What are security risks with using a router provided by your ISP?

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What are security risks with using a router provided by your ISP? -

If you're like most people, you probably pay a monthly rent to pay for your router to your ISP; it is most common for US consumers to use the equipment provided by the ISP technician who installed their network. Selecting this option makes sense in many ways, particularly for the less tech savvy individuals it removes all the hassle of shopping for your own equipment and pay for it before and it gives you peace of mind to know that if your equipment breakdown or malfunction, it will be replaced and installed quickly, usually at no cost to you.

and in many cases, there is nothing wrong with this choice, unless you are concerned about the safety information on devices connected to your network, or care about privacy Internet. Because contrary to what you may think, routers provided by your ISP are very vulnerable to security risks such as hacking and espionage. Read on to learn more about the rented routers and how you and your information from prying eyes and malicious actors to protect.

Why my ISP router vulnerable to security risks?

One of the things that makes renting your router from your ISP so attractive is also the thing that makes the most problematic from the standpoint of security. Here's why: Your cable company ensures that the people who install your router can also troubleshoot and support for you from a remote location, usually through a backdoor frame you, the consumer, have no control. You can not turn it off or delete it to refuse access to the equipment by your ISP.

And this is where the vulnerability resides, because hackers can access your home network using the same backdoor channels your Internet provider uses. Once the back door of your router is violated, all the information that flows through your home network is at risk for hackers.

How can I protect my home network against hackers?

If you know your way around the domestic network equipment, you have some options, ranging from basic to advanced to try yourself

Start by changing the user name by and default password for your network administrator credentials. it is often the same for thousands of devices and are sometimes listed online. You can and should also set a password for your WiFi while you are connected to your router.

Then you change the SSID from the default name to something unique. The SSID is how your network is identified and often default to something obvious like "Netgear" or be sure not to use the credentials in your network name "Linksys."; For example, if you live in an apartment C, do not name your network "Apt C," and do not use your name or first name.

If you're a more advanced user, you can log into your router and put update the firmware. most manufacturers release firmware updated periodically, especially if the vulnerabilities were identified. If you're a real pro, you can even install other firmware such as DD-WRT and Tomato based on Linux.

You can also go to the standard 2.4 GHz band to a more stable one 5 GHz, reducing the range of your WiFi, exhibitor unless malicious actors and diminishing the possibility of a hack.

would not be a VPN Be better protection of security?

a VPN is probably the simplest and most effective security solution for vulnerable home network routers. A VPN uses a proxy to protect your Internet activity from your ISP and unauthorized eyes and fully encrypts your Internet traffic so that your private information remains safe from hackers. It also protects you from advertisers and other companies that monitor your business and mine your data without your consent

Using a VPN to hide your IP address and encrypt your data is hassle for the user. Once it is installed and configured, you simply turn it on and your navigation and personal information is protected from security risks. In addition, you can also use your VPN on your mobile devices to protect your data when connected to public WiFi hotspots.

Hotspot Shield provides security online through a toll for the VPN location to States States. However, if you go to the Hotspot Shield Elite, you can choose the location of your navigation 15+ different international sites, which means you can access your favorite websites even when you are traveling abroad, or display geo-protected websites any location.

Click below to get your Hotspot free download Shield VPN:

If you are concerned about the security of your home network, especially if you rent your router your ISP, Hotspot Shield VPN is an easy way to eliminate the risk.

All you need to know about Phishing

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All you need to know about Phishing -

If you have received a phishing email, would you be able to recognize it before it too late? Phishing is a crime in which identity thieves try to obtain sensitive personal information from you by posing as a trusted source in the electronic communication. For example, an identity thief may pose as a friend, your bank or your favorite charity in an attempt to get your credit card information, account passwords, and more.

phishers can you targeted email, text, social media messages, and pop-up ads, and they get more sophisticated in their efforts daily. Here are some red flags to watch for and what you can do about them so that you do not become the next victim of a phishing scam.

Watch for words like "Check" and "Confirm"

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), three of the most commonly used in phishing scams ploys include emails or text with the following messages:

  • "We noticed a suspicious transaction on your account to ensure that your account is not compromised, please click on the link. -Dessous to verify your identity. "
  • " in a review of our accounts, we could not confirm your information. Click here to review and confirm your information. "
  • " your account was overloaded. please call within seven days for a refund. "

Financial institutions will never ask you to verify or confirm anything that requires log-in information online. Your bank or other financial institution already knows the information; they ask you.

Beware of Urgency

It is the dream of every phisher to have you act first and later, creating a sense of urgency that works for fraudsters . legitimate entities do not, then you should be instantly suspicious when you see it. For example, email or text could mean that you only have X days to respond or ask you to take immediate action of some sort. Remember that legitimate institutions are going to call, no email you in case of a real emergency. And even then they will not ask for sensitive information; they usually just ask you to verify some activity on your account.

Look for illegitimate links

Always be wary of emails that contain links. Often, the phishers will include the link text that appears legitimate, as http://BankofAmerica.com. However, when you mouse over the link, you'll see the actual URL that you will need. If the two are different, something is up

When you mouse over the link, so make sure it starts with. "Https: //" if you know the site is encrypted. Finally, do not be fooled by URLs that have apparently credible parts for them, as "http://www.BankofAmerica-verification.com." A financial institution would not be a separate website just for identity verification, so you know that the site is a ploy

Various Red Flags

Here are some characteristics of phishing messages you'll want to look for :.

  • Misspellings and typos. legitimate emails are misspelled words, poor or missing punctuation and bad grammar. The e-mails from financial institutions and credible companies are well polished and well edited, so if you see errors, leaving the only email.
  • generic greeting. phishing messages often begin with greetings indefinable, like "Dear Customer" or "account user Cher." Legitimate companies generally use your real name.
  • key missing site. If you go to a website that looks trustworthy, look for the key to your website before entering your login information. key site are images that you choose when creating your login information. increasingly financial institutions use to protect your credentials. If yours is missing, leave the site immediately.
  • suspicious attachments. financial institutions usually do not send attachments in their email communication. Download an attachment could lead to malicious software automatically installed on your computer, so watch for attachments at high risk such as .exe, .scr, .zip and.

What if you are a victim of Phishing Scam A

prevention is always the best protection from online identity. Do not click links, call phone numbers, or download attachments included in suspicious emails. If you receive an email and a concern about your account, call the number on the back of your credit card or go to the main website of the company (not the one included in the e-mail).

Moreover, all is not lost if you realize that you have fallen prey to phishers. Here are the steps you can take to minimize the risk to your identity and accounts:

  1. Update your antivirus program and scan your computer. Make sure you have the latest version of your antivirus software and run a full system scan.
  2. Get in touch with the credit bureaus. You can place a fraud alert on your credit with one of the three credit bureaus for free. This lets creditors know that you could be victim of identity theft.
  3. Change your login credentials. If you have found the log-in information, make sure to change your passwords immediately.
  4. Forward the email to the institution. That the institution of the phisher pretends to be about the email and send it to spam@uce.gov.

phishers are coming up with more compelling messages all the time. With these tips, however, you have the knowledge to identify suspicious emails and take steps to protect yourself.

Outcast pilot episode: View all

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Outcast pilot episode: View all -

When the Walking Dead created October 31, 2010-just in time for it Halloween- immediately gained a loyal following, which continues to grow with each season premiere. The Walking Dead has been celebrated because it focuses less on the tropes that define the zombie horror at that time, such as running and shooting, and more about building the tension and drama that is one of the reasons the show is so well received by viewers and criticism.

So when it was announced at New York Comic Con in 2013 that Outcast, one of the other works Walking dead creator Robert Kirkman, is to get his own adaptation of the TV critics and viewers could not help but have high expectations for the show. With Walking Dead set the bar for the horror TV, Outcast should have the right components to do the same, if not better.

Outcast is a horror drama based on the comic of the same name. It revolves around a man named Kyle Barnes, whose relatives have experienced chronic episodes of demonic possession throughout his life. Mobilize the help of a reverend after his wife was possessed by demons, Kyle soon discovers that he actually has the ability to exorcise demons with a single touch.

The first season of Outcast is to premiere June 3 on Cinemax. The pilot episode was screened at the SXSW Festival last March, months before the beginning of television. British publication The Telegraph UK called the show a "hit compulsively creepy" and gave the episode screened 4 stars out of 5. Entertainment Weekly said he shook the public SXSW, while Collider described as "the harrowing and emotional. "

If you're dying to know if the show is worth all the hype it was getting, or if you are curious to see how the series will be received by viewers and critical, then you surely will not want to miss the first episode.

Where to watch the pilot episode of Outcast

If you are a resident of the United States subscribes to Cinemax, you can take the Cinemax first season on June 3 at 22:00 EST. The series will also be available on the application of Cinemax MAX GO, which can be accessed if you have a Cinemax subscription.

