Computer Security

1 Protect your personal information. It's valuable.
2 Know who you're dealing with.
3 Use security software that updates automatically.
4 Keep your operating system and Web browser up-to-date, and learn about their security features.
5 Keep your passwords safe, secure, and strong.
6 Back up important files.
7 Learn what to do in an e-mergency.
Access to information and entertainment, credit and financial services, products from every corner of the world — even to your work — is greater than ever. Thanks to the internet, you can play a friendly game with an opponent across the ocean; review and rate videos, songs, or clothes; get expert advice in an instant; or collaborate with far-flung co-workers in a "virtual" office.
But the internet — and the anonymity it affords — also can give online scammers, hackers, and identity thieves access to your computer, personal information, finances, and more.
With awareness as your safety net, you can minimize the chance of an internet mishap. Being on guard online helps you protect your information, your computer, and your money. To be safer and more secure online, make these seven practices part of your online routine.
1. Protect your personal information. It's valuable.
To an identity thief, your personal information can provide instant access to your financial accounts, your credit record, and other assets. If you think no one would be interested in YOUR personal information, think again. ANYONE can be a victim of identity theft. In fact, according to the Federal Trade Commission, millions of people become victims every year. Visit ftc.gov/idtheft to learn what to do if your identity is stolen or your personal or financial information has been compromised – online or in the "real" world.
How do criminals get your personal information online? One way is by lying about who they are, to convince you to share your account numbers, passwords, and other information so they can get your money or buy things in your name. The scam is called "phishing": criminals send email, text, or pop-up messages that appear to come from your bank, a government agency, an online seller or another organization with which you do business. The message asks you to click to a website or call a phone number to update your account information or claim a prize or benefit. It might suggest something bad will happen if you don't respond quickly with your personal information. In reality, legitimate businesses should never use email, pop-ups, or text messages to ask for your personal information.
To avoid phishing scams:
Don't reply to an email, text, or pop-up message that asks for personal or financial information, and don't click on links in the message. If you want to go to a bank or business's website, type the web address into your browser yourself.
Don't respond if you get a message – by email, text, pop-up or phone – that asks you to call a phone number to update your account or give your personal information to access a refund. If you need to reach an organization with which you do business, call the number on your financial statement, or use a telephone directory
Some identity thieves have stolen personal information from many people at once, by hacking into large databases managed by businesses or government agencies. While you can't enjoy the benefits of the internet without sharing some personal information, you can take steps to share only with organizations you know and trust. Don't give out your personal information unless you first find out how it's going to be used and how it will be protected.
If you are shopping online, don't provide your personal or financial information through a company's website until you have checked for indicators that the site is secure, like a lock icon on the browser's status bar or a website URL that begins "https:" (the "s" stands for "secure"). Unfortunately, no indicator is foolproof; some scammers have forged security icons. And some hackers have managed to breach sites that took appropriate security precautions.
Read website privacy policies. They should explain what personal information the website collects, how the information is used, and whether it is provided to third parties. The privacy policy also should tell you whether you have the right to see what information the website has about you and what security measures the company takes to protect your information. If you don't see a privacy policy — or if you can't understand it — consider doing business elsewhere.
2. Know who you're dealing with.
And what you're getting into. There are dishonest people in the bricks and mortar world and on the internet. But online, you can't judge an operator's trustworthiness with a gut-affirming look in the eye. It's remarkably simple for online scammers to impersonate a legitimate business, so you need to know who you're dealing with. If you're thinking about shopping on a site with which you're not familiar, do some independent research before you buy.
If it's your first time on an unfamiliar site, call the seller's phone number, so you know you can reach them if you need to. If you can't find a working phone number, take your business elsewhere.
Type the site's name into a search engine: If you find unfavorable reviews posted, you may be better off doing business with a different seller.
Consider using a software toolbar that rates websites and warns you if a site has gotten unfavorable reports from experts and other internet users. Some reputable companies provide free tools that may alert you if a website is a known phishing site or is used to distribute spyware.
File-Sharing: Worth the hidden costs?
Every day, millions of computer users share files online. File-sharing can give people access to a wealth of information, including music, games, and software. How does it work? You download special software that connects your computer to an informal network of other computers running the same software. Millions of users could be connected to each other through this software at one time. Often, the software is free and easy to access.
But file-sharing can have a number of risks. If you don't check the proper settings, you could allow access not only to the files you intend to share, but also to other information on your hard drive, like your tax returns, email messages, medical records, photos, or other personal documents. In addition, you may unwittingly download malware or pornography labeled as something else. Or you may download material that is protected by the copyright laws, which would mean you could be breaking the law.
If you decide to use file-sharing software, be sure to read the End User Licensing Agreement to be sure you understand and are willing to tolerate the potential risks of free downloads.
3. Use security software that updates automatically.
Keep your security software active and current: at a minimum, your computer should have anti-virus and anti-spyware software, and a firewall. You can buy stand-alone programs for each element or a security suite that includes these programs from a variety of sources, including commercial vendors or from your Internet Service Provider. Security software that comes pre-installed on a computer generally works for a short time unless you pay a subscription fee to keep it in effect. In any case, security software protects against the newest threats only if it is up-to-date. That's why it is critical to set your security software to update automatically.
Some scam artists distribute malware disguised as anti-spyware software. Resist buying software in response to unexpected pop-up messages or emails, especially ads that claim to have scanned your computer and detected malware. That's a tactic scammers have used to spread malware. OnGuardOnline.gov can connect you to a list of security tools from legitimate security vendors selected by GetNetWise, a project of the Internet Education Foundation.
Once you confirm that your security software is up-to-date, run it to scan your computer for viruses and spyware. If the program identifies a file as a problem, delete it.
Anti-Virus Software
Anti-virus software protects your computer from viruses that can destroy your data, slow your computer's performance, cause a crash, or even allow spammers to send email through your account. It works by scanning your computer and your incoming email for viruses, and then deleting them.
Anti-Spyware Software
Installed on your computer without your consent, spyware software monitors or controls your computer use. It may be used to send you pop-up ads, redirect your computer to websites, monitor your internet surfing, or record your keystrokes, which, in turn, could lead to the theft of your personal information.
A computer may be infected with spyware if it:
Slows down, malfunctions, or displays repeated error messages
Won't shut down or restart
Serves up a lot of pop-up ads, or displays them when you're not surfing the web
Displays web pages or programs you didn't intend to use, or sends emails you didn't write.
Firewalls
A firewall helps keep hackers from using your computer to send out your personal information without your permission. While anti-virus software scans incoming email and files, a firewall is like a guard, watching for outside attempts to access your system and blocking communications to and from sources you don't permit.
Don't Let Your Computer Become Part of a "BotNet"
Some spammers search the internet for unprotected computers they can control and use anonymously to send spam, turning them into a robot network, known as a "botnet." Also known as a "zombie army," a botnet is made up of many thousands of home computers sending emails by the millions. Most spam is sent remotely this way; millions of home computers are part of botnets.
Spammers scan the internet to find computers that aren't protected by security software, and then install bad software – known as "malware" – through those "open doors." That's one reason why up-to-date security software is critical.
Malware may be hidden in free software applications. It can be appealing to download free software like games, file-sharing programs, customized toolbars, and the like. But sometimes just visiting a website or downloading files may cause a "drive-by download," which could turn your computer into a "bot."
Another way spammers take over your computer is by sending you an email with attachments, links or images which, if you click on or open them, install hidden software. Be cautious about opening any attachments or downloading files from emails you receive. Don't open an email attachment — even if it looks like it's from a friend or coworker — unless you are expecting it or know what it contains. If you send an email with an attached file, include a text message explaining what it is.
4. Keep your operating system and Web browser up-to-date, and learn about their security features.
Hackers also take advantage of Web browsers (like Firefox or Internet Explorer) and operating system software (like Windows or Mac's OS) that don't have the latest security updates. Operating system companies issue security patches for flaws that they find in their systems, so it's important to set your operating system and Web browser software to download and install security patches automatically.
In addition, you can increase your online security by changing the built-in security and privacy settings in your operating system or browser. Check the "Tools" or "Options" menus to learn how to upgrade from the default settings. Use your "Help" function for more information about your choices.
If you're not using your computer for an extended period, disconnect it from the internet. When it's disconnected, the computer doesn't send or receive information from the internet and isn't vulnerable to hackers.
5. Protect your passwords.
Keep your passwords in a secure place, and out of plain sight. Don't share them on the internet, over email, or on the phone. Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) should never ask for your password.
In addition, hackers may try to figure out your passwords to gain access to your computer. To make it tougher for them:
Use passwords that have at least eight characters and include numbers or symbols. The longer the password, the tougher it is to crack. A 12-character password is stronger than one with eight characters.
Avoid common words: some hackers use programs that can try every word in the dictionary.
Don't use your personal information, your login name, or adjacent keys on the keyboard as passwords.
Change your passwords regularly (at a minimum, every 90 days).
Don't use the same password for each online account you access.
6. Back up important files.
If you follow these tips, you're more likely to be free of interference from hackers, viruses, and spammers. But no system is completely secure. If you have important files stored on your computer, copy them onto a removable disc or an external hard drive, and store it in a safe place.
7. Learn what to do in an e-mergency.
If you suspect malware is lurking on your computer, stop shopping, banking, and other online activities that involve user names, passwords, or other sensitive information. Malware could be sending your personal information to identity thieves.
Confirm that your security software is up-to-date, then use it to scan your computer. Delete everything the program identifies as a problem. You may have to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
If the problem persists after you exhaust your ability to diagnose and treat it, you might want to call for professional help. If your computer is covered by a warranty that offers free tech support, contact the manufacturer. Before you call, write down the model and serial number of your computer, the name of any software you've installed, and a short description of the problem. Your notes will help you give an accurate description to the technician.
If you need professional help, if your machine isn't covered by a warranty, or if your security software isn't doing the job properly, you may need to pay for technical support. Many companies — including some affiliated with retail stores — offer tech support via the phone, online, at their store, or in your home. Telephone or online help generally are the least expensive ways to access support services — especially if there's a toll-free helpline — but you may have to do some of the work yourself. Taking your computer to a store usually is less expensive than hiring a technician or repair person to come into your home.
Once your computer is back up and running, think about how malware could have been downloaded to your machine, and what you could do to avoid it in the future.
Also, talk about safe computing with anyone else who uses the computer. Tell them that some online activity can put a computer at risk, and share the seven practices for safer computing.

