Depending on how you feel about Microsoft, its new Windows Live OneCare security service either amounts to a welcome helping hand or a particularly sleazy protection racket.
Category: security
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U.S. Privacy Commissioner
I am not a big Hilary fan, but I can get behind this. Senator Clinton urged creation of a “privacy bill of rights” Friday to protect people's personal data.
Dr. Ann Cavoukian is the Information & Privacy Commissioner of Ontario and Jennifer Stoddart is the Privacy Commissioner of Canda. Why don't we, the American people, have someone like this protecting our right to privacy?
What does a Privacy Commissioner do:
Digital Right Management (DRM) issues
Challenging privacy laws (sucha as Ontario's Adoption Information Disclosure Act)
Issues involving ID Theft
*ID Theft is America's fastest growing crime.
The U.S. is Governing Against the People
The people we elect into office are supposed to work for US. The officials that we have elected are being wreckless with our rights. There is no representatives to argue on our behalf. There are a few organization that have stepped up to the plate such as the ACLU and EFF.
Unchecked laws, such as the USA Patriot Act, allow agencies to have complete free run of over our civil liberties. Even though there are helpful aspects of the Patriot Act (such as the ability of domestic and internationally focused agencies to communicate with each other), it does have provisions that seemed to slip through the cracks. Frankly, with the current world wide hate of the United States (brought on by the current administrations foreign policies) some sort of action must be taken to protect U.S. citizens. But I don't believe this must be done at the expense of freedom. And if it is, the very thing that we fight for has been successfully removed… if our liberties are taken away, we have already lost all future wars to 'protect our freedom'.
Our country is run with checks and balances. But there is currently no governing body in the way of special interest group lobbyists and policy makers who do not seem to care about our rights to privacy. Elected officials seems drunk on greed fueled by the money that they get from lobbyist.
Government Want Search Engine/ISP records
Net Neutrality (Verison and other ISP lobbyiest want to kill the freedom of the Internet)
Local American Counties Putting Personal Data Online:
http://www.smartmoney.com/consumer/index.cfm?story=20050303
I repeat it over and over on what Ben Franklin said centuries ago about the balance of freedom and security:
“The man who trades freedom for security does not deserve nor will he ever receive either.”
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Trying to Keep Pace with Cybercrooks is Proving Difficult
Authorities are cracking down on phishing and botnets, but the threats are advancing instead of diminishing, two law enforcement officials said.
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20 Ways To Secure Your Apache Configuration…
Here are 20 things you can do to make your apache configuration more secure.
Disclaimer: The thing about security is that there are no guarantees or absolutes. These suggestions should make your server a bit tighter, but don't think your server is necessarily secure after following these suggestions. -
The six dumbest ways to secure a wireless network
I've seen a lot of misinformation about securing wi-fi networks. This article debunks those myths by explaining why mac filtering and ssid hiding is pointless in most cases. Looks like the only effective security is WPA with a strong passphrase.
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Firewall – Harrison Ford
Just saw the movie Firewall on DVD. The old man has still got it. Harrison Ford as usual, delivers. The man is amazing. The consistency to his character, Jack, is impeccable.
Firewall is about a director of security who gets manipulated into taking money out of the bank where works. The criminals take Jack's family hostage and threaten to kill him if he doesn't cooperate.
One thing I thought they did really well was to leave out the usual Hollywood visual effects of hacking. You'll see them in movies like “Hackers” where hacking on a unix system looks like Tron. In reality hacking looks very boring especially if you don't know what you are looking at.
It is a decent movie. Perhaps I'll add it to my hacker/security/tech collection (once I start building it).
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Guess I'm Doing Something Good!
I got this message from one of my readers. I had given her advice on how to get her money back from an EZ-1 Scam:
“THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WENT TO MY BANK AND FILLED OUT THAT FORM. THEY SAID I WOUL GET MY MONEY FOR THE LAST 2 MONTHS BACK. SHE SAID THE SAME THING HAPPEN TO SOME ONE ELSE AT MY BANK. YOU MAY USE MY STATEMENT. THESE PEOPLE HAVE GOT TO BE STOPPED. THANKS AGAIN.”Feels good to do a small bit of good.
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Re:INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT – SCAM?
I'm so pissed off lately about scammers that I've been considering baiting them even though
That is not my style.Instead, I'll do some thing kind and sign them up for special offers!
Here is a scam I got today.
SCAM SCAM SCAM SCAM
tomkinson consult <tomkinson_consult7@virgilio.it>Reply-To: tomkinson@excite.comDate: Jun 15, 2006 7:04 PMSubject: From:Mr.TomKinsonFrom:Mr.TomKinson
Dear Sir/Madam,
Re:INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
I
represent a client who has interest to
do business relative and invest
in your country in any area related
to Real Estate, Properties,
Shares, Bonds,Agriculture, Construction,
Supply, or any business of
your choice in order to initiate a proper
and structured relationship.
I request your Trust to jointly invest and
solicit an Honorable
partnership to assist us invest and manage the
funds in long term
profitable businessventures.Please let me know what
your response will
be to this offer, to receive investment funds in
cash or cash/bank
account.The amounts is Eighteen Million Five
hundred Thousand
United States Dollars,you will assist in the
transfer/receive of the
above amount in cash or your designated liable
bank or personal claim
.Invest and manage the funds. Advise on
lucrative areas for
investment with good turn-over profit Assist us in
the purchase of
properties,shares, bonds or and we intend to invest
through you or
your agency in the purchase of assets in your country.The
transaction will result in you being paid a commission of 10% of
the
investment capital and extra additional percentage in every
subsequent
venture under your pervision and the transaction desires
absolute
confidentiality and professionalism in the handling of this
matter.Your swift response will be appreciated .
Sincerely.
Mr .Tomkinson
“,0]
);
//–>From:Mr.TomKinsonDear Sir/Madam,
Re:INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
I represent a client who has interest to do business relative and invest
in your country in any area related to Real Estate, Properties,
Shares, Bonds,Agriculture, Construction, Supply, or any business of
your choice in order to initiate a proper and structured relationship.
I request your Trust to jointly invest and solicit an Honorable
partnership to assist us invest and manage the funds in long term
profitable businessventures.Please let me know what your response will
be to this offer, to receive investment funds in cash or cash/bank
account.The amounts is Eighteen Million Five
hundred Thousand United States Dollars,you will assist in the
transfer/receive of the above amount in cash or your designated liable
bank or personal claim.Invest and manage the funds. Advise on lucrative areas for
investment with good turn-over profit Assist us in the purchase of
properties,shares, bonds or and we intend to invest through you or
your agency in the purchase of assets in your country.The transaction will result in you being paid a commission of 10% of
the investment capital and extra additional percentage in every
subsequent venture under your pervision and the transaction desires
absolute confidentiality and professionalism in the handling of this
matter.Your swit response will be appreciated .
Sincerely.
Cybercrime doesn't live up to them hype.
You'd never know it if you've heard all the buzz, but for the fourth straight year corporate financial losses due to cybercrime is down.