Gadgets and VoIP

Security Problem at DropBox

Security Problem at DropBox

I love DropBox and use it daily, usually several times a day. I have also written often about the need for online security so I was disappointed to read that DropBox had a major security problem yesterday. The company installed a software update and nearly four hours later discovered that  anyone could log into any DropBox account without a password. As soon as the problem was discovered, the company reverted back to the previous software version and tested the process heavily. For those four hours, anyone who was aware of the glitch could have accessed your data stored on the DropBox servers without restriction. Details may be found at http://goo.gl/wdJuM.

While inexcusable, the problem isn't rare. Errors will happen anywhere. This problem happened at DropBox but it could have happened most anyplace else.

The quick reaction will  always be, "I won't give my data to anyone. I'll keep it safe and secure on my own hard drive." Of course, that is about as effective as an ostrich sticking its head in the sand. In fact, data stored on your own computer's hard drive is probably as much at risk or even more at risk than data stored on a remote online service.

Electronic Pickpockets

Are you aware that modern-day thieves can read the numbers of some of the credit cards in your pocket or purse without your knowledge? You do not have to remove the credit cards, and the thieves do not need to see the cards. They certainly do not have to tell you that they are collecting the credit card numbers. All they have to do is walk past you in a crowd.

Take a close look at your credit cards, especially the newer ones. Do they have this radio waves symbol? See the image to the right for one example. The symbol on your credit card might be smaller. The symbol might also be on the reverse, as shown in this second picture. Not all vulnerable credit cards have that symbol, however.

Carry Emergency Information With You at All Times

There are at least a dozen methods of carrying emergency information with you. In these high tech times, I would recommend carrying that information with you electronically, as well as on a piece of paper or in a medical ID bracelet. The electronic method allows for storage of more information.

In this case, I am talking about medical information, next of kin, and other information that you might want emergency responders to find. While my mother convinced me to always have clean underwear, it's probably more important to make sure you have easily-findable information on your body as well.

For those with significant medical problems, such as diabetes or heart problems, a medical ID bracelet is a great idea. Medical personnel always look for those. However, the amount of information you can include in a normal medical bracelet is limited.

All Windows Anti-Virus Programs Are Now Useless

Subtitle: "All your base are belong to us." 

(For an explanation of that phrase, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_your_base_are_belong_to_us.)

Researchers with Matousec.com recently found a way to circumvent some of the most popular security programs for Windows computers, including products from Symantec, McAfee, Microsoft, AVG, Avast, Trend, Kaspersky, Sophos, ZoneAlarm, and others. In other words, viruses and other bad software can hide from all of today's anti-virus programs and similar tools. These malevolent programs can then spread easily with very few restraints. The problem exists only on the Windows operating system; Linux and Macintosh users are not affected.

Here's Another Security Risk: Your Photocopier

Nearly every digital copier built since 2002 contains a hard drive - like the one on your personal computer - storing an image of every document copied, scanned, or emailed by the machine.

Used, discarded copiers then get sold without the previous owners having a clue about all the data they just let go of. In a way it’s worse then disposing an old computer with a “live” hard disk – at least in the case of the computer, you know what information may still reside in it…

Hackers Crack UK's National ID Card in 12 Minutes

The U.K.'s new National ID cards are supposed to be "unforgeable." Embedded inside the card is a microchip with the details of its bearer held in electronic form: name, date of birth, physical characteristics, fingerprints and so on, together with other information such as immigration status and whether the holder is entitled to State benefits. Unforgeable or not, Adam Laurie successfully forged one in twelve minutes.