Where am I going? And what to expect for the future

Well, this is the final entry in my "Intro to Principles of Security" blog. I have learned so much and my confidence has grown immensely in the field of computers and security. The class is nearing an end, and we are left with one final question- What can we expect for the future?

To provide you with some insight into the articles and videos I’d like to discuss, here are a few interesting links to the websites we have recently read:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/10/technology/10digi.html This is about the past, present, and future of the use of passwords.

http://eyetrackingupdate.com/2010/10/21/iris-recognition-pins-passwords/ And here is another site that discusses the idea of using iris recognition in place of passwords.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120119993114813999.html And finally, here is an article that talks about technology predictions.

All of these links contain useful information and are great resources when considering the future.

After reading and watching these articles, it really has given me a lot to think about. I mean, yes I do think that computers will change, but I have never really thought into great detail about how drastic these changes were truly going to be. The 1998-2008 predictions were very amusing to read. Some predictions were very on point, while others- not so much. Which comes to prove that you can never truly predict what technology is going to be like in the future. As a Computer Information Systems major, what I have learned is that I will always continue learning in the computer field because it is always changing. Many jobs do not require much change and new knowledge constantly, but this field is different.

 And as for the passwords, I do agree that the system is absolutely flawed. A new system definitely needs to be implemented. Iris protection does seem like a unique idea, however, with every system there are flaws. Given that- we need to find the best possible protection for our online security, even if there are minor flaws. Another thing that stands out in this module is the upcoming increase of computer crime. It already seems so prominent and if we don’t come up with stronger protection, malicious hackers will defeat us.  Overall, I don’t think anyone is prepared for what is to come about in the future of technology- But as technology revolutionizes, so will we.

So what is in store for my future? Well, I look forward to graduating next year with an associate’s degree in Computer Information Systems. I will use this blog as a reference or as a link in my portfolio. I am proud of the knowledge I have obtained from this course and I plan on using the information I have learned in my career as well as in my life.

As the semester is nearing its end, I am beginning to work on my final project. This involves Cyber Crime. We have been focusing a lot on CyberWatch, and its involvement in the course.  First let me explain a little bit on what CyberWatch is.  “The mission of CyberWatch is to increase the quantity and quality of the information assurance workforce.” In other words, it is a great site for educators and students, looking to have the most accurate resources in accordance to computers and their security. You can read more about the site at http://www.cyberwatchcenter.org/

After becoming a member, I am now eligible to submit my project for a competition through Educase. This ties in great with my class because it allows us to put what we are learning into an interesting project that can be viewed by other schools around the country. I specifically have chosen to produce a video on Cyber Crime. Though I may face some challenges in making my first video, I would like to make it interesting, factual, and maybe even humorous. It is definitely a challenge to show what I have learned in such a short video clip.

My clip is going to be semi-basic, but hopefully make people think about cyber crime and have a lasting effect on them. Many people rarely think about how dangerous cyber criminals truly are. If I have one goal in this assignment it is to convince our society not to overlook these avoidable dangers. There are numerous ways to be safer, and that is what my video will be focused on.  I will start by explaining cybercrime, with much information obtained from the site, http://www.techterms.com/definition/cybercrime. I will then provide the viewers with advice, tips, and resources.

Risky Business & What Can We Do About It?

Up until now, I have written about all of the illegal activity done by others and how it may affect you. And yes, I am still going to discuss that in this blog, but I am also going to discuss the illegal activity you may be engaged in. And maybe I can influence my readers to change their computer habits, if even just a little bit. Some computer activity is extremely risky, and if you don’t watch what you do, you may unintentionally end up in a lot of trouble. 

