personal security – PSafe Blog

The 7 Password Mistakes You Might Be Making

PSafe Newsroom — Tue, 30 May 2017 18:00:23 +0000

We keep a lot more personal information online than we used to. Malware is much stronger and more common now, as are the efforts hackers are willing to go to access that personal information. Unfortunately, we all tend to follow the same password-making habits — many of which can weaken our accounts and put our information at risk. Here are the 7 most common password mistakes you might be making:

You create short passwords.

Although a lot of websites don’t allow passwords under a certain length now, many sites and programs don’t care how long your passwords are. If you use short passwords such as “buddy” or “Star1” then you’re setting yourself up to be hacked.

You create passwords that are too simple.

If your password follows a certain pattern on your keyboard, such as “1qaz2wsx” or the infamous “QWERTY,” then it’s far too simple. Other passwords that are too simple include common phrases or sayings.

You reuse the same password for different accounts.

You should never reuse the same password — or a variation of the same password but with a change in numbers — across any of your accounts. This weakens your accounts and makes it much easier for a hacker to access them.

Your passwords are predictable.

Hackers are aware of the most common password-making trends. Many people start their passwords off with a capital letter, followed by 3-5 lowercase letters, 2-4 numbers, and then a symbol. Or, others will replace certain letters with a similar-looking number, such as in the following example: “cr33p.”

You change your passwords too frequently — or not frequently enough.

There are many different opinions when it comes to how frequently you should change your passwords. Some experts say you shouldn’t change your passwords unless there’s a data breach, and others say you should change them every 6 months to a year. Regardless, you should definitely change your passwords if you haven’t done so in several years.

You share your passwords.

Sharing your passwords to various online accounts is never a good idea. You never know how someone else will treat your personal information, or even how he or she treats the security of his/her own information or device.

You record your passwords on paper or your device.

Writing all of your passwords on a piece of paper or a sticky note, or else keeping them in a document on your computer or phone is a surefire way to put all of your personal information at risk to a hacker or thief — you’ve just given them easy access to all of your accounts.

Should You Give Retail Stores Your Email?

PSafe Newsroom — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 21:18:04 +0000

An email address seems like the most innocent thing you can give out to a retail store. While one would obviously be hesitant to expose information such as their Social Security Number or their credit card info, an email is a seemingly harmless address that people give out without hesitation. However, there are several repercussions to giving out your email address with no hesitation. Here are a few:

Email Bombardment
The first and least severe penalty to giving out your email address is the email bombardment you will likely receive. If some store wants your email, it’s likely because they want to send you something — this is obvious. However, some stores abuse this power more than others. As a result, one store can send you several emails a day, flooding your inbox and making your account less efficient.

Sensitive Information
Some people utilize sensitive information to comprise their email addresses, for some reason. For instance, many will use their birthday as a number to make their email unique. If a malicious person were to gain access to information such as your birthday or your address, this could be a gateway to hacking your social media and banking accounts. If your email has sensitive information, think twice before exposing it to strangers.

Phishing
One could logically say that Target and Wal-Mart probably won’t use your email to phish you. However, there are smaller and less well renowned retail stores that could utilize your email for malicious purposes. These stores could send you a phishing email, prompting you to enter your vital information into a malicious website. This could obviously lead to a breach of security for several of your accounts if your information falls into the wrong hands.

It Serves As an ID For Multiple Websites
Think about how many websites you use your email address for as your login. For this reason, your email address should be treated as a relatively private account. Giving it out to random retail stores could lead to certain employees trying to hack your online accounts. However, if you use several different emails for different websites, then this should not raise a concern for you.

In sum, while you shouldn’t completely avoid giving your email out to retail stores, you should heavily consider the source prior to exposing this sensitive information. While it seems safe to give out your email, this could potentially lead to catastrophic account breaches.

Drammer Attack Threatens Millions of Android Users

PSafe Newsroom — Tue, 25 Oct 2016 21:33:53 +0000

Google has recently discovered a new security threat that could leave your Android device exposed to hackers. Much like the Linux-based attack known as Rowhammer, Drammer is a particularly pernicious form of malware that allows hackers to gain full access to your phone by first targeting a specific memory chip. Because of this security loophole, all PSafe users who have downloaded apps recently should click below immediately to remove threats.

For the most part, the attack is transmitted through an app that contains harmful code. Once the app is downloaded, it can repeatedly activate a specific row of memory chip transistors to cause a bit flip (a switch of states from 1 to 0 and/or 0 to 1). Since all data is written in binaries, having the ability to change values for stored information is the equivalent of successfully picking a lock.

According to Emilio Simoni, PSafe’s Security Manager, checking the app permissions before downloading them does not work, because the malware does not need any permission to perform this kind of attack. “We strongly advise users to download apps only in Google Play, and check if the app is well recommended,” he says.

With PSafe Total’s Quick AV Scan active and running, any threats to your phone will be immediately detected and removed. Click below to check if

All That You Need to Know about DDoS Attacks

PSafe Newsroom — Tue, 11 Oct 2016 21:38:41 +0000

A DDoS attack stands for a “distributed denial of service.” It is a type of DoS (denial of service) attack. DoS and DDoS attacks are an attempt to take control of a particular machine or network. A DoS attack originates from a single machine; its purpose is to flood a system or network with data. If a website has too much web traffic and too many tasks to complete at once, the site will stop responding and crash. This will prevent actual users from accessing the website.

