Privacy – PSafe Blog

Avoid the Tinder Swindler: how to date online safely

Bianca Moura — Tue, 22 Feb 2022 14:18:16 +0000

Good con artists have a strange relationship with emotion: many of them demonstrate an almost uncanny ability to manipulate and elicit emotions in others, yet they’re often detached from their own emotions. This frightening combination is in evidence throughout the recent independent film sensation The Tinder Swindler.

The film tells the story of a conman who uses the Tinder app to insinuate himself into the lives of three female victims. In the film, Simon Leviev sets up elaborate romantic cons to appear as a wealthy diamond heir, then uses the trust he has gained to steal information, then money – only to use that money to fund the con for his next victim.

It’s a taut and dramatically told story, but without a clear moral or ending. (The New York Post has reported that Leviev has signed with a Hollywood agent, and “wants his own dating show.”)

How To Stay Safe: Five Scammer Prevention Keys

But the moral for users of Tinder — and social media in general — are still the same: proceed with caution! Below are a Five Keys to help you stay safe as you navigate dating apps like Tinder — they’re also useful guidelines for people you might meet on any other social app like Facebook:

Do some research — and take your time. Before meeting in real life with anyone you’ve met online, take the time to do a little background research and find out if the person you’re speaking to is who they say they are.

Consider bringing a friend for the first date(s), and meet in public. Yes, this will keep you safer, and it might also help provide a more casual atmosphere where you can learn a little bit more about your new friend.

Be sensitive about peculiar information requests. Spoiler alert: The Tinder Swindler orchestrated reasons to get Passport information, and then quickly put it to nefarious use. Whatever the reason given, a quick pivot to requests for detailed personal data is always a sure warning sign, especially in a new relationship.

Keep your purse, phone, and ID’s close. Don’t overlook simple physical sources of data like these. Don’t leave them unattended.
If you have any suspicions, check in to things. If anything seems odd in terms of your interactions, don’t bury your head in the sand. A good security solution like dfndr security can help you track where your data is going and also protect your physical phone from theft. Stay on top of your bank and credit card accounts.

Remember: Most Scammers Don’t Do A Lot of Romancing

The Tinder Swindler is also a healthy reminder that most scams are not quite as elaborate as those cooked up by Simon Leviev. But most scams operate on the same human emotions of romance and self-interest.

Set some clear rules for yourself in the dating world – and also for when you’re answering emails and text messages — or when you’re looking for work on a job site. If it looks too good to be true – it probably is!

Are Your Apps Leaking Data? How To Know and What To Do

PSafe Newsroom — Mon, 17 Jan 2022 19:06:47 +0000

One of the ways we make our world more convenient these days is by loading apps from platforms, services, and companies we buy from or consult frequently. Most companies have invested in their apps to make them more useful, and also invested in promoting those apps to us, with special deals or promotions.

But the sense of ease and security we have when dealing with the teller at our local bank, or flying on our favorite airline, may not serve us well when we use an app provided by a company we know well “IRL” (in real life).

“The widespread development of apps by businesses is not only good for marketing and sales,” remarks Emilio Simoni, Director of Research at PSafe’s dfndr lab, “but it also feeds a billion dollar business in re-use of your data.”

Data Means Dollars

Modern day operating systems for both iOs and Android provide some mechanisms for you to limit the way apps can track your behavior across the web, but these only offer limited protection. “The data you use in everyday interactions with these apps is of tremendous interest to hackers,” Simoni observes, “and data breaches for some of the world’s biggest and most respected companies have become almost commonplace.”

Leaked data is commonly resold or accessed on the dark web, and once procured, it can be used in a variety of ways. It’s fairly common for leaked data to be used to fuel scams that entice users to expose even more information, or, to provide direct access to financial levers.

“What users need,” Simoni explains, “is the means to see the whole picture for their apps and the data they use. This is what we provide with dfndr security Pro: a Privacy Scan, which gives users the ability to see, in one place, a complete picture of how apps are using and sharing your data – whether voluntarily, or through leaks.”