The first episode is now available on YouTube, giving potential viewers a good first look at this promising series. Unfortunately, this option is for US residents only; if you do not live in the US, you will not be able to access the video in normal circumstances.

To watch, you will need release , either through a site proxy server or a virtual private network (VPN), you can download free . If you had to choose between the two, the best choice would be of course a VPN. Unlike proxies , where the information you just send through an intermediary, VPN pass all information through an encrypted tunnel, replacing your IP address and do the 'safer experience.

Hotspot Shield VPN to access the blocked content

Hotspot Shield is one of the most reliable virtual private networks today, install it on your device, be it a laptop, tablet or smartphone, you can access content limited US as the first episode of Outcast. You can also install the application as an extension to your Firefox or Chrome browser.

limited Unlocking US content is made possible by a key feature of Hotspot Shield VPN: access to a US server. When you use Hotspot Shield for free, your device is automatically given a US IP address, making it look like you are browsing a US location. This new IP address also helps to surf online safely and anonymously, providing a safer online session. Get free Hotspot Shield now:

Other features of Hotspot Shield VPN

The free app has also a number of additional features that make it a must for your device. Apart from access to the free content US, Hotspot Shield VPN also allows you to unlock your favorite sites such as Youtube and Facebook allowing you to bypass filters and firewalls on your network.

Use Hotspot Shield also means you do not have to worry about hackers and spies monitoring your online activities. First, it secures your sensitive data such as messages, passwords, and banking provides an encrypted tunnel to protect against unwanted access. When you connect to public hotspots such as Wi-Fi to the nearest Starbucks, Hotspot Shield also protects against other users that can potentially spy on your online session.
Outcast is easily one of the most anticipated horror of the 2016 drama, and you can be among the first fans of the series.

Download Hotspot Shield for your device and watch the first episode of Outcast now!

Get Hotspot Shield for Android!

What is metadata? Tips to protect your privacy

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What is metadata? Tips to protect your privacy -

Metadata is descriptive information that identifies your communications and other activities. In other words, it is all the information that can be collected from your e-mails, phone calls, purchase histories, and different places you frequent. Governments around the world have been accused of obtaining and tracking metadata to keep track of citizens through legal means, without a search warrant, but opponents of this practice consider it a major violation of privacy.

What is metadata?

one of the most controversial aspects of the metadata collection is the vague definition of metadata. Almost all types of structured information can be grouped in the definition, but everything seems to be summarized as "data about data." Metadata can include IP addresses, email addresses, addresses, billing information, types of online services used, favorite websites, the date, time and duration of a communication, downloads, and the location of your computer, phone or other device.

What is the Big Deal?

on the surface, using metadata to protect citizens seems like a good idea, but it is a huge intrusion of privacy most people are not willing to accept . Where countries collect and store metadata in third or offshore data centers on a large scale, the security risk is unimaginable. opponents of these types of data storage systems, such as American whistleblower Edward Snowden, have said they are not public safety programs as they are touted, but they are spying programs.

Government entities such as the National Security Agency (NSA), the local police, and others took advantage of uncertain legal status metadata to collect data on innocent Americans. New technological advances, more targeted metadata becomes. For example, social media, not only reveals information such as a person's sexual orientation, but the status updates, check-ins, and GPS all, it's easy to track your daily itinerary and time in which your home is unoccupied.

workplace, metadata is frequently and unknowingly leaked out of the office, which results in sensitive corporate information being spread. The restriction or prohibition of the use of social media at work is irrelevant because the metadata is embedded in Microsoft Office documents, PDF files, email, images and other files, so it can be difficult to know how to protect yourself against unnecessary sharing, no matter who you are.

Metadata in action

When shopping, retailers keep track of every item you buy for statistical purposes. You've probably experienced the result of metadata when the cashier gives you coupons that are relevant to your purchase history. Retailers have even been able to correctly infer pregnancies customers based on purchasing data alone. In fact, the target was in the news in recent years to correctly guess that a teenager in Minnesota was pregnant, and the retailer has started sending product information related baby despite the fact that his father was unaware of her pregnancy. If this seems to be a major violation of privacy, it is -. And it is not only a problem limited to the US

In 2015, Australia adopted the controversial laws of metadata preservation that made it legal for the government and the police and metadata recording keep it on file for two years. And the Australian Government is not only allowed to keep this information - they are actively: every text message, email and phone call made in Australia will be monitored under the guise of protecting the country against organized crime and terrorism. This is the value of personal phone calls, website visits and other personal information collected on every Australian citizen two years -.? All without a single mandate

What this means to you

Everyone in the stores you frequent application of the local law is in your power personal information, but rather than stop there, it goes all the way to national security agencies and the federal government. It has become virtually impossible to prevent the metadata to be collected and stored on a large scale, and it is a huge problem of ethics that may have unintended consequences.

In Australia, where preservation of metadata is now legal, if you are a family fighting the court for custody of your children, your ex can assign personal data that can identify exactly where you are at a given time and how much you spend on nonessentials. Imagine having every aspect of your daily life examined to place blame on you as an individual, and we are only beginning to speculate about the consequences.

Prevent Free Metadata Collection

Luckily, regardless of whether your government felt retention metadata legal or not, there are ways to prevent it. The use of VPN server / proxy is a popular way to disguise your identity and fraudulent geo-locations. Masking your IP address is a good start, since you are essentially creating an intermediary who does not exist. Hotspot Shield is designed to keep all your information private and secure while offering unrestricted access to content, making it an ideal choice for Internet users who want to avoid a new collection of their personal information.

In addition to blocking your IP address, Hotspot Shield gives you a completely anonymous and improved safety online surfing experience that protects passwords, instant messages and transactions financial and best of all, the basic version is free (ad-supported)!

Protect your privacy by taking steps to prevent metadata storage systems to get your information. Download Hotspot Shield today.

5 things you need to do when using a VPN

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5 things you need to do when using a VPN -

A virtual private network (VPN) provides a large number of features and is one of the best free to download tools that you can use to improve your browsing experience. A VPN like Hotspot Shield has dozens of benefits, including access to blocked content, secure online sessions, and added malware protection, among others.

Best of all, they can be enjoyed without having to shell out money, so there's really no reason for not using a VPN.

If you are not currently a VPN user or plan to install one in your device, here are some tips to maximize the functionality of your software. Remember these tips for a safer and more pleasant experience navigating when using a VPN.

  1. Check your IP address

access to the contents of the locked region, network bypass for unblocking websites and secure browsing are some of the advantages that make a VPN a great tool for personal use, and all this is possible because of a feature that hides a real IP address of user and temporarily replaces it with one from a different virtual location.

However, sometimes the connection to a different virtual location fails, which can be due to many factors such as Internet connection issues or system slowdowns. To make sure that you are successfully connected to the virtual location for, always check your IP address. An easy way to do this is to go to site verification IP address such as whatismyipaddress.com and whatsmyip.org.

  1. Keep your updated antivirus

While the internet is a mine gold content and information, it is also plagued links and sites with infected malware attacks. Installing a VPN on your device greatly improves your protection against malware such as ransomware, spyware, keyloggers, and fake security software, to name a few. But just to make sure you are fully protected, always keep your antivirus up to date.

  1. Do not forget your firewall

Firewalls are specifically created as a protection base for your device against malicious autonomous software such as viruses and malware, then always make sure that your firewall is running. Your firewall, combined with an updated antivirus and VPN, provides solid defense for your system and device against online attacks.

  1. Turn off location-based services

As its name suggests, the location-based services (LBS) are applications and services installed on devices that rely on location and time of a user of the day for some functions, making use of various monitoring tools such as GPS. Since these run continuously in the background, it is easy for users to forget them.

As you connect to another virtual location using a VPN, you can also forget that these applications are running. You may not know, but LBS can actually escape your exact location nosy, even when connected to the Internet via a VPN. To make things safer for you, turn off all LBS your device while using a VPN. Here is a great resource on how to disable Google's location tracking.

  1. Clear History and browser cookies

Surfing online while using a VPN makes your course sessions, because it allows you to surf anonymously and enjoy a secure, encrypted tunnel for all your information together. However, all the Web sites you visit are retained even after you turn off your VPN. It's the same for cookies from the site.

Cookies are useful to keep track of your online activities, but it can also be used for monitoring.

To protect your system and the device even after disconnecting from a VPN, remember to delete your history and cookies.

Hotspot Shield VPN

If you are looking for the best free download VPN, then you are at right place. Hotspot Shield is one of the most reliable VPNs today. First, it allows you to access sites that are blocked in your country and your local network. You also get to hide your IP address, surf anonymously, establish an encrypted connection, block malware infected sites, and secure your sessions while connected to public hotspots, providing online browsing experience safely.

