Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Holiday Security


          
Around the holidays we are all in the spirit of family and giving.  Presents for the niece or nephew.  A gift for the brother or significant other.  We want to think during these times that the evil in people is not present but that's just when they show up to take advantage.

ONLINE

Usually good security is used by online stores.  The threat here is offers and links in emails for great deals at those stores.  These could be a hostile site looking to take your information.  This could lead to other sites you use being compromised as well.  If you use the same username/email and password at multiple sites(against previous recommendations).  It may look real and you put things in your cart and enter your payment information get a conformation email and never get that item you got at the amazingly low one time offer deal.  Keep an eye in the URL bar and make sure it is the right site.

Amazon.com/offer/!!%gtdks/item#35234452/html
Amazoon.com/deals/%&tcd/re-direct/offer/24##ed.edit.ru

Yes it is a little easy to spot right on top of each other in this example.  But at a glance in the URL all that mumbo jumbo looks just fine to the casual browser of the interwebs.  You may not see it on the screen when you’re in a hurry or excited to get this really amazing deal for that one present you were looking for.  Mirror sites and hostile sites are getting harder to spot these days.  And links look fine.  Yes spam filters are pretty good at spotting the terrible fakes.  My spam folder is filled with great things to laugh at.  But please be careful.

This is also a time when scammers will pull at your heart strings.  I heard on the radio that during this time of year(holiday season) nonprofits, charities, and other organizations set up to help others bring in over 40% of their yearly contributions.  A story about a house burning down and a child not getting a Christmas can bring a tear to your eye and a hand to your wallet.  Just be careful.  Lets make sure our money is making it to those in need and not someone trying to make a buck on holiday cheer.

BRICK AND MORTAR STORES

    During the holidays hordes of people will flock to malls and stores and outlets to find a present and a deal.  Stores will take on holiday staff.  These employees will be temporary for the season or show the boss that they should be kept on full time.  But here is a weak point in the structure.  They are temporary and standards and expectations may be lower to just get bodies to stock items or work the register.  But who are these people?  Yes they can be a sweet Grandmother looking to earn a little extra money.  They can also be a college kid working to make money to buy the latest game system.  They can even be a criminal taking advantage of the Christmas rush.

    Just one person with a credit card skimmer at a store could snag thousands of credit cards information.  Skimmer machines look great now a days.  You may not even notice anything after you hand over your card. Or maybe they put it inline with the stores card reader that the customer interacts with.  They could sneak in a charge or two here and there.  Oh that random purchase at Target or Wal-Mart maybe that was the crock-pot for Aunt Sue or the Sweater for Becky.  Be mindful and mark or keep an eye on your spending.  Not just to make sure you stay on budget but to make sure that you are not a victim of holiday scammers.

Just a thought.  A few ideas and things to look out for.  This is not just the rants of a man with tin foil hat.  I just want you to be aware of the darker side of the holidays and help you stay out of trouble.

Please be careful and have a happy holidays with your family and loved ones.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

LOTS OF READING

Let me guess you did not read my last two posts.

TOO LONG

I figured.  Those are copy and pasted from Facebook.  I bet you did not read them either.

There are lots of interesting points about how they use all your information.

How they are allowed to use your posts and your photos.

They maybe hiding something you need to know.  But you are to lazy to read it.  You may have even signed up to be in the military.

Yep shave your head and report for duty.

Facebooks Terms of Use

This agreement was written in English (US). To the extent any translated version of this agreement conflicts with the English version, the English version controls.  Please note that Section 16 contains certain changes to the general terms for users outside the United States.
Date of Last Revision: April 26, 2011.

Statement of Rights and Responsibilities

This Statement of Rights and Responsibilities (Statement) derives from the Facebook Principles, and governs our relationship with users and others who interact with Facebook. By using or accessing Facebook, you agree to this Statement.
Privacy

Your privacy is very important to us. We designed our Privacy Policy to make important disclosures about how you can use Facebook to share with others and how we collect and can use your content and information.  We encourage you to read the Privacy Policy, and to use it to help make informed decisions.

Sharing Your Content and Information

You own all of the content and information you post on Facebook, and you can control how it is shared through your privacy and application settings. In addition:
For content that is covered by intellectual property rights, like photos and videos (IP content), you specifically give us the following permission, subject to your privacy and application settings: you grant us a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use any IP content that you post on or in connection with Facebook (IP License). This IP License ends when you delete your IP content or your account unless your content has been shared with others, and they have not deleted it.
When you delete IP content, it is deleted in a manner similar to emptying the recycle bin on a computer. However, you understand that removed content may persist in backup copies for a reasonable period of time (but will not be available to others).
When you use an application, your content and information is shared with the application.  We require applications to respect your privacy, and your agreement with that application will control how the application can use, store, and transfer that content and information.  (To learn more about Platform, read our Privacy Policy and Platform Page.)
When you publish content or information using the Public setting, it means that you are allowing everyone, including people off of Facebook, to access and use that information, and to associate it with you (i.e., your name and profile picture).
We always appreciate your feedback or other suggestions about Facebook, but you understand that we may use them without any obligation to compensate you for them (just as you have no obligation to offer them).

Safety

We do our best to keep Facebook safe, but we cannot guarantee it. We need your help to do that, which includes the following commitments:
You will not send or otherwise post unauthorized commercial communications (such as spam) on Facebook.
You will not collect users' content or information, or otherwise access Facebook, using automated means (such as harvesting bots, robots, spiders, or scrapers) without our permission.
You will not engage in unlawful multi-level marketing, such as a pyramid scheme, on Facebook.
You will not upload viruses or other malicious code.
You will not solicit login information or access an account belonging to someone else.
You will not bully, intimidate, or harass any user.
You will not post content that: is hateful, threatening, or pornographic; incites violence; or contains nudity or graphic or gratuitous violence.
You will not develop or operate a third-party application containing alcohol-related or other mature content (including advertisements) without appropriate age-based restrictions.
You will follow our Promotions Guidelines and all applicable laws if you publicize or offer any contest, giveaway, or sweepstakes (“promotion”) on Facebook.
You will not use Facebook to do anything unlawful, misleading, malicious, or discriminatory.
You will not do anything that could disable, overburden, or impair the proper working of Facebook, such as a denial of service attack.
You will not facilitate or encourage any violations of this Statement.