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How to Get Rid of a Computer Virus

Computer viruses come in many forms and can cause various kinds of damage to your system. Fortunately, most viruses are easily dealt with and effective methods for eliminating them are often developed as soon as the viruses are discovered. If you think your computer may be infected, take any necessary steps to clear your system and avoid infecting other computers.
Instructions
1.Visit your virus-scan software manufacturer's Web site and install any virus updates that are available. Then run the software. The software may not be able to delete the virus, but it may be able to identify it.
2.Search the Web for information regarding your specific virus by typing the name of the virus or its associated file into a search engine followed by the word "virus." For example, "Melissa virus," "BubbleBoy virus," etc.
3.Download and install any patches or other programs that will help you eliminate the virus. Or follow any instructions you find on deleting the virus manually.
4.Run another virus scan to make sure the virus has been dealt with properly.
Tips & Warnings
If you think your computer was affected with an e-mail virus that mails itself to people in your e-mail address book, contact those people and tell them not to open the messages or attachments.


-Web based email usually has built in virus scanning so viruses never reach your machine.


-Generally, deleting the file that caused the virus isn't sufficient to eliminate the problem, since many viruses can create new files or corrupt existing files. Your best bet is to use anti-virus software or specific online instructions.


-Avoid sending out any e-mails until you have properly eliminated the virus. Many viruses can attach themselves to outgoing messages without your knowledge, causing you to unwittingly infect the computers of your friends and colleagues

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Cyber law or It act of India

Cyber laws are meant to set the definite pattern, some rules and guidelines that defined certain business activities going on through internet legal and certain illegal and hence punishable .Today sintuhack will explian some fact about cyber case (sintuhack). The IT Act 2000, the cyber law of India , gives the legal framework so that information is not denied legal effect, validity or enforceability, solely on the ground that it is in the form of electronic records.

One cannot regard government as complete failure in shielding numerous e-commerce activities on the firm basis of which this industry has got to its skies, but then the law cannot be regarded as free from ambiguities.(sintuhack)


The IT Act 2000 attempts to change outdated laws and provides ways to deal with cyber crimes. Let’s have an overview of the law where it takes a firm stand and has got successful in the reason for which it was framed.(sintuhack)

1. The E-commerce industry carries out its business via transactions and communications done through electronic records . It thus becomes essential that such transactions be made legal . Keeping this point in the consideration, the IT Act 2000 empowers the government departments to accept filing, creating and retention of official documents in the digital format. The Act also puts forward the proposal for setting up the legal framework essential for the authentication and origin of electronic records / communications through digital signature.(sintuhack)

2. The Act legalizes the e-mail and gives it the status of being valid form of carrying out communication in India . This implies that e-mails can be duly produced and approved in a court of law , thus can be a regarded as substantial document to carry out legal proceedings.(sintuhack)

3. The act also talks about digital signatures and digital records . These have been also awarded the status of being legal and valid means that can form strong basis for launching litigation in a court of law. It invites the corporate companies in the business of being Certifying Authorities for issuing secure Digital Signatures Certificates.

