Check out this article by Fortalice leader, Theresa Payton, written in honor of October being National Cyber Security Awareness month!
http://www.theblaze.com/contributions/national-cyber-security-awareness-month-is-coming-up-here-are-some-tips/
Online safety. Online security. Protecting Yourself Online. Protecting Kids Online. Keeping the U.S. Safe from Cybercreeps. Cybercrime. Protecting Against Fraud.
Friday, September 21, 2012
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
From Back to School to Holiday Shopping - Picking Out the Best Gadgets for Kids
Content written by Theresa Payton, Fortalice, LLC. Also featured in an article for "Wee Ones" Magazine.
Many of you have sent your older kids off to school and might have little ones in pre school. You just finished buying school supplies but do not put away your checkbooks and credit cards yet, it is time to start planning out your holiday gift giving.
We know you do not have a lot of time on your hands so we have done some pre-holiday shopping for you and have recommendations on digital fun for the family along with tips to keep you and your kids safe while you work and play online.
Tablet Apps that Entertain and Are Educational:
Five Little Monkeys: Good for toddlers through 5. This is a book collection and uses the popular "5 little monkeys jumping on the bed" song. Books can be played in autoplay. Visually appealing and keeps the attention of even the most fussy of the wee ones. This will run you about $12.99
Disney's "Where's My Water?" Good for ages 7-10. A puzzle game that will make them laugh and use their brain. Main character is Swampy the Alligator, a Disney original character. Over 100 puzzles to solve. There is a free version and prices vary depending upon device.
Doodlecast for Kids Good for ages 3-5. Your child draws and the app turns it into a story. The story it creates based on their drawing can be shared with anyone with a quick upload to email or YouTube. Approximately $1.99.
Device Protection:
If the kids hold your device as much or more than you do, consider the Woogie. The Woogie is going to bring smiles and protection to your device. Think stuffed animal meets protective case. They make them for smart phones and it comes with a built in speaker. Perfect for entertaining the kids with music, games, or movies. Also comes with a spot to plug in headphones. Different models run about $19.99
Devices "on the go" can be easy to lose, especially the smaller ones. If you are going to invest in an iPod nano or your kid already has one, consider pairing it with the Slapband. It's a great way to turn it into a bracelet and/or functioning watch. I have personally enjoyed one on a long run because you get a timer and music on the go and you are hands free. Depending upon the model, roughly $25.
School or Just for Fun Art projects
There are lots of free fabulous apps out there that you can use to delight children from 0-100+. If you want to do something more lasting, you may want to consider purchasing the Crayola Color Studio HD. It comes with a stylus which can become a paintbrush, pen, crayon or marker all with just one touch! Approximately $30.
Math Apps
Whether your little ones loves math or is struggling to keep up, apps are here to help. For the pre schoolers, try Counting Caterpillar. For ages 5-7 try MathBlaster Online. For ages 9-12, try CoolMath. (Note: prices vary depending upon your device).
Group or Family Fun - It's Game Time!
Many of us grew up playing board games but nobody wants to huddle more than 2 people around today's digital devices. Try a product called The GameChanger. It allows you to plug your iPad into it's board system so you get the beauty of digital and the space of a board game for a group. Approximately $60.
7 Tips in 7 Minutes to Staying Safer Online:
1. Never purchase apps or toys online from sites that you do not know and beware of fakes and counterfeits
2. Password protect all your devices
3. Teach your children never to click on pop ups
4. Set browser settings to the tightest security and parental controls possible if your children will be using the devices
5. Show your children how to use Google Safe Search tool for all internet searches that they do - Google will do their best to shield your kids from sites you don't want them to accidentally be exposed to
6. Do not give your child's information when registering the gifts, use your own
7. Tell your children to never type in their name, age, gender, address, birth date or where they go to school on any site...even if it says they'll get a free gift
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Question from America Now!
Notes taken from America Now News for which Theresa Payton (Fortalice, LLC.) serves as a Cyber Expert. http://www.americanownews.com/story/16190165/theresa-payton
Question:
I am trying to find work at home and to avoid scams. There is an ad on CNN for people to work at home, but I can't determine if this is a scam or if you can really make money this way. There is another ad for Angela Bussio Home Profit Master and Google search said this was a scam. Are these legitimate or fake?