Registration and Account Security

Facebook users provide their real names and information, and we need your help to keep it that way. Here are some commitments you make to us relating to registering and maintaining the security of your account:
You will not provide any false personal information on Facebook, or create an account for anyone other than yourself without permission.
You will not create more than one personal profile.
If we disable your account, you will not create another one without our permission.
You will not use your personal profile for your own commercial gain (such as selling your status update to an advertiser).
You will not use Facebook if you are under 13.
You will not use Facebook if you are a convicted sex offender.
You will keep your contact information accurate and up-to-date.
You will not share your password, (or in the case of developers, your secret key), let anyone else access your account, or do anything else that might jeopardize the security of your account.
You will not transfer your account (including any page or application you administer) to anyone without first getting our written permission.
If you select a username for your account we reserve the right to remove or reclaim it if we believe appropriate (such as when a trademark owner complains about a username that does not closely relate to a user's actual name).

Protecting Other People's Rights

We respect other people's rights, and expect you to do the same.
You will not post content or take any action on Facebook that infringes or violates someone else's rights or otherwise violates the law.
We can remove any content or information you post on Facebook if we believe that it violates this Statement.
We will provide you with tools to help you protect your intellectual property rights. To learn more, visit our How to Report Claims of Intellectual Property Infringement page.
If we remove your content for infringing someone else's copyright, and you believe we removed it by mistake, we will provide you with an opportunity to appeal.
If you repeatedly infringe other people's intellectual property rights, we will disable your account when appropriate.
You will not use our copyrights or trademarks (including Facebook, the Facebook and F Logos, FB, Face, Poke, Wall and 32665), or any confusingly similar marks, without our written permission.
If you collect information from users, you will: obtain their consent, make it clear you (and not Facebook) are the one collecting their information, and post a privacy policy explaining what information you collect and how you will use it.
You will not post anyone's identification documents or sensitive financial information on Facebook.
You will not tag users or send email invitations to non-users without their consent.

Mobile

We currently provide our mobile services for free, but please be aware that your carrier's normal rates and fees, such as text messaging fees, will still apply.
In the event you change or deactivate your mobile telephone number, you will update your account information on Facebook within 48 hours to ensure that your messages are not sent to the person who acquires your old number.
You provide all rights necessary to enable users to sync (including through an application) their contact lists with any basic information and contact information that is visible to them on Facebook, as well as your name and profile picture.

Payments and Deals

If you make a payment on Facebook or use Facebook Credits, you agree to our Payments Terms.
If purchase a Deal, you agree to our Deals Terms.
If you provide a Deal or partner with us to provide a Deal, you agree to the Merchant Deal Terms in addition to any other agreements you may have with us.

Special Provisions Applicable to Share Links 

If you include our Share Link button on your website, the following additional terms apply to you:
We give you permission to use Facebook's Share Link button so that users can post links or content from your website on Facebook.
You give us permission to use and allow others to use such links and content on Facebook.
You will not place a Share Link button on any page containing content that would violate this Statement if posted on Facebook.

Special Provisions Applicable to Developers/Operators of Applications and Websites 

If you are a developer or operator of a Platform application or website, the following additional terms apply to you:
You are responsible for your application and its content and all uses you make of Platform. This includes ensuring your application or use of Platform meets our Facebook Platform Policies and our Advertising Guidelines.
Your access to and use of data you receive from Facebook, will be limited as follows:
You will only request data you need to operate your application.
You will have a privacy policy that tells users what user data you are going to use and how you will use, display, share, or transfer that data and you will include your privacy policy URL in the Developer Application.
You will not use, display, share, or transfer a user’s data in a manner inconsistent with your privacy policy.
You will delete all data you receive from us concerning a user if the user asks you to do so, and will provide a mechanism for users to make such a request.
You will not include data you receive from us concerning a user in any advertising creative.
You will not directly or indirectly transfer any data you receive from us to (or use such data in connection with) any ad network, ad exchange, data broker, or other advertising related toolset, even if a user consents to that transfer or use.
You will not sell user data.  If you are acquired by or merge with a third party, you can continue to use user data within your application, but you cannot transfer user data outside of your application.
We can require you to delete user data if you use it in a way that we determine is inconsistent with users’ expectations.
We can limit your access to data.
You will comply with all other restrictions contained in our Facebook Platform Policies.
You will not give us information that you independently collect from a user or a user's content without that user's consent.
You will make it easy for users to remove or disconnect from your application.
You will make it easy for users to contact you. We can also share your email address with users and others claiming that you have infringed or otherwise violated their rights.
You will provide customer support for your application.
You will not show third party ads or web search boxes on Facebook.
We give you all rights necessary to use the code, APIs, data, and tools you receive from us.
You will not sell, transfer, or sublicense our code, APIs, or tools to anyone.
You will not misrepresent your relationship with Facebook to others.
You may use the logos we make available to developers or issue a press release or other public statement so long as you follow our Facebook Platform Policies.
We can issue a press release describing our relationship with you.
You will comply with all applicable laws. In particular you will (if applicable):
have a policy for removing infringing content and terminating repeat infringers that complies with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
comply with the Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA), and obtain any opt-in consent necessary from users so that user data subject to the VPPA may be shared on Facebook.  You represent that any disclosure to us will not be incidental to the ordinary course of your business.
We do not guarantee that Platform will always be free.
You give us all rights necessary to enable your application to work with Facebook, including the right to incorporate content and information you provide to us into streams, profiles, and user action stories.
You give us the right to link to or frame your application, and place content, including ads, around your application.
We can analyze your application, content, and data for any purpose, including commercial (such as for targeting the delivery of advertisements and indexing content for search).
To ensure your application is safe for users, we can audit it.
We can create applications that offer similar features and services to, or otherwise compete with, your application.

About Advertisements and Other Commercial Content Served or Enhanced by Facebook

Our goal is to deliver ads that are not only valuable to advertisers, but also valuable to you. In order to do that, you agree to the following:
You can use your privacy settings to limit how your name and profile picture may be associated with commercial, sponsored, or related content (such as a brand you like) served or enhanced by us. You give us permission to use your name and profile picture in connection with that content, subject to the limits you place.
We do not give your content or information to advertisers without your consent.
You understand that we may not always identify paid services and communications as such.