Free download Hotspot Shield VPN and discover the best ways to enjoy and stay safe online!

Rio 2016 Opening Ceremony: Livestream Everywhere

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Rio 2016 Opening Ceremony: Livestream Everywhere -

The Rio 2016 Olympics are finally here and we can not wait to see some of our favorite athletes competition for gold, their country and for their love of the sport. Taking place once every four years, the Summer Olympic Games this year is expected to start August 5, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

How to watch live worldwide

Depending on the country where you currently live, you may not be able to access these sites due to regional restrictions. To work around this problem, you can download Hotspot Shield VPN and upgrade to the Elite Version. In doing so, not only will you be able to stream live games everywhere, you can also access it from more than 20 international virtual sites, all for a small fee.

This is a step by step guide on how you can live stream games worldwide:

  1. Download Hotspot Shield VPN - Install Hotspot Shield VPN software on your device so you can access the contents of the locked region. Hotspot Shield is available for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android, allowing you to enjoy using any device.
  1. Upgrade to the Elite version of - The free version automatically changes your IP address to a US IP address. By upgrading Elite, you'll be able to access the live broadcast of the games not only a place in the United States, but more than 20 virtual locations, which means more ways to enjoy games .
  1. Select favorite site - the day the Games begin, select a location from the list provided above. Do note that some of these sites may use different languages ​​
  1. Connect to a virtual location -. Once you have selected a site, open the Hotspot Shield Elite app, select the virtual location that corresponds to your website of choice, then click Connect. You can now watch the games.
  1. live streaming Enjoy the games!

The Opening Ceremony

The opening ceremony is the biggest and most important events in the games. Tune 5 August to watch the spectacle unfold the world famous Maracanã stadium.

All you need to do is download Hotspot Shield VPN on your device to enjoy access to websites that provide live streaming for games.

where To Live Streaming Rio Games

The following is a list of websites where you can watch the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games summer Olympics 2016 in Rio live:

Location Broadcaster Price
US NBC (an hour late)

http://www.nbc.com/live

Subscription
UK BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcone

free (requires TV license)
FR France Télévisions

http://www.francetelevisions.fr/

Canal +

http: //www.canalplus. /pid3580-live-tv-clair.html[1945025fr]

free

free

CA CBC sports

http://www.cbc.ca/player/sports/Live%20Streaming

free
DK DR

https://www.dr.dk/tv/live/dr1/

TV2

http: / / play.tv2.dk/live/#tv-2

free

free

SE TV3

http://www.tv3play.se/

free
TO ARD

http: //www.daserste.de/live/index.html context = livestream

free
NL NOS

http://www.npo.nl/live

free
RU C1R

http: //www.1tv .ru / live

Russia 1

http://live.russia.tv/index/index/channel_id/1

free

free

BR Rede Globo

https://globoplay.globo.com/

free
SP RTVE

http://www.rtve.es/directo/la-1 /

free
CH CCTV

http://english.cntv.cn/live/cctv5/

free
MX channel 22

http://www.canal22.org.mx/p/internet/

free
CZ CT

http://www.ceskatelevize.cz/ct24#live

free
TO older.7

https://au.tv.yahoo.com/plus7/live/

free (requires postcode)
HK TVB

http://mytv.tvb.com/tc/live/jade

free
IE RTE

http://www.rte.ie/live/

free
TR FOX

http://www.fox. com .tr / canli-yayin

free
AU 1TV

http://1tv.com.ua/live

free

advantages of Hotspot Shield Free and Elite versions

with the free version , the benefits include a US default IP address, access to websites blocked by your local network administrator, anonymous browsing, encrypted connections secure sessions when connecting via public hotspots, and better protection against malware.

The Elite Version not only the features access to multiple virtual locations, but also a multi-device support, navigation without advertising, dedicated customer support , comprehensive protection malware cloud-based, and improved bandwidth, in addition to all the benefits of the free version.

Get the free Hotspot Shield VPN software upgrade to Elite now so you can enjoy access to all sites live broadcast the Games 2016 Olympic summer Rio!

SXSW - Vote for AnchorFree CEO David

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SXSW - Vote for AnchorFree CEO David -

Are you excited for South by Southwest? We are!

South by Southwest (SXSW) is an annual series of music, film and interactive festival held in Austin, Texas. The event attracts thought leaders around the world with different industries and environments for 10 days to engage in dialogue.

If you had to choose an event to learn and experience the best of the best, you'll be happy picking SXSW.

Our CEO, David Gorodyansky, is one of those chosen by the SXSW PanelPicker to speak at SXSW Interactive Panel.

If selected, he will speak on the very important subject of social entrepreneurship in the world today that focuses on successful while making and delivery good to the world.

Vote for AnchorFree CEO David Gorodyansky for SXSW! Thank you very much.

Have you been to SXSW? What are your thoughts on social entrepreneurship?

We would like to hear your comments and thoughts. Let us know by commenting below. Thanks for the reading.

Be Aware: Sniff your Wi-Fi data may be legal

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Be Aware: Sniff your Wi-Fi data may be legal -

Did you know that you are using an unprotected connection or non-encrypted Wi-Fi can affect your safety online privacy and without legal options available to you? Snoopers can monitor and track your Internet activities while being within the electronic anti-listening legislation.

Kevin Bankston of the Center for Democracy & Technology in a recent session at Defcon said the law does not specify whether the interception of non-encrypted Wi-Fi is legal or illegal. He attributed this to the various interpretations of the law and lack of judicial precedent. The law forbids the exhumation of the contents of communications unless the content is readily available to the public.

The definition of " accessible to the general public 'might not cover the unencrypted radio communication, he added. This means a company or even a public Wi-Fi provider, logging all your Wi-Fi activity and data can be protected by the right to do so.

Because of the imprecise cyber laws and increasing online data fraud, need an impenetrable Internet security solution is high

3 tips to protect yourself :.

you can begin to protect you when you go online, anywhere, easily though. Try these 3 tips to see what you can do:

  1. Log in to secure its Wi-Fi Believe it or not, a simple password protected Wi -Fi you are. aware of offers more protection than a Wi-Fi connection that everyone can connect. If your area or places where you often go to offer a premium membership, it is best to go with these subscriptions to reduce the number of people on the same network.
  2. Get a good VPN. you know the drill: a reliable VPN service helps you secure your data and surf the Internet in complete privacy and enhanced security. The advantage of using a Virtual Private Network or VPN is that it supports encrypted network traffic and secures all data that you send or receive via Wi-Fi as well. You can connect to Wi-Fi while keeping your active VPN, and you should be fully guaranteed.
  3. Be aware of what is happening on your devices. If you install an application, make sure you have a good Anti-Virus like Comodo that monitors all application activity. If you have sensitive data, encrypt it with something like TrueCrypt. You must not be paranoid: you just have to be aware of what is already happening on your computer.

Fortunately Be Aware! 🙂

The laws are followed by later faults that crawl when technology moves quickly from one level to another in a short time. You can not remain solely dependent on the law for the security and privacy of your online activities. Instead, you must set with one of the many free options available online.

Make a fun project. Find out what you like VPN (Hotspot Shield, of course !: D)., Which runs antivirus software and looks great, and what a password manager (I prefer LastPass) you trust and why

Take our survey and help us to help you!

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Take our survey and help us to help you! -

Here in Hotspot Shield, we work hard to improve our products and meet the needs of our customers. We want to hear your comments on how you use our product, what you do like and what we can change that Hotspot Shield for a better experience for you!

Please take a moment to complete our survey. We promise it will not take too long!

Click here to take our survey.

New Hotspot Shield for Mac Release!

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New Hotspot Shield for Mac Release! -

The latest Mac version of Hotspot Shield VPN, the 2.85 version is now available for download! This release is only for Mac users with 64-bit hardware. If you have Hotspot Shield VPN installed on your Mac, it will automatically update. For our new users, you can download Hotspot Shield 2.85 version here. We also have a version called Ad-Free Hotspot Shield Elite, which can be purchased at the low price of $ 4.99 / month. New features include:

  • Pause Protection: Pause protection on your PC with Hotspot Shield at any time from 15 minutes or even an hour. Hotspot Shield reconnects automatically after the time is up
  • Selector Virtual Location :. Select your virtual location from the US, UK or Australia

Thanks to all Mac users to wait patiently for this new version!

As for our PC users, there is a minor update for Hotspot Shield for you too! Hotspot Shield the 2.88 version is now available for download. This version has improved performance for Windows 8 and maintenance. Version 2.88 will be automatically updated on your PC when connecting to Hotspot Shield.