4. The Act now allows Government to issue notification on the web thus heralding e-governance.(sintuhack)

5. It eases the task of companies of the filing any form, application or document by laying down the guidelines to be submitted at any appropriate office, authority, body or agency owned or controlled by the government. This will help in saving costs, time and manpower for the corporates.(sintuhack)

6. The act also provides statutory remedy to the coporates in case the crime against the accused for breaking into their computer systems or network and damaging and copying the data is proven. The remedy provided by the Act is in the form of monetary damages, not exceeding Rs. 1 crore($200,000).(sintuhack)

7. Also the law sets up the Territorial Jurisdiction of the Adjudicating Officers for cyber crimes and the Cyber Regulations Appellate Tribunal.(sintuhack)

8. The law has also laid guidelines for providing Internet Services on a license on a non-exclusive basis.(sintuhack)

The IT Law 2000, though appears to be self sufficient, it takes mixed stand when it comes to many practical situations. It looses its certainty at many places like:(sintuhack)

1. The law misses out completely the issue of Intellectual Property Rights, and makes no provisions whatsoever for copyrighting, trade marking or patenting of electronic information and data. The law even doesn’t talk of the rights and liabilities of domain name holders , the first step of entering into the e-commerce.(sintuhack)
2. The law even stays silent over the regulation of electronic payments gateway and segregates the negotiable instruments from the applicability of the IT Act , which may have major effect on the growth of e-commerce in India . It leads to make the banking and financial sectors irresolute in their stands .(sintuhack)(sintuhack)
3. The act empowers the Deputy Superintendent of Police to look up into the investigations and filling of charge sheet when any case related to cyber law is called. This approach is likely to result in misuse in the context of Corporate India as companies have public offices which would come within the ambit of "public place" under the Act. As a result, companies will not be able to escape potential harassment at the hands of the DSP.(sintuhack)
4. Internet is a borderless medium ; it spreads to every corner of the world where life is possible and hence is the cyber criminal. Then how come is it possible to feel relaxed and secured once this law is enforced in the nation??(sintuhack)

The Act initially was supposed to apply to crimes committed all over the world, but nobody knows how can this be achieved in practice , how to enforce it all over the world at the same time???(sintuhack)

* The IT Act is silent on filming anyone’s personal actions in public and then distributing it electronically. It holds ISPs (Internet Service Providers) responsible for third party data and information, unless contravention is committed without their knowledge or unless the ISP has undertaken due diligence to prevent the contravention .(sintuhack)
* For example, many Delhi based newspapers advertise the massage parlors; and in few cases even show the ‘therapeutic masseurs’ hidden behind the mask, who actually are prostitutes. Delhi Police has been successful in busting out a few such rackets but then it is not sure of the action it can take…should it arrest the owners and editors of newspapers or wait for some new clauses in the Act to be added up?? Even the much hyped case of the arrest of Bajaj, the CEO of Bazee.com, was a consequence of this particular ambiguity of the law. One cannot expect an ISP to monitor what information their subscribers are sending out, all 24 hours a day.(sintuhack)

Cyber law is a generic term, which denotes all aspects, issues and the legal consequences on the Internet, the World Wide Web and cyber space. India is the 12th nation in the world that has cyber legislation apart from countries like the US, Singapore, France, Malaysia and Japan .(sintuhack)

But can the cyber laws of the country be regarded as sufficient and secure enough to provide a strong platform to the country’s e-commerce industry for which they were meant?? India has failed to keep in pace with the world in this respect, and the consequence is not far enough from our sight; most of the big customers of India ’s outsourcing company have started to re-think of carrying out their business in India .Bajaj’s case has given the strongest blow in this respect and have broken India ’s share in outsourcing market as a leader.(sintuhack)

If India doesn’t want to loose its position and wishes to stay as the world’s leader forever in outsourcing market, it needs to take fast but intelligent steps to cover the glaring loopholes of the Act, or else the day is not far when the scenario of India ruling the world’s outsourcing market will stay alive in the dreams only as it will be overtaken by its competitors.sintuhack,sintuhack,sintuhack,sintuhack,sintuhack,sintuhack,sintuhack,sintuhack

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computer security

Computer security is the process of preventing and detecting unauthorized use of your computer. Prevention measures help you to stop unauthorized users (also known as "intruders") from accessing any part of your computer system. Detection helps you to determine whether or not someone attempted to break into your system, if they were successful, and what they may have done.

We use computers for everything from banking and investing to shopping and communicating with others through email or chat programs. Although you may not consider your communications "top secret," you probably do not want strangers reading your email, using your computer to attack other systems, sending forged email from your computer, or examining personal information stored on your computer (such as financial statements).
   Intruders (also referred to as hackers, attackers, or crackers) may not care about your identity. Often they want to gain control of your computer so they can use it to launch attacks on other computer systems.

Having control of your computer gives them the ability to hide their true location as they launch attacks, often against high-profile computer systems such as government or financial systems. Even if you have a computer connected to the Internet only to play the latest games or to send email to friends and family, your computer may be a target.

Intruders may be able to watch all your actions on the computer, or cause damage to your computer by reformatting your hard drive or changing your data.

Unfortunately, intruders are always discovering new vulnerabilities (informally called "holes") to exploit in computer software. The complexity of software makes it increasingly difficult to thoroughly test the security of computer systems.

Also, some software applications have default settings that allow other users to access your computer unless you change the settings to be more secure. Examples include chat programs that let outsiders execute commands on your computer or web browsers that could allow someone to place harmful programs on your computer that run when you click on them.

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HOW to Track and Recover Your Lost/Stolen iPhone

iPhone is the world’s best smart phone available today without any doubt. People carry their phones everywhere they go, and hence there is always a chance of them forgetting their iPhone somewhere or the iPhone getting stolen. Learn how to track, message, erase and recover your lost or stolen iPhone.

1. Track your iPhone via MobileMe

Apple has announced a new service called Find My iPhone that will allow iPhone owners to remotely locate their lost or stolen iPhones using the iPhone’s GPS. The service will be available as part of Apple’s MobileMe online subscription service.

Find My iPhone will pinpoint the iPhone’s current location using Google Maps and let owners send and display a message on the iPhone even if it’s locked, presumably to provide information on how to return the phone to the finder of the phone.