Peer-to-peer network dangers

            If I were in a room of 100 people and asked them to raise their hand if they have ever done something illegal that could have resulted in 5 years of prison if they were caught, I don’t think many would raise their hands. My next question would be, have ever downloaded music, movies, or copyrighted content; if even just one file? The hands raised would likely quadruple. This shows that our society isn’t very well informed of the consequences that could come along with peer-to-peer file sharing. The RIAA (Record Industy Association of America) is cracking down on individuals involved in illegal use of P2P, and the lawsuits are becoming far more common. These fines and punishments can be extremely harsh. The legal limit of which someone can be fined for music piracy is a hefty $250,000 and 5 years in jail. So is it really worth it? Here is an example of a woman who was charged for downloading 24 songs. The consequences she faced may shock you.

Use of Video

The recent phenomenon of Youtube has drastically changed the way we communicate, and share our life’s moments. Has it also become a tool that is allowing us to share our sometimes too much personal life. Many people who are capturing these videos may not be too smart when posting them online for the world to see. For example, people have posted videos of assaults, vandalism, even murders... and have been arrested and caught because of it. This article shows an example of how life changing Youtube videos can be, and not always for the better. 

Your own personal computer security safety

            According to the book “Cyber Crime Fighters: Tales from the Trenches”, there are three very important steps to take to ensure protection on your computer.  “1. Always keep your system up to date with automatic updates and patches to the operating system. 2.  Install virus protection and make sure it is protected. 3.  Install a spyware and/or malware detection program and run it frequently." All of these steps are crucial to keep your computer and personal information safe. It is very important too to these things because it will prevent a lot of problems. 

Another thing you should consider is to keep your passwords extremely strong. This is extremely important because weak passwords can be hacked within seconds! Also, use different passwords for different accounts. And finally, make sure your Wi-fi is secure. Change the SSID to something other than the default name. This shows criminals that your connection isn’t very secure. Turn on encryption; you could use either WEP or WPA. WPA is far more secure.  Then change the default name and password. Just like any password, something easy for you to memorize but hard for others to guess. And last but not least, shut off your Wi-fi router when not in use.

Here is an example of my personal Wi-fi settings, I was happy to know that I am using a WPA type security. My network does in fact have a unique name, and password.

As for businesses, it is crucial that they have upgraded from WEP to WPA. However, many still haven’t done so. When searching for a company that used either WEP or WPA, I found that this information is kept secret unless you manually go to the store and find the security information on your laptop. I also read, “This information is classified in nature. Unless there is a person who wishes to violate company policy, and does not bother to care for this rules. If there is an important reason behind this inquiry, I suggest that you file formal request for this information.” I found it interesting that companies try to hide what type of security they are using, when it is in fact accessible by anyone using their laptop within a close range of the building.

            When analyzing all of these legalities and computer security concerns, it is important to be informed. I am going to take a lot of the advice I have provided you with and use it in my own life. Yes, I have downloaded music many years ago, and that is something I cannot change. I was uninformed but now I will make sure not to do engage in this type of peer-to-peer downloading in the future. Also, I will make sure that if I ever post something on Youtube, I will keep in mind that it is irreversible and could have an affect on my future. And finally, I will keep my computer safe by following the above measures. I hope I have encouraged my readers to do the same!

Computer Threats- The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

        During the last two weeks, I have learned a lot in my Computer Security class. I have learned how computer viruses work, how they can affect my computer, and what types of malicious programs are really out there. I have definitely become more aware of what I am doing on the computer. Though this may have been more relevant when I was learning about spam, today I was proud to teach someone close to me about how to avoid bad situations on the computer to prevent getting scammed, or even hackers on your computer. When my boyfriend received an email from 1st financial bank, about his credit card statement, not only were there links in the email, but also an attachment. By clicking the attachment, he could have downloaded viruses, spyware, even a bonnet. (Now, I will never download an attachment unless I know the sender and was expecting to receive an attachment.) When he clicked the hyperlink shown in the email, it took him to a site that was not the banks official website. I immediately made sure that he exited out of the website and went to the banks direct site. For some reason, he thinks this class is getting to my head- I think I’m just being a lot safer than I ever was before.
        In the future, I will make sure what I am doing is smart. And if I suspect a problem in my computer I will make sure to tackle the problem immediately. I will also run my anti-virus program on a weekly basis at minimum. Previously, I rarely bothered with anti-virus programs. Not only will I be more aware of my computer habits, but also my friends and family’s habits as well. My mom is notorious for opening junk emails and attachments, as well as clicking on pop-ups. I’m going to try and scare her into not doing these things anymore by the information I am learning.