Special Provisions Applicable to Advertisers 

You can target your specific audience by buying ads on Facebook or our publisher network. The following additional terms apply to you if you place an order through our online advertising portal (Order):
When you place an Order, you will tell us the type of advertising you want to buy, the amount you want to spend, and your bid. If we accept your Order, we will deliver your ads as inventory becomes available. When serving your ad, we do our best to deliver the ads to the audience you specify, although we cannot guarantee in every instance that your ad will reach its intended target.
In instances where we believe doing so will enhance the effectiveness of your advertising campaign, we may broaden the targeting criteria you specify.
You will pay for your Orders in accordance with our Payments Terms. The amount you owe will be calculated based on our tracking mechanisms.
Your ads will comply with our Advertising Guidelines.
We will determine the size, placement, and positioning of your ads.
We do not guarantee the activity that your ads will receive, such as the number of clicks you will get.
We cannot control how people interact with your ads, and are not responsible for click fraud or other improper actions that affect the cost of running ads.  We do, however, have systems to detect and filter certain suspicious activity, learn more here.
You can cancel your Order at any time through our online portal, but it may take up to 24 hours before the ad stops running.  You are responsible for paying for those ads.
Our license to run your ad will end when we have completed your Order. You understand, however, that if users have interacted with your ad, your ad may remain until the users delete it.
We can use your ads and related content and information for marketing or promotional purposes.
You will not issue any press release or make public statements about your relationship with Facebook without written permission.
We may reject or remove any ad for any reason.
If you are placing ads on someone else's behalf, we need to make sure you have permission to place those ads, including the following:
You warrant that you have the legal authority to bind the advertiser to this Statement.
You agree that if the advertiser you represent violates this Statement, we may hold you responsible for that violation.

Special Provisions Applicable to Pages

If you create or administer a Page on Facebook, you agree to our Pages Terms.

Amendments

We can change this Statement if we provide you notice (by posting the change on the Facebook Site Governance Page) and an opportunity to comment.  To get notice of any future changes to this Statement, visit our Facebook Site Governance Page and become a fan.
For changes to sections 7, 8, 9, and 11 (sections relating to payments, application developers, website operators, and advertisers), we will give you a minimum of three days notice. For all other changes we will give you a minimum of seven days notice. All such comments must be made on the Facebook Site Governance Page.
If more than 7,000 users comment on the proposed change, we will also give you the opportunity to participate in a vote in which you will be provided alternatives. The vote shall be binding on us if more than 30% of all active registered users as of the date of the notice vote.
We can make changes for legal or administrative reasons, or to correct an inaccurate statement, upon notice without opportunity to comment.

Termination

If you violate the letter or spirit of this Statement, or otherwise create risk or possible legal exposure for us, we can stop providing all or part of Facebook to you. We will notify you by email or at the next time you attempt to access your account. You may also delete your account or disable your application at any time. In all such cases, this Statement shall terminate, but the following provisions will still apply: 2.2, 2.4, 3-5, 8.2, 9.1-9.3, 9.9, 9.10, 9.13, 9.15, 9.18, 10.3, 11.2, 11.5, 11.6, 11.9, 11.12, 11.13, and 14-18.

Disputes

You will resolve any claim, cause of action or dispute (claim) you have with us arising out of or relating to this Statement or Facebook exclusively in a state or federal court located in Santa Clara County. The laws of the State of California will govern this Statement, as well as any claim that might arise between you and us, without regard to conflict of law provisions. You agree to submit to the personal jurisdiction of the courts located in Santa Clara County, California for the purpose of litigating all such claims.
If anyone brings a claim against us related to your actions, content or information on Facebook, you will indemnify and hold us harmless from and against all damages, losses, and expenses of any kind (including reasonable legal fees and costs) related to such claim.
WE TRY TO KEEP FACEBOOK UP, BUG-FREE, AND SAFE, BUT YOU USE IT AT YOUR OWN RISK. WE ARE PROVIDING FACEBOOK AS IS WITHOUT ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. WE DO NOT GUARANTEE THAT FACEBOOK WILL BE SAFE OR SECURE. FACEBOOK IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACTIONS, CONTENT, INFORMATION, OR DATA OF THIRD PARTIES, AND YOU RELEASE US, OUR DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AND AGENTS FROM ANY CLAIMS AND DAMAGES, KNOWN AND UNKNOWN, ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH ANY CLAIM YOU HAVE AGAINST ANY SUCH THIRD PARTIES. IF YOU ARE A CALIFORNIA RESIDENT, YOU WAIVE CALIFORNIA CIVIL CODE §1542, WHICH SAYS: A GENERAL RELEASE DOES NOT EXTEND TO CLAIMS WHICH THE CREDITOR DOES NOT KNOW OR SUSPECT TO EXIST IN HIS FAVOR AT THE TIME OF EXECUTING THE RELEASE, WHICH IF KNOWN BY HIM MUST HAVE MATERIALLY AFFECTED HIS SETTLEMENT WITH THE DEBTOR. WE WILL NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY LOST PROFITS OR OTHER CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS STATEMENT OR FACEBOOK, EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. OUR AGGREGATE LIABILITY ARISING OUT OF THIS STATEMENT OR FACEBOOK WILL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($100) OR THE AMOUNT YOU HAVE PAID US IN THE PAST TWELVE MONTHS. APPLICABLE LAW MAY NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY OR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. IN SUCH CASES, FACEBOOK'S LIABILITY WILL BE LIMITED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

Special Provisions Applicable to Users Outside the United States

We strive to create a global community with consistent standards for everyone, but we also strive to respect local laws. The following provisions apply to users outside the United States:
You consent to having your personal data transferred to and processed in the United States.
If you are located in a country embargoed by the United States, or are on the U.S. Treasury Department's list of Specially Designated Nationals you will not engage in commercial activities on Facebook (such as advertising or payments) or operate a Platform application or website.
Certain specific terms that apply only for German users are available here.

Definitions

By Facebook we mean the features and services we make available, including through (a) our website at www.facebook.com and any other Facebook branded or co-branded websites (including sub-domains, international versions, widgets, and mobile versions); (b) our Platform; (c) social plugins such as the like button, the share button and other similar offerings and (d) other media, software (such as a toolbar), devices, or networks now existing or later developed.
By Platform we mean a set of APIs and services that enable others, including application developers and website operators, to retrieve data from Facebook or provide data to us.
By information we mean facts and other information about you, including actions you take.
By content we mean anything you post on Facebook that would not be included in the definition of information.
By data we mean content and information that third parties can retrieve from Facebook or provide to Facebook through Platform.
By post we mean post on Facebook or otherwise make available to us (such as by using an application).
By use we mean use, copy, publicly perform or display, distribute, modify, translate, and create derivative works of.
By active registered user we mean a user who has logged into Facebook at least once in the previous 30 days.
By application we mean any application or website that uses or accesses Platform, as well as anything else that receives or has received data from us.  If you no longer access Platform but have not deleted all data from us, the term application will apply until you delete the data.

