A new year brings new opportunity for us all to change our old habits for new ones. Take me, for example. I’ve set up a few resolutions for myself that include getting healthier, spending more time with my family, and learning a new programming language. Maybe you want to dedicate more time to a hobby, or finish up that project car that’s been sitting in your driveway since 1998. :)

New Year resolutions are kind of a laugh to most people, because we all know that as humans, we’re loathe to change on our own. We all get used to doing things a certain way unless life kicks us in the behind to do something about it. But this year, you and I can make a positive change before something bad happens.

I’ve got 3 super simple things you can do to make the technology-related side of your life better. Each of these will either save your life (seriously), save you from embarrassment &/or identity theft, and save you from the wrath of a loved one for losing important files… like wedding photos, etc. Read on:

1. Resolve to be safe with technology

   Some of you probably laughed when I said a tech-related resolution could save your life, but this really could: Use your tech and gadgets only when appropriate. I’m looking right at you, car texters. But it goes beyond texting while driving. Stop messing with your GPS devices, using your cell phone without a hands-free device, and even fiddling with your stereo settings while driving. A click here or there to change a station or re-route your GPS is one thing, but I’ve seen a lot of people concentrating more on the gadgets than the road. Don’t be the one who becomes a statistic!

2. Resolve to change your passwords

   This will be, by far, the easiest and best thing your can accomplish in this resolution list. For every service you use, whether a bank, Facebook, or Amazon.com, change the password. You and I both know that it’s been a while. Maybe not for every login you have, but if you’re like most people then many (or even most) of the services you use haven’t seen a password update since you first signed up.

3. Resolve to back up your important files

   With services like Dropbox, making backups of important files like your digital photos is easier than ever. And if you’re worried about putting sensitive data in the cloud then do what I did: Buy yourself an external USB hard drive and back them up there. Even if all you did was a straight copy and paste from your desktop or laptop to your external drive, you’d have the peace of mind that your files are safe. I have a friend who lost all of his wedding photos because of a hard disk crash, and let’s just say it wasn’t pretty to hear about the wrath of his lovely wife.

I sincerely hope you take those 3 simple changes to heart. You’ll find that they aren’t tough to do, and you’ll be a lot safer in the long run by doing them. Here’s hoping you and your loved ones enjoy a happy, safe, and technology filled 2012!

Malware continues to grow in both complexity and subtlety, and you’ve got to keep a constant vigil against viruses & spyware to protect your computer and tech gadgets. Virus and spyware detection tools (like our own StopSign Internet Security software) are great, but real computer security starts with you. Knowing what malware comes to us as (i.e. in what form it lands on our computer) is a key to recognizing what to click and what to avoid.

Pictures and software downloads have long been associated with malware. This isn’t to say that all pics and downloads are bad, but it’s best to keep an eye on them before you open them up. Especially if you receive them out of the blue or from an unknown source. Listed below are some different PC security tactics you can use when it comes to attempting to weed out any bad software or files from hopping onto your computer. None of them are foolproof, but they can be a big help in getting rid of potential problems.

• The Browser Shuffle:

  If you maintain 2 or more different browsers (Internet Explorer and Firefox, for example), you can keep one of them locked down for secure usage (no cookies, no JavaScript, no proxies, etc.) and the other for general surfing. If you find yourself needing to browse to new or unfamiliar sites, just switch over to your secured browser. With fewer parts for potential malware to play with, you’ll help yourself by decreasing your chances of getting a computer infection.

• Cache/Trash Control:

  I always recommend checking the option (if available) to automatically clear our your browser cache when closing the browser. This makes it a easy way to keep any potential snags away from the browser. It also clears up room for newer bits and pieces of the pages you surf.

• Dropbox Downloads:

  Using a service like Dropbox will help keep your Inbox cleaned up, and it will also limit who you serve your files to, or who you are served files from. For example, if you know your friend Billy is going to send you a file, have him use Dropbox to keep it clean. This way you’ll know that any new files from Billy in your Inbox might be suspect. (Or it could just mean Billy forgot to use Dropbox)

• Just Say No:

  Maybe you don’t want to download Billy’s latest funny picture or whatever he’s sending you today. Dropbox or no, just don’t click it. The less you bring into your computer, the less likely you’ll be hit by anything nasty like malware. We’ve all got a friend like Billy who likes to send us lots of junk, don’t we? :)

It’s all about being smart about who’s files you choose to open up and/or download, as well as what you keep around. Steering clear of unexpected files is a big first step, but there are plenty of ways to still get the ones you want.

As wireless devices become more common, keeping your wireless (AKA WiFi) network at home secure is increasingly important to many people. And while a lot of people keep their WiFi open, we feel it’s erring on the side of caution to go ahead and lock down your wireless network at home.