Watch March Madness Online with your VPN

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Watch March Madness Online with your VPN -

March Madness continues to push streaming coverage of online sports, beyond the limits of regional television stations . All 67 games in the NCAA basketball tournament will be broadcast live for sports fans in the United States. But if you are out of the country, you are locked out of the game - unless you have a VPN to hide your IP address and change it to one of the United States

March Madness is. a single elimination tournament, with the best American college teams. It opens March 19 with 64 teams and ends in the final on April 8. It is known to avid fans establishment of paris office pools, the reorganization of working hours, and with their social lives revolve around the tournament. Over 20 million viewers across the United States watched March Madness last year on their TVs. Increasingly, they also follow the action on their smartphones and tablets, with over 1.1 million unique visits per day on the site of the NCAA at the event.

March Madness this year will be another test case of a limited pay wall in action: NCAA March Madness App Live®. If you are already a subscriber of pay television, this application allows you to obtain continuous access to games through all your no additional cost display devices. As a teaser added for 2013 NCAA March Madness Live® gives all users up to four hours of free live game before requiring registration. Last year, it cost $ 3.99. And another plus for 2013, games broadcast on CBS TV will be broadcast on CBSSports.com.

The tournament has a huge base of fans online. For comparison, 2013 Super Bowl attracted three million unique viewers online for an afternoon event. March Madness brings over a million viewers on average each day throughout the tournament.

And like the Super Bowl, online sports will probably be limited to viewers with an American GeoIP. Try to look at from a location in the UK or Germany, and you'll probably see just a gray screen and a message "data loading error".

This is a shortsighted policy, especially given the popularity of basketball in the world. You must not be a graduate of Gonzaga University to appreciate "good game." Why hijack a global audience? And why restrict the fans who are abroad because of work or studies

Sports fans outside the US has few options: you can find a sports bar "American" look streaming video from sources of questionable P2P, or just use the Hotspot Shield VPN connection to hide your IP address and unblock restrictions CBSSports.com. Now that something to celebrate.

Lyle Frink on Google+

CISPA is ba-aack!

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CISPA is ba-aack! -

CISPA is back, hanging over your online privacy. Warning!

Last April CISPA (the Act on the Protection and Cyber ​​Intelligence Sharing) proposed to allow the US government and private companies to circumvent the protections of privacy and the normal view all information exchanged by US citizens. The law made it very easy for private companies and government to see your online activities, spy on your mobile messages, and also block access to social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Gmail or YouTube.

The proposed law passed the House of Representatives but died in the Senate after a veto threat from President Obama and mass demonstrations organized by defenders of privacy and rights organizations civilians. Now, less than a year later, CISPA was reintroduced in Congress. Even more worrying, the Congress discussed this law behind closed doors.

New CISPA, like old CISPA would save social media companies like Twitter, Facebook or Microsoft any official responsibility when they pass your personal data online to the government, regardless of your life private. This bill allows the government to use the data for purposes not related to cyber privacy.

Critics say the new CISPA is almost unchanged from the version last year, giving the government unlimited access to data without requiring personal information such as names or numbers identification to be stripped out.

supporters say they need the ability to share information about new threats without responsibility or anti-trust concerns. A positive example they cite is the anti-virus industry exchange information about new malware. But unlike CISPA, antivirus companies do not share information that includes personal data of individuals. In addition, CISPA came into existence because the government thinks you might have abused content on the Internet under copyright. With the help of CISPA they can easily label you as a "cyber threat" and force a particular website to send your personal information, which could go to your Gmail historic, sites that you have visited on the Internet, videos you watched, etc.

If CISPA becomes law, it will represent a major risk to your privacy online. And this could undermine your freedom online. You feel more free while browsing the Internet

With Congress about to begin debate on this law, it is time for you to make your voice heard. You can contact your elected representatives or other groups such as the ACLU, the Center for Democracy and Technology (www.cdt.org) or the Electronic Frontier Fonda (www.eff.org) to oppose the bill . Of course, using Hotspot Shield VPN may also reduce your concerns about online safety. Hotspot Shield keeps your online privacy and allows you to navigate in complete anonymity. It replaces your original IP address with a new US IP address. This way, no one-not a business, nor the government can see your online activities.

Digital certificates falsified Add Risks for private browsing on WiFi

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Digital certificates falsified Add Risks for private browsing on WiFi -

Imagine this scenario: You sit in the corner of a coffee incognito their public WiFi network, espresso iPad in one hand and in the other, safely away from snoops. A man wearing a black apron stops, tells you how much you owe, and you pay.

But you just put your money in a fraud.

This is similar to cybercrime scenario known as a "man in the middle" attack, or alternatively, as thanks to a falsified certificate "bucket brigade." - Functioning as a black apron of the impostor - the hacker is able to make you pass your private information to them without your even realizing it. Oops.

Man in the middle attacks (MITM) are a leap beyond the typical assault sniffing WiFi. With sniffing, the hacker is a passive participant, simply intercept and read unencrypted data packets. MITM attacks allow a hacker to both listen and actively influence intercepted messages. That's the difference between someone knowing you have ordered an espresso and someone who can change your order to a double cappuccino and sent to someone else table with you foot the bill. In other words, it is a much more serious issue.

To return to the metaphor black apron, a digital certificate functions as a uniform emblazoned with the logo of the coffee. It is supposed to tell you that the person wearing it can be trusted with your money. On the Internet, a digital certificate includes details such as the issuer, subject, serial number and date to show that the associated public key issued by one of several certificate authorities. It is meant to say, "Trust me. This transaction continues. "

MITM attacks are relatively rare, especially when compared to sniffing attacks the most common. It is a lot more work for hackers to subvert the certification system. But it happens. And it is simply individual criminals who commit it. Nokia recently been unmasked for its unencrypting MITM HTTPS traffic style. Some governments are also interested in getting in the middle of online conversations of their citizens.

for protect against sniffers or MITM attackers, you have two basic options. First, you can use the HTTPS protocol, more secure to hide your internet activities. for more complete coverage, use a VPN. by connecting to Internet via VPN, you create a protected tunnel that makes all of your incognito - no man in the middle listening to your conversation or steal your sensitive information

Lyle Frink on Google+

Most Interesting Wi-Fi Points

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Most Interesting Wi-Fi Points -

Yesterday Softonic our partners gave away a free iPad and subscription to Hotspot Shield Elite to a lucky winner. They also gave away free subscriptions Hotspot Shield Elite 5 runner-up winners. For a chance to win, participants had to respond creatively to a simple question: " Where is the random Wi-Fi hotspot that you have connected to the Internet from "

the winner of the iPad subscription and Hotspot Shield Elite went to Kellie Rose Wilson for his creative rhyme about his more random the Wi-Fi hotspot location. Curious where random Wi-Fi hotspot location is Kellie? Discover clicking here.

If you think about it, it was rare to find public Wi-Fi hotspots ago 5 years. But now, public Wi-Fi hotspots are everywhere!

They are usually found in hotels, coffee shops airports, etc. According to the Wireless Broadband Alliance, the number of public Wi-Fi hotspots is set to triple to 5.8 million worldwide by 2015!

Future public Wi-Fi hotspots should be located in many parks, tourist attractions and transport hubs. So why is there a huge growth spurt? Indeed, smartphones and tablets are the original public Wi-Fi growth. About 57% of people use their smartphones or tablets to connect to public Wi-Fi hotspots, while only 39% of people use laptops .

In exchange for a free public Internet access WiFi, what does it cost you? Well, it puts you at risk to threats to privacy and security.

public Wi-Fi networks are unsecure, which makes it easier for hackers to steal your private information and data. The likelihood of identity theft and online fraud is quite high because not only are we connected to an unsecured wireless network, but chances are our mobile devices are not protected as well.

There are many tips to follow that will help ensure the privacy and security when you connect to public Wi-Fi hotspots. However, the best advice is to use a VPN like Hotspot Shield for your mobile device to add that extra layer of protection. Hotspot Shield is available for mobile devices iPhone and Android, so be sure to use the next time you connect to a public Wi-Fi hotspot.

Use public Wi-Fi hotspots often? If so, where are you and what do you do to protect yourself on Wi-Fi? Do you have a random Wi-Fi hotspot location you want to share? We would appreciate your answers!

How to compress data on your iPhone with Hotspot Shield

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How to compress data on your iPhone with Hotspot Shield -

I am an avid user of the iPhone and I use my iPhone to virtually everything since I'm still on the road. However, I was frustrated with my data plan recently. I was originally an unlimited data plan until my cell phone provider offered more when renewing my contract. Instead, I was given three data plan options: 250MB, 3GB or 5GB. To think that I will not consume a lot of data, I settled on the 3GB data plan. Boy, was I wrong

To share pictures on Facebook and Instagram for checking emails on my iPhone, I always find myself getting that dreaded text each month from my cell phone provider:

" You used 100% of your data plan allowance. You are charged $ 15 for an extra 0mb ".

data plans are indeed expensive, but it's such a pain to try and minimize data usage.