Other

If you are a resident of or have your principal place of business in the US or Canada, this Statement is an agreement between you and Facebook, Inc.  Otherwise, this Statement is an agreement between you and Facebook Ireland Limited.  References to “us,” “we,” and “our” mean either Facebook, Inc. or Facebook Ireland Limited, as appropriate.
This Statement makes up the entire agreement between the parties regarding Facebook, and supersedes any prior agreements.
If any portion of this Statement is found to be unenforceable, the remaining portion will remain in full force and effect.
If we fail to enforce any of this Statement, it will not be considered a waiver.
Any amendment to or waiver of this Statement must be made in writing and signed by us.
You will not transfer any of your rights or obligations under this Statement to anyone else without our consent.
All of our rights and obligations under this Statement are freely assignable by us in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, or by operation of law or otherwise.
Nothing in this Statement shall prevent us from complying with the law.
This Statement does not confer any third party beneficiary rights.
You will comply with all applicable laws when using or accessing Facebook.

You may also want to review the following documents:
Privacy Policy: The Privacy Policy is designed to help you understand how we collect and use information.
Payment Terms: These additional terms apply to all payments made on or through Facebook.
Platform Page: This page helps you better understand what happens when you add a third-party application or use Facebook Connect, including how they may access and use your data.
Facebook Platform Policies: These guidelines outline the policies that apply to applications, including Connect sites.
Advertising Guidelines: These guidelines outline the policies that apply to advertisements placed on Facebook.
Promotions Guidelines: These guidelines outline the policies that apply if you offer contests, sweepstakes, and other types of promotions on Facebook.
How to Report Claims of Intellectual Property Infringement
How to Appeal Claims of Copyright Infringement
Pages Terms


To access the Statement of Rights and Responsibilities in several different languages, change the language setting for your Facebook session by clicking on the language link in the left corner of most pages.  If the Statement is not available in the language you select, we will default to the English version.

Facebooks Privacy Literature

Information we receive about you

We receive a number of different types of information about you, including:
Your information
Your information is the information that's required when you sign up for the site, as well as the information you choose to share.
Registration information
When you sign up for Facebook, you are required to provide your name, email address, birthday, and gender.

Information you choose to share
Your information also includes the information you choose to share on Facebook, such as when you post a status update, upload a photo, or comment on a friend's post.It also includes the information you choose to share when you take an action, such as when you add a friend, like a Page or a website, tag a place in your post, find friends using our contact importers, or indicate you are in a relationship.


Your name, profile picture, networks, username and User ID are treated just like information you choose to make public. Learn more.

Your birthday allows us to do things like show you age-appropriate content and advertisements.
Information others share about you
We receive information about you from your friends, such as when they tag you in a photo or at a location, or add you to a group.
We may also receive information about you from the games, applications, and websites you use, but only when you have given them permission. If you have given a game, application, or website permission to post information on your Wall, you can remove it from your Apps you use setting.
Other information we receive about you
We also receive other types of information about you:
We receive data about you whenever you interact with Facebook, such as when you look at another person's profile, send someone a message, search for a friend or a Page, click on an ad, or purchase Facebook Credits.

When you post things like photos or videos on Facebook, we may receive additional related data (or metadata), such as the time, date, and place you took the photo or video.

We receive data from the computer, mobile phone or other device you use to access Facebook. This may include your IP address, location, the type of browser you use, or the pages you visit. For example, we may get your GPS location so we can tell you if any of your friends are nearby.

We receive data whenever you visit a game, application, or website that uses Facebook Platform or visit a site with a Facebook feature (such as a social plugin). This may include the date and time you visit the site; the web address, or URL, you're on; technical information about the IP address, browser and the operating system you use; and, if you are logged in to Facebook, your User ID.

Sometimes we get data from our advertising partners, customers and other third parties that helps us (or them) deliver ads, understand online activity, and generally make Facebook better. For example, an advertiser may tell us how you responded to an ad on Facebook or on another site in order to measure the effectiveness of - and improve the quality of - those ads.

We also put together data from the information we already have about you and your friends. For example, we may put together data about you to determine which friends we should show you in your News Feed or suggest you tag in the photos you post. We may put together your current city with GPS and other location information we have about you to, for example, tell you and your friends about people or events nearby, or offer deals to you that you might be interested in. We may also put together data about you to serve you ads that might be more relevant to you.

When we get your GPS location, we put it together with other location information we have about you (like your current city). But we only keep it until it is no longer useful to provide you services.

We only provide data to our advertising partners or customers after we have removed your name or any other personally identifying information from it, or have combined it with other people's data in a way that it is no longer associated with you. Similarly, when we receive data about you from our advertising partners or customers, we keep the data for 180 days. After that, we combine the data with other people's data in a way that it is no longer associated with you.

Public information

When we use the phrase "public information" (which we sometimes refer to as "Everyone information"), we mean the information you choose to make public, as well as information that is always publicly available.
Information you choose to make public
Choosing to make your information public is exactly what it sounds like: anyone, including people off of Facebook, will be able to see it.

Choosing to make your information public also means that this information:
can be associated with you (i.e., your name, profile picture, Facebook profile, User ID, etc.) even off Facebook

can show up when someone does a search on Facebook or on a public search engine

will be accessible to the games, applications, and websites you and your friends use

will be accessible to anyone who uses our APIs such as our Graph API.


Sometimes you will not be able to select an audience when you post something (like when you write on a Page's wall or comment on a news article that uses our comments plugin). This is because some types of posts are always public posts. As a general rule, you should assume that if you do not see a sharing icon, the information will be publicly available.

When others share information about you, they can also choose to make it public.
Information that is always publicly available
The types of information listed below are always publicly available, and are treated just like information you decided to make public.
Name
This helps your friends and family find you. If you are uncomfortable sharing your real name, you can always deactivate or delete your account.

Profile Pictures
This helps your friends and family recognize you. If you are uncomfortable making your profile picture public, you can always delete it by hovering over your photo and clicking "Change Picture."

Network
This helps you see whom you will be sharing information with before you choose "Friends and Networks" as a custom audience. If you are uncomfortable making your network public, you can leave the network.

Username and User ID
These allow you to give out a custom link to your profile or Page, receive email at your Facebook email address, and help make Facebook Platform possible. Learn more.



Usernames and User IDs

A Username (or Facebook URL) is a custom link to your profile that you can give out to people or post on external websites. If you have selected a username, it will always appear in the URL on your profile page. If you have not selected a username, then the URL on your profile page will contain your User ID, which is what we use to identify your Facebook account.
If someone has your Username or User ID, they can use it to access information about you through the facebook.com website. For example, if someone has your Username, they can type facebook.com/Username into their browser and see your public information as well as anything else you've let them see. Similarly, someone with your Username or User ID can access information about you through our APIs, such as our Graph API. Specifically, they can access your public information, along with your age range, locale (or language) and gender.
If you do not want your information to be accessible through our APIs, you can turn off all Platform Apps. If you turn off Platform you will no longer be able to use any games or other applications.