Looking at 2 opposite sides of the wireless security spectrum, you have well-known security expert Bruce Schneier who allows his home WiFi network to be open and unsecure, which sounds all well and good. But then you read stories about neighbors and/or strangers using your “wireless network for criminal activities” like downloading child porn, and it makes you think twice about keeping an unsecure network.

Here are a few tips you can use to help keep your wireless network secure:

• Change the username & password on your wireless router:

  Keeping the default factory settings of any device opens you up to hackers who keep track of these things and share them among each other. And creating a good, secure password is a quick and easy way to alleviate the risk of easily hacked WiFi gateways.

• Use wireless network encryption:

  Wireless routers in recent years all have the ability to use the WiFi Protected Access (WPA/WPA2) protocol. Break out the instruction manual or do a Google search for your router, and figure out how to set up WPA. Older WiFi routers may have WEP, or Wired Equivalent Privacy, but it has some security holes that make it vulnerable to attack and isn’t recommended. If your wireless router doesn’t support WPA/WPA2, then we suggest you get a new one.

• Update your Internet security software:

  Whether you use StopSign or another product, make sure that you keep it updated. Most antivirus/anti-spyware packages have a mechanism to auto-update itself. Turn that on so you’re always sure to get the latest updates. Keeping your Internet security software updated can help prevent any problems if/when an attacker breaks into your WiFi network and starts to poke around.

• Change the Service Set Identifier:

  Also known as the SSID, this also come with a default name that tips hackers off when they see it. Most people who aren’t computer savvy leave the default, and that can indicate to a hacker that there may be other easily found vulnerabilities with a particular network. Change the SSID to hedge your bets against the hackers.

• Remove the ability to log in remotely:

  Most wireless routers come with remote log in turned to off by default, but don’t take a chance. Be sure it’s off, and leave it off.

• Enable MAC address filtering:

  Not to be confused with Macintosh computers, a MAC address is a unique code on all wireless network cards. MAC address filtering tells your router to only allow devices with a known MAC address to connect to your WiFi.

It may seem like a lot to do, but today’s wireless router manufacturers know the dangers associated with an open WiFi network, and most work hard to make changing these things easy on you. Changing defaults, making secure passwords, and keeping updated Internet security software will to a long way in making your home wireless network secure!

When it comes to Internet security, most of us have a hard time finding the time to keep up with the latest trends, monitor all of our accounts, and spend a lot of extra time trying to determine whether something is a credible threat or not. It’s not laziness, it’s very often a time management issue. I mean, would you rather spend an hour a day going over a list of possible threats to your Internet security, or would you rather spend that hour with your friends and/or family?

The harsh reality, though, is that if we’re going to be online, we’re going to need to make the time to keep our online life as worry-free as possible. Because if we don’t, there are plenty of identity theft experts and malware-writing authors out there who would love nothing more than to get a piece of our pie. But it’s about striking a balance between Internet security and real life commitments. Luckily, we can take an 80/20 approach to our digital world and still have time for family, work, and hobbies.

With just a few small tweaks to our day, we can all be that much safer, and take a lot of the pressure of dealing with Internet security and online safety off of our shoulders and onto a computer program that will do it for us. Here are some examples:

• Use strong passwords to lock down your accounts:

  A good, strong password can do wonders for the security of any Internet-enabled accounts you may have. Do yourself a favor and create a great password that you can remember and stop making it easy for would-be hackers from swiping your info. (Yes, it’s possible to create a strong yet easily remembered password)

• Use, and update, antivirus, antispyware, and firewall software:

  A good Internet security tool is a great way to get a helping hand with automating your online safety and data integrity. With the triple protection of antivirus, antispyware, and firewall software installed (and automatically updated), you’re taking a great step in preventing a bad piece of software from infecting your computer(s).

• Check privacy settings in your social media profiles:

  LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter… they’re all being targeted by data harvesters and malware authors. Learn how to keep the information private on your social media profiles such as Twitter and Facebook. Doing so will not only prevent embarrassing status updates away from the public eye, but will also make it that much more difficult for others to siphon off your data.

• Beware all links to photos, videos, and other media:

  Stop being your own worst enemy when it comes to malware. Learn how to really read whether or not that email, tweet, or instant message contains a link to bad software. For example, if a friend, out of the blue, sends you a link to a video or picture and they ask if it’s you? Yeah, very likely your friend got hacked and their account was taken over and sent you that message to make you click on it and help spread the malware. Unless you know that the source of a message sent you a link to online media on purpose, consider all of them suspect. Clicking on every attachment or link that comes your way is a danger, and unless you’re aware of what’s happening, you’re your own worst enemy.