Fortunately there is a solution to support heavy data users like me. The use of data compression application such as Hotspot Shield reduces data usage and saves money on data from mobile users plans. So how does it work? Well, as Web content Forgot your mobile device to the secure servers of Hotspot Shield, it is packed. Therefore, you are able to download up to two times more content for the same cost of bandwidth!

Instructions on how to compress data on your iPhone Hotspot Shield
Follow these easy instructions in our "How-To" video! Look here

The advantages of Hotspot Shield VPN
In addition to data saving, Hotspot Shield VPN provide these benefits :.

  • Wi-Fi security: Protect yourself against hackers in public Wi-Fi hotspots, such as airports, hotels and cafes
  • Anonymous Browsing: Surf the Web anonymously without being tracked or monitored
  • Bypass Internet Censorship: Enable a website or applications worldwide
  • Malware protection: Detects all forms of malware

So what do you expect? Hotspot Shield download for your mobile device today!

  • Download Hotspot Shield VPN for iPhone / iPad
  • Download Hotspot Shield VPN for Android

Priscilla Lopez on Google+

David Gorodyansky on Bloomberg TV: Measuring the continued growth of VPN

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David Gorodyansky on Bloomberg TV: Measuring the continued growth of VPN -


On July 9, AnchorFree CEO David Gorodyansky, appeared on Bloomberg TV In "Taking Stock". Primm her interview with Fox, he discussed the continued growth of the virtual network and private change in the trend of Hotspot Shield users.

in response to the question of Primm, "Did someone call?" Gorodyansky said VPNs are for everyone. In the past, business users could benefit from this confidentiality to protect their corporate data. Recently, however, more and more consumers have also begun to use them as a way to protect their personal data. Just to give you an idea of ​​its popularity enlarging 40,000 emails per hour consumption are now secured 2.3 billion and social network messages are protected using Hotspot Shield

In terms of growth, Hotspot Shield has seen a further increase. 30 million consumers in the last 30 days. This tremendous growth among consumers is triggered by various events such as major epidemics of malicious programs, the Arab Spring in Egypt, and online tracking by third parties. This represents an average growth worldwide to be about 250,000 downloads a day and still growing.

Every day, more and more people are interested in protecting online or bypass censorship or to ensure their safety as they use the Internet. Protect yourself! Watch the interview here.

PPS6BPDMRWUX

What is the Great Firewall of China?

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What is the Great Firewall of China? -

This week, British Prime Minister David Cameron announced proposals generalized blocking certain pages of the world-wide-web.

block would be an "always-on" system, with users having to opt-out if they wish to access adult material on the web.

plans have been met with solid play from all sides. Apart from some sites like The Pirate Bay, the public have no experience of not being allowed to access anything on the Internet, and the idea of ​​a default opt-out block does not resonate with the public.

However, a country with a blocking webpage widespread experience is China. An estimated 0 million Internet users in China are subject to the blocking page and surveillance by the Communist Party -. Informally known as "The Great Wall of China" or "GFW"

The history of the Great Wall of China

Chinese public were first granted access to the Internet in July 1995 -. but in August 1996, some pages have been blocked by the GFW
After unrest in Tibet in 08, YouTube has been blocked -. soon followed by the permanent blocking of Facebook and Twitter in July 09, after the riots in Xinjiang

The estimated 3000 "Internet police" help run the GFW and the monitoring program (all this be known officially such as the "golden Shield").

this program blocks some sites deemed "harmful" to the regime and scans all Internet traffic, including personal communications, for anything considered a "threat". As part of this program, many websites (including Facebook and Twitter) will not load, and are blocked.

Can things change?

Interestingly, the Chinese territory of Hong Kong has no Internet blocking in place -. a stark contrast from mainland China

So, does that mean no one in China has access to Facebook or blocked websites? Not quite.

The first round of the GFW is using a virtual private network (VPN).

Usually used for employees of a company wishing to connect to the intranet of the house of the company, a VPN can also be used to try to get around the blocks.

traffic (instead of going directly to the web) is first sent to another computer / server (usually in a different country) and on the wider Internet. the return traffic is routed through the VPN. A secure "tunnel" is created, meaning communication can not be spied on by foreigners. By using a VPN, users can access generally blocked by the Chinese government pages.
Hotspot Shield is a VPN, and one of the most impressive ways it helps people is in situations like this, where they have a real good reason for needing privacy and protection but are usually stopped being so.

The second way to get around the GFW is using a network called Tor.

Tor was originally designed by the US Naval Research Library, but increased in an "anonymity network internationally, or the savior of the people repressed citizens bloggers in some countries, and all other types

what is Tor's like a VPN -. outside connections go through many different nodes before exiting an "exit node". This makes it incredibly difficult to intercept or trace the traffic, and is also less obvious than using a VPN.

Both methods are a good way to try to access certain parts of the Internet in China The Great Firewall blocked, either for fun and socializing, or something more serious as citizen journalism and blogging. However, in 2012, a Chinese ISP began blocking access to virtual private networks -. An interesting development in the history

However, for many people, these two methods above still work to access blocked sites. Fortunately for Internet freedom, the story is not over yet.

Do not fall victim to these types

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Do not fall victim to these types - 7 phishing

are phishing attempts by fraudsters, hackers, and other criminals from having access to computer from someone, financial information, or other personal items to cause harm.

phishing scams are not new, but they have become much more sophisticated as technology has evolved. Phishing scams are also becoming more widespread, which is why it is essential to be on alert and know what some of these phishing scams look like. By being aware of these phishing scams, you can avoid falling into their traps.

phishing scams normal appearance

Many phishing scams tend to look quite normal for the average Internet user. Even experienced web surfers may have a hard time to distinguish a phishing scam something legitimate, given the level of sophistication involved.

The more you know about the following seven phishing attempts, the more you can be on the lookout for them, to protect you:

1. Emails of Friends

Here's the scenario ... You are not logged in to your email account and see a message from a friend. It is a little weird messages, making it sound like your friend is in distress and needs help, or is excited about a "new opportunity" that he or she just needs to share with you.

Your friend provides a link so you can visit the website to understand what he or she is talking or sending money. It seems harmless, so you click on the link.

You may have just been a victim of the most common phishing scams around. The link may be exposing your computer to viruses or another monitoring program, or it can take you to a malicious website where you might end up delivery of your personal information in a criminal source.

If you receive an email from a friend and it seems unusual, send a new email to confirm who sent him. Do not hit 'reply'-composing a brand new message. If you prefer, ask your friend to call you so you can be sure of what really happens.

2. Pictures or attachments to emails

Most of us have fallen for this at one time or another: you receive an email with friend animal pictures or something cute or funny attached. You click on the image to download, but what you do not realize is that you download a virus.

The virus could eventually connect to a malicious site and sending personal information about you that it gathers from files, which could include your bank details or other financial information.

3. False social media profiles

Social media has become an integral part of the daily lives of people. If you are on Facebook, for example, you may have linked to a number of friends and family members. The more people you have in your network, the more difficult it is to keep track of all.

Phishing scammers are trying to build fake profiles using pictures of other people and then try to "add" friends. Friends may think that they were non-friended by mistake, just click "Add Friend" to pirate the profile.

If you have a request, check if your friend is still connected to you, and if he or she is always there to report new profile and tell your friend what happened. Avoid clicking links sent by private message from these new "friends," as these links are probably phishing scams.

4. Scams Nigerian Bank

One of the oldest phishing scams running, the Nigerian banking scam usually starts with an e-mail informing you that either you won the lottery or you had a rich relative in another country who has left you a part of his or her estate. All you need to do to have access to this incredible wealth is to provide your bank account information, and the money will be wired to you.

never even consider the possibility. If you truly have inherited wealth, a lawyer contact you directly, usually through a certified letter or other official means, and you have to go to an office and discuss the transfer of this money. Nigerian phishing scams are easy to spot, so never share your online banking information with someone you do not know.

False 5. Notice your bank

You receive a notice from your bank saying that you need to update your online profile, or check it on suspicion fraudulent activity on it. Of course, you worry. The link provided will take you to a website that looks like your bank, but make sure to check the above web address page ... it is generally not bank.

Your bank will never send you a message asking you to sign. If fraudulent activity is suspected, they will contact you another way. If ever you are concerned, call the official telephone number of your bank to confirm that your account is actually safe.

6. harmful sites

Occasionally, you can search for a Web site, click the link, and end to a malicious site. You can not know that it is malicious, unless you have an ongoing program of anti-spam enforcement. Therefore, it is important to protect yourself by using a program to protect against viruses quality every time you connect to the Internet.