2. iPhone anti-theft solution – iLocalis
iLocalis has the following uses-

    * Never lose you iPhone: If it is missing just log onto the iLocalis site and you’ll know where it was located last.
    * Retrieve a stolen iPhone: If your iPhone is stolen you can log into the site and check out where it’s at. Extra features built into iLocalis allow you to send text messages or make calls on your iPhone when you don’t even have it with you. If you iPhone is stolen log in and send yourself a text message. If the thief changed the sim card you’ll have their phone number!
    * Allow your family and friends to know where you are: iLocalis will send a message to your friends when you are near by. You can also set it up to allow your friends to locate you. If your friend also has iLocalis you can send messages to each other for free. No txt messaging charges.
    * iLocalis can also be used for a business that needs location services for their employees. Employees carrying iPhones with iLocalis can be tracked via the web site easily.

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Computer Security Threats--Backdoor Trojan

A backdoor Trojan(security threat) allows someone to take control of another user’s
computer via the internet without their permission.
A backdoor Trojan(security threat) may pose as legitimate software, just as other Trojan horse programs
do, so that users run it. Alternatively – as is now increasingly common – users may
allow Trojans onto their computer by following a link in spam mail.
Once the Trojan is run, it adds itself to the computer’s startup routine. It can then
monitor the computer until the user is connected to the internet. When the computer
goes online, the person who sent the Trojan can perform many actions – for example,
run programs on the infected computer, access personal files, modify and upload files,
track the user’s keystrokes, or send out spam mail.
Well-known backdoor Trojans include Subseven, BackOrifice and, more recently,
Graybird, which was disguised as a fix for the notorious Blaster worm.
To avoid backdoor Trojans, you should keep your computers up to date with the latest
patches (to close down vulnerabilities in the operating system), and run anti-spam
and anti-virus software. You should also run a firewall, which can prevent Trojans from
accessing the internet to make contact with the hacker.Backdoor trojan computer security threat is one of
danger security attack.so be aware about this security threat.

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uAndroid's Security Framework

                            uAndroid's Security Framework

The Google Android mobile phone platform is one of the most anticipated smartphone operating systems. Android defines a new component-based framework for developing mobile applications, where each application is comprised of different numbers and types of components. Activity components form the basis of the user interface; each screen presented to the user is a different Activity. Service components provide background processing that continues even after its application loses focus. Services also define arbitrary interfaces for communicating with other applications. Content Provider components share information in relational database form. For instance, the system includes an application with a Content Provider devoted to sharing the user's address book upon which other applications can query. Finally, Broadcast Receiver components act as an asynchronous mailbox for messages from the system and other applications. As a whole, this application framework supports a flexible degree of collaboration between applications, where dependencies can be as simple or complex as a situation requires.

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Email Security...some Basic point

In today’s electronic world, email is critical to any business being competitive. In most cases it now forms the backbone of most organisations’ day-to-day activities, and its use will continue to grow. According to the The Radicati Group’s study, “Microsoft Exchange and Outlook Analysis, 2005-2009,” the worldwide email market will grow from 1.2 billion mailboxes in 2005 to 1.8 billion mailboxes in 2009.[sintuhack]
As email becomes more prevalent in the market, the importance of email security becomes more significant. In particular, the security implications associated with the management of email storage, policy enforcement, auditing, archiving and data recovery. Managing large, active stores of information takes time and effort in order to avoid failures – failures that will impact the users and therefore the business, undoubtedly leading to lost productivity. For secure and effective storage management, organisations must take a proactive approach and invest wisely in a comprehensive solution.When considering a secure email storage management solution, a layered approach, combining both business processes and applications makes sense. By considering the service email provides to the business, email management can be broken down into a number of components: mail flow, storage, and user access – both at the server and user levels. Whilst each one of these components should be addressed separately, they must be viewed as part of a total security agenda.[sintuhack]
Mail flow can encompass many aspects of an email system. However, the security of mail flow is for the large part focused around the auditing and tracking of mails into and out of the organisation. Monitoring the content and ensuring that any email that has been sent and received complies with business policy is fundamental.[sintuhack].Proving who has sent or received email is a lawful requirement for many industries and email can often be used as evidence in fraud and human resource court cases.[sintuhack],Another key aspect of the management of mail flow security is the protection of the business from malicious or unlawful attacks. It is at the gateway into the mail system where a business must protect itself via a variety of methods including hardware and software protection systems, such as spam filters and virus scanner[sintuhack].

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Common mobile viruses:Mobile Security Threat

How they spread and what are the effects:

Cabir: When this virus infects  your mobile then  message 'Caribe' will be displayed  at each  time you switch off and  on the mobile. These worms are generally  spread through blue tooth signals from surroundings  mobiles. 

Duts: A parasitic  file infector virus .its alos  known as Pocket PC. It try to infect all EXE files which are more than 4kb present in the directory where it saved. 

Skulls:  it is a Trojan horse. Means a piece of code will be  downloaded  on your mobile nad then the virus called Skull replaces your phone desktop into  image of skull as icon.it is very dangerous as  It is usually  transferred with all phone applications and also with SMS and MMS. 

Comm warrior: It's also spread through MMS  and  unsecured blue tooth  to other devices. It has more impact on devices running under OS Symbian Series 60. This virus launches The executable worm file and the worm  hunt for gaining access to your blue tooth devices and sends the infected files under various different  name to various random device.

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Mobile security:Tips for using Bluetooth Securely

All  deficiencies(described in previuos post )  leave a Bluetooth device vulnerable to security threats. Even though security gaps are being filled every day by the manufacturer and technologist, Following are some of the tips that a normal user can keep in mind and protect himself from an amateur BlueTooth  security breacher.[sintuhack]

• Keep BlueTooth   in the disabled state, enable it only when needed and disable immediately after the intended task is completed.[sintuhack]
• Keep the device in non-discoverable (hidden) mode,[sintuhack]
• DO NOT accept any unknown and unexpected request for pairing your device.[sintuhack]
• 
  
• Use non regular patterns as PIN keys while pairing a device. Use those key combinations which are non sequential, non obvious on the keypad.[sintuhack]
• Keep a check of all paired devices in the past from time to time and delete any paired device which you are not sure about.[sintuhack]
• Register your device at the Manufacturer site and insure that security updates are installed regularly to protect from previously know threat which had been rectified in new models.[sintuhack]
• Always enable encryption when establishing Bluetooth connection to your PC.[sintuhack]

Above Bluetooth Security Tips should make your Bluetooth experience trouble free. Good Luck…!!! And that’s the end of chapter on bluetooth.[sintuhack].

