When Buying Gadgets for Children

Parents, in this age of technology, have to always keep themselves ahead of their kids. This is necessary in order to see to it that their children stay safe and protected in their online activities. Children at school have discovered how to use phones and web enabled devices to cheat during tests. Teachers do not find it easy to stop this combined effort among children who avoid, and even break, school rules and regulations. There are some children who teach other kids how to get around filters on school computers. Teachers get themselves updated with technology along with their students so that this behavior will not remain unnoticed and unchecked.

Parents who really don’t care about being involved with their children’s online activities are in danger. Children nowadays own gadgets that allow them to get connected online anytime and anywhere. If they are not properly guided, these tech gadgets will lead them to become victims of cyber bullying, cyber sex, identity theft, and other risks. Parents, especially mothers, must try to understand what kind of technology their kids bring home.

When a child asks for a new device, game, or phone, parents should not buy it right away. They have to discuss the matter before finally giving in to their child’s request. They can start by asking their child specific questions about the device. For sure, by asking the right questions, they can get an impression about the gadget and have a “feel” for it. From here, they can come to a decision whether it would be safe to let their child have it. Parents can also do their own research about the gadget either online or at a store.

Some parents will find this to be time consuming, but it is worth the effort. The cyber world offers tremendous benefits to the lives of children, but without proper guidance and control, it could compromise their safety and security. Parents should take on this responsibility, which cannot be taken for granted. Parental control is the key in kids’ internet safety. Parents should be comfortable with technology so that their children do not become slaves to it.

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Smart Phones for Financial Transactions

Internet technology has made financial transactions easier and more readily available. Businessmen have extensively used the internet in their dealings. They are no longer confined to their offices in order to communicate with clients. More importantly, they can complete their financial transactions even during business travels or vacations. They no longer have to make frequent visits to the bank or have face-to-face meetings with their associates.

In earlier days, most of these transactions were done using desktop computers. Later, laptops and notebooks became more popular and transactions were made even more convenient. They can effortlessly keep track of their financial records from almost anywhere. Today, smart phones are slowly gaining popularity among businessmen. It used to be that these gadgets were used mainly in social networking, more particularly Facebook and Twitter.

A recent survey showed that the number of people using their smart phones to transmit personal and financial information is increasing. These pieces of information are uploaded mostly for online banking, shopping or social networking. There are about 17% of smart phone owners who use their device for money matters. This fact has called the attention of online criminals who take advantage of these circumstances to make money at the expense of businessmen.

Observers have said that accessing the web with the use of a mobile device is both fun and time saving. Obviously, criminals are also on the lookout for every opportunity to see how they can fit their activities into the situation. That is why it is very important for businessmen to remain vigilant. There is a new modus operandi by online criminals that is hidden in the guise of “the good guy”.

The recent rise in demand for smart phones and mobile and web applications has given online criminals the right signal. They are now using malicious software, or malware, in order to take control of users’ accounts. Hiding behind online application stores, these crooks would entice smart phone users to download rouge apps. A user does not notice that he is also downloading a program that would allow the criminal to take control of his or her phone. The rouge app would allow the criminals to eventually gain access to all personal and payment data stored on the phone.

Smart phone users have to be very careful when deciding to use their devices for accessing the web. Moreover, they should be selective about applications that they are going to download. They should learn lessons from those who were surprised when they saw their monthly bills. There were some who were made to pay for premium calls that they did not make. After all, smart phone users are expected to be smarter than online criminals, right?

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Clickjacking and Internet Safety

The fast pace of development of new internet technology is aimed at improving user online experiences. To make online communication complete with audio and video, microphones and webcams are always available. Web browsers make use of every new feature that is being rolled out to them, either for free or for a price. There are even social networking sites where people share their thoughts, including their likes and dislikes.