7. "Man in the Middle" attacks

One of the toughest phishing attempts to detect and deter are "man in the middle" attacks. These involve malicious Web sites that appear legitimate and may even appear to be the actual site of the company you are looking for, but they are false the goal of a phishing scammer is to have access to any information you type, such as. your login details or credit card information that can be collected via fraudulent websites.

Always check the site address displayed in your browser window after you click on the links to make sure that you have not been redirected to a fake website. also, use a high quality anti-spam program and Internet protection to help minimize the possibility of being a victim of this type of attack.

Keeping your personal information protected while online is a challenge that continues to grow and evolve. Stay alert, and only share information when you know that the Website or the person you are communicating with is legitimate.

How to watch clips of 'Saturday Night Live' on YouTube without restriction

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How to watch clips of 'Saturday Night Live' on YouTube without restriction -

If you are a big fan of Saturday Night Live , you will be delighted to know that the production company behind the iconic show has recently launched its own YouTube channel without advertising.

According Variety.com, "the canal, YouTube.com/SaturdayNightLive launches with about 2,500 clips from 38 years of the show's history. Another 00 will be charged in the coming weeks, with about 10 clips of the latest episodes, including this Saturday's first season on NBC hosted by Tina Fey. "

The bad news is that these video clips will not be accessible to the American public! I have also heard that, in Canada, older movies are not accessible.

What are your options if you want to watch 'Saturday Night Live' on YouTube?

If you live in the US and want to be able to watch some clips of 'Saturday Night Live' favorite without restriction, there is a solution -. He called a VPN (Virtual Private Network)

VPN service allows you to a VPN tunnel to a server that is in a different location. This allows you to access the Internet and the content you want as if you live there.

So if you want to watch these "Saturday Night Live" YouTube video clips, you can use a VPN service that VPN servers in the UK or Australia or any other place that has unlimited access to YouTube video clips of 'Saturday Night live'. The VPN server requests the content you want on your name and transmits the content to your computer for viewing via the secure tunnel.

Since the VPN service encrypts everything that passes through the tunnel, you can not see may see this content you access. Also, no one will be able to track your online activities because your IP address is hidden behind the VPN server.

Get Hotspot Shield Elite VPN to access your favorite clips 'Saturday Night Live'

If you're ready to watch your favorite clips 'Saturday Night Live' on YouTube, get the Hotspot Shield service Elite VPN now. Hot Spot Shield Elite servers in the U.K. and Australia and has a fast connection speed. VPN technology of Hotspot Shield allows you to unlock YouTube videos or unblock a website, while protecting your privacy and securing your Internet

For more information on Hotspot Shield Elite VPN!

Back to School: Must Follow Internet safety tips for protecting your teens

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Back to School: Must Follow Internet safety tips for protecting your teens -
teenagers

The proliferation of smartphones and tablets has to spend more time online today than at any time during the Internet age.

According to the Pew Research Center 2012 survey that explored the use of technology among the 802 young people aged 12-17 in the United States,

  • 78% teenagers now have a cell phone, and almost half (47%) of these own smartphones. This translates into 37% of all teenagers who have smartphones, against only 23% in 2011.
  • One in four teens (23%) have a tablet computer, a level comparable to the adult population general.
  • 95% of teenagers use the Internet
  • About three in four (74%) adolescents aged 12 -. 17 say they access the Internet on mobile phones, tablets and other mobile devices, at least occasionally.

as children and adolescents back to start the new school year, it is expected that they will spend more time online. The more time they spend online, the more they are exposed to dangerous online threats such as cyberbullying, sexual predators, cyber attacks, and identity theft.

In fact, identity theft is one of the fastest crimes the US rising, and young people are the prime targets for identity theft.

according to a report Carnegie Mellon CyLab of children under 18 are 51 times more likely to be victims of identity theft as their parents!

Since children and adolescents have perfectly clean records and are more careless with the sharing of their personal information online, they are prime targets for identity theft. Once the thief gets the identity of the young, the thief can create many credit accounts using personal identifying information of the adolescent. Of course, the thief will not make any payment to the accounts. As debt accumulates and goes unnoticed, your teen's credit rating will suffer. Consequently, your teen will face immense difficulties trying to obtain student loans, buying a car, rent an apartment or open a bank account.

To reduce the risk of identity theft and other online threats, it is important for teens to be vigilant about their safety and security while surfing online.

Balancing the desire of your teen for connectivity with your desire to keep them safe is a common challenge that many parents face today. As your teenager or child returns to school this year, helping them learn how to use the Internet safely. The suggestions listed below will help you get started.

offer useful and valuable information

The best way to approach the information is to provide teenagers with great honesty, simple risk information that you know. It is essential to be clear about why you, and even the experts, consider these certain websites and online actions to be risky or dangerous. Avoid saying things like, "Just because I said," when trying to explain. This will not have much impact on adolescents.

Go to the basics of Internet security

provide an overview of what risks are involved with respect to being online. Tell your teenager or child younger than sexual predators, hackers and scammers have found the Internet to be the ideal playground for them, and it's important to know how to recognize inappropriate behavior and how to avoid .

Provide a basic code of conduct

Give your teenager a basic code of conduct when they are online. This could be something as simple as saying, "If you would not say something directly to the person's face, then do not say it online or through social media or any other means." Ask your children to connect do with 'friends' on social media sites if they know them personally.

Explain to your children that there are online adults who sometimes pretend to be teenagers, build fake profiles, and will try to connect with them in this way. Also, make sure your teen will respect the decency and the rules of common respect: to take part in cyber bullying, sexting or not other explicit behavior, and to inform them that if they share some other teens pictures they could be held responsible their actions and face prosecution.

Once it is online, it is forever

Many people do not realize that once you post something online, it can stay in line one way or form forever. Even if you decide to delete a job right away, many sites and record the information and store hackers can understand how to get to him. Other users on the sites your children use may also keep records of messages and photos of your child is sharing, simply by taking screenshots of content. As such, it is important to help your teen understand the permanent nature of the messages, photos and other information they are considering sharing online.

Keep passwords

The only private and strong people who should have access to your teen passwords are you and your teen. Tell them that this is not a good idea to share one of them with friends, even the most innocent of reasons

Also, create strong passwords using the instructions below below :.

  • Make your password long -. at a minimum, there must be at least 8 characters
  • Use combinations of uppercase letters case lowercase letters, numbers and symbols
  • Avoid using words. could be easily guessed, such as the name of your pet, birthday, phone number, postal code, etc.
  • Avoid using the same password on multiple accounts.

Do not open emails from strangers

emails come in all shapes these days. Some are so well written and designed that your teen could be induced or tricked into opening. Ask them to agree to only open emails from people they know. Everything else should be either deleted or looked through before you can open it. Also, tell them to pay attention to emails requesting them to provide their personal information.

Encourage your teen to use the privacy settings on social media

Make sure that only their friends can see personal information about them, their messages and pictures. It is a simple step that can go a long way towards their online security. In addition, they should not add "friends" someone they do not know personally.

Do not be Careless about sharing personal information

The teens are sharing more information about themselves on social media sites than ever and can be dangerous. According to the survey conducted by the Internet & American Life relatives Project802 Pew Research Center and 802 teenagers 12-17

  • 91% after a photo of themselves against 79% in 06.
  • 71% display their school name, up 49%.
  • 71% after the town or city where they live, up 61%.
  • 53% display their email address, up 29%.
  • 20% view their cell phone number, compared to 2%.

As the survey shows, many teenagers share personal information about themselves on social media sites that expose issues potentially at risk of identity theft.

Make sure you let your teenager know that this sharing of any personal information must be avoided at any time on a site. If they are unsure, they should first check with you. Once hackers and cyber criminals to obtain personal information from your adolescence, it becomes very easy for them to steal their identities.

Hazardous Areas also available online

You do not want your teenager only travel in dangerous neighborhoods in the real world. The same rules should be applied when your kids are online. If a site looks trashy, harmful, pornographic or malicious in nature, your teen should avoid. If they occur on a website site or social media with less decent equipment, they should have the means to leave immediately.

Report cyberbullying

Bullying exists not only on the playing field more. Bullying through digital media or cyber bullying is a growing threat. According to a study conducted by the Research Centre cyberbullying, 52% of students reported being bullied online.

Cyberbullying is the use of digital media to harass, threaten, humiliate or embarrass another person. It can happen on Facebook, instant messages or emails.
The effects of bullying can be serious about the victims. It can lead to depression, withdrawal, anxiety, and even suicide.

Make sure you tell your children that if they are targets of cyberbullying, they must immediately notify you and the relevant authorities.

Check your own behavior

Do you practice what you preach? If you do not, then how can or should you expect your teen son or daughter to follow the rules and expectations you setting for them? Try to set a good example for your child when it comes to your online behavior. Avoid visiting inappropriate and potentially dangerous sites. Not freely share private information and private photos online.

