As more of us are heading out on trips after extended stay-cations due to the pandemic, we need to remember how to keep our personal information private. The scammers are heading out, too, but they are not on vacation. They are working at getting your money and personal information. Before…
Does keeping yourself safe online seem like an overwhelming task? It seems that there are so many things you have to remember and do. But what if you could master cybersecurity in simple steps? In this episode we will share some tiny changes you can make to greatly increase your…
Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones and computers. It includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else in order to harass or embarrass them. The results of cyberbullying can be tragic, as some victims are so distressed that…
You know the routine: you set up a new account and you are asked for a password. The password you choose must be suitably complex or you can let the site choose a password for you, full of numbers and special characters and impossible to remember. What if you were…
Can keeping your mobile device safe from hackers be as simple as turning it off then turning it back on? Well, not completely, but that is one of the things the National Security Agency (NSA) suggests to thwart the bad guys. “This is all about imposing cost on these malicious…
In an update to iOS 14, Apple now requires all apps to ask for explicit permission to track users across apps and websites. This means that instead of tracking only being disclosed in the terms of service that most users never read, there is now a message that appears (when…
The idea of removing all traces of yourself from the internet can be appealing, but how would you do it? Is it even possible? We will discuss the steps to erase or reduce your digital footprint, from minimizing your digital footprint to invoking the “nuclear option.” Expert: Bruce R. Mendelsohn…
The Federal Trade Commission reports that for the last three years romance scams have taken more money from victims than any other fraud. The scams typically originate in dating apps or on social media, and they end after the victim has sent money, often thousands of dollars, to the scammer.…
The term malware describes any types of software that is intended to cause harm. It includes viruses, Trojans, worms, spyware and ransomware. The effects can range from mischievous to devastating, and malware can be found on computers, tablets, phones, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices, including “smart” devices such as…
Unlike cash, you can’t hold cryptocurrency in your hand and it isn’t backed by any government. It only exists in bits and bytes on computers. Nonetheless, cryptocurrency is a hot topic and it is drawing a lot of investors. Bitcoin is perhaps the best known of many types of crypto.…
The 2017 breach of the Equifax credit bureau exposed the personal information of 147 million consumers. Although that may be the best-known credit bureau security breach, it is certainly not the only one – or even the latest one. In fact, the credit bureaus still have a surprising number of…
Ransomware attacks increased by 485% from 2019 to 2020, with nearly two-thirds of 2020 attacks occurring in the first half of the year. As with other malware, ransomware has become more sophisticated over time, and is now better able to do its damage. Even though individuals may be hit with…
How many emails do you receive in a typical day? If you are like most people, the answer is probably, “Too many!” Some are emails you want, others you no longer find useful and some are just plain spam. Obviously, the ones you want to receive are not a problem,…
Convenient medical exams, advice, diagnoses and even treatment are all being accessed remotely and safely. Yet costly insurance scams can steal patients’ identities and defraud their insurance policies. Bogus telemedicine sessions for illicit profits also can damage a patient’s health. We will discuss the potential downside of the otherwise positive…