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Bluetooth Security Risks:MOBILE SECURITY

Bluetooth Security Risks
1. The first step in using any Bluetooth device is to turn on the Bluetooth feature in it. The default state of Bluetooth in any device is “Off” mode. 
2. Once Bluetooth is turned on, it is in active but dormant state. In order to use it, it needs to be put in to “Discoverable” state. In theory when a device is in “non discoverable” state it should not be visible to other devices but in reality the device is still discoverable to those devices it has made a connection before using MAC address. A hacker seeing the Blue LED can use Brute Force address discovery process to record the MAC address and hack the device using software such as RedFang.


3. During communication process also Bluetooth technology exposes itself to security breach as the address itself is not encrypted although the message may be encrypted. Technique such as frequency hogging provides some protection but is not completely secure.
4. There are devices available in the market which can capture a Bluetooth signal from the air and analyze. At present cost is prohibitive for casual hackers to acquire some of these devices but still a professional hacker can use those devices and hack vital information.
5. Many owners leave the Bluetooth device in the discoverable mode after actual use due to ignorance or simply forget to turn off “discoverable” mode which gives hackers easy opportunity to pair with their device and hack.
6. Pairing two Bluetooth devices usually does not require any authentication, however using a service like file transfer or data/video/voice exchange require some authentication by entering PIN. Once PINs are entered a link key is generated and stored in the device’s memory. This process is not required for next time onwards.
7. Many vendors do not implement authentication and authorization process correctly allowing hackers to steal information or use one’s phone or use it for making calls or SMS.

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Mobile hacking via blutooth

In this post i will tell  you how actually  mobile phones are get hacked  . i will describe it step by step that how mobile get hacke but plz don’t utilize it and try . If you will try then it will your responsibility.


I mainly describe the process  of Bluejacking .
  
Friends there is a bluetooth hacking software , using bluetooth hacking software anyone can “hack any cell phones”
 the latest version of this software is Bluetooth Hack v 1.07.
anyone can easly download it from any file sharing site.
Like  Download via RapidSahre: http://rapidshare.com/files/XXXXXXX/Superbluetoothhack.zip






Disadvantages of this software.


if  anyone get connected to your phone via bluetooth :
- he can read your messagess
- he can read your contactss
-he can play your songs from your mobile 
- he can also play his/her ringtones even your phone is in silent
- he can switch off your mobile –
-he can change your profile
-he can restart his/her mobile
-he can restore your factory setings
- he can also change ringing volume of your mobile..
  - the worst  part of it is he can call from your mobile which also includes all call functions like hold on etc etc..



Mobile phone hacking work according to following   steps .

• He will Go to Contacts.
•  And will Create a new contact.
• He will Write the short message he want to send on the line next to 'Last name'
• And Save this contact.
• Now he will Select your contact and send via Bluetooth because your bluetooth is on and you donot know about it.
• His  phone will search for devices and that software will found your mobile.
• He will Select any one  like you  and will  send.
• Now Your phone  have been  bluejacked by someone.

This software is very much suitable for sony ericcsson and few Nokia mobiles.
So user of it be aware..
Warning this is only For educational purposesif any one use it it will totaly his resposiblity.




In next post i will describe others methods of  bluethooth hacking.

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MOBILE HACKING:BLUTOOTH HACKING

Bluetooth is a very common thing for mobile technology and used frequntly by user to tranfer data. But as frequent they transfer the data , less they put attention on security . Even most of them donot think about  that their mobile can be hacked via blutooth.
So now from today i am going to describe about blutooth hackings and security and it will continue in upcoming post.

Bluejacking, Bluesnarfing, Bluebugging and Bluetoothing are the main type of bluetooth hacks.


Bluejacking is the simplest of the four.  It is an attempt to send a phone contact or business card to another nearby phone. The ‘name' field of the contact can be misused by replacing it with a suggestive text so that the target device reads it as a part of intimation query displayed on its screen. Tis is somewhat equivalent to spam e-mail because both are unsolicited messages displayed on recipients' end without consent, and by exploiting the inherent nature of communication.
These are the softwares available in the market which help in bluetooth hacking.


BlueScanner - It hunts out for Bluetooth devices and dig out much amount of information of the newly discovered device.

BlueSniff - Utility for discovering hidden Bluetooth devices.

BlueBugger -It simply exploits the BlueBug vulnerability of the bluetooth enabled devices. By exploiting these vulnerabilities and leakes, you can gain access to the phone-book, calls lists and other information of the bluetooth device.

BTBrowser - Is a Bluetooth Browser is a J2ME app. which can browse and explore all the surrounding Bluetooth devices.

BTCrawler -It is a Bluetooth scanner for Windows Mobile based devices. It can implement BlueJacking and BlueSnarfing attacks.


In the next post i will describe how hackers actually  use these softwares for the hacking..........

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Top Ten Credit Card Safety/SECURITY Tips

There are hundreds of credit cards scams that enable the wrong people to gain your account and identity information. Identity theft is a major problem and can be avoided using these ten simple safety techniques for credit card use.

1. Watch where you shop. It is important to be aware of store policies when it comes to credit card use. How is your information protected? Are the systems used to process payment information secure?

2. Shred all information received from the credit card company. With the high instances of identity theft occurring throughout the country it is essential to take measures to avoid allowing others to view personal information.

3. When shopping online, ensure that only safe and secured websites are used for the purchases of gifts and other items. A locked padlock should be seen in the internet browser to ensure the maximum safety measures are being taken.

4. Use automated banking machines at the bank over machines located at convenience stores and within malls. Using these bank machines reduces the risk of identity theft from information being scanned as the card is swiped through the banking machine.

5. Report a card lost or stolen immediately after the card has been discovered lost or the information has been stolen. The credit card company can immediately place a hold on the account, as well as any purchases made through the account can be protected under purchase protection.

6. Ensure credit cards are signed the moment that they are received and activated. Signing the credit card reduces the chance of the card being used in a case of identity theft.

7. Keep account numbers written in a safe place that cannot be accessed by others. Credit card account numbers should not be written within the wallet, or any other area where they can be easily accessed.

8. Never lend credit cards to anyone or allow anyone to use the number to make purchases over the telephone or the internet. It is important to be aware of all credit card activity and prevent future use of card information.

9. Check your account statement each month for regular and periodic use. Customers that check the account statement are more likely to catch identity theft before it becomes devastating to the card holder.

10. Don’t keep extra copies of credit cards in the house, unless they are in a safe, under lock and key. An extra credit card can be couriered to the card holder in as little as a day – therefore it is important to avoid keeping excess copies of the credit card at home.

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We can Trace a Stolen SIM Card of any mobile phone....