If you want to see information available about you through our Graph API, just type https://graph.facebook.com/[User ID or Username]?metadata=1 into your browser.

When you sign up for a Facebook email address, you will first have to select a public username. Your email address will include your public username like so: username@facebook.com. You can control who can send you messages using your How You Connect settings.

How we use the information we receive

We use the information we receive about you in connection with the services and features we provide to you and other users like your friends, the advertisers that purchase ads on the site, and the developers that build the games, applications, and websites you use. For example, we may use the information we receive about you:
as part of our efforts to keep Facebook safe and secure;

to provide you with location features and services, like telling you and your friends when something is going on nearby;

to measure or understand the effectiveness of ads you and others see;

to make suggestions to you and other users on Facebook, such as: suggesting that your friend use our contact importer because you found friends using it, suggesting that another user add you as a friend because the user imported the same email address as you did, or suggesting that your friend tag you in a picture they have uploaded with you in it.

Granting us this permission not only allows us to provide Facebook as it exists today, but it also allows us to provide you with innovative features and services we develop in the future that use the information we receive about you in new ways.
While you are allowing us to use the information we receive about you, you always own all of your information. Your trust is important to us, which is why we don't share information we receive about you with others unless we have:
received your permission;

given you notice, such as by telling you about it in this policy; or

removed your name or any other personally identifying information from it.


We are able to suggest that your friend tag you in a picture by comparing your friend's pictures to information we've put together from the photos you've been tagged in. You can control whether we suggest that another user tag you in a photo using the How Tags Work settings

Deleting and deactivating your account

If you want to stop using your account, you can either deactivate or delete it.
Deactivate
Deactivating your account puts your account on hold. Other users will no longer see your profile, but we do not delete any of your information. Deactivating an account is the same as you telling us not to delete any information because you might want to reactivate your account at some point in the future.
You can deactivate your account on your account settings page.
Deletion
When you delete an account, it is permanently deleted from Facebook. It typically takes about one month to delete an account, but some information may remain in backup copies and logs for up to 90 days. You should only delete your account if you are sure you never want to reactivate it.

Control each time you post

Whenever you post content (like a status update, photo or check-in), you can select a specific audience, or even customize your audience.

To do this, simply click on the sharing icon and choose who can see it.
Choose this icon if you want to make something Public. Choosing to make something public is exactly what it sounds like. It means that anyone, including people off of Facebook, will be able to see or access it. Learn more about public information.
Choose this icon if you want to share with your Facebook Friends.
Choose this icon if you want to Customize your audience. You can also use this to hide your post from specific people.
If you do not make a selection, your information will be shared with the last audience you selected. If you want to change your selection later you can do that too on your profile.
If you tag someone, that person and their friends can see your post no matter what audience you selected. The same is true when you approve a tag someone else adds to your post.
Always think before you post. Just like anything else you post on the web or send in an email, information you share on Facebook can be copied or re-shared by anyone who can see it.

When you comment on or "like" someone else's post, or write on their Wall, that person gets to select the audience.

You can control who can see the Facebook Pages you've "liked" by visiting your profile and clicking "Edit Profile."

Sometimes you will not see a sharing icon when you post something (like when you write on a Page's wall or comment on a news article that uses our comments plugin). This is because some types of posts are always public posts. As a general rule, you should assume that if you do not see a sharing icon, the information will be publicly available.
Control over your profile

Whenever you add things to your profile you can select a specific audience, or even customize your audience.


To do this, simply click on the sharing icon and choose who can see it.
Choose this icon if you want to make something Public. Choosing to make something public is exactly what it sounds like. It means that anyone, including people off of Facebook, will be able to see or access it. Learn more about public information.
Choose this icon if you want to share with your Facebook Friends.
Choose this icon if you want to Customize your audience. You can also use this to hide the item on your profile from specific people.
When you select an audience for your friend list, you are only controlling who can see it on your profile. We call this a profile visibility control. This is because your friend list is always available to the games, applications and websites you use, and your friendships may be visible elsewhere (such as on your friends' profiles or in searches). For example, if you select "Only Me" as the audience for your friend list, but your friend sets her friend list to "Public," anyone will be able to see your connection on your friend's profile.
Similarly, if you choose to hide your gender, it only hides it on your profile. This is because we, just like the applications you and your friends use, need to use your gender to refer to you properly on the site.
When someone tags you in a post (such as a photo, status update or check-in), you can choose whether you want that post to appear on your profile. You can either approve each post individually or approve all posts by your friends. If you approve a post and later change your mind, you can remove it from your profile. Learn more about tagging.

To make it easier for your friends to find you, we allow anyone with your contact information (such as your email address or mobile number), to find you through Facebook search, as well as other tools we provide, such as contact importers.

If you share your contact information (such as your email address or mobile number) with your friends, they may be able to use third party applications to sync that information with other address books, including ones on their mobile phones.

Some things (like your name and profile picture) do not have sharing icons because they are always publicly available. As a general rule, you should assume that if you do not see a sharing icon, the information will be publicly available.
What your friends share about you

Tags
A tag is a link to your profile. For example, if you are tagged in a post (such as a photo or a status update), that post will contain a link to your profile. If someone clicks on the link, they will see your public information and anything else you let them see.
Anyone can tag you in anything. Once you are tagged in a post, you and your friends will be able to see it. For example, your friends may be able to see the post in their News Feed or when they search for you. It may also appear on your profile.
You can choose whether a post you've been tagged in appears on your profile. You can either approve each post individually or approve all posts by your friends. If you approve a post and later change your mind, you can always remove it from your profile.
If you do not want someone to tag you in their posts, we encourage you to reach out to them and give them that feedback. If that does not work, you can block them. This will prevent them from tagging you going forward.

If you are tagged in a private space (such as a message or a group) only the people who can see the private space can see the tag. Similarly, it you are tagged in a comment, only the people who can see the comment can see the tag.
Groups
Your friends can add you to the Groups they are in. You can always leave a Group, which will prevent others from adding you to it again.
About Pages

Facebook Pages are public pages. Companies use Pages to share information about their products. Celebrities use Pages to talk about their latest projects. And communities use pages to discuss topics of interest, everything from baseball to the opera.
Because Pages are public, information you share with a Page is public information. This means, for example, that if you post a comment on a Page, that comment can be used by the Page owner off of Facebook, and anyone can see it. Learn more.
When you "like" a Page, you create a connection to that Page. That connection is added to your profile and your friends may see it in their News Feeds. You may also receive updates from the Page in your News Feed and your messages. You can remove the Pages you've "liked" from your profile.
Some Pages contain content that comes directly from the Page owner. Page owners can do this through online plugins, such as an iframe, and it works just like the games and other applications you use through Facebook. Because this content comes directly from the Page owner, that Page may be able to collect information about you, just like any website.


