Securely Log into your Facebook account using https
June 8, 2011
If you access your bank online or say Paypal or Amazon, you will notice a small “lock” icon if you are using Internet Explorer or notice that the address bar has turned green. This is the sign that your web browser is communicating with that web site in a secure fashion using a protocol called “https” and anything you send over including your username and password is encrypted and remains private.
Facebook has enabled this feature and you should actively consider turning this on since it is very easy for hackers to steal your Facebook username and password especially when you are using Facebook at open Wifi networks, cofee shops, airports etc.
In order to securely log into your Facebook account, you need to turn on https.
- Log into your Facebook account
- Under Account, Go to Account Settings
- Select change under Account Security
- Under there, check the box next to Secure Browsing (https) to browse Facebook on a secure connection (https) whenever possible.
Logout and log back into Facebook. Once you do, your web browser address bar would look something like the picture below.
Facebook Privacy Settings and Security Guide
June 6, 2010
Facebook, the most popular social networking site just implemented a bunch of new privacy settings for its users. The new privacy settings are being promoted by Facebook as making it easier for its users to control their information and consolidating the number of pages and privacy options.
Facebook gives its users options around privacy and security where you can configure privacy settings to restrict access to your Facebook profile information. So whether you are an established Facebook user or a new user getting your feet wet in the world of social networking, here are the top privacy settings for Facebook you should follow to help protect your profile including photos and your personal information.
Visit the Facebook privacy settings guide article which lists the privacy options and the recommended privacy settings in a step-by-step guide. The list below is a quick summary of the privacy settings.
- Create Friends Lists: This is the most important task you need to perform on your way to enforce better Facebook privacy.
- Control your basic directory information: This section lets you customize your Facebook directory information, which is the information that people searching for you, whether on Facebook or on a search engine might use to find you
- Customize your Facebook privacy settings: While Facebook is about sharing, you must definitely customize your privacy controls to control what people or applications can see your information. Facebook gives you the option to share your information with either your friends, friends of friends or everyone.
- Customize your Facebook game settings, application and website settings: This section lets you control what information about you is shared with websites and applications, including search engines like Google.
- Create block lists: This section lets you block people from interacting with you or seeing your information on Facebook. You can also specify friends you want to ignore application invites from, and see a list of the specific applications that you’ve blocked from accessing your information and contacting you.
- Block Facebook ads: Ads shown within Facebook recently caused a lot of controversy with the usage of your photos in ads. You can customize and set privacy settings on ads shown to you on Facebook.
Check out the complete Facebook privacy settings guide article http://www.root777.com/security/facebook-privacy-settings-guide/
If you liked this article, click here to buy me a beer!Facebook Privacy Settings
August 9, 2009
With Facebook overtaking MySpace as the most popular social networking site on the Internet for people to hangout, it has become more important that you secure your Facebook account and place the proper Facebook privacy settings in place.
Just ask Jon Favreau, the immensely talented chief speechwriter of President Barack Obama. The picture shown below was one which Jon attended where he is seen dancing and placing his hand on the chest of current secretary of state and former first lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Don't let this be you. Your Facebook pictures are stored forever
With the sheer popularity of Facebook and the tendency of people including you to share their personal lives including their pictures might come back to haunt you later in your life. Well, maybe the safest option is to not have a Facebook account at all, but that is not practical advice.
The post on the security blog root777.com describes 10 Facebook privacy settings in incredible detail and how you can protect your privacy online on Facebook by following these simple steps.
Some advice offered includes
Segregating your friends: It is impossible to trust your friends. In Jon’s case, one of his friends “tagged” him in that picture. The post on root777 gives you options on how to create friends lists and enforce privacy.
Watch what you write on your friends walls: Maybe drunk facebooking is the new trend after drunk dialing. Watch out for what you post. That will remain stored for eternity.
Protect your contact information: Basically by default everyone can see your contact information including IM, emails and even current address. Watch out for the tips on how to protect this information.
Protect your Facebook public profile: Facebook gives people an incredible opportunity to post a public profile that lets other people search for you on search engines such as Google and poof .. you are there on the first page of the search results usually because Facebook ranks high. See the tips on how you can secure your public profile.
Facebook Privacy Settings which every user should know [root777]
If you liked this article, click here to buy me a beer!Yahoo and Google censorship
December 28, 2008
It is Google’s policy not to censor search results. On the other hand, in response to local laws, regulations, or policies, they must censor search results.