All information about your cell phone is stored on a SIM card inside your phone. This is the card cell phone companies
program when you first activate your cell phone. When your cell phone is stolen, the SIM card is often the only way to trace the phone’s location.

Tracking your stolen cell phone through the SIM card is mainly done through your cell phone provider. As soon as you realize the phone has been stolen, call your cell phone provider. Provide them with your account number, cell phone number and approximate time the phone was stolen. They can then track the phone’s activity. If the SIM card has not been changed out, this will help the cell phone company lead authorities to your phone’s location.

If GPS is enabled on your cell phone, you may be able to monitor your cell phone’s location from home. This will require the cell phone to be turned on and the SIM card active. Open the web page you use to access the GPS locator on your phone. Call authorities as soon as you have a set location.

Try calling your cell phone. Some thieves will actually answer the phone. The call will provide a way for your cell phone provider to track the last known location. Authorities may also be able to provide this service as well.

If the SIM card has already been changed out, finding the cell phone itself may be impossible. However, your cell phone provider can still attempt to trace the location of the SIM card. When the cell phone number assigned to the SIM card’s serial number no longer match, this alerts the provider to the theft. They will then be able to trace the stolen SIM card through the new cell phone number.

New applications are being created that work silently to track the SIM card and cell phone. These applications run quietly to prevent alerting the thief to their presence. One such application is Smart Phone Guard. The application hides itself the moment the SIM card is replaced. A message is then sent to friends’ numbers. The numbers are determined at the time the application is installed. The application also allows you to remotely delete any personal information such as photos and videos remotely through one of the friend’s numbers.

Check with your cell phone provider for other applications that may be able to trace the location of stolen SIM cards. These applications will give you peace of mind that no matter what happens to your phone, you’ll still have control. For older phones, newer applications may not be compatible.

In the event your SIM card or cell phone is stolen, report the incident immediately to your cell phone provider. This will prevent unauthorized calls and charges to your account. For many thieves, once the phone is deactivated, they simply discard the phone. Ask your provider to trace the SIM card if possible. GPS enabled phones can also be tracked through the SIM card and phone number. There are several different ways to trace a stolen SIM card with new methods being developed daily.

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The 25 Most Common Mistakes in Email Security

25 tips to bring newbie Internet users up to speed so they stop comprimising your network security.
I still remember receiving my first phishing email in my AOL account. I had won the AOL lottery! As good as it sounded, I was skeptical at best. So without much thought, I opened the email and clicked on the link inside to check if I truly was a millionaire after all. Almost instantly, my computer crashed, and with each subsequent restart would crash again.
Countless computer crashes and thousands of spam emails later, I had learned the lesson that just opening spam email can bring harm to my computer. Unfortunately there are a whole host of traps and errors that catch new email users just because "they didn't know any better".
In this article we focus on 25 of the most common and easy to fix mistakes that people make when it comes to email security. We've designed this article with the new internet user in mind, so if you're an email expert, you may want to pass this along to your novice friends.
HERE I AM GOING TO EXPLAIN SOME POINT WHERE COMMON USER IS USEDT TO TRAPPED BY HACKERS/PHISHERS------

1. Properly managing your email accounts
2. Emailing the right people
3. Making backups and keeping records
4. Avoiding fraudulent email
5. Avoiding malware
6. Keeping hackers at bay

Properly managing your email accounts

1. Using just one email account.

Individuals new to email often think about their email account like they do their home address, you only have one home address, so you should only have one email. Instead, you should think about your email address like you do your keys; while it may be OK to use the same key for your front and your back door, having a single key open everything is both impractical and unsafe.

A good rule of thumb for the average email user is to keep a minimum of three email accounts. Your work account should be used exclusively for work-related conversations. Your second email account should be used for personal conversations and contacts, and your third email account should be used as a general catch-all for all hazardous behavior. That means that you should always sign up for newsletters and contests only through your third email account. Similarly, if you have to post your email account online, such as for your personal blog, you should only use your third email account (and post a web friendly form of it at that).

While your first and second email accounts can be paid or freebie, your third 'catch-all' account should always be a freebie account such as those offered by Gmail or Yahoo!. You should plan on having to dump and change out this account every six months, as the catch-all account will eventually become spammed when a newsletter manager decides to sell your name or a spammer steals your email address off a Web site.

2. Holding onto spammed-out accounts too long.

It is simply a fact of life that email accounts will accumulate spam over time. This is especially true of the account you use to sign up for newsletters and that you post online (which as stated above should not be your main email account). When this happens, it is best to simply dump the email account and start afresh. Unfortunately, however, many new email users get very attached to their email accounts and instead just wade through dozens of pieces of spam every day. To avoid the problem, prepare yourself mentally ahead of time for the idea that you will have to dump your 'catch all' account every six months.

3. Not closing the browser after logging out.

When you are checking your email at a library or cybercafé you not only need to log out of your email when you are done, but you also need to make sure to close the browser window completely. Some email services display your username (but not your password) even after you have logged out. While the service does this for your convenience, it compromises your email security.

4. Forgetting to delete browser cache, history and passwords.

After using a public terminal, it is important that you remember to delete the browser cache, history, and passwords. Most browsers automatically keep track of all the web pages that you have visited, and some keep track of any passwords and personal information that you enter in order to help you fill out similar forms in the future.

If this information falls into the wrong hands, it can lead to identity theft and stolen bank and email information. Because the stakes are so high, it is important that new internet users be aware of how to clear a public computers browser cache so that they can delete private information before lurking hackers can get a hold of it.

For those of you using Mozilla's Firefox, simply press Ctrl+Shift+Del. Opera users need go to Tools>>Delete Private Data. And users of Microsoft's Internet Explorer need to go to Tools>>Internet Options then click the 'Clear History', 'Delete Cookies', and 'Delete Files' buttons.



5. Using unsecure email accounts to send and receive sensitive corporate information.

Large corporations invest huge amounts of money to ensure that their computer networks and email remain secure. Despite their efforts, careless employees using personal email accounts to conduct company business and pass along sensitive data can undermine the security measures in place. So make sure that you don't risk your company's security, and your job, by transmitting sensitive company data via your own personal computer or email address.

6. Forgetting the telephone option

One of the most important lessons about email security is that no matter how many steps you take to secure your email, it will never be foolproof. This is never truer than when using a public computer. So unless you need a written record of something or are communicating across the globe, consider whether a simple phone call rather than an email is a better option. While a phone conversation may require a few extra minutes, when compared with accessing email through a public computer, a phone call is a far more secure option and it does not leave a paper trail.

Emailing the right people

7. Not using the Blind Carbon Copy (BCC) option.

When you put a person's email addresses in the BCC: rather than the CC: window, none of the recipients can see the addresses of the other email recipients.