About Facebook Platform

Facebook Platform (or simply Platform) refers to the way we help you share your information with the games, applications, and websites you and your friends use. Facebook Platform also lets you bring your friends with you, so you can connect with them off of Facebook. In these two ways, Facebook Platform helps you make your experiences on the web more personalized and social.

Remember that these games, applications and websites are created and maintained by other businesses and developers who are not part of Facebook, so you should always make sure to read their terms of service and privacy policies.
Controlling what information you share with applications

When you go to a game or application, or connect with a website using Facebook Platform, we give the game, application, or website (sometimes referred to as just "Applications" or "Apps") your User ID, as well your friends' User IDs (or your friend list).
Your friend list helps the application make your experience more social because it lets you find your friends on that application. Your User ID helps the application personalize your experience because it can connect your account on that application with your Facebook account, and it can access your public information. This includes the information you choose to make public, as well as information that is always publicly available. If the application needs additional information, it will have to ask you for specific permission.

The Apps you use setting lets you control the applications you use. You can see the permissions you have given these applications, as well as the last time an application accessed your information. You can also remove applications you no longer want, or turn off all Platform applications. When you turn all Platform applications off, your User ID is no longer given to applications, even when your friends use those applications. But you will no longer be able to use any games, applications or websites through Facebook.

Learn more about how you can control your information when the people you share with use applications.

Applications also get your age range, locale, and gender when you and your friends visit them. Age range (e.g., 18-21) lets applications provide you with age-appropriate content. Locale (e.g., en-US) lets applications know what language you speak. Gender lets applications refer to you correctly. If you do not want applications to receive this information about you, you can turn off all Facebook applications.

Sometimes a game console, mobile phone, or other device might ask for permission to share specific information with the games and applications you use on that device (such as your public information). If you say okay, those applications will not be able to access any other information about you without asking specific permission from you or your friends.

Instant Personalization sites receive your User ID and friend list when you visit them. Learn more.
Controlling what is shared when the people you share with use applications

Just like when you share information by email or elsewhere on the web, information you share on Facebook can be re-shared. This means that if you share something on Facebook, anyone who can see it can share it with others, including the games, applications, and websites they use.
Your friends and the other people you share information with often want to share your information with applications to make their experiences on those application more personalized and social. For example, one of your friends might want to use a music application that allows them to see what their friends are listening to. To get the full benefit of that application, your friend would want to give the application her friend list - which includes your User ID - so the application knows which of her friends is also using it. Your friend might also want to share the music you "like" on Facebook. If you have made that information public, then the application can access it just like anyone else. But if you've shared your likes with just your friends, the application could ask your friend for permission to share them.
You can control most of the information other people can share with applications using your Apps and Websites settings. But these controls do not let you limit access to your public information and friend list.

If you want to completely block applications from getting your information, you will need to turn off all Platform applications. This means that you will no longer be able to use any games, applications or websites.

If an application asks permission from someone else to access your information, the application will be allowed to use that information only in connection with the person that gave the permission and no one else.

Logging in to another site using Facebook

Facebook Platform also lets you log into other applications and websites using your Facebook account. When you log in using Facebook, we give the site your User ID, but we do not share your email address or password with that website.

If you already have an account on that website, the site may also be able to connect that account with your Facebook account. Sometimes it does this using what is called an "email hash", which is similar to searching for someone on Facebook using an email address. Only the email addresses in this case are encrypted so no email addresses are actually shared between Facebook and the website.
How it works
The website sends over an encrypted version of your email address, and we match it with a database of email addresses that we have also encrypted. If there is a match, then we tell the website the User ID associated with the email address. This way, when you log into the website using Facebook, the website can link your Facebook account to your account on that website.
About social plugins

Social plugins are buttons, boxes, and stories (such as the Like button) that other websites can use to present Facebook content to you and create more social and personal experiences for you. While you view these buttons, boxes, and stories on other sites, the content comes directly from Facebook.

If you make something public using a plugin, such as posting a public comment on a newspaper's website, then that website can access your comment (along with your User ID) just like everyone else. Learn more.

Websites that use social plugins can sometimes tell that you have engaged with the social plugin. For example, they may know that you clicked on a Like button in a social plugin.

We receive data when you visit a site with a social plugin. You can learn more about the specific types of data we collect. We keep this data for 90 days. After that, we remove your name or any other personally identifying information from the data, or combine it with other people's data in a way that it is no longer associated with you.
About instant personalization

Instant personalization is a way for Facebook to help partner sites (such as Bing and Rotten Tomatoes) create a more personalized and social experience than a social plugin can offer. When you visit a site using instant personalization, it will know some information about you and your friends the moment you arrive. This is because instant personalization sites can access your User ID, your friend list, and your public information.
The first time you visit an instant personalization site, you will see a notification letting you know that the site has partnered with Facebook to provide a personalized experience.

The notification will give you the ability to disable or turn off instant personalization for that site. If you do that, that site is required to delete all of the information about you it received from Facebook. In addition, we will prevent that site from accessing your information in the future, even when your friends use that site.
If you decide that you do not want to experience instant personalization for all partner sites, you can disable instant personalization.

If you turn off instant personalization, partner sites will not be able to access your public information, even when your friends visit those sites.

If you turn off an instant personalization site after you have been using it or visited it a few times (or after you have given it specific permission to access your data), it will not automatically delete your data. But the site is contractually required to delete your data if you ask it to.
How it works
To join the instant personalization program, a potential partner must enter into an agreement with us designed to protect your privacy. For example, this agreement requires that the partner delete your data if you turn off instant personalization when you first visit the site. It also prevents the partner from accessing any information about you until you or your friends visit its site.
Instant personalization partners sometimes use an email hash process to see if any of their users are on Facebook and get those users' User IDs. This process is similar to searching for someone on Facebook using an email address, except in this case the email addresses are encrypted so no actual email addresses are exchanged. The partner is also contractually required not to use your User ID for any purpose (other than associating it with your account) until you or your friends visit the site.
When you visit an instant personalization site, we provide the site with your User ID and your friend list (as well as your age range, locale, and gender). The site can then connect your account on that site with your friends' accounts to make the site instantly social. The site can also access public information associated with any of the User IDs it receives, which it can use to make the site instantly personalized. For example, if the site is a music site, it can access your music interests to suggest songs you may like, and access your friends' music interests to let you know what they are listening to. Of course it can only access your or your friends' music interests if they are public. If the site wants any additional information, it will have to get your specific permission.
About Pages

Facebook Pages are public pages. Companies use Pages to share information about their products. Celebrities use Pages to talk about their latest projects. And communities use pages to discuss topics of interest, everything from baseball to the opera.
Because Pages are public, information you share with a Page is public information. This means, for example, that if you post a comment on a Page, that comment can be used by the Page owner off of Facebook, and anyone can see it. Learn more.
When you "like" a Page, you create a connection to that Page. That connection is added to your profile and your friends may see it in their News Feeds. You may also receive updates from the Page in your News Feed and your messages. You can remove the Pages you've "liked" from your profile.
Some Pages contain content that comes directly from the Page owner. Page owners can do this through online plugins, such as an iframe, and it works just like the games and other applications you use through Facebook. Because this content comes directly from the Page owner, that Page may be able to collect information about you, just like any website.
Public search engines

Your Public Search setting controls whether people who enter your name on a public search engine may see your public profile (including in sponsored results). You can find your Public Search setting on the Apps and Websites page. You can preview your public profile.