Encourage open communication

Sometimes your teen son or daughter may itself or be in a difficult situation. Make sure they know they can talk to you about anything. If they are hurt, embarrassed or confused about something, they should be able to speak without fear of retaliation or punishment. This will help you keep an open line of communication.

Use a virtual private network

Although your teenager may follow all your rules and expectations online, using a VPN is still one of the best ways to stay safe online . VPN protects your privacy and online identity by hiding your IP address and encrypting your Internet communications.

Most schools have firewalls and safeguards that protect their students, but when your child is with friends, at a friend's house, at a public hotspot WiFi or elsewhere of Besides home they could find themselves in dangerous waters. The more you talk with them, the more positive you are with them, the better protected they will be in the digital world.

For more information and resources to help you educate your children about the importance of Internet safety, click here.

What to do if your identity is stolen

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What to do if your identity is stolen -

So you've had your identity stolen. You probably feel anxious, lost and angry. Well, you're not alone.

Identity theft is one of the fastest growing threats to America. According to a study by Javelin Strategy and Research, "There were 12.6 million victims of identity theft in 2012 in the United States"

Fortunately, creditors and similar government entities have recognized the seriousness of the threat. hotlines have been set up, the application was created, and the options have been made available for identity theft victims. You have help, and it is only a phone call or click.

Actions You must take immediate

your first priority is to let your creditors know what happened. this way they have a chance to work with you before the consequences get out of hand, leaving you with the blame for the actions of someone else

Follow the steps below :.

  1. Begin by contacting one of the three major credit bureaus and place a fraud alert on your file. A fraud alert requires creditors to contact you before opening new accounts. You do not need to call each of the credit reporting agencies from whom you contact will notify the other two agencies. They will also send you a copy of your review for credit report.
    • Equifax - 800 685 111
    • Experian - 888.397.3742
    • Trans Union - 800.916.8800
  2. Documenting transactions pain and activity. Collect all the evidence that you can flight and call the police. Filing a police report is crucial, but having documentation to strengthen your relationship is just as important.
  3. Contact the creditors of all accounts and ask to speak to their departments fraud / security. By working with creditors, they are able to mobilize their resources to protect your account, giving you extra security in the process. It may even be possible to reverse some or all of the unauthorized transactions, the protection of your current assets. The Fair Credit Billing Act requires that you follow written once that contact has been made, so be sure to put this on your list of things to do as soon as possible.

By completing the above three relatively simple steps, you will have given yourself a fighting chance.

credit reporting agencies can recognize that the new accounts or delinquent activities are not your doing, the police can use their resources to track down the author, and creditors can freeze your accounts in order to avoid further theft to occur.

However, while these measures can help short-term, the best treatment method for identity theft is prevention.

plug leaks

Once you have taken care of your short-term safety, it is time for long-term personal safety. Start by closing accounts with billing address has changed and request that future changes to your account requires a password check. By doing so, you can prevent future thieves redirect statements and phone calls about suspicious activities of your attention.

Then, if it seems like your Social Security number was used to obtain government documents or apply for a job, make sure to check that no permanent damage has been done by cooperating with respective organizations.

Since the Social Security numbers can be used to falsify tax information, contact the administration of social security and to check that your reported income are correct. If it seems that your identity has been used to obtain a driving license, contact the motor vehicle department to correct the situation. This is important because a photo ID can be used in less scrupulous establishments to allow additional non-permitted activities.

Preventive Measures

Once these matters have been attended to, it is time to look good data security practices to close the hatches even further.

for all paper documents, the mill is your best friend. Documentation such as credit card offers, billing statements, bank checks and contain your personal information and must be discarded properly. if criminals are comfortable with a little trash. Invest in a good shredder with the ability to shred credit cards as well.

Look for a "level 3" shredder cross-cut level of security, shred documents with multiple pages at different times, and eliminate waste in multiple containers for maximum protection. These steps may seem exaggerated, but a short drive to the gas station dumpster is certainly less hassle than untangle the web of identity theft.

Wireless connections are the next potential target for data theft. When you use a wireless router, make sure you activate the security settings, and never leave your unprotected connection. It is also a good idea to consider using a VPN to prevent snoopers, hackers and other cyber criminals to view your Web browsing activities, instant messages, downloads, credit card information or any other anything you send over any network.

many identity theft incidents occur simply because determined criminals used brute force methods to crack passwords. For this reason, good password practices are an absolute must for any logged in user. The first password length rule is: the more the better

The second rule is to avoid using actual words like "password" or "ilovemywife" .. longer sentences may be a bit safer, but since the technology used to crack passwords actual words queries first, they are less safe than the alternative. This alternative? If mixed use grammatically incorrect statements or misspelled with special characters and numbers (eg "iL0v3myW1F3 # 14309").

Since these sentences using a less calculable logic, they become extremely difficult for software to crack. The ultimate option? A password you do not even know

Routine Maintenance

With all these things in mind, your best tool is perhaps the simplest :. Sensitization. Keep track of your bank statements and request annual credit report. As much as 52% of victims recognize when their identity was stolen by monitoring credit reports and keep an eye on their bank accounts and credit card statements. Remember :. It is always better to be proactive than reactive, especially when so much is at stake

With all these measures in place, you can be assured that you did your best to avoid identity theft from happening again . Keep an eye on your information, protect yourself, and be careful what you put on the Internet. There is a large dark web there, at least now you have a flashlight.

Additional Information from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

The FTC has a resource page that provides much more information to help you cope with the effects identity theft. Visit Identity Theft Report page of the FTC for more information.

How to identify potentially malicious online ads

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How to identify potentially malicious online ads -

On the Internet, most advertisers are promoting a product or service and nothing Furthermore. Some advertisers serve as a nuisance, but with the honest intention to encourage you to visit their websites. The remaining dangerous minority of "advertisers" want your personal information by any means necessary.

According to Net Report 2013 State Consumer Reports, a projection of 58.2 million American adults had at least a malware infection that affected the functionality or performance of their home PC last year.

Fake ads are the main distribution channel for these malicious programs. Their methods have become more clever and harder to detect, infiltrate sites like Facebook, Yahoo, and The Economist in recent years and during the last decade.

This is mainly due to the decentralized nature of the Internet advertising. With millions of people and companies that want a piece of the online audience, major advertising agencies such as Google Adsense are forced to mine through potential candidates with suppliers and private advertising agencies. Within this structure, it is not uncommon for evil profiteers ask for as a respectable agency offering announcement "legitimate". In fact, this flaw in the structure of advertising is what led to malicious banner ads on Facebook and Yahoo.

Clicker Beware

the most powerful weapon of malicious advertiser is trust. As the safety standards for websites tightened and anti-virus software has made its way onto PCs worldwide, the prevailing wisdom of the casual consumer seems to be that if the content is displayed in the right forum, it can trust. It is exactly this relaxed attitude to personal data security that allows criminals to poach credit card numbers and installing keyloggers through ads displayed within Facebook games.

For this reason, the test is an important tool to protect against malicious Advertising. Does the ad is part of a company you've heard of? If you have not heard of the company, what a quick Google search say about them? Advertise a legal product? All these questions can save you a frustrating afternoon cancel credit cards and get rid of the malware. Consider the nature of what is advertised and the company offering the product. Do your research and follow a simple rule :. If in doubt, do not click

But even check the name of the bottom of society is needed. You are somehow "one millionth customer"? Does the site you are browsing even get a million viewers each month? suspicious features like these are a red flag that something fishy. Often these low prices and iPad millionth customer offers are designed to attack the users passage (who does not want a free iPad?) Delivery of spam emails in their inbox instead of iPads their doors.

While most ads take the form of banner ads on the above websites, and are therefore easy to identify, the most cunning criminals design ads that system messages deliberately imitate. For example, some advertisers reproduce the appearance of the Windows operating system and alerts to encourage you to click deceptively.

users

In other cases, ads may pop up on the screen as a "security alert", which usually prompts to install the "necessary" software. All the software you download on the Internet should be from a recognized and respected supplier and any flashing message on a website, no matter how authentic in appearance, is looking to exploit rip you off. If you place your mouse over one of these "windows" turns the cursor into a hand, do not click. The hand cursor indicates that the "window" is an Internet connection with who knows what on the other end.

steps you can take to protect yourself

There are a couple of steps you can take to protect yourself against these so-called friends traps. Modern browsers like Google Chrome and Firefox maintain robust database of malicious websites and IP addresses and will pop up a warning message when an attempt is made to access.

Consider these warnings. Unlike prompts "software requirements", these messages are legitimate and based on research and safety reports. The next measure is to install an anti-virus software and keep it updated in case of accidental fall victim to one of these scams. Several strong options exist, including Norton, Kaspersky, McAfee, G Data InternetSecurity and Bitdefender.