Using the four tips above, you can spend just a few hours (in total) to keep your online life safe and secure from prying eyes. Your Internet security can’t be 100% guaranteed because there are always more folks out there with creative (yet devious) minds who want your info, but keeping things under wraps will make it that much harder for them to be able to take advantage of you.

A fool and his money are soon parted.

We’re definitely in the middle of tax time here in America, and most people are stressing about one of two things: how much they’re going to have to pay to Uncle Sam or how much he’s going to be giving back. No matter which camp you’re in, it’s always stressful to have to do a financial recap of your whole year while juggling receipts, donation stubs, and all the other joys of tax preparation.

The last thing you want (or need) during tax time is to be hit with some kind of tax scam. You know what I’m talking about; you’ve probably heard your local news mention something about it in a blurb between stories.

I could probably give you a whole slew of advice on how to avoid tax scams like we did last year with our blog post about “IRS tax and refund scams“, but I’m going to be distilling it even further this year and only give you two. The number of tips may seem a little thin, but you’ll see that these two scams account for the majority of all phishing/etc. attempts at tax time.

• Email scams:

  These are rising in popularity across the board with scammers. Email is so cheap and easy to spread that they can send out millions with the push of a button. Be smart: know who the sender of an email is, and be careful about clicking on any links from emails. It’s not too difficult to create a convincing looking email. My suggestion is that if an email looks legit, trust but verify; Contact the agency that contacts you. And if it is a scam, report it to the IRS.

• Website scams:

  These should be easier to discern because if the domain name doesn’t end with “irs.gov” (or at the very least the “.gov” part, since only government agencies can register those domains), then it’s very likely a scam. The IRS and other government offices may direct you to a .com website for informational purposes, but never for anything important wherein you’d be requested to enter personal information. Be sure let the IRS know if you find a possible scam site by reporting tax scam web sites to them.

As a general rule of thumb, the IRS won’t contact taxpayers individually via unsolicited email. And more importantly, they aren’t going to be asking for your Social Security Number, your PIN numbers, or any other sort of personal financial information in said email.

Pretexting is a social engineering technique wherein a hacker uses false pretenses to engage with with his/her intended victim in order to get information from that target. Basically it’s a lie with a made-up story to go along with it. Pretexting is often used to gain trust, and when trust is gained by the pretexter, data and privacy are in danger.

A classic example of pretexting in the offline world is someone pretending to be a pizza delivery guy (or gal) to gain access to the front door of a house. Once the door is open, the would-be criminal can peek inside, look for valuables, guard dogs, and the layout of the home. Pretexting in the online world tends to be electronic, such as IMing with someone over a long period of time and gaining their trust on a social networking site by pretending to be someone they aren’t.

Pretexting can be found anywhere sensitive information or privacy issue are a concern: your home, your work, or even you local cable company.

It would be virtually impossible to steer clear of a master pretexter, but you can keep your eyes (and ears) open (figuratively speaking) for someone online or offline who seems relatively innocuous at first, but then gets a little too nosy. Just remember that loose lips sink ships and you should be fine.

It’s getting close to the middle of the school year for most kids, and by now they’re probably pretty comfortable with the swing of things. As such, you’re probably finding your kids on the home computer surfing the Internet, “studying” online (haha), and chatting with their friends the web. As a parent and a tech geek, I’m all for kids learning and playing online. But as the school year progresses, most kids become lax in their safety consciousness when online.

It’s always a good idea to remind your kids about the importance of online safety, but here are three things you should make sure to keep on top of all year long:

• Don’t give out personally identifiable information:

  First names are probably fine, but a last name should always be kept under wraps from anyone your kids interact with online. Other things to keep quite about are the locations of their home and school, frequent hangout spots, and after-school schedules. The last thing you want is some creepy stranger taking a 3 hour drive to visit your kid at little league!

• Keep kids social networking profiles private:

  Places like Facebook allow kids (and adults) to post anything they want at any time they want, with little to no repercussions. Make sure that your kids don’t accidentally invite a web perv into their online life with an open and public profile.

• Let an adult know about cyberbullying:

  Cyberbullying is no joke, and it’s happening more and more. Be sure to keep an open and honest dialog with your kids about online harassment, whether it’s about them, their friends, or someone they know at school. No child should have to live in fear or shame because of a cyberbully.

If you keep those three things alive and well during the entire year, your kids will have a much better, and safer, time on the Internet.

Friday, January 28th, 2011 is World Data Privacy Day. With a New Year comes a new time to stop and think about how data privacy affects you and your family. Whether you’re accessing information online by a mobile device, social networking sites like Twitter or Facebook, or if you’re using other online services, information you type in, request, or log in with is being captured and acted upon by others.