This setting does not apply to search engines that access your information as an application using Facebook Platform.

If you turn your public search setting off and then search for yourself on a public search engine, you may still see a preview of your profile. This is because some search engines cache information for a period of time. You can learn more about how to request that a search engine remove you from cached information.


Personalized ads

We do not share any of your information with advertisers (unless, of course, you give us permission).

When an advertiser creates an ad on Facebook, they are given the opportunity to choose their audience by location, demographics, likes, keywords, and any other information we receive or can tell about you and other users. For example, an advertiser can choose to target 18 to 35 year-old women who live in the United States and like basketball.

Try this tool yourself to see one of the ways advertisers target ads and what information they see.

If the advertiser chooses to run the ad (also known as placing the order), we serve the ad to people who meet the criteria the advertiser selected, but we do not tell the advertiser who any of those people are. So, for example, if a person clicks on the ad, the advertiser might infer that the person is an 18-to-35-year-old woman who lives in the US and likes basketball. But we would not tell the advertiser who that person is.

After the ad runs, we provide advertisers with reports on how their ads performed. For example we give advertisers reports telling them how many users saw or clicked on their ads.

But these reports are anonymous. We do not tell advertisers who saw or clicked on their ads.

Advertisers sometimes place cookies on your computer in order to make their ads more effective. Learn more.

Sometimes we allow advertisers to target a category of user, like a "moviegoer" or a "sci-fi fan." We do this by bundling characteristics that we believe are related to the category. For example, if a person "likes" the "Star Trek" Page and mentions "Star Wars" when they check into a movie theater, we may conclude that this person is likely to be a sci-fi fan.
Ads + social context

Facebook Ads are sometimes paired with social actions your friends have taken. For example, an ad for a sushi restaurant may be paired with a news story that one of your friends likes that restaurant's Facebook page.

This is the same type of news story that could show up in your News Feed, only we place it next to a paid advertisement to make that ad more relevant and interesting.

When you show up in one of these news stories, we will only pair it with ads shown to your friends. If you do not want to appear in stories paired with Facebook Ads, you can opt out using your Edit social ads setting.

Learn what happens when you click "Like" on an advertisement or an advertiser's Facebook Page.

We may serve ads with social context (or serve just social context) on other sites. These work just like the ads we serve on Facebook - the advertisers do not receive any of your information.

We sometimes allow businesses or anyone else to sponsor stories like the ones that show up in your News Feed, subject to the audience set for that story. While these are sponsored, they are different from ads because they don't contain a message from the person that sponsored them. Your friends will see these stories even if you have opted out of the Show my social actions in Facebook Ads setting. Learn more.

Your Show my social actions in Facebook Ads setting does not control ads about Facebook's services and features.

Games, applications and websites can serve ads directly to you if they have your User ID.
Sponsored stories

Many of the things you do on Facebook (like "liking" a Page) are posted to your Wall and shared in News Feed. But there's a lot to read in News Feed. That's why we allow people to "sponsor" your stories to make sure your friends see them. For example, if you RSVP to an event hosted by a local restaurant, that restaurant may want to make sure your friends see it so they can come too. If they do sponsor a story, that story will appear in the same place ads usually do under the heading "Sponsored Stories" or something similar. Only people that could originally see the story can see the sponsored story, and no personal information about you (or your friends) is shared with the sponsor.
Featured content

We like to tell you about some of the features your friends use on Facebook to help you have a better experience. For example, if your friend uses our friend finder tool to find more friends on Facebook, we may tell you about it to encourage you to use it as well. This of course means your friend may similarly see suggestions based on the things you do. But we will try to only show it to friends that could benefit from your experience.

Some other things you need to know
Safe harbor
Facebook complies with the EU Safe Harbor framework as set forth by the Department of Commerce regarding the collection, use, and retention of data from the European Union. As part of our participation in the Safe Harbor, we agree to resolve all disputes you have with us in connection with our policies and practices through TRUSTe. To view our certification, visit the U.S. Department of Commerce's Safe Harbor website.
Responding to legal requests and preventing harm
We may share your information in response to a legal request (like a search warrant, court order or subpoena) if we have a good faith belief that the law requires us to do so. This may include responding to legal requests from jurisdictions outside of the United States where we have a good faith belief that the response is required by law in that jurisdiction, affects users in that jurisdiction, and is consistent with internationally recognized standards. We may also share information when we have a good faith belief it is necessary to: detect, prevent and address fraud and other illegal activity; to protect ourselves and you from violations of our Statement of Rights and Responsibilities; and to prevent death or imminent bodily harm.
Access requests
We provide initial responses to access requests within a reasonable period of time, typically within thirty days. You can also download a copy of everything you've put into Facebook using our download your information tool.
Notifications and Other Messages
We may send you notifications and other messages using the contact information we have for you, like your email address. You can control most of the notifications you receive, including ones from Pages you like and applications you use, using your Notifications settings.
Friend finder
We offer tools to help you upload your friends' contact information so that you can find your friends on Facebook, and invite friends who do not use Facebook to join. If you do not want us to store this information, visit this help page. If you give us your password, we will delete it after you upload your friends' contact information.
Invitations
When you invite a friend to join Facebook, we send a message on your behalf using your name, and up to two reminders. We may also include names and pictures of other people your friend might know on Facebook. The invitation will also give your friend the opportunity to opt out of receiving other invitations to join Facebook.
Memorializing accounts
We may memorialize the account of a deceased person. When we memorialize an account we keep the profile on Facebook, but only let friends and family look at pictures or write on the user's Wall in remembrance. You can report a deceased person's profile. We also may close an account if we receive a formal request from the person's next of kin.
Cookies
Cookies are small pieces of data that we store on your computer, mobile phone or other device to make Facebook easier to use, make our advertising better, and to protect you (and Facebook). For example, we may use them to know you are logged in to Facebook, to help you use social plugins and share buttons, or to know when you are interacting with our advertising or Platform partners. We may also ask advertisers to serve ads to computers, mobile phones or other devices with a cookie placed by Facebook (although we would not share any other information with that advertiser). Most companies on the web use cookies (or similar technological methods), including our advertising and Platform partners. You can always remove or block cookies (such as by using the settings in your browser), but it may affect your ability to use Facebook. Learn more.
Service Providers
We give your information to the people and companies that help us provide the services we offer. For example, we may use outside vendors to help host our website, serve photos and videos, process payments, or provide search results. In some cases we provide the service jointly with another company, such as the Facebook Marketplace. In all of these cases our partners must agree to only use your information consistent with the agreement we enter into with them, as well as this privacy policy.
Security
We do our best to keep your information secure, but we need your help. For more detailed information about staying safe on Facebook, visit the Facebook Security Page.
Change of Control
If the ownership of our business changes, we may transfer your information to the new owner so they can continue to operate the service. But they will still have to honor the commitments we have made in this privacy policy.
Notice of Changes
If we make changes to this Privacy Policy we will notify you by publication here and on the Facebook Site Governance Page. If the changes are material, we will provide you additional, prominent notice as appropriate under the circumstances. You can make sure that you receive notice directly by liking the Facebook Site Governance Page.
Opportunity to comment and vote
Unless we make a change for legal or administrative reasons, or to correct an inaccurate statement, we will give you seven (7) days to provide us with comments on the change. If we receive more than 7000 comments concerning a particular change, we will put the change up for a vote. The vote will be binding on us if more than 30% of all active registered users as of the date of the notice vote.