         Here is a video that discusses how important an Anti-Virus program truly is. It also discusses how some virus protection software, is the exact opposite and could cause major issues with your computer that can be costly and very problematic. Symantec stresses using Norton Anti-Virus because that is their product, however there are many similar legit programs other than Norton. I personally use Norton Anti-Virus and am very satisfied with their software.



           One way to clean up your computer is through System Restore. There are many tutorials that show you how to do this on Windows. Here is one of them.



           I personally am going to show you how to do something very similar to System Restore, called Time Machine. This is pretty much Mac’s version of a System Restore. Watch the tutorial below!

Victims of internet crime- Have you been one of them?

I have learned a lot about scam and internet crime the past few years, and within that past couple of weeks I have had the opportunity to reflect on how it has affected me. The class that I am taking, Principles of Computer Security, has really opened my eyes as to how violent and illegal spam truly is. Yes, spam is indeed a nuisance, but it is a very serious crime. Many people are scammed of their hard earned money every year because of spam, scams, vishing, phishing, and other methods of internet crime. I personally have had my share of internet scams, and believe me- it is no joke.

        There are many instances that I have faced and have watched others face in the past. By telling others my stories, I think it could help show others not to fall into the tricks of these scammers.

        The first time I can ever remember being scammed online was when I was in middle school. I begged my parents for a new digital camera. I think it only had 2.4 Mp, but that was a nice camera back then. I had heard everyone talking about Ebay and how great it was, so I wanted to get my camera there. After researching about digital camera's for weeks, I finally decided to bid on the camera I wanted. The camera cost around 200$, and after I sent the money, I never received it. A few weeks later I noticed that the guy who once had 100% positive ratings now had 80 negative reviews since I purchased the camera. He not only scammed me, but many others. I reported him to Ebay, and in result his account was closed. Talk about a slap on the wrist! - By the way, my dad will never buy anything online ever again. Which goes to show how these scams can really tarnish the way individuals look at technology.

       Then, when I was in high school, I tried selling my laptop online. Using the site "Craigslist.com" which is pretty similar to Ebay.com, I posted my laptop on sale for about $300. I was ecstatic when I was emailed back with a man stating something along the lines of " I would love to buy your laptop immediately! However I am staying in Indonesia with family right now because my house in Texas burned down last week... I will send you $800 to cover shipping fee's. Please have it shipped ASAP." Now, I would immediately delete an email as such but back then I didn't think anything of it. He told me he was going to send the money through PayPal and I agreed. I received an email stating " Your account has been credited $800" - Directly from PayPal or so I thought. I clicked on the link, and everything looked as if it were the real PayPal page. After seeing that the money was in my account, I began to pack up the laptop. But for some reason, it was my gut instinct to go directly to PayPal.com and check my account there. To my surprise, there was no evidence of any transaction. The link I was sent was indeed fictitious, and I was getting scammed! I was lucky enough to double check what was going on but when many people read emails directly from a company they automatically believe it is true.

        It is obvious that I am not the only one who has been scammed. It is definitely a growing problem in today's technological society.  A television show on ABC, called What Would You Do shows a popular Nigerian type of scam email. Watch this video below : 

 There are so many ways to get scammed, and opportunities may seem legit. But I have learned to be very careful when it comes to online activity. If your giving up money, be sure to make sure you won't regret it later. 

Also, this video from Youtube was provided by the instructor, and it was very useful when studying this topic.

How to Safeguard yourself online

Whether you’re buying those cute pair of shoes you wanted, surfing the web for your favorite band, or installing a program on your computer, your activity on the internet may not be secure. It is important that you safeguard yourself online, and that you are monitoring your activities.

