Patricia Leitner's List: Digital Law

• What are the Possible Consequences of Computer Hacking?

• Black Hat and White Hat. Black Hat hacking is criminal in nature. White Hat isn't. White Hat hacking is probably what most hackers reading this perceive themselves as doing. Now, this is possible, but it is often a matter of perspective.
• It might seem harmless to you, but there are larger issues to consider. While you may believe it is harmless to let the world know about some security problem, realize that the ethics of others out there may not be as pure as your own. Your noble goal of helping the computing world through your hacking may not be viewed as noble by everyone else.
• If things go very badly for you and there is a strong evidence trail and documentation of your hacking adventures, criminal charges may be filed against you. These will likely be federal charges.

2 more annotations...

• PREVENTION:

   

  1. Buy a cross-cut type shredder (you can  purchase cross-cut type shredder very cost effectively for approximately $60 - $70.) Shred  all your important papers and especially pre-approved credit applications received in your  name and other financial information that provides access to your private information.  Don't forget to shred your credit card receipts.

    

  2. Be careful of "Dumpster  Diving." Make sure that you do not throw anything away that someone could use to  become you. Anything with your identifiers must be shredded (cross-cut) before throwing  away.

   

  3. Be careful at ATM's and using Phone  Cards. "Shoulder Surfers" can get your "Pin Number" and get access to  your accounts.

   

  4. Get all of your checks delivered to  your bank - not to your home address.

    

  5. Do not put checks in the mail from your  home mailbox. Drop them off at a U.S. Mailbox or the U.S. Post Office. Mail theft is  common. It's easy to change the name of the recipient on the check with an acid wash.

• 6. When you order new credit cards in the  mail, or your previous ones have expired, watch the calendar to make sure that you get the  card within the appropriate time. If it is not received by a certain date, call the credit  card grantor immediately and find out if the card was sent. Find out if a change of  address was filed if you don't receive the card or a billing statement.

   

  7. Cancel all credit cards that you do not  use or have not used in 6 months. Thieves use these very easily - open credit is a prime  target.

   

  8. Put passwords on all your accounts and  do not use your mother's maiden name. Make up a fictitious word.

   

  9. Get a post office box or a locked  mailbox, if you possibly can.

   

  10. Ask all financial institutions,  doctors' offices, etc., what they do with your private information and make sure that they  shred it and protect your information. Tell them why.

• 11. Empty your wallet of all extra credit  cards and social security numbers, etc. Do not carry any identifiers you do not need.  Don't carry your birth certificate, social security card, or passport, unless necessary.

   

  12. Memorize social security numbers and  passwords.

   

  13. When a person calls you at home or at  work, and you do not know this person, never give out any of your personal information. If  they tell you they are a credit grantor of yours call them back at the number that you  know is the true number, and ask for that party to discuss personal information. Provide  only information that you believe is absolutely necessary.

   

  14. Do not put your social security number  on your checks or your credit receipts. If a business requests your social security  number, give them an alternate number and tell them why. They do not need that to identify  you. If a government agency requests your social security number, there must be a privacy  notice accompanying the request.

   

  15. Do not put your telephone number on  your checks.

   

  16. Get credit cards and business cards  with your picture on them.

• 17. Do not put your credit card account  number on the Internet (unless it is encrypted on a secured site.) Don't put account  numbers on the outside of envelopes, or on your checks.

   

  18. When you are asked to identify  yourself at schools, employers, or any other kind of institutional identification, ask to  have an alternative to your social security number. Unfortunately, your health insurance  carrier often uses your social security number as your identification number. Try to  change that if you can.

   

  19. In conjunction with a credit card sale  do not put your address, telephone number, or driver's license number on the statement.

   

  20. Monitor all your bank statements from  every credit card every month. Check to see if there is anything that you do not recognize  and call the credit grantor to verify that it is truly yours.

   

  21. Order your credit report at least  twice a year (I have enclosed the addresses for you on the sample letter.) Review it  carefully. If you see anything that appears fraudulent, immediately put a fraud alert on  your reports by calling the numbers below.

   

  22. Immediately correct all mistakes on  your credit reports in writing. Send those letters Return Receipt Requested, and identify  the problems item by item with a copy of the credit report back to the credit reporting  agency. You should hear from them within 30 days.

    

  23. Take your name off all promotional  lists. Call the three credit reporting agency numbers to opt out of pre-approved offers.

   

2 more annotations...

• Federal law grants you a free credit report each year, and each of the three major credit reporting agencies must provide one.
• you can freeze your credit report. This prevents new creditors from accessing your credit report.
• All three reporting agencies offer monitoring services for $15 monthly. And the benefits outshine those offered by third-party services.