Here’s what that complete picture shows:

The data and access permissions you have granted for each app
Where each app sends the data it collects
A data breach history for each app (more than one breach is not unusual).
Apps you have installed that may be malicious or known to pose risks

Obviously the first thing you can do with this information is to make judgments about which apps you want to keep – but it may also help guide you to further steps, like changing passwords, or changing settings on the app. It can also give you important information for staying aware of likely hacks or doing further research to determine precisely what sort of personal data may have been compromised.

“Getting this comprehensive picture is really the best way to see context and to stay alert and ahead of the game,” Simoni says.

Before You Load Apps

PSafe’s dfndr security Pro also includes a feature called Safe App, which enables you to evaluate apps before you load them on your phone. Safe App tells you if an app is known to be malicious, or if it has previously been breached.

Try PSafe dfndr security for Free

The easiest way to see how both Safe App and Privacy Scans work is to try dfndr security for yourself. You can start with the Free Version of the app, which will help you manage your phone’s memory, storage, and battery power – and also give you some good basic security capabilities like a URL checker and an Antivirus App scan.

Add dfndr security Pro. and you’ll be able to do a quick Privacy Scan and see where you stand, and you can check any new apps you want to install with Safe App. You’ll also get Anti Theft functionality to locate your phone (and protect your data) if it’s stolen.

Use this link to learn more and try out the free version of PSafe’s dfndr security.

Stay Alert

“The capabilities a good security app can provide offers essential protection,” Emilio Simoni emphasizes, “but staying alert ourselves is another key element of our overall defense.”

In addition to procuring and using a proven security solution like dfndr security Pro, Simoni suggests the following “data hygiene” habits for users:

Strong Passwords: Use a password manager and make sure you never use the same password for more than one account.

Take Care With Social Media: Many social media accounts these days, asking questions and offering quizzes, are simply storing and selling clues to hackers.

Beware of Phishing: Hackers are certainly not above using news about data leaks as an occasion for reaching out to defraud users. For any communications you receive about data, passwords, accounts, or any transactions you’ve made (or pines you haven’t!) — always double check the source.

“With a good security app and the conscientious use of privacy ‘best practices,’ your use of apps can provide the convenience and ease you’ve come to expect from them,’ Simoni concludes. “We’ll continue to research viruses and hackers methods to make sure we’re doing our part to maintain our interesting-leading solutions.”

What is Your Personal Data? And How To Know Where It Goes

PSafe Newsroom — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 13:43:53 +0000

Headlines about data leaks and unauthorized sharing of personal data continue to proliferate, with the Cambridge Analytics case making waves that are still spreading throughout the world. Yet as of now, there is no Federal law in the US with a similar scope and sweep to the EU’s GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). California’s Consumer Privacy Act comes closest at the state level, but that doesn’t provide a lot of reassurance to those of us who don’t live in the Golden State.

However, given that there are data breach laws in all 50 states, and good data protection products like dfndr security Pro available, there are a few important ways to get a better grip on your personal data, and keep yours protected. At PSafe, we believe in, and advocate for your rights regarding control of your private, personal data, and our products are designed to help you know who might be using your data, and where that data goes, as the world moves toward a better overall framework of personal data rights. Our Research Director at PSafe’s dfndr lab, Emilio Simoni offers perspective: “At PSafe, we strongly advocate for comprehensive data rights legislation, but in the meantime, we urge our customers to be vigilant, and use the tools we make available to make good decisions about their online interactions – and be aware of the ways these interactions shape the distribution, exposure, and use of their personal data.”

Before we talk about those capabilities, we want to take a moment to more fully understand what is meant by the term personal data.

Foundations: What Is Personal Data?

“At the most fundamental level,” Simoni explains, “your personal data is any data that can be attached directly and uniquely to you. However, there are some subtleties involved that are worth discussing, to get a more nuanced understanding.”

A simple example of personal data would be your Social Security number, birthdate, or full name. Your credit card and bank account numbers are also clearly personal and private. But there are also pieces of data that have a “double” character: when you shop online, the items you buy are personal information, but they also have a public aspect: the retailer who sells them to you must replenish their stock after all, so they of course track the items and maintain their inventory.

