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How Encrypted DNS Servers Can Support Internet Browsing Privacy

December 4, 2019 General News, Online Security, Tips and Helpful User Information

Looking for more ways to keep your browsing information private? Understanding how DNS (Domain Name Service) requests work, and how they expose the minutia of your internet activity, is a good place to start. Every time you visit a new website, your computer submits a request to the DNS servers system so it can translate the domain name to an IP address.

Let’s put it this way – DNS server information is like a detailed phone record showing all of your Internet use. And because DNS servers are what connect you to your internet service provider (ISP), this means that they can see what websites you are visiting, as well as when and how often you visit them.

How the internet can protect your finances and home for the holidays

November 27, 2019 Online Security, Tips and Helpful User Information

If you think you’ve got some time before the holidays are officially here, you’d be wrong. Black Friday deals are already in our Inboxes – and it’s not even Black Friday yet! Costco has had Christmas merchandise out since September. And Amazon Prime packages are piling up on porches as parents get a head start on holiday shopping. Along with the fun and good cheer of the season, however, comes a darker side with hackers, phishers, porch pirates and other not-so-jolly characters working hard to take advantage of distracted shoppers and deal-seekers.

To keep your season merry and bright, we’ve rounded up a few tips for using the internet to protect your finances, purchases, home, and even your happiness.

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month

October 22, 2019 General News, Online Security, Tips and Helpful User Information

Even though this month has been designated National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we feel that your security is an all-year-long issue that everyone should be aware of. It’s no longer enough to watch for suspicious emails and think that you’re too small a target to attract the attention of cybercriminals. As criminals get savvier and their efforts more targeted, everyone from individuals to large organizations need to be aware and vigilant in using positive and protective cybersecurity practices.

Held every October, National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM) is a collaborative effort between government and industry to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity and to ensure that all Americans have the resources they need to be safer and more secure online. NCSAM was launched by the National Cyber Security Alliance & the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in October 2004 and continues annually.

Redefining privacy in these modern times

September 18, 2019 General News, Online Security, Tips and Helpful User Information

What defines privacy is constantly evolving in these modern times. Smart phones, live streaming video chats, family safety tracking apps and smart home devices have made life much easier. But the flip side of these devices mean that GPS location tracking, microphones and cameras accessible via most any wireless devices have made “living off the grid” an impossibility. Reasonable expectations of privacy have become the subject of debates ranging from our nation’s highest courtrooms to the family kitchen table.

As you read this article, for instance, there are currently 2,000 satellites orbiting in the skies above us. By 2025 as many as 1,100 satellites could be launching each year, including SpaceX’s Starlink plans to add 12,000 small satellites by 2027. These satellites are being created and launched to provide everything from weather monitoring to global GPS positioning to boosting internet accessibility and taking pictures of every angle of the Earth.

How to Protect Your Home Wireless Networks

September 10, 2019 Online Security, Tips and Helpful User Information

We are living in an age of data breaches, security hacks, social media shenanigans and all sort of online threats that can make anyone worry about their security. Businesses have their own solutions, but what about our homes? Home wireless networks deserve attention, too, as they are just as vulnerable to security risks. That’s why we’re sharing these actions you can take to protect your home wireless network for a safer, stress-free online experience.

What are home wireless networks?

First, let’s define what we’re talking about. Home wireless networks are composed of the computers, gaming stations, phones and other devices that are wirelessly connected to your internet router.

How to Block Robocalls and Fake Neighbor Calling

September 3, 2019 General News, Online Security

Robocalls. Fake neighbor spoofing. Cell phone spam. Whatever you call them, these types of illegal calls are getting worse, and definitely getting more annoying. In fact, according to YouMail’s Robocall Index, last month Americans received 4.4 billion robocalls during just that month. That breaks down to 145 million per day, or 6 million per hour, or 1,700 calls per second. In addition to the inconvenience, robocalls also pose a danger to those who fall prey to fraudulent scams that attempt to invade people’s privacy and often their bank accounts. So how can we block robocalls and the like?

While registering on the “Do Not Call Registry” was an initial solution that helped a little, lately it doesn’t seem to matter how careful you are, they still get through. In fact, it’s gotten so bad that the U.S. government is taking action.

How AT&T plans to use private customer info you may not be aware of

July 31, 2019 General News, Online Security

If you use AT&T, they are probably aware that you are reading this article right now, where you are reading it, what you click on before and after you read it, and storing all of that information to use in targeted marketing and advertising later on. It’s not just AT&T, either, but we’re sharing this info with you after a recent profile of AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson in Fortune magazine in which he openly laid out the mega-company’s plan to profile and target customers for advertising.

AT&T has transformed itself into a media colossus by buying Time Warner, adding to its incredible array of content from holdings including HBO, CNN, TNT, and others in combination with a huge distribution network across mobile broadband, DirecTV, and U-verse. Stephenson shared his vision of permanent, across-the-board surveillance of all those customers for extremely targeted – and personal – advertising.

Best parental control apps for monitoring kids’ smartphones

May 20, 2019 General News, Online Security, Tips and Helpful User Information

If your kids have smartphones, you know that it’s a full-time job trying to keep track and control their usage. According to recently released data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE), 94% of 15-year-olds have a mobile phone, 86% of minors are on the internet without any content filtering systems, and 28% to 38% of minors access unsafe or harmful content with those rates escalating as they get older.

Parental-control apps have made monitoring and protecting children much easier these days, giving you the ability to track locations, block objectionable or dangerous websites, restrict access to social media or games, and monitor who kids are communicating with. In the long run, these apps can also help children to develop good habits for how they use smartphones as they grow up.

Softcom policy on Chinese telecom equipment protects customers

February 27, 2019 General News, Online Security, Tips and Helpful User Information

There has been a lot of concern recently about telecommunications companies building their networks with gear made by Chinese telecommunications companies – namely, Huawei and ZTE. The concern centers around the Chinese government installing backdoors in the equipment to spy on users of the equipment. The equipment may be inexpensive, but the cost to security has been high, to the point that President Trump is considering signing an executive order to ban Chinese equipment from U.S. telecom networks.

What is the FaceTime bug and how it affects iPhone users

February 1, 2019 Online Security, Tips and Helpful User Information

The news went viral this week when a FaceTime bug was discovered that made it possible to listen in on, or even see someone, during a Group FaceTime call, even if the person receiving the call didn’t pick up. There’s a temporary fix in place, with a permanent solution promised by Apple to be coming next week. Meanwhile, here’s how this happened, and what you should do.

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