1 more annotation...

• It’s no secret that criminals often hide their true identity in order to trick people into falling for their scams. And it’s so easy to pose as someone else on the internet, especially since those who you’re talking to can’t really see you
• refers to how cybercrooks actually trick their target – by posing as a well-known, trustworthy entity.
• • E-mail spoofing. The example provided above is actually a form of e-mail spoofing. The sender address and the signature are made up to appear as though the e-mail was sent by a certain person or company. To make their e-mails look authentic and credible, cybercrooks have spoofed e-mail sender sections by listing names of renowned banks and websites like eBay, Amazon and PayPal, and continue to do so.
   
  • URL spoofing. In some internet security scams, cybercrooks reproduce legitimate webpages and send the legit-looking web address (URL) in fake e-mails to web users or place it on other sites. When a user clicks on it, they’re redirected to the malicious site. Cybercrooks can also create malware that exploits web browser vulnerabilities; if a user unknowingly downloads it onto their PC, the malicious bit can manipulate their browser to show, for example, a fake bank account login page, whenever they browse for the real thing. In this particular case, the user is faced with a man-in-the-browser attack.
   
  • Spoofing files on file-sharing platforms. Not all files you find on popular file-sharing platforms are legitimate. Some of them may look like the real thing, with the same name/title/author, but in fact they may be fake and contain some kind of malware.
   
  • IP spoofing. Hackers can gain unauthorized access to computer networks by making the IP address of their computer look like the one of a trusted machine. This way they can perform network attacks and make them look as being performed by another entity.
   
  • Wi-fi spoofing. Some Wi-fi hotspots can look like they’re owned by reputable companies, but in fact, they’re set up by cybercrooks who want to steal data received or sent by users.
   
   

   

   

   
• • Be suspicious of every e-mail that asks you to hand over personal information, no matter if the sender is a close relative or a trustworthy institution. Remember: your bank would never ask you for your credit card details via e-mail; Facebook would never ask for your account credentials this way either. If you receive an e-mail from them linking to their site, don’t click on the link provided. Instead, open the respective site from a new window, just to avoid accessing a fake one.
   
  • Beware of phishing attacks. Keep yourself informed about new phishing methods and for extra protection, install an internet security suite that comes with Antiphishing and Safe Browsing to warn you against malicious websites. BullGuard’s internet security suite comes with such features.
   
  • Don’t be too trusting when it comes to the security of file-sharing platforms. It’s best you have your own security in place, i.e. effective antivirus protection like the one offered by BullGuard Internet Security 12. Its antivirus engine protects your computer even from the newest forms of malware.
   
  • Make sure you have a solid Firewall installed on your PC, to counter any network attacks from hackers.
   
  • Be careful with public Wi-fi hotspots. It’s best you don’t bank or shop online while connected to a hotspot, as you never know what prying eyes might be “watching” your transaction and steal your financial details.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
                                                        
   

2 more annotations...

• The losses suffered as a result of software piracy directly affect the profitability of the software industry.
•  Because of the money lost to pirates, publishers have fewer resources to devote to research and development of new products, have less revenue to justify lowering software prices and are forced to pass these costs on to their customers
• Aside from the legal consequences of using pirated software, users of pirated software forfeit some practical benefits as well
• • Increase the chances that the software will not function correctly or will fail completely;
   
  • Forfeit access to customer support, upgrades, technical documentation, training, and bug fixes;
   
  • Have no warranty to protect themselves;
   
  • Increase their risk of exposure to a debilitating virus that can destroy valuable data;
   
  • May find that the software is actually an outdated version, a beta (test) version, or a nonfunctioning copy;
   
  • Are subject to significant fines for copyright infringement; and
   
  • Risk potential negative publicity and public and private embarrassment.
• It is also worth noting that the use of pirated software also drives up the costs for legitimate users

3 more annotations...

• 72 percent of teenagers have profiles on social networking websites.
• Online, people freely attack and slander each other anonymously.
• The traditional “Golden Rule” is as true online as it is in real life: Treat people the way you hope to be treated.
• Make sure your children know how to discern whether information online is true or false, and teach them to be skeptical of what they read online.
• Teach your children that responsible digital citizens don’t share private information on Facebook or anywhere else. Remind them that the information they share online not only affects them but the entire family.
• If your children saw a student at their school getting teased or bullied on the playground, would they say something to a teacher? Hopefully, the answer is yes. The same rule should apply online.

4 more annotations...