Your Consumer Data

What has expanded greatly in the age of internet commerce however, is information that connects you to your buying (and browsing) habits. What do you buy when shopping online? What do you watch on streaming TV? What websites do you browse? What games do you play? Sellers of services and products, and advertisers, are highly interested in all of those things about you, and this is the area being navigated now by privacy laws and existing or developing data rights legislation. At pSafe, our position is simple: you should have control of where data of this kind is collected, who sees it, and how they use it.

dfndr security Pro offers Privacy Protection

dfndr security Pro plan enables users with knowledge. Our App Privacy Scan provides four key pieces of information that we see as essential for today’s digital environment.” Check these capabilities as follows:

Knowing if apps you are using are known to be malicious.
Seeing if any of your apps have suffered data breaches.
Being able to easily see the information permissions you have granted for any app.
Seeing (on a global map) where app information is being sent or used.

“These fundamentals are each interesting in and of themselves, but they combine to help users truly get a grasp of how their interactions with various applications affect their personal data,” Simoni concludes.

How Can You Get This Protection ?

dfndr security is a free app that can help you manage the storage, battery life, and wifi security of your digital device, while also offering protection via a url checker, and anti hacker and phishing protections. You can try dfndr security PRO for 3-day free, and upgrade if you like the protection it provides.

dfndr security Pro offers:

Identity Theft Reports — So you know if your online credentials have leaked

Safe App installer — checks for malicious apps before you install them

App Privacy Protection — Offers the four protections mentioned above: notifications about issues with apps you’re using; app data breaches, permissions you’ve granted to various apps, and info about where your data may be used.

Anti-Theft Protection — Protects your phone from thieves with an alarm, remote lock-out, and a picture of the thief.

It’s a full suite of protection for users who recognize that they must take an active role in their own digital security.

You can download dfndr security and start your free trial right away.

Here Are the Pros and Cons of Find My Friends

PSafe Newsroom — Tue, 01 Jan 2019 22:00:51 +0000

Some people really love the Find My Friends app because the app can help you find your friends whether or not they contact you. You don’t need to wait around for your friend to text you back to see where they are or what they’re doing. But there are some downsides to this app because hackers and thieves can hack into your Find My Friends account and possibly locate you without your permission. Imagine, too, if your phone falls into the wrong hands. Try out the anti-theft feature in dfndr security before thieves have your phone in the event of loss or theft:

Pros of Find My Friends
This app makes it easy and fun to locate where your friends and family are. All you have to do is request for them to add you as a contact on the app, and once you accept, you will be given access to where they are.

There are also many privacy controls on the app that are very helpful. If there’s a moment where you don’t want certain friends to see where you’re located (maybe a surprise party or you’re on a date and don’t want to be bothered), you can mute those friends and they won’t be able to see you. The app is also great because it can help you keep your friends safe. If you’re concerned about a friend’s well being and haven’t heard from them in a while, you can simply use the app to see where they are.

Cons of Find My Friends
One downside to the app is that it does cost money to use. Find My Friends has a small, one-time fee of 99 cents. This fee may deter many people from downloading the app, so the app does have a smaller user base than other popular apps like Twitter and Facebook. Another negative aspect of Find my Friends is that you may get requests from people you don’t know and people you don’t want to have access to your location. This isn’t a big deal often, but it is a bit of a hassle to constantly reject strangers from accessing your location.

Finally, this app has a major downside because hackers can access the app, hack your personal information, and be able to locate you. Once the hackers have your location, they may have access to your address. Think about the pros and cons before downloading this app.

How to Hide Private Files on Your Computer or Smartphone

PSafe Newsroom — Mon, 23 Jul 2018 22:00:15 +0000

Organizing data is sometimes the last thing we want to deal with, but if you have critical financial documents or collections of embarrassing party photos lingering around, these are the types of files you should keep private in case of snoops or hackers (it does happen!). Having a passcode on your device is smart, but it’s not always enough if you share your computer or phone with friends and family. Be even smarter and limit access to your hidden world with the following tips.