In addition, you can use the service protection against malware Hotspot Shield VPN to detect and block known sites for malware.

One of the most effective steps you can take to keep your computer clean and your personal information private is to keep a watchful eye on the news. Large websites are quick to run malicious advertisements when they are detected and will often advise clients of the question timely. A time to look to time Yahoo or Google News will report on some of the biggest nuisances and save you a headache in the process.

Even if you have not seen one of these ads, chances are you want. And while anti-virus and browser security systems can provide some level of protection, your greatest weapon against criminals is your brain. Scrutinize the product and the company, check the contents of typos and claims "unbelievable" and click carefully. Your identity is a valuable thing these days, and certainly more valuable than a new iPad.

6 New Year's Resolutions to protect you from cybercriminals

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6 New Year's Resolutions to protect you from cybercriminals -

At the beginning of the year, most of us have New Year's resolutions related to the improve our personal and professional goals. Registration for a gym membership, quit, or get the professional license are certainly worthy resolutions.

But this year, you should also make resolutions to better protect yourself against fraudsters and criminals. Cyber ​​criminals and hackers are developing more sophisticated methods to steal your personal information and data. If you do not take precautions or to implement the necessary security measures, you can easily have cleared your bank account or become a victim of identity theft!

Here are five tips to protect your personal data and information in 2014:

1) Install Antivirus / Antimalware on all your devices and keep them up to date

new viruses hackers and criminals are constantly developing and releasing and malware. If your machine is infected by malware, criminals can easily steal your usernames and passwords to your bank accounts and other sensitive information on your computer.

To prevent computer worms, viruses, Trojan horses, keyloggers, and other malware from infecting your computer, it is important that you keep your anti-virus anti-malware programs and updated with the latest definitions.

2) Protect your personal information on social media sites

Since business model set of Facebook is based on exploiting your personal information, it is best not to share your personal information on Facebook and other social media sites.
immediately delete information such as address, phone numbers, emails, your year of birth, and other sensitive information from your social media or forum profiles.
then go to the list of your friends and take the people you do not know personally or trust.
Finally, remember never to reveal or post any sensitive and private information wall postings, messages or stream.

3) follow these rules Security Password

After secure password best practices is one of the best ways to prevent hackers and criminals from stealing your information. poor password practices such as the use of the names of your pet or your school or words that can be found in the dictionary can be cracked in seconds! Follow the tips below to create a strong and secure password.

  • Use a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, symbols and numbers to create your password.
  • Use at least 8 characters. Passwords with 12-14 characters is ideal.
  • Do not use the same password for multiple accounts. In addition, you need to create extra strong password for your banking and financial accounts.
  • store your passwords in a safe place. Do not store your passwords on your computer or email. You can use an encrypted USB drive to store your password or write the password of notes on note paper and keep them in your wallet.

4) secure the data on your mobile device

Mobile devices are as powerful as a computer. As our lives are increasingly dependent on our mobile devices, we also stock a lot of personal and sensitive information on our mobile devices. Thus, it is essential for you to obtain information and data on your mobile device.

  • Use a password to lock / unlock your device
  • Make sure your anti-malware software, applications and OS are up -. Every time you're online, you are exposed to malware and other online threats
  • Avoid downloading applications from unknown sources - Some of the applications are malicious and can infect your device with malware. Do your research and make sure you download it from a trusted source.

5) shows for social engineering

Criminals know that human beings are emotional and naive. As such, one of the most common tactics criminals use to steal confidential information is social engineering.
Social engineering is the use of psychological tactics to manipulate people into revealing information and confidential or sensitive data via email, chat, social media, or phone. Most of the time, criminals are after the users' passwords or banking information.
To avoid becoming a victim, be wary when someone on the phone, someone you met on a dating site or social media sites, or e-mail asking you to reveal or confirm your personal or financial information. Also, avoid clicking on suspicious email links or pop-up banners.

6) Always use a VPN service when connecting to an unsecured public network

If you are away from home or work and need to connect to the Internet at hotspots public Wi-Fi, make sure to use a VPN service. Public networks are coffee shops, airports and hotels are inherently not secure.
Pirates almost could easily steal your username, passwords and other sensitive information.

A VPN service protects your privacy and secures your Internet communications. This means that all traffic entering and leaving your device is encrypted, protecting your data and information against hackers.

The looks of Google+ and Gmail: Has Landed Big Brother in your inbox

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The looks of Google+ and Gmail: Has Landed Big Brother in your inbox -

There are several free email options, but most people choose Gmail, Yahoo ! or Hotmail ?. Google Gmail is the leading open platform with 425 million users. Gmail users are targeted by spammers and collectors email and even hackers that want to send an email to the contact list of a user.

Gmail has several integrated features including G +. Because of G + and Gmail broad, it is not surprising that these two platforms have become fertile ground for advertisers. Before thinking about your private information is safe, two privacy issues have surfaced that you should be aware of:

1. Users (including advertisers) are able to email your Gmail never know your email address.

2. Google analyzes the content of emails to display ads in Gmail

G + and Gmail integration

Social networks, by definition, are not deprived, because the point of using a social network platform is to display your personal information to one who has access to your profile. With platforms such as Facebook, interaction is completely through the Facebook web application and your information is only available when you enter.

With G + and Gmail, the two services are linked into a single Google Account. Google used to keep each separate service, but your Google services are now under one umbrella account. Not only linked your email to your G + account, but Google service you use is associated with an email account.

If you have never used G +, there is a spin on popular social media networks. Instead of "friending" someone, you people "circle". Anyone can add you to their circles, but you must surround that person in return to share private messages. With G +, anyone found you can surround yourself and share information with you.

At the surface, it seems innocent enough. Your email address will not be visible to everyone, even if they surround you. You can also circle the people, and they will not be able to view your private email unless you post them through the G + system.

The problem comes when a user wants to send you a message. G + allows you to send private messages to anyone. You can also send group messages to people you circled. This means that advertisers can send messages to hundreds of users they found on G +.

Before you decide to send a message back like asking the advertiser to remove you, think again. Once you answer, the advertiser your email address. This means that your email address could get added to the advertiser's mailing lists. A common way for spammers to make money is selling email lists, so not only do receive email you the original sender, but your email address sold can be used by a number of spammers.

To add to the security questions, if the provider is hacked email list, it's possible that the hacker can access your email account. If the attacker is able to associate the stolen data with your email address and password, the attacker can use the information to hack into your personal accounts. For this reason, it is important to keep different passwords for different accounts. For example, never use the same password for your banking password you use for email accounts.

Fortunately, Google is making some changes to G +, and one of those changes is the ability to disable unsolicited email G +. When they drive the changes, you will have the ability to filter private messages from people you have not circled.

Google, ads and private Your Email

With email being an integral part of people's lives, you need to protect his username and password and content. If you have already noticed the ads in Gmail, it is Google Adsense. Adsense is an advertising platform for publishers. Google includes a scanning program that allows the search engine to read your mail. The algorithm reads your email and determines which ads appear in your Gmail account. For example, if you have a conversation about red widgets, Gmail displays ads targeting red widgets.

targeted ads are good for advertisers, but what does that mean for your privacy? Google algorithms have always been top secret, but it has been reported that Google scans your email and selling email addresses to advertisers. Google even went to court to defend the right of the company to analyze email messages to display ads that target your private messages.

Although this question may not seem important to some people, the problem is that your privacy is invaded. There are no security checkpoints that protect your information to be stored and reused by Google advertisers.

The issue of privacy should be important to everyone. Reading e-mails, any kind of email is scanned including private emails to your family or emails dealing with financial or medical information.

One way to avoid the scans email advertisements is to open your Gmail account from your mobile device. Gmail ads are not displayed on a mobile device such as an iPhone. When you download your email, it is downloaded from a special link that Gmail does not include ads.

Another way to avoid the problem is to automatically transfer your Gmail account to another email account. Gmail allows you to forward all messages to another account personal domain. Make ahead to an email account that you use to download email on a separate mail client like Outlook or Thunderbird.

With privacy being a problem, never send personal information such as user names and passwords by email. Not only is it a dangerous way to share credentials, but it gives your information to hackers if they are able to access your email.

Before you jump to another service provider, remember that Yahoo! email was hacked and the accounts and passwords were shared as plain text in 2012. The question is not flat -form. The question is the security of the platform.

The best way to avoid confidentiality issues is to use e-mail accounts with your own domain name. A domain costs about $ 20. With a domain, you can buy a messaging service for just a few dollars a month. The result is your own private email without ads or scanners.

For G +, while you wait for the updates to privacy, never respond to an email if you do not recognize the sender.