NEWSLETTER FOR JUNE 2006
Newsletter index for 2007 | 2006
| June 2006 Newsletter
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Spoofing, iOpus and Scandoo.com
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Spoofing
Today, I want to share an experience with you and when I am done, you will not go back to using Internet Explorer. I received an email that had me go to Ebay and review my account. I suspected (but my guess is the unsuspecting would not notice) that this link was not being directed to Ebay. I went ahead and clicked on it and my default browser (Firefox) took me to a login page (that looked like Ebay's site) but then redirected me immediately to Ebay. I use Spoofstick, so I know I was on Ebay (get spoofstick here. Update: DO NOT INSTALL ON VERSION 2.0 OR HIGHER FOR FIREFOX). However, no login page. I found that curious, so I then opened Internet Explorer and did the same thing (went to the link within my email). I was then taken to a site that looked like Ebay's, but this time I was not redirected to the Ebay site. And yes, it was a login page to what appered to be Ebay. My son David was watching me, so I told him that I could prove that someone was wanting to get credit card or in the least login information to my Ebay site. So I went ahead and made up a false username and false password and submitted the info. Remember, I am doing this in Internet Explorer because Firefox would not take me to the login page (as it knew it was suspicious!). After clicking submit I was taken to a page that welcomed me and asked me to fill in my credit card info. This site is so well done, that an unsuspecting person would have fell for it and would have given some bad people their credit card information, Ebay login and password account info! This is all the proof I needed to convince me that using IE is very dangerous! Don't believe me? Well, here is the link and make sure you are using the latest Internet Explorer 6 to go to it: http://acc144-yy7.info/https/ISAPIebay/login.htm. Then make up a false username and password and you will see for yourself! Try it in Firefox and you are protected. The latest Firefox browser can be downloaded from: http://www.mozilla.com/. Problems installing either Spoofstick or Firefox...let me know.
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iPig
Recently, I have been pointing customers to a software program that secures your wireless connections. This isn't for everyone, but if you use a laptop or a desktop with a wireless Ethernet card, you will want to download iPig from iOpus. It is a zero configuration install and can be done easily by anyone. When setting up a wireless connection, I always use either WEP or WPA encryption. WEP has been cracked, so I would use WPA if your router and your devices support it. However, as mentioned on the iOpus website, you have no way of knowing whether the "Hot Spot" (such as a Cafe or Airport) is corrupt or not. Take a look at iPig and install it on your laptop (unless you live in the boonies and have no neighbors). The website can be found Here. And yes, it is free!
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Scandoo.com
In the past I talked about SiteAdvisor from McAfee. It is a browser extension/plugin to warn of risky sites before you visit them. Well, here is another alternative and it does not require that you install anything. It is a search site that searches Google and MSN at the same time and displays your search with a security rating. I like it and thought you might too! Here is the search site: http://www.scandoo.com/
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