Windows
A simple trick for Windows is to merely place your sensitive information within a folder and then mark the folder as ‘hidden,’ which will hide it within the file explorer. To hide a folder, right click on the folder and select the properties option. Once the properties dialogue is open, ensure there is a checkmark next to the hidden label – that’s all there is to this method! When you want to view that hidden folder, simply select the view tab within the file explorer and check the option to display hidden items.

MacOS
The process isn’t as easy on Mac and does involve a bit of time in the Terminal application. If you’re unfamiliar with using Terminal, we suggest checking out a quick tutorial first. Start by opening the Terminal app from your Applications folder and navigate to the directory in which your folder is placed. Once you are within the proper directory type the following command, followed by the enter key,’ to hide the folder: “chflags hidden [name of folder].” For example, if we have a folder named ‘photos’ which we want to keep hidden, we would type: “chflags hidden photos.”

Android
Due to the open nature of the Android platform, one of the best options for hiding sensitive data is a third-party solution. One such option is dfndr vault, an app that easily allows you to create a hidden gallery of photos and videos; it even offers a feature known as applock, which can prevent access to certain apps by letting you add a secure passcode. No need to worry anymore about friends snooping around your Tinder profile or co-workers discovering embarrassing snapshots. Android users can also take advantage of dfndr performance, which has a ‘quick cleaner’ feature to remove any private information that might be in your device’s temporary files.

iOS
If you’re an iPhone or iPad user, you can choose to add your private photos or videos to a ‘hidden gallery’ built into the device. Simply visit your Photo app and navigate to the media you wish to hide, once there tap the share button (the square with the upward facing arrow), and select hide from the menu. The photo you just chose to hide will no longer be viewable from the main camera roll or any of the adjacent photo features. To view the private collection, head to your albums and locate the folder named Hidden. Sadly this option won’t keep the most curious of individuals out, but it will prevent any private images from popping up while scrolling through your camera roll.

Going to College Next Year? Beware of Cyber Attacks

PSafe Newsroom — Fri, 29 Jun 2018 00:00:21 +0000

If you’re going to college next year, make sure you know about cyber attacks that are hitting post-secondary schools. There are more cyber crimes than ever in 2018, but you can avoid these with the right security software.

One wickedly smart way to protect your Android or IOS phone is by using dfndr vpn, a virtual private network that hides your IP address and location, especially on campus Wi-Fi. With a VPN, you can keep your gaming, snapchatting, or Facebook sessions totally anonymous from snoops or hackers.

Here’s what you should know about cyber attacks before you land at college.

The Stats
Last year alone, there was an average of 12 DDoS attacks per week. These types of attacks can infect entire colleges by hitting multiple computers or devices at once, causing them to lose Internet access. Additionally, about a quarter of all colleges or universities were the victim of cyber attacks in 2017.

Devices Get Targeted
Plenty of institutions have a policy that requires you to bring your own device, which can expose any personal info stored on tablets or smartphones to potential hacking attempts. Criminals sometimes take advantage of anyone not using security apps or VPNs and hack into their devices to steal data, oftentimes planting ransomware in order to get a fast payoff.

Your devices should always have security software downloaded, as well as the right authentication methods to make sure cybercriminals have a hard time gaining access.

How Do Hackers Target College Kids
In addition to attacking single devices, hackers also target full-on networks with DDoS attacks and viruses. Phishing scams are also common, so steer clear of any weird emails that could contain malware. Make sure your password is randomized and has a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols. While it feels like a hassle, change your passwords frequently, at least every 6 months during college life.

And while it’s fun to exchange files with your friends, don’t download any files when using a public computer because these are accessed by other people (ahem, potential hackers). Always log out of public computers after you use them, especially if you send a file from your smartphone to your email or vice versa.

Bad News… Colleges are Huge Targets
The main reason why hackers go after higher education institutions is that they can easily access a lot of personally identifiable information (PID) such as social security numbers, payment information, medical records, and more. Also, the average cost of a data record belonging to a university is worth roughly $200 with registration, which can net hackers money if they steal school records and put it for ransom.