As a Digital Citizen, it’s up to you to watch the watchers… to ensure that your data is being handled properly by the sites and services you choose to use. As such, you should educate yourself on how sites are tracking your information, storing your data, or processing your logins. If you don’t, who will?

For more information about data privacy, you can visit our blog posts tagged with “Privacy“, or the Washington State Attorney General’s page on Internet safety. Feel free to also check out the StopSign privacy policy for details on how we deal with privacy issues. You can also leave a comment below with any questions if you like.

A New Year brings in a lot of new things to everyone… New hopes. New dreams. And yes, sometimes it brings in some new bad things, too. Such is life. But while we can’t help make your favorite sports teams win, and we can’t do anything about that crazy co-worker in the cubicle next to you, but we can give you some tips on how to stay safe online in 2011.

You can bet your bottom dollar that Internet privacy concerns, identity theft, malware distribution, cyber attacks, and a host of other technology-related problems are only going to rise and morph over the course of the year. (They always seem to, don’t they?!) Keep yourself, your family, your information, and your money safe by following the tips below:

• Change your passwords:

  Yep. All of ‘em. I know I mentioned it last year, but if you didn’t change your passwords then, you really should change your passwords right now. The safety and security of the information on your PC is literally a password away from being grabbed and abused by unscrupulous characters on the web.

• Patch it up:

  You’ve got a computer. You’ve got software. And you’ve probably got patches you can apply to them all. Unpatched machines and software leave holes open that hackers can take advantage of, so patch your PC today. Doing so will not only keep your machine secure, it might make a program or two a bit more peppy or give it a few more features.

• Desocialize your network:

  Look, I love Twitter, Facebook, an LinkedIn just as much as the next guy or gal, but every now an again you should review and do a little housekeeping on your social networking profiles. Think about it: Do you really need Jake, formerly of accounting, on your friend list now that he’s gone and you only added him because he was a co-worker in the first place? I didn’t think so.

• Geolocation in moderation:

  Our blog post “Stranger Danger: Geolocation Features and Internet Safety” still stands, in my personal opinion, as one of the most important blog articles written in 2010 from both a personal safety and Internet safety standpoint. If you haven’t seen it, please read our article on geolocation safety tips now, especially if you’re using any of the location-aware features of Twitter, Facebook, FourSquare, or any other service or device.

I sincerely hope these tips help you stay protected. Happy New Year, and I hope you have the best of luck with all of your Internet privacy and Internet security concerns in 2011.

If you’ve ever been hit with a computer virus, you know that the actual act of the virus removal isn’t always the easiest part of the process. In fact, it can be the longest, most time-consuming portion of dealing with the removal of an infection, depending on your security software and the nature of the malware that takes up residence in your PC.

Any decent antivirus product will clean you out pretty well, but every now and again a particularly nasty infection rears it’s ugly head and there are leftovers that, at best, clutter up your PC and at worst re-infect your computer. It’s enough to make your head explode.

Why Virus Removal is Important

That’s why the actual virus removal is such an integral part of the antivirus process. Making sure that the threat is identified is only one aspect; an entirely different, and equally important, part is cleanly, efficiently, and quickly removing all traces of the infection. The last thing you want happening is to have any remaining bits of malware cluttering up your computer once its been removed.

The StopSign Difference

At StopSign we pride ourselves on making sure that we not only find the infections, but that we clean and remove the viruses and other infections from your PC as well as possible. StopSign makes virus removal easy with 3 simple steps that anyone, and I mean anyone can follow:

1. Install StopSign:

   Download the StopSign threat scanner and install it on your computer.

2. Run StopSign:

   Once installed, run StopSign. At the end of your scan you’ll get a set of Scan Results that will tell you if any viruses or other infections were found. If you need help getting up and running you can check out our online StopSign help files or contact the StopSign support staff.

3. Check Your Results:

   Review your Scan Results and see if you have any issues. If nothing was found, great; you’ve got a clean computer. But if something was found and you’re a StopSign member, it was most likely taken care of automatically, and if it wasn’t, then removal of the infection is a simple matter of clicking a button requesting a Custom Cure™ which is a free service for active StopSign members where we remove persistent and/or “zero day” infections at no additional charge. Most other Internet security companies charge $80 or more per incident to remove those infections.

   If you’re not a StopSign member, visit our shopping cart and choose the best option for you. You’ll not only get all updates for free during the course of your active membership, but you’ll also be eligible for free Custom Cures any time you need them.

Find out why you should skip the status quo and give StopSign a try. We’re different, and that difference makes us better.