Imagine not having to remember login IDs and passwords, and using a fingerprint or retinal scan for all of your logins. It is called biometrics, and it is already happening. Unlike passwords, where anyone with the password can access the account, biometric systems use both hardware and software to authenticate…
One reason scammers are so effective is that they are skilled at getting their victims to trust them and fall for their scams. However, consumers who know the signs of a scam are better prepared to resist. When you understand how con artists work you will be able to nip…
After analyzing more than 50 billion calls made to mobile customers over 18 months, technology company First Orion predicts that nearly half of all calls to mobile phones will be fraudulent in 2019 unless the industry adopts and implements more effective call protection solutions. Over the past year, First Orion’s…
Keyloggers are nothing new, but Agent Tesla takes simple keyloggers to new levels. Among other capabilities, Agent Tesla can steal passwords from all major browsers, and capture snapshots of the victim’s keystrokes, their desktop, and pictures from their webcam at timed intervals, all while remaining undetected on the victim’s computer.…
“The line between human and machine is blurring—and creating new concerns about consumer safety and privacy rights,” says Mary Lee, a mathematician for the RAND Corporation. The Internet of Things (IoT) has seen us connecting everything from cars to toasters to light switches to the Internet. New medical devices now…
A new federal law made credit freezes free as of September 21, 2018. Prior to the enactment of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act state regulations allowed a patchwork of fees for placing or lifting a credit freeze, but those fees no longer exist. A credit freeze…
Recent revelations that a driver for Uber and Lyft streamed video of passengers riding in his vehicle raised questions about whether consumers can expect privacy in any space they do not control, such as when they are driving on public streets, shopping at the mall or riding in someone else’s…
Facebook, Google and other online services provide consumers free access to their platforms. However, nothing is truly “free.” We pay with our data and these companies make billions of dollars selling our personal information to advertisers and others. Now some people are starting to ask if the big tech companies…
When the news broke about Cambridge Analytica harvesting and using the personal information of Facebook users, many people discovered for the first time how much data Facebook stores on users and to how many companies they sell that data. But does it really matter how much Facebook, Google, Amazon and…
Are you looking for a way to browse the Internet without leaving a trail of cookies and tracking pixels? One way is by using the Tor browser. Tor stands for “The Onion Router” because the layers of encryption are comparable to the layers of an onion. Tor works by connecting…
According to the Centers for Disease Control, one in three women and one in six men have been victims of physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner. Today, smart technology has given these abusers new ways to harass their victims. Apps and other tools designed to track children or…
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) defines “sextortion” as “a serious crime that occurs when someone threatens to distribute your private and sensitive material if you don’t provide them images of a sexual nature, sexual favors or money.” In a new twist to this old crime, the criminals attempt to…
In May 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) went into effect in the European Union (EU). The GDPR gives consumers in the EU greater control over their personal data and how it is used. Time reports that, “corporations need to explicitly ask if they can collect your data, they’re…
Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin are being promoted to consumers as investments, but many people do not understand what cryptocurrencies are or how they work. This interview will explore the world of cryptocurrencies and will also address how blockchain keeps cryptocurrencies and other data secure. Expert: Gustav Schmidt, a banking attorney…