Unlike a DoS attack, the attacker in a DDoS attack is often made up of multiple (or thousands of) machines, all with unique IP addresses that can come from around the world. Often, hackers take advantage of machines with poor security to help launch their attacks. The attacks usually target banks or other financial services. The attacks typically send about 50+ gigabits per second of data in order to crash the network. However, larger attacks have sent up to 500+ gigabits per second.

DDoS attacks are often motivated attacks, and the reasoning could be political or vengeful. This has been exemplified by hacking groups like Anonymous, who target specific organizations and businesses that they believe to be corrupt. Another example would be the cyber warfare between the United States and Iran. In 2013, Iran attacked U.S. banks with DDoS attacks, supposedly in response to economic sanctions.

How to Prevent a DDoS Attack
A business or organization isn’t necessarily vulnerable to a DDoS attack if they take the right precautions. These precautions are necessary, because without them, a DDoS attack could greatly affect a business financially, in addition to resulting in a loss of customers. One of the first steps in DDoS prevention is learning how to recognize an attack. Some signs might include slow site performance, inability to access a site or page, and dramatically increased bandwidth and site traffic. The second step involves protection. Track your website’s behavior so that you have an idea of normal behavior. If a business is particularly vulnerable to a DDoS attack, it might be best to seek out a company that offers DDoS software protection.

Download PSafe Total
While you might not personally experience a DDoS attack, it’s always a good idea to protect your devices against any potential cyber attacks. Download PSafe Total for your Android devices and PSafe Total Windows for your PC to protect your devices against malicious threats 24/7. In addition, both services offer cleanup tools so that you can ensure your devices are free of unnecessary files and running as efficiently as possible.

Ensure That Your Data is Being Securely Stored

PSafe Newsroom — Wed, 05 Oct 2016 22:51:38 +0000

With mobile cell phone malware, ransomware, and viruses on the rise, how do you know if your data is being securely stored, away from a thief’s reach? There are steps that you can take to protect your data.

How To Securely Store Your Data

Strong Passwords
The old way of creating passwords was to use a random combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. Now, however, even that advice has changed. To really protect yourself, create a password that features at least three sets of completely unrelated words, like “tree,” “roll,” and “blue.” Use symbols, letters, and numbers between these words. It is said that hackers have a harder time with this approach. Whatever you do, do not use the same password in multiple places.

Use Protective Software
Whether you are on a mobile phone or your laptop, you need to make sure you have antivirus protection in place. Malware and viruses are on the rise when it comes to cell phones. With so much personal data stored in one place, the only way to help keep it safe is to make it as hard as possible for thieves to get in unnoticed. Install PSafe Total on your Android device and PSafe Total Windows on your computer. It’s a great way to keep your gadgets safe and secure.

Really Delete Your Files
When you’ve deleted a file, you need to make sure it is actually gone. It’s an important way of making sure that your data is secure. But, deleting a file is only half the battle. It may remove the reference to the file in the file system table, but the file still lives on in the disk — and could be recovered. To prevent that from happening, you must overwrite it with other information, rendering it unreadable. There are free tools and programs that can help with that task.

Password Protection
Have you enabled password protection on your Android phone? If you have not set up a lockscreen, do it now. Your data will not be securely stored on your cell phone without it. Add in lock screen protection by heading to your “Settings” menu. You can also add a second password to important apps with PSafe Total’s Vault feature.

Piper — Home Monitoring / Security App for Android + Perch

PSafe Newsroom — Mon, 15 Aug 2016 19:47:23 +0000

The commercials make home security systems seem extremely safe and effective. However, the price tag attached to these systems can be a huge turnoff to those who want maximum protection under a strict budget. Fortunately, Piper offers a cheap and innovative way to keep the bad guys out.

What is Piper?

Piper is a small, yet diverse surveillance device. About the size of a small iPad, Piper packs a camera, panoramic video, home automation, and environmental sensors all into one gadget. Piper works in conjunction with your Android phone, and offers effective home security without you having to break the bank. The Piper application offers a great deal of information about the status of your home, including temperature, open doors, and recently detected motion.

Benefits of Piper

Home Automation

Like several other security systems, Piper can automate functions inside your house. For instance, it can schedule and control lights, appliances, plug-in modules, dimmers, and sensors for windows and doors.

Real time alerts

Piper keeps you up-to-date on the security of your home. If there is any security breach, Piper will notify you with a text message and a picture/video of the situation.

No monthly fees

Say goodbye to annoying security bills. A one-time purchase is the only financial sacrifice you have to make for maximum security.

Wi-Fi Security

Piper utilizes Wi-Fi technology to ensure protection within your home. This Wi-Fi allows the system to use sirens, motion, sound, and environmental sensors for constant vigilance.

HD Security Camera

No more fuzzy black and white security surveillance — Piper utilizes top of the line HD technology to hold down the fort.

Adjust Security Sensitivity

Piper allows you to adjust the sensitivity of the security camera. This is especially important if you own large pets. So, no worries about Sparky setting off the alarm system.

Now that your home is protected from bad guys, what about your computer?

Luckily, PSafe offers applications that can help promote the security of your computer. PSafe Total Windows quickly scans all files and folders in your device to ensure it is safe from malware. This feature protects you from threats 24 hours a day, seven days a week!