New email users often rely too much on the TO: because it is the default way of sending emails. That is fine as long as you are writing to just one person or a few family members. But if you are sending mail out to a diverse group of people, confusing BCC: and CC: raises some serious privacy and security concerns. It takes just one spammer to get a hold of the email and immediately everyone on your email list gets spammed.

Even if the honesty of the group isn't in question, many email programs are setup to automatically add to the address books any incoming email addresses. That means that some people in the group will inadvertently have added the entire list to their address book, and as a result, if one of their computers is infected with "Zombie" malware and silently sends out spam emails, you will have just caused the entire list to get spammed.

8. Being trigger happy with the "Reply All" button.

Sometimes the mistake isn't in deciding between CC: and BCC: but between hitting Reply All instead of Reply. When you hit Reply All, your email message is sent to everyone included on the original email, and if you didn't intend to include them, the information can be disastrous from both a security and personal humiliation perspective:

Example 1: "A very successful salesman at our networking company had a large email address book filled with his best customers, including some very important and conservative government contacts. With a single click, he accidentally sent a file chock-full of his favorite pornographic cartoons and jokes to everyone on his special customer list. His subject line: 'Special deals for my best customers!' Needless to say, he's cutting deals for another company these days."

Example 2: "A woman was in torment over a busted romance. She wrote a lengthy, detailed message to a girlfriend, adding that her ex-boyfriend preferred men to women. But instead of hitting Reply to a previous message from her girlfriend, she hit Reply All. Her secret was sent to dozens of people she didn't even know (including me), plus the aforementioned ex and his new boyfriend. As if that weren't bad enough, she did this two more times in quick succession!

9. Spamming as a result of forwarding email.

Forwarding emails can be a great way to quickly bring someone up to speed on a subject without having to write up a summary email, but if you aren't careful, forwarding emails can create a significant security threat for yourself and the earlier recipients of the email. As an email is forwarded, the recipients of the mail (until that point in time) are automatically listed in the body of the email. As the chain keeps moving forward, more and more recipient ids are placed on the list.

Unfortunately, if a spammer or someone just looking to make a quick buck gets a hold of the email, they can then sell the entire list of email ids and then everyone will start to get spammed. It only takes a few seconds to delete all the previous recipient ids before forwarding a piece of mail, and it can avoid the terrible situation of you being the cause of all your friends or coworkers getting spammed.

Making backups and keeping records

10. Failing to back up emails.

Emails are not just for idle chatting, but can also be used to make legally binding contracts, major financial decisions, and conduct professional meetings. Just as you would keep a hard copy of other important business and personal documents, it is important that you regularly back up your email to preserve a record if your email client crashes and loses data (It happened to Gmail as recently as December 2006).

Thankfully, most email providers make it rather simple to back up your email by allowing you to export emails to a particular folder and then just creating a copy of the folder and storing it onto a writeable CD, DVD, removable disk, or any other type of media. If that simple exporting process sounds too complicated, you can just buy automated backup software that will take care of the whole thing for you. Whether you purchase the software or decide to back up manually, it is important that you make and follow a regular backup schedule, as this is the sort of thing that new email users tend to just put off. The frequency of backups necessary for you will of course depend on your email usage, but under no circumstances should it be done less frequently than every 3 months.

11. Mobile access: Presuming a backup exists.

Mobile email access, such as through BlackBerry, has revolutionized the way we think about email; no longer is it tied to a PC, but rather it can be checked on-the-go anywhere. Most new BlackBerry users simply assume that a copy of the emails they check and delete off the BlackBerry will still be available on their home or office computer.

It is important to keep in mind, however, that some email servers and client software download emails to the Blackberry device and then delete them from the server. Thus, for some mobile email access devices, if you delete it from the device, you have deleted it from your Inbox.

Just be aware of the default settings of your email client and make sure that if you want a copy of the email retained, you have adjusted the email client's settings to make it happen. And preferably make sure of this before you decide to delete that important email.

12. Thinking that an erased email is gone forever.

We've all sent an embarrassing or unfortunate email and sighed relief when it was finally deleted, thinking the whole episode was behind us. Think again. Just because you delete an email message from your inbox and the sender deletes it from their 'Sent' inbox, does not mean that the email is lost forever. In fact, messages that are deleted often still exist in backup folders on remote servers for years, and can be retrieved by skilled professionals.

So start to think of what you write in an email as a permanent document. Be careful about what you put into writing, because it can come back to haunt you many years after you assumed it was gone forever.

Avoiding fraudulent email

13. Believing you won the lottery … and other scam titles.

Spammers use a wide variety of clever titles to get you to open emails which they fill with all sorts of bad things. New email users often make the mistake of opening these emails. So in an effort to bring you up to speed, let me tell you quickly:

* You have not won the Irish Lotto, the Yahoo Lottery, or any other big cash prize.
* There is no actual Nigerian King or Prince trying to send you $10 million.
* Your Bank Account Details do not need to be reconfirmed immediately.
* You do not have an unclaimed inheritance.
* You never actually sent that "Returned Mail".
* The News Headline email is not just someone informing you about the daily news.
* You have not won an iPod Nano.

14. Not recognizing phishing attacks in email content.

While never opening a phishing email is the best way to secure your computer, even the most experienced email user will occasionally accidentally open up a phishing email. At this point, the key to limiting your damage is recognizing the phishing email for what it is.

Phishing is a type of online fraud wherein the sender of the email tries to trick you into giving out personal passwords or banking information. The sender will typically steal the logo from a well-known bank or PayPal and try to format the email to look like it comes from the bank. Usually the phishing email asks for you to click on a link in order to confirm your banking information or password, but it may just ask you to reply to the email with your personal information.

Whatever form the phishing attempt takes, the goal is to fool you into entering your information into something which appears to be safe and secure, but in fact is just a dummy site set up by the scammer. If you provide the phisher with personal information, he will use that information to try to steal your identity and your money.

Signs of phishing include:

* A logo that looks distorted or stretched.
* Email that refers to you as "Dear Customer" or "Dear User" rather than including your actual name.
* Email that warns you that an account of yours will be shut down unless you reconfirm your billing information immediately.
* An email threatening legal action.
* Email which comes from an account similar, but different from, the one the company usually uses.
* An email that claims 'Security Compromises' or 'Security Threats' and requires immediate action.

If you suspect that an email is a phishing attempt, the best defense is to never open the email in the first place. But assuming you have already opened it, do not reply or click on the link in the email. If you want to verify the message, manually type in the URL of the company into your browser instead of clicking on the embedded link.