Friday, April 27, 2012

Cell Phone Security (Wifi and Web Browsing)

It is always nice to be able to get on a free Wifi so you are no using up all the data on your payed plan.  One very common place to get free Wifi is at a coffee shop like Starbucks.  The Wifi name is attwifi and it has a splash screen that makes you agree to some terms of service.  You browse the web and do your normal surfing or just check your email real quick while you stop in for a coffee or tea.  Many in the security field call this places like these a Target Rich Environment.  The number of people, inherent trust, people not paying attention, the various devices be it cell phones or laptops or tablets.  You don't wear only your underwear in public so don’t browse in the bare as well.  So lets take a look at some ways to be safe and protected.

I have previously written on free or open Wifi but I will go over a few important parts to remember.  Anyone can name any Wifi Access Point anything they want to.  They can name it something offensive and vile and horrible.  They can also name it attwifi.  Thats right, it can be the same name as the Starbucks offered Wifi.  No, there is no regulation on this or popup that comes up and says sorry this name already in use or please verify that you are a attwifi provider and insert vendor code or anything to that affect. They can set this Wifi access point up on the air and leave it open with no password just like at the coffee shop.  The bad guy can set up the internet so that he is a bridge between the access point and the internet.  Your phone, laptop, and tablets have a really nice feature that makes your life easier by remembering networks you have previously connected to and just reconnects for your convenience.  But wait, how do you know if it is the right one? 

You just have to keep in mind that open wifi is and always will be more risky then your home wifi.  You do not know who is on the open wifi and what they are doing.  Use your best judgment.  Dont do anything personal in the clear, use hhtps. Turn off your wifi if you are not using it.  I have started this practice since I noticed a few times that I had connected to wifi points I did not initiate myself.  Be vigilant and use best practices and you will have a greater level of security.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Cell Phone Security Passwords

There are a couple of different types of Password entry methods like the Android Dot swipes or the Apple 4 digit combo.  Each can be set to a lower or higher amount of security.  The Apple iPhone can be just a simple 4 number code, or in the settings you can increase the ability to put in a full fledge password that you can enter a full password like you would for any website.  You can also set it so that if the password is put in wrong 10 times it will wipe it-self.  This will put your phone into an out of the box state.  But with the right technology it can be recovered but your average regular joe or enemy will not have the skill to recover it.  The Android phones have multiple security settings as well and the connect the dot style password can provide sound security if used correctly.

Find what works best for you.  If you don’t like that you have to enter it every time the screen goes dark then make it so it requires the password after 20 minuets of not being used.  Just know your phone and know what it can do for you.  Try adding things and little at a time.  If you don't like something then don't use it or try something different.  The last thing you want to do is get frustrated at something and just turn everything off.  It will make it harder to use or get into your phone.  But that is the point.  It will make it even harder for the people who don’t know the passwords or limitations.

Now here is the “No Brainer” section.

DO NOT LIST:

Make your code easy.  Yes I said it.   I know you want to remember it.  I know you want to get to your text messages as quickly as possible.  Just as quick as you get in makes it that much easier for someone else to get in as well.

Make it something common like: 0000,1234, SSN, Last 4 of Phone Number.

Do not use common swipe methods on the Android like a box or a single line.

Don’t forget to wipe of the screen once in a while you may have left finger impressions where the digits are.

Do not make it so hard you just turn the password option off because you hate typing it in all the time

Do not write it down on something that will be with the phone.  If it is in a bag or purse it can possibly be found and used.  Nothing better for someone then a piece of paper with Cell Phone Password ********** written on it to help the criminal.

You cant stop everything.  Use your best judgement.  I hope this helped.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Cell Phone Security Intro

So as today's cell phone market rapidly expands and technology gets better we use our cell phone for more than we used to with those “Zach Morris” brick phones with the long rubber antenna.  Everything from family photos to word documents are now contained in this mini computer in our pocket or purse. These devices which people make references to often “have more technology than the space craft that put men on the moon” have the ability to go from texting to getting directions to checking your bank account.  So it is our own responsibility to take the proper steps to protect our things with in reason.  While we can not prevent everything.  We are going to mitigate as much damage or loss as possible.  How disconnected to you feel when you lose or don't have your cell phone with you.  Accidents happen.  You can drop your phone or leave it in a cab.  The worst case it could be stolen by someone who just wants your purse or your nice phone.

But what is it inside these gadgets that we need to protect.  Well that is up to you.  Maybe you do not keep anything of importance on them.  Others could be running their entire home business on them.  With contacts and email or credit card numbers to personally identifiable information.  We take pictures of precious moments with our children.  The applications we use in most cases do not require passwords to be re-entered for ease of use and some people even make note pad entries with all of their passwords and login's since they always have their phone on them.  They keep numbers for your family and work and access to the deep dark or not so dark secrets in your text messages.  Do you really want a complete stranger or your worst enemy getting a hold of it?  One of many security options to prevent the release of your personal information is to set a screen unlock code.