Want Facebook to Stop Tracking Your Browser History? Ask Them

PSafe Newsroom — Sun, 17 Jun 2018 12:00:10 +0000

If you have concerns about how Facebook has been tracking your browser history and if the site has been targeting you with ads related to your history, there’s finally something you can do about it. Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, has announced that you can now prevent the social media site from tracking your browser history by simply asking them.

Sounds so simple, but some users would like this option to be more obvious; however, learn more about this new feature and how it works.

What Brought This About?
Facebook faced plenty of backlash over the Cambridge Analytica scandal that revealed the company was harvesting the personal information of users, and selling the information to third-party companies so specific ads could be targeted to users that search for products or services.

Zuckerberg admitted at the company’s recent F8 conference that, by default, Facebook still tracks the activity of users and sends them ads connected to the information they search for. In the immediate future, users will be able to stop this practice with a new feature.

How Can Users Change This?
Supposedly the new feature will be similar to how you clear cookies and history in your web browser. Facebook’s feature will allow you to view your browsing history on the site and clear it, including what you’ve clicked on, app history, websites you’ve visited, and more.

Essentially, you’ll be able to choose to not have this information stored in your account. But, Zuckerberg warns that turning off function will eliminate some of your preferences the same way deleting cookies does, which will require you to sign onto sites again since the information in any auto-fill forms will be gone.

The Effect This Could Have
The move could bring many users back to Facebook because the will have the power to not have their preferences tracked. Zuckerberg added that the new privacy control will be called Clear History. He warned it would take the company about 3 years to become more proactive at policing content, which means you might still see content that doesn’t fit your preferences if you choose to keep your data tracking intact.

However, deleting your browsing history will result in the company removing identifying information so a log of sites and apps you’ve used won’t be connected to your account, which is a step toward more privacy.

Alexa or Google Home Could Be Spying on You

PSafe Newsroom — Wed, 06 Jun 2018 18:00:53 +0000

Alexa and Google Home are among the most innovative artificial intelligence applications in recent years, but they could be spying on you. Smart-home voice assistants can actually record the information you give them, regardless of whether you’re asking for the weather or requesting a special song as you sit down to dinner.

There are lots of positives to using these devices, but they may know more about you than you’d like. Here’s a breakdown of why Alexa and Google Home could be a detriment and not a help.

How It Works
These devices may not be listening to everything you say, but once you request an interaction with “Alexa” or “OK Google,” they will record you. As soon as these devices hear these keywords, they will instantly upload everything uttered to cloud servers.

The reason for this action is Alexa and Google Home need to store information in the cloud in order to respond back to you. The data is processed into machine-comprehensible instructions and the devices return with an answer to your command. For example, if you ask Alexa to read you an email or an SMS, this information could be stored on cloud servers forever.

What Else Should I Know?
An estimated 31 million Alexa devices have been sold already, as well as 14 million Google Home devices, which is a dream for marketers. Your data could be compiled and used for marketing purposes and all your data will be concentrated in a central place. Having all your data exposed in one area could make it easy for hackers and cybercriminals to target you.

What Can I Do?
You are able to delete the information that Alexa and Google Home collects about you by going to your Amazon or Google account and deleting old recordings. But, if you do this, the devices will unlearn some of the information they know about like your email account to read messages out loud or your musical preferences.

Be careful which devices you link to Alexa or Google Home. Remember that sensitive, personal information may belong to the device as much as it belongs to you. Another option is you can choose when to turn off a smart home device’s connection to your information. For example, if you’re not using an online shopping feature on your device, turn it off.

Pump Up Your Gaming in 2018

PSafe Newsroom — Sat, 24 Mar 2018 12:00:09 +0000

The gaming world is as exciting in 2018 as it’s ever been, but Android devices are not always capable of churning out the processing power necessary to fire up a game. There are apps out there that help improve a device’s gaming performance without a hassle, such as dfndr performance, which has a game booster feature to ramp up your gaming.