15. Sending personal and financial information via email.

Banks and online stores provide, almost without exception, a secured section on their website where you can input your personal and financial information. They do this precisely because email, no matter how well protected, is more easily hacked than well secured sites. Consequently, you should avoid writing to your bank via email and consider any online store that requests that you send them private information via email suspect.

This same rule of avoiding placing financial information in emails to online businesses also holds true for personal emails. If, for example, you need to give your credit card information to your college student child, it is far more secure to do so over the phone than via email.

16. Unsubscribing to newsletters you never subscribed to.

A common technique used by spammers is to send out thousands of fake newsletters from organizations with an "unsubscribe" link on the bottom of the newsletter. Email users who then enter their email into the supposed "unsubscribe" list are then sent loads of spam. So if you don't specifically remember subscribing to the newsletter, you are better off just blacklisting the email address, rather than following the link and possibly picking up a Trojan horse or unknowingly signing yourself up for yet more spam.

Avoiding malware

17. Trusting your friends email.

Most new internet users are very careful when it comes to emails from senders they don't recognize. But when a friend sends an email, all caution goes out the window as they just assume it is safe because they know that the sender wouldn't intend to hurt them. The truth is, an email from a friend's ID is just as likely to contain a virus or malware as a stranger's. The reason is that most malware is circulated by people who have no idea they are sending it, because hackers are using their computer as a zombie.

It is important to maintain and keep updated email scanning and Anti-virus software, and to use it to scan ALL incoming emails.

18. Deleting spam instead of blacklisting it.

An email blacklist is a user created list of email accounts that are labeled as spammers. When you 'blacklist' an email sender, you tell your email client to stop trusting emails from this particular sender and to start assuming that they are spam.

Unfortunately, new internet users are often timid to use the blacklist feature on their email client, and instead just delete spam emails. While not every piece of spam is from repeat senders, a surprising amount of it is. So by training yourself to hit the blacklist button instead of the delete button when confronted with spam, you can, in the course of a few months, drastically limit the amount of spam that reaches your Inbox.

19. Disabling the email spam filter.

New email users typically do not start out with a lot of spam in their email account and thus do not value the help that an email spam filter can provide at the beginning of their email usage. Because no spam filter is perfect, initially the hassle of having to look through one's spam box looking for wrongly blocked emails leads many new email users to instead just disable their email spam filter altogether.

However, as an email account gets older it tends to pick up more spam, and without the spam filter an email account can quickly become unwieldy. So instead of disabling their filter early on, new internet users should take the time to whitelist emails from friends that get caught up in the spam filter. Then, when the levels of spam start to pick up, the email account will remain useful and fewer and fewer friends will get caught up in the filter.
20. Failing to scan all email attachments.

Nine out of every ten viruses that infect a computer reach it through an email attachment. Yet despite this ratio, many people still do not scan all incoming email attachments. Maybe it is our experience with snail mail, but often when we see an email with an attachment from someone we know, we just assume that the mail and its attachment are safe. Of course that assumption is wrong, as most email viruses are sent by 'Zombies' which have infected a computer and caused it to send out viruses without the owner even knowing.

What makes this oversight even more scandalous is the fact that a number of free email clients provide an email attachment scanner built-in. For example, if you use Gmail or Yahoo! for your email, every email and attachment you send or receive is automatically scanned. So if you do not want to invest in a third-party scanner and your email provider does not provide attachment scanning built-in, you should access your attachments through an email provider that offers free virus scanning by first forwarding your attachments to that account before opening them.

Keeping hackers at bay

21. Sharing your account information with others.

We've all done it – we need an urgent mail checked, and we call up our spouse or friend and request them to check our email on our behalf. Of course, we trust these people, but once the password is known to anybody other than you, your account is no longer as secure as it was.

The real problem is that your friend might not use the same security measures that you do. Your friend might be accessing his email through an unsecured wireless account, he may not keep his anti-virus software up to date, or he might be infected with a keylogger virus that automatically steals your password once he enters it. So ensure that you are the only person that knows your personal access information, and if you write it down, make sure to do so in a way that outsiders won't be able to understand easily what they are looking at if they happen to find your records.

22. Using simple and easy-to-guess passwords.

Hackers use computer programs that scroll through common names to compile possible user names, and then send spam emails to those usernames. When you open that spam email, a little hidden piece of code in the email sends a message back to the hacker letting him know that the account is valid, at which point they turn to the task of trying to guess your password.

Hackers often create programs which cycle through common English words and number combinations in order to try to guess a password. As a consequence, passwords that consist of a single word, a name, or a date are frequently "guessed" by hackers. So when creating a password use uncommon number and letter combinations which do not form a word found in a dictionary. A strong password should have a minimum of eight characters, be as meaningless as possible, as well as use both upper and lowercase letters. Creating a tough password means that the hacker's computer program will have to scroll through tens of thousands of options before guessing your password, and in that time most hackers simply give up.

23. Failing to encrypt your important emails.

No matter how many steps you take to minimize the chance that your email is being monitored by hackers, you should always assume that someone else is watching whatever comes in and out of your computer. Given this assumption, it is important to encrypt your emails to make sure that if someone is monitoring your account, at least they can't understand what you're saying.

While there are some top-of-the-line email encryption services for those with a big budget, if you are new to email and just want a simple and cheap but effective solution, you can follow these step-by-step 20 minute instructions to install PGP, the most common email encryption standard. Encrypting all your email may be unrealistic, but some mail is too sensitive to send in the clear, and for those emails, PGP is an important email security step.
24. Not encrypting your wireless connection.

While encrypting your important emails makes it hard for hackers who have access to your email to understand what they say, it is even better to keep hackers from getting access to your emails in the first place.
One of the most vulnerable points in an emails trip from you to the email recipient is the point between your laptop and the wireless router that you use to connect to the internet. Consequently, it is important that you encrypt your wifi network with the WPA2 encryption standard. The upgrade process is relatively simple and straightforward, even for the newest internet user, and the fifteen minutes it takes are well worth the step up in email security.


25. Failing to use digital signatures.

The law now recognizes email as an important form of communication for major undertakings such as signing a contract or entering into a financial agreement. While the ability to enter into these contracts online has made all of our lives easier, it has also created the added concern of someone forging your emails and entering into agreements on your behalf without your consent.

One way to combat email forgery is to use a digital signature whenever you sign an important email. A digital signature will help prove who and from what computer an email comes from, and that the email has not been altered in transit. By establishing the habit of using an email signature whenever you sign important emails, you will not only make it harder for the other party to those agreements to try to modify the email when they want to get out of it, but it will also give you extra credibility when someone tries to claim that you have agreed to a contract via email that you never did.

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