Sadly, online criminals are always looking for ways on how they can use these new tools for their benefit. Legitimate programs and products are now being attacked by these criminals in the guise of similar beneficial tools. There was a newly launched subtle but disastrous attack called “clickjacking”, or, in technical terms, known as user interface (UI) redressing. It basically tricks and lures users to initiate some unwanted actions.

Facebook’s Like and Share features have been used in this attack. These two legitimate buttons are made transparent and placed over what appear to be genuine pages. The pages seem “real” so that users are tricked into clicking those buttons. The users do not realize that they were actually “liking” rogue pages or posting spam on their walls. Another tactic that criminals use is invisible iframes where users are tricked into clicking some buttons to enable access to their own webcams and microphones. An incident of this sort called the “webcam spying attack” happened sometime in 2006. Now this one seems more severe because it could produce destructive results.

Clickjacking was first discovered by a Stanford University computer science student. His was a confirmation of a similar experience by a nameless researcher in earlier years. The method is a combination of legitimate web programming features and social engineering. The Stanford student found out that Adobe’s Flash Player is susceptible to such attacks. He notified the company, which promptly responded by fixing the fault that would allow webcam spying.

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The Philippines and Cyber Crime

The Philippines should not waste any time in implementing its cyber crime laws that would successfully deter organized crime syndicates. A top Philippine National Police (PNP) official disclosed recently that the country appears to be a favorite refuge for these cyber criminals. The groups have been known for their involvement in cyber pornography, illegal online gambling, cyber sex dens, credit card fraud, and identity theft. The official added that criminals find it easy to be one step ahead of the “weak laws and poor technical know-how of law enforcers”.

It was reported that cyber crime mafias, who are mostly foreigners, are increasingly making the Philippines their base of operations. The top official admitted that the PNP at present has no organizational and technical capability to battle cyber crimes. Syndicates use modern technology, while law enforcers lag behind in terms of training and equipment. To remedy the situation, he asked for support for urgent organizational and technical capability improvement where such is needed.

The detention of a foreign national hacker in the country uncovered the existing network of cyber crime. There are mafias working behind the scenes of illegitimate online gambling and credit card fraud operations in the country. The activities of these groups seem limitless as evidenced by the fast expansion of their circle of influence.

A 38-year old Korean national hacker was arrested by the Anti-Transnational and Cyber Crime Division of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG). His name is included in the file of those wanted by Interpol for large-scale internet fraud. His group has already hacked the servers of the Philippines’ top telecommunication companies. Further investigations exposed that the group has already invaded the accounts of some private corporations.

Although the CIDG made seven successful raids of the group’s illegal online casinos, the capability of the country to oppose cyber crime has not improved. The situation is aggravated by reports that Filipinos are being used as “e-mules” for transnational money laundering and credit card fraud operations. It seems that cyber criminals can avoid Philippine laws so effortlessly that they choose to build their safe haven there more than anywhere else.

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Safety Tips for the Holidays

The Christmas season is just around the corner and holiday shopping has already started. Retailers consider this part of the year as the best time to make profits. Identity thieves also find this season the most opportune time for them to make lots of money. Here are some tips to keep the thieves away and to see to it that they do not enjoy the holidays at your expense.

When making payments with the cashier, be alert of skimming. Open your eyes as the store clerk takes your card and swipes it through a device by the register. Be sure that that the machine is really the credit card reader and not something else. There is a device used that allows a thief to copy the information from the card’s magnetic strip and take away your information. Needless to say, purchases can then be charged against your card.

Compared with debit cards, credit cards are more secure and protected. When using a credit card, you can be safer if you use the same card for all of your holiday shopping. This will make tracking your every transaction as well as finding any suspicious activity easier. The best thing to do, of course, is to use cash because none of your personal information is associated it.

When using more than one credit card for your purchases, make sure that you regularly check each card’s activity. Check if all transactions that appear were made by you. If you find any discrepancy, do not waste a minute in contacting the card issuer so that you can file a dispute on the charge.