Being careful online may be the key to keeping your life personal, and out of the hands of those who shouldn’t have it. The class that I am taking, Principles of Computer Security has shown me several ways to help protect myself while browsing the internet.  Through a great amount of research online, and through the information I have gathered from my textbooks and lectures, I would like to explain some of the most important ways to stay safe on your computer. Technology is now a part of our world, and all of the things we use this technology for connect to your life is some way.

On Your Computer

COMMON SENSE- Common sense is key when using the computer. If you don’t want people knowing your information, then don’t put it on the web! For example, a friend of mine who uses Facebook thought it was okay to post her phone number on another friends wall. Days later she was receiving phone calls from people she doesn’t know. This may seem like common

A password is required for a reason. Not so everyone can figure it out- It’s simple. Don’t make your password “password” or “ilovederek” (which is your husband’s name), or “Jessica” (which is your name). Try something like SunSet0825. That’s easy for you to remember because your first date with your husband was on August 25^th, and you watched the sun set. However it’s very trick for others to guess because it involved Capital letters, lowercase letters, and also numbers. Also, it is very irrelevant to anyone but you.

“Educate yourself by visiting such sites as bizrate.com and epinions.com to find out details about e-stores’ policies and procedures.”- By looking at the company’s website you can find out exactly what their security system involved, if deep packet inspection is involved, or if other ways of tracking your behaviors online are involved. If you’re not pleased, don’t shop there. Also, “Click with caution. Read a website’s privacy policy, look for opportunities to opt out of information sharing and only enter personal information on secure web pages with “https” in the address bar and a padlock symbol at the bottom of the browser window.”

Cookies, History, and Cache- Clear your cookies, history and cache once in a while. Not only will it help keep you safer, but it will keep your computer cleaner and probably make it run faster if it is not something you do frequently.

Be  careful when supplying your credit card information- Last week, after reading my textbook I went to Annualcreditreport.com to check my credit and make sure everything was as expected. There was a week free trial, and after the week there is a $19.99 monthly fee. I of course called the company and told them I had wished to cancel my trial and that I want my credit card to be linked to them in any way. The woman insured me that I wasn’t going to be charged. Needless to say, a week later I had just received a $19.99 withdrawal from my checking account. Now I am having trouble contacting to company to reverse this charge and prevent being billed in the future. I have learned the hard way that I need to be careful about who I am giving my information to. From now on I will only be making purchases online that are necessary and verified. I just began searching them online and saw that many other people have had the same problem. If I would have been smart and researched this website a bit more before supplying my credit card I wouldn’t have such a problem. Click here to see the reviews I have read about this company.

“Never forget: If the offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.”- Last night I got an email stating “Jessica, you have won $1,500! Claim your award now!” It’s no surprise it was in my spam folder. I personally receive about 100 spam emails a day and am sure not to open anything that looks too good to be true.

At home

MORE COMMON SENSE- Yes, common sense is probably the number one form of security. If you use your common sense it will save you a lot of hassle. Not only online do you need to have common sense, but also in your life. Do not provide anybody with personal information. If it is not their business to know, and they don’t have a legal reason to obtain your information, DON’T give it.

Protect yourself, and your identity- Since I was about 16 I have always carried my social security card in my wallet. My mother has always stressed how important it is to carry it. However, I have recently learned that this is in fact a horrible idea. If I were to lose my wallet, or have it stolen, not only would my debit card, license, and school identification be in someone else’s hands, but so would my social security number. With all of this information a criminal could easily steal my identity.

Keep track of bank accounts, and monitor your activity- You will never realize there is a problem if you are not up to date with your accounts. Make sure your bank accounts show transactions made by you! If they don’t look familiar, do something immediately. If I wasn’t careful, I wouldn’t have noticed a $2,800 charge on my credit card when I traveled to Jamaica last month. Luckily, I immediately called my bank and told them that Sandals actually charged me twice. I filed a dispute and received my money back in no time.