The game booster tool frees RAM memory from other apps to optimize your gaming experience, helping your games run faster. Here are some other tips you should try to pump up your Android’s gaming ability.

Ramp Up Gaming with ‘memory booster’
It’s of paramount importance that your phone is running on all cylinders in order to improve the speed at which you game, while also reducing lag time. The ‘memory booster’ feature from the dfndr app helps turn your device into a gaming computer by allowing you to close background apps that are running in order to free up RAM memory. This functionality can help you avoid crashes or freezes.

The Hidden ‘Developer Options’ Setting
You could also boost your gaming ability through a hidden Android setting called ‘Developer Options.’ In order to access it, go to the Settings screen, then hit the About phone option at the bottom and click on it. Then, find the Build number and tap it a few times, which will show you a notification that says “You are now 3 steps away from being a developer.” Tap it several times more and then the device will say that you’re a developer.

In the Developer options, there’s a hidden setting that is capable of improving your gaming performance. Scroll down and find the Force 4x MSAA (multi-sample anti-aliasing) option, which ensures that your games will be rendered at their best possible quality because it ensures your device operates at its highest power.

A Solid Pair of Gaming Headphones
There are a number of gaming headphones that can enhance your gaming needs such as the Turtle Beach Earforce M3, as these lightweight headphones offer an immersive gaming experience thanks to their high-quality audio capabilities.The Kingston HyperX Cloud Gaming Headset is another solid choice, which improves the sound of your favorite apps.

Try this Bluetooth Game Controller
Another great way to bolster your game experience is a controller that makes you feel as if you’re playing on a console. The Steel Series Stratus XL has the right weight for your Android gaming needs as it is not too heavy and it looks like an Xbox controller. It has two joysticks, a d-pad and the four main action buttons (A,B,X,Y). A pretty rad way to up gameplay.

Hackers Might be Able to Take Control of Your Smart Car

PSafe Newsroom — Fri, 09 Mar 2018 13:00:03 +0000

We keep a close eye on our smartphones, computers, and other gadgets to ensure their digital security. If our devices are breached, we risk losing our valued privacy and subject ourselves to extortionists — those who will happily return stolen personal information in exchange for a monetary payment. But, what if it was much worse? What if our cars were subject to hackers who could take complete control? The threat is genuine, and it’s growing.

Journalists Jefferson Graham and Chris Woodyard recently spoke with the Director of California-based security company Green Hills Software, Joe Fabbre. In the trio’s discussion, Fabbre commented on a scene from Hollywood blockbuster, “The Fate of the Furious,” in which vehicle hacking was depicted:

“That’s Hollywood sensationalizing it, but that is not really that far-fetched… there are very skilled hackers out there who can beat through a lot of medium and low levels of robustness in terms of security that is present in a lot of cars today.”

In recent years, automakers have become more conscious of security vulnerabilities that are now possible due to the increased number of computer systems found within cars. While no one has yet been killed due to an occurrence of vehicle hacking, cases have been noted where cars brakes and engine systems have been taken over remotely.

Back in 2015, hackers were able to take control of a Jeep Cherokee, shutting its engines down on a local St. Louis highway. The incident prompted Fiat Chrysler to send out USB sticks to their drivers that contained software fixes to prevent the exploit.

Last year, for the second year in a row, a group of Chinese hackers was able to demonstrate a software exploit within a Tesla vehicle, allowing them to take control of a Model X’s brake system, audio, and door systems. Luckily, these hackers were on our side, working to show the vulnerabilities in poorly secured software.

While your next car may be equipped with computer systems exhibiting exploits, the real catastrophe is when we view the world of entirely autonomous vehicles – driving without the aid of human interaction. With self-driving cars, the threat becomes very real when cars begin sending signals amongst one another to communicate wirelessly to better understand the road ahead.

When it comes to whether or not you should be concerned — yes, you should keep yourself aware of the security threats present in emerging vehicle technology. However, automotive makers are working faster than ever, learning to deploy software updates that can be installed via your home WiFi or vehicle’s cellular connection, to provide us with a safer future. For now, be sure to keep your hands on the wheel and your smart car updated.