Specific governments keep a tight rein on the internet and what users can access. The latest action taken was Argentina forcing Google & Yahoo to censor search results. The censorship was related about a variety of celebrities, including public officials, models, actors, and sports stars. For example users’ searching for the world’s most well known soccer stars and the current national team head coach – Diego Maradona — produces zero results, along with a message from Yahoo that’s roughly translated as follows:
Google first received an order to block references to the individuals on its Argentina search engine in mid-2007. “A group of about 70 fashion models, represented by the same lawyer, initially asked the Internet Company to block all search results with their names with the intent of blocking pornographic sites that used the models’ pictures. Google responded that it would only block specific problematic links, provided it could notify users.” (Source: CNet News)
If you are interested in reading more about specific governments’ policy and/or laws regarding Internet censorship in various countries around the world, here are some links:
http://www.efa.org.au/Issues/Censor/cens3.html
http://epic.org/free_speech/censorship/
Download Norton AntiVirus. Free AntiVirus Download
February 17, 2008
Symantec, the world’s #1 Security Software company said in a recent Internet Security Threat Report that home users or “the everyday Internet user” made up the most highly targeted sector, accouting for nearly 93% of all computer virus and malware targets.
Norton Security Scan will be included in the latest version of “Google Pack,” a free collection of essential software from Google and other companies which includes the latest antivirus, anti malware and anti spyware tools, which make it easy for users to protect and enhance their PCs.
With Norton Security Scan, users have an easy-to-use tool that scans their PC specifically for viruses and spyware. In addition to the scan feature, the Google Pack version of Norton Security Scan removes all existing viruses, trojans and worms found on a user’s PC and provides them with helpful tips on how they can further improve their PC security.
Download Norton Antivirus for free from Google below:
 Google Pack also includes12 other optional free programs in addition to Norton Antivirus. (download only the programs you want!) |
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 Norton Anti VirusFeatures: • Norton now includes unlimited Virus definition updates for free! |
“Offering Norton Security Scan through the Google Pack is the perfect way to reach the everyday Internet home user,” said Rowan Trollope, vice president, engineering, consumer business unit, Symantec. “Our goal is to provide Internet users everywhere with a powerful and easy-to-use tool to help them evaluate, understand threats that may reside on their PCs and subsequently remove these threats quickly and efficiently.”
At the click of a button, users who download Norton Security Scan can either run a full scan of their system or run a QuickScan, which is a fast scan of the areas of their computer that are most likely to be targeted by viruses. Norton Security Scan automatically receives regular detection updates, so it can effectively detect the latest virus and spyware threats. In addition, the tool features an easy-to-use interface which simplifies the process of scheduling weekly or on-demand scans. Norton Security Scan provides the complete and thorough scan and removal capabilities available with Norton’s award winning Norton AntiVirus and Norton Internet Security.
Demonstrated Need for PC Security
Google is responding to a demonstrated need. According to Symantec’s most recent Internet Security Threat Report, home users or “the everyday Internet user” made up the most highly targeted sector, accounting for 93 percent of all targeted attacks.
If you liked this article, click here to buy me a beer!Phishing attacks on US Universities
February 6, 2008
We’ve had a few reports of Universities/Colleges being hit with some very targeted emails trying to get the userid and password of students. The email is usually along these lines.
————————————————
If you liked this article, click here to buy me a beer!Subject VERIFY YOUR xxxxxx EMAIL ACCOUNT NOW
Dear xxxxx Email Account Owner,
This message is from xxxxx messaging center to all xxxxx email account owners. We are currently upgrading our data base and e-mail account center. We are deleting all unused xxxxx email account to create more space for new accounts.
To prevent your account from closing you will have to update it below so that we will know that it’s a present used account.
How to protect your Internet Privacy on Social Networking Sites
January 7, 2008
The Internet is a powerful tool that has revolutionized virtually every aspect of our lives, including how we socialize. Today, there are an estimated 200 online social networking sites, the most popular being MySpace and Facebook. But while it can be fun and convenient to keep up with old friends and make new ones online, sharing too much personal information on these sites can be risky. This is especially true for young people, who may not realize that the information they post online could end up in the hands of harassers, cyberbullies, scam artists, child predators and other unscrupulous people.
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