Answer:
Question:
I am trying to find work at home and to avoid scams. There is an ad on CNN for people to work at home, but I can't determine if this is a scam or if you can really make money this way. There is another ad for Angela Bussio Home Profit Master and Google search said this was a scam. Are these legitimate or fake?
Answer:
It can be hard to decipher the real jobs from the scams. Especially when they advertise on sites you trust and visit every day.
The best way to research work from home options is to start by
researching the ones that you like with the Better Business Bureau.
Even an ad placed on a legitimate job site could be a scam. Look for
red flags such as (1) do they ask for a credit card number or bank
account number before they process your application? (2) do they talk
about sending you a large sum of money and then ask you to redistribute
it? (3) do they ask you to pay a fee up front? (4) does it say no
experienced required but everyone is getting rich? If the answer is yes
to any of these questions, it might be a scam.
Another resource that you might find helpful is the Rip Off Report at http://www.ripoffreport.com/
. It will show you user reviews of various sites. Remember, it is a
report for rip offs so some of the filed complaints might be complaints
vs. indicating it is a scam.
For a sample of legit work at home jobs, look at an article on Bankrate.com http://www.bankrate.com/
Thursday, August 9, 2012
The Day I Was Erased Digitally
Webnotes by: Theresa Payton, Fortalice, LLC. Content also featured on WBTV Channel 3's "Protecting Your Cyberturf" segment featuring Theresa Payton and Kristen Miranda
It’s everyone’s worst night nightmare - eveyrthing digital in your life gets wiped out. Your phone, your computer, your tablet, every email address, social network profile. For a minute, you may fantasize and say “that could be fun!” but then you realize there would be nothing funny about losing all that access because someone is in all of your devices and accounts. This is not a sci-fi movie either. It really does happen, and most of you probably didn’t know that even techies and security experts worry about this happening to them. This case was a tragic case and unprecedented but cyber security expert, Theresa Payton, talks about how this can happen to anyone and some tips to stay a little safer online.
TIPS:
1. LINKING ACCOUNTS: It’s convenient but if someone compromises one account, they are into everything
2. PRIVACY SETTINGS AND SECURITY SETTINGS: Look for additional features such as hiding your email address, or secure sign ons that take an extra step
3. BACK UP FILES: Just in case this happens to you, back up your files and not just to the cloud. Consider an external drive.
4. KNOW YOUR OPTIONS: Look up all your favorite accounts NOW before you are hacked to find out who you call or email during an issue; have those on hand in case the worst happens
5. CLOUD AND LOCATOR OPTIONS: They actually got to his devices through the cloud and locator options; just a word of caution when you use those services that they could be used against you!
WORD OF THE WEEK:
Mountain Lion - We’re not talking the wild here! This is the new operating system for the Mac by Apple. 200 new features such as a revamped messaging and sharing platform.
WEB RESOURCES:
Detailed account of Mat Honan’s hack is at:
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/08/apple-amazon-mat-honan-hacking/all/
Apple Support:
http://www.apple.com/support/appleid/
Amazon Support:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?ie=UTF8&nodeId=518316
Google Support:
http://support.google.com/?hl=en
It’s everyone’s worst night nightmare - eveyrthing digital in your life gets wiped out. Your phone, your computer, your tablet, every email address, social network profile. For a minute, you may fantasize and say “that could be fun!” but then you realize there would be nothing funny about losing all that access because someone is in all of your devices and accounts. This is not a sci-fi movie either. It really does happen, and most of you probably didn’t know that even techies and security experts worry about this happening to them. This case was a tragic case and unprecedented but cyber security expert, Theresa Payton, talks about how this can happen to anyone and some tips to stay a little safer online.
TIPS:
1. LINKING ACCOUNTS: It’s convenient but if someone compromises one account, they are into everything
2. PRIVACY SETTINGS AND SECURITY SETTINGS: Look for additional features such as hiding your email address, or secure sign ons that take an extra step
3. BACK UP FILES: Just in case this happens to you, back up your files and not just to the cloud. Consider an external drive.