SHRED, SHRED, SHRED!- How many documents to you get mailed to you every week that contains personal information? On average, I probably receive about 10. Make sure to shred these documents before throwing them out. I have been guilty of not doing this in the past but I have recently gone out of my way to do this more than ever. Before, it would be easy for someone to dig up information about me in my garbage can. I am investing in a shredder, but until them I cut up these papers and toss them in with the kitty litter garbage bag. This is a great idea because it isn’t very likely that a criminal would dig through your cat’s litter to get your torn up information.

Some advice from  a fourth grader on internet safety-

And also a video I found relative and interesting-

            Whatever you do, stay safe. Take precautionary measures. In the end, it will definitely be worth it. I have been taught some of these tools to stay safe, and I hope you take some of my advice to improve your safety on and offline.

http://www.msstate.edu/web/news/nycu/onlinefraud.htm

http://www.complaintsboard.com/?search=freescore&everything=Everything for starters

Digital Citizenship and it's Nine Elements

In the past century, even decade, computers have communication has changed rapidly. Along with communication, is technology. Technology has changed the way we live, speak, communicate, and behave. While browsing the web, I found a video that speaks in detail of how computers and technology have such a great effect on our life. The video is shown below.

  There are nine elements, or themes of digital citizenship. They tell us how to behave appropriately on the World Wide Web. All of which have an impact on our life, whether it has to do with school, work, or your personal life. 

 

Personally, digital security is very important to me. In the past, I have been a victim of identity theft through e-commerce, had viruses on my computer such as the "Trojan Horse", and I receive countless spam emails every day. It is very important for myself and my computer that I follow important procedures when using the computer. I have recently downloaded a popular virus protection software called Norton Anti-Virus to help keep my computer safe. I have learned that it is important not to trust others in our "digital society." One statement I found interesting is the following: "In our own homes, we put locks on our doors and fire alarms in our houses to provide some level of protection. The same must be true for the digital security. We need to have virus protection, backups of data, and surge control of our equipment. As responsible citizens, we must protect our information from outside forces that might cause disruption or harm." (Nine Elements) This makes so much sense and I don't believe many digital citizens think of computers this way.

 As a college student, digital literacy is probably the most important element when it comes to digital citizenship. It is very important that I am able to teach myself things online, and also find an article, picture, or web page almost immediately. It is expected that students can research assignments on the computer, and that we have a great amount of digital literacy. I think it would be very hard for someone to be successful in college without this. For example, my dad knows nothing about computers. Honestly, nothing. If  were to ask him to turn the computer on he wouldn't know where to start. Though it boggles my mind, I know my father isn't the only one who doesn't know how to turn on a computer. I couldn't see my dad going to college in today's age because it is just expected that students know how to properly run technology and are very literate with computers.

 As for my job, digital etiquette is extremely important. This term is sometimes called "netiquette" which refers to the way people should act online and on computers. It is very important for anyone working with computers that they are on their best behavior, particularly when it involves their job. For example, if I were to email my boss and say "$h*t! my car dnt strt, i aint comn to wrk 2day. sry", it would be extremely inappropriate and would likely get myself fired. Therefore, by following the rules of digital etiquette at my job, it would make others view me as responsible and courteous which is crucial when one is serious about their career. 

It is a great idea to become familiar with these nine elements of digital citizenship, because they will help you out in the computer world. If you're using a computer, phone, other device this does effect you. So be smart about what you're doing, you never know who's watching. 

References used:

http://www.digitalcitizenship.net/Nine_Elements.html

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0PDoX9_DE5Nol4AgcejzbkF/SIG=12k7542a9/EXP=1296989439/**http%3a//www.softmaximum.com/images/free-norton-antivirus-3389.jpg

http://www.freakingnews.com/Computer-Security-Pics-29332.asp

http://english.ruvr.ru/data/222/509/1234/novgorod.jpg

http://www.nisd.net/digitalcitizen/elem_digcit/elem_etiquette/areyoua.jpg

My first blog... ever!

Though I have little experience (actually none) with blogging, I am writing this blog to reflect on my learning in a class I am taking, called Intro to Principles of Computer Security. Overall, I hope to broaden my knowledge of computers and security by taking this class!