Thieves can also do some ATM tricks to carry out their actions. Follow the security and safety instructions that can be found posted on ATMs. Some thieves can manipulate a machine so that the card can be captured inside it. If this happens, be sure not to leave without reporting the matter to the bank or to any authorized ATM representative. The thief might just be watching, waiting for you to go, so he or she can get the card, stealing your PIN by using a small, previously hidden camera.

Look for secure websites when doing online transactions. One with the “https” in its URL address is secure. This assures you that your personal information is treated with care. Using special technology, your personal details cannot be stolen by computer hackers. It is best if you set limits to the amount of personal information that you provide online. The less personal information you upload, the less you become vulnerable to identity thieves.

You can enjoy your holiday shopping any way you want it, just always keep in mind that identity thieves are always “around the corner”. Do your best to stay safe and secure and get the best use of your money.

Parents for Internet Safety

How can young people be protected online? Who should be responsible for their safety? These are some questions that parents and government are trying to find answers for. In the midst of debates about online safety for children, the fact remains that children need to be protected. Today’s internet technology gives so much freedom to children. They can have online access at home, on the street, or in the schools. This easy access exposes children to potential harm because of their eagerness to interact with the technology.

Various observations were shared with each other by concerned groups during a free discussion. A study found that 60% of 12- to 15-year-old children use the internet on their own. The prime danger for them is their exposure to pornography. Their curiosity could start with access to sites that show indecent images. They would then keep looking for more, until they finally end up on pornographic sites.

This age group of young teens is the most vulnerable, which is why they need to be protected. At the same time, these children need the internet to gain access to the vast wealth of knowledge that it offers. To solve this dilemma, there should be some sort of regulation for children’s interaction with the online community. It appears that parents are the most appropriate agents of regulation. Sophisticated technology that aims to protect children can never replace the parents’ influence on their children.

Parents only need to be more educated on how to deal with their children’s online safety. One way of doing this is through a partnership with the schools. Digital literacy can be made part of the formal curriculum, and it could also involve parents. Along with this is the need to put in resources for parental education. This could start by making parents aware that their children’s internet use involves risks. This is very important because it would be difficult for parents to regulate their children if they are not aware of the dangers.

Aside from schools, a concerted effort of other institutions is needed. There are charities, companies, and legislators, all of which could share resources and expertise. Online protection of children cannot be left to trial and error among themselves. While the internet can be our children’s vast resource of good information, parents must always be on guard to protect them.

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Counter Attack Against Cyber Attack

A greater part of the world’s inhabitants today are on the internet because of different reasons. There are those who understand that social networking can be a helpful tool for persons, organizations, schools, institutions, businesses, governments, etc. Along with this are the billions of devices organized via an array of wired and wireless networks. Internet users can utilize small gadgets that are hand held or they can take advantage of bigger devices that have the capability to get connected to the whole planet. Today, more than ever, it is very easy to communicate with anybody, anywhere else in the world.

In the back of these benefits of internet technology are those corrupt individuals who use the very same technology to carry out their own plans. Currently, there is a very high risk of networks becoming victims of cyber attacks. There is spying, malware, denial-of-service, cyber war, and terrorism that hide behind these interconnected systems. This is one issue that needs to be solved not only by efforts of individual networks but by the cooperation of all.

Network security is becoming increasingly necessary, and researchers in Germany have proposed a new approach to it. They believe that to effectively reduce cyber attacks, rewards should be given to those organizations that support their own network security. Their research showed that organizations who have already applied this approach have greatly reduced the spread of malware and other problems. Internet and computer-based communications today are generally done anonymously. This opens the door for systems to become even more susceptible to cyber attacks and harassment.

The researchers explained that an international or national agreement could start a coordinated rewards system. They also recommend that funding should be given to organizations that are exceedingly exposed to cyber attacks. They added that network security on susceptible sites should be improved in order to deter the spread of malicious software. This is generally what cyber criminals apply to create bot-nets for attacking corporate networks and other desirable sites.