4. KNOW YOUR OPTIONS: Look up all your favorite accounts NOW before you are hacked to find out who you call or email during an issue; have those on hand in case the worst happens
5. CLOUD AND LOCATOR OPTIONS: They actually got to his devices through the cloud and locator options; just a word of caution when you use those services that they could be used against you!
WORD OF THE WEEK:
Mountain Lion - We’re not talking the wild here! This is the new operating system for the Mac by Apple. 200 new features such as a revamped messaging and sharing platform.
WEB RESOURCES:
Detailed account of Mat Honan’s hack is at:
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/08/apple-amazon-mat-honan-hacking/all/
Apple Support:
http://www.apple.com/support/appleid/
Amazon Support:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?ie=UTF8&nodeId=518316
Google Support:
http://support.google.com/?hl=en
Avoiding Porn on Pinterest
Webnotes taken by: Theresa Payton, Fortalice, LLC. Content also featured on WBTV Channel 3's "Protecting Your Cyberturf" segment featuring Theresa Payton and Kristen Miranda
Pinterest gets 4 million unique visits each day to their site.
Unfortunately, with that traffic and popularity comes undesirable
effects like the porn pushers. One viewer was so concerned at the amount
of porn she was being tricked into seeing on the site, she wrote to us to ask
us to do a segment on this very topic.
There is nothing worse than searching Pinterest for that favorite recipe, typing in search words and seeing porn. The worst offender on Pinterst? The “Everything” stream of pins. Cyber expert, Theresa Payton, tells us how to avoid the porn.
TIPS:
1. Specific search terms: Be specific about what you are looking for on Pinterest. Many of the porn pins hide behind “Everything”
2. Red Flag: Look at the profile creating the pins, do they follow a lot of people but few people follow them back? Usually a red flag if nobody wants to follow them.
3. Pin Search: Go outside Pinterest and do a search for your area of interest and Pinterest pins, that may help you determine the pins you want to follow.
4. Likes / Repins: Pay attention to the Likes and Repins. If the Repin number seems skyrocket high, there might be a spammer behind it
5. Know Your Rights: Read Pinterest’s Pin Etiquette and the Terms of Service. Don’t be shy about flagging pins that you think are inappropriate.
5. Reporting a Pin: It’s 3 easy and quick steps - Click on the pin, Choose “report a pin”, type in your reason
WORD OF THE WEEK:
Green Teens: A term created by Jupiter Research that describes online teens (age 13 to 17) who use their online presence to promote environmental friendly practices such as recycling, cleaning up streams, and renewable energy.
RESOURCES:
Pinterest’s Pin Etiquette
Pinterest’s terms of service
There is nothing worse than searching Pinterest for that favorite recipe, typing in search words and seeing porn. The worst offender on Pinterst? The “Everything” stream of pins. Cyber expert, Theresa Payton, tells us how to avoid the porn.
TIPS:
1. Specific search terms: Be specific about what you are looking for on Pinterest. Many of the porn pins hide behind “Everything”
2. Red Flag: Look at the profile creating the pins, do they follow a lot of people but few people follow them back? Usually a red flag if nobody wants to follow them.
3. Pin Search: Go outside Pinterest and do a search for your area of interest and Pinterest pins, that may help you determine the pins you want to follow.
4. Likes / Repins: Pay attention to the Likes and Repins. If the Repin number seems skyrocket high, there might be a spammer behind it
5. Know Your Rights: Read Pinterest’s Pin Etiquette and the Terms of Service. Don’t be shy about flagging pins that you think are inappropriate.
5. Reporting a Pin: It’s 3 easy and quick steps - Click on the pin, Choose “report a pin”, type in your reason
WORD OF THE WEEK:
Green Teens: A term created by Jupiter Research that describes online teens (age 13 to 17) who use their online presence to promote environmental friendly practices such as recycling, cleaning up streams, and renewable energy.
RESOURCES:
Pinterest’s Pin Etiquette
Pinterest’s terms of service
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Dr. Cedric Sims on "Protecting Your Internet Identity: Are you naked online?" by Theresa Payton
Excerpt taken from: Dr. Cedric Sims Talks DHS, Cybersecurity and Texