation • Usage • MODES • For Developers • Credits
Introducing SCRIPTKIDDI3, a powerful recon and initial vulnerability detection tool for Bug Bounty Hunters. Built using a variety of open-source tools and a shell script, SCRIPTKIDDI3 allows you to quickly and efficiently run a scan on the target domain and identify potential vulnerabilities.
SCRIPTKIDDI3 begins by performing recon on the target system, collecting information such as subdomains, and running services with nuclei. It then uses this information to scan for known vulnerabilities and potential attack vectors, alerting you to any high-risk issues that may need to be addressed.
In addition, SCRIPTKIDDI3 also includes features for identifying misconfigurations and insecure default settings with nuclei templates, helping you ensure that your systems are properly configured and secure.
SCRIPTKIDDI3 is an essential tool for conducting thorough and effective recon and vulnerability assessments. Let's Find Bugs with SCRIPTKIDDI3
[Thanks ChatGPT for the Description]
This tool mainly performs 3 tasks
SCRIPTKIDDI3 requires different tools to run successfully. Run the following command to install the latest version with all requirments-
FreshRSS git clone https://github.com/thecyberneh/scriptkiddi3.git
cd scriptkiddi3
bash installer.shscriptkiddi3 -hThis will display help for the tool. Here are all the switches it supports.
[ABOUT:]
Streamline your recon and vulnerability detection process with SCRIPTKIDDI3,
A recon and initial vulnerability detection tool built using shell script and open source tools.
[Usage:]
scriptkiddi3 [MODE] [FLAGS]
scriptkiddi3 -m EXP -d target.com -c /path/to/config.yaml
[MODES:]
['-m'/'--mode']
Available Options for MODE:
SUB | sub | SUBDOMAIN | subdomain Run scriptkiddi3 in SUBDOMAIN ENUMERATION mode
URL | url Run scriptkiddi3 in URL ENUMERATION mode
EXP | exp | EXPLOIT | exploit Run scriptkiddi3 in Full Exploitation mode
Feature of EXPLOI mode : subdomain enumaration, URL Enumeration,
Vulnerability Detection with Nuclei,
an d Scan for SUBDOMAINE TAKEOVER
[FLAGS:]
[TARGET:] -d, --domain target domain to scan
[CONFIG:] -c, --config path of your configuration file for subfinder
[HELP:] -h, --help to get help menu
[UPDATE:] -u, --update to update tool
[Examples:]
Run scriptkiddi3 in full Exploitation mode
scriptkiddi3 -m EXP -d target.com
Use your own CONFIG file for subfinder
scriptkiddi3 -m EXP -d target.com -c /path/to/config.yaml
Run scriptkiddi3 in SUBDOMAIN ENUMERATION mode
scriptkiddi3 -m SUB -d target.com
Run scriptkiddi3 in URL ENUMERATION mode
scriptkiddi3 -m SUB -d target.com
Run SCRIPTKIDDI3 in FULL EXPLOITATION MODE
scriptkiddi3 -m EXP -d target.comFULL EXPLOITATION MODE contains following functions
Run scriptkiddi3 in SUBDOMAIN ENUMERATION MODE
scriptkiddi3 -m SUB -d target.comSUBDOMAIN ENUMERATION MODE contains following functions
Run scriptkiddi3 in URL ENUMERATION MODE
scriptkiddi3 -m URL -d target.comURL ENUMERATION MODE contains following functions
Using your own CONFIG File for subfinder
scriptkiddi3 -m EXP -d target.com -c /path/to/config.yamlYou can also provie your own CONDIF file with your API Keys for subdomain enumeration with subfinder
Updating tool to latest version You can run following command to update tool
scriptkiddi3 -uAn Example of config.yaml
binaryedge:
- 0bf8919b-aab9-42e4-9574-d3b639324597
- ac244e2f-b635-4581-878a-33f4e79a2c13
censys:
- ac244e2f-b635-4581-878a-33f4e79a2c13:dd510d6e-1b6e-4655-83f6-f347b363def9
certspotter: []
passivetotal:
- sample-email@user.com:sample_password
securitytrails: []
shodan:
- AAAAClP1bJJSRMEYJazgwhJKrggRwKA
github:
- ghp_lkyJGU3jv1xmwk4SDXavrLDJ4dl2pSJMzj4X
- ghp_gkUuhkIYdQPj13ifH4KA3cXRn8JD2lqir2d4
zoomeye:
- zoomeye_username:zoomeye_passwordIf you have ideas for new functionality or modes that you would like to see in this tool, you can always submit a pull request (PR) to contribute your changes.
If you have any other queries, you can always contact me on Twitter(thecyberneh)
I would like to express my gratitude to all of the open source projects that have made this tool possible and have made recon tasks easier to accomplish.
Malware—the term seems to be at the center of the news every day, with each headline telling of a new way the cyber threat has inserted itself into our lives. From an entire attack campaign on banks worldwide, to a strain residing within medical devices, to a variant that has learned to self-heal, the list of malware-based attacks goes on. And as they do, it’s becoming more and more clear that today’s malware has not only become adaptive, but has learned how to spread its wings further than before, to devices beyond laptops and phones, and in a way that creates a longevity behind each cyberattack it spearheads.
However, though it is important to understand the many forms that malware, or malicious software, takes, it’s crucial to first and foremost grasp what it is.
The abbreviated term for malicious software, “malware,” is a generic term used to describe any type of software or code specifically designed to exploit a computer/mobile device or the data it contains, without consent. Most malware is designed to have some financial gain for the cybercriminal, as crooks typically use it to extract data that they can leverage over victims. That information can range anywhere from financial data, to healthcare records, to personal emails and passwords—the possibilities of what sort of information can be compromised have become endless.
So how exactly can these cybercriminals get their hands on so much data? Since its birth over 30 years ago, malware has found a variety of vessels to help it enact attacks. This includes email attachments, malicious advertisements on popular sites (malvertising), fake software installations, USB drives, infected apps, phishing emails, and even text messages.
Now, these are just a few of the ways malicious software can be delivered–but there are also different kinds of malware itself. To name a few:
Now that you know what malware is, how it can be delivered, and the many forms it takes, it’s time to learn how you can protect yourself against it:
The post Malware: 5 Tips for Fighting the Malicious Software appeared first on McAfee Blog.