Only very few parties have invested in their own cyber attack protection. This has benefited them, although it has added to their cost. The whole internet community is also in some way benefited. The researchers believe that orchestrating a reward system would encourage both small and large networks to become involved. They suggest a scaled reward system that could motivate networks to make sure that their systems are protected.

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Is Your Network Secure?

A greater part of the world’s inhabitants today are on the internet because of different reasons. There are those who understand that social networking can be a helpful tool for persons, organizations, schools, institutions, businesses, governments, etc. Along with this are the billions of devices organized via an array of wired and wireless networks. Internet users can utilize small gadgets that are hand held or they can take advantage of bigger devices that have the capability to get connected to the whole planet. Today, more than ever, it is very easy to communicate with anybody, anywhere else in the world.

In the back of these benefits of internet technology are those corrupt individuals who use the very same technology to carry out their own plans. Currently, there is a very high risk of networks becoming victims of cyber attacks. There is spying, malware, denial-of-service, cyber war, and terrorism that hide behind these interconnected systems. This is one issue that needs to be solved not only by efforts of individual networks but by the cooperation of all.

Network security is becoming increasingly necessary, and researchers in Germany have proposed a new approach to it. They believe that to effectively reduce cyber attacks, rewards should be given to those organizations that support their own network security. Their research showed that organizations who have already applied this approach have greatly reduced the spread of malware and other problems. Internet and computer-based communications today are generally done anonymously. This opens the door for systems to become even more susceptible to cyber attacks and harassment.

The researchers explained that an international or national agreement could start a coordinated rewards system. They also recommend that funding should be given to organizations that are exceedingly exposed to cyber attacks. They added that network security on susceptible sites should be improved in order to deter the spread of malicious software. This is generally what cyber criminals apply to create bot-nets for attacking corporate networks and other desirable sites.

Only very few parties have invested in their own cyber attack protection. This has benefited them, although it has added to their cost. The whole internet community is also in some way benefited. The researchers believe that orchestrating a reward system would encourage both small and large networks to become involved. They suggest a scaled reward system that could motivate networks to make sure that their systems are protected.

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Is Strip Search a Must?

The U.S. Supreme Court might again look into strip searches in jails due to privacy concerns. Reports have surfaced that even those arrested on minor charges are being forced to strip and shower while jail guards watch. The reason given for implementing this policy is that there are prisoners who hide weapons or drugs on (or in) their bodies. However, there is no clarification on whether Justices need first to decide that there is really a cause to suspect such actions. In its present state, the law requires everyone to undergo a strip search before entering the general jail population.

People are asking about which should come first – privacy rights of people in jail or, the need to ensure safety by authorities. A lawyer stood firm by saying that the court should give a definition of what constitutes privacy intrusion. This is particularly true when there is no reason to believe that a prisoner is hiding anything.

A car dealer who was arrested when he failed to pay fines asked for legal assistance. He said that jail guards forced him to strip naked two times. He added that they told him to open his mouth and lift his genitals while they watched. To check if he was hiding something inside his body, he was made to bend over and cough.

Privacy advocates are questioning the rationale for the searches, which are primarily to deter smuggling. A justice official said that current studies show that most contraband that get into jails and prisons are brought in through the guards. If this is true, then there is no urgent reason why strip searches should be handled as invasively as they are now done. The question of “routine” strip searches following visits is not new. This was ruled on by the court more than 30 years ago.

Another aspect of the hearings that needs to be corrected is the process of questioning. It should focus less on how close guards can get to naked inmates, which is how the questioning is being conducted at present. Justices allegedly give more attention to this detail rather than on the specific case at hand. Also, there should be a clear difference defined between major and minor cases. Past records show that there were people being arrested for minor offenses while they were high on drugs. These cases need to be dealt with differently, as there is a need for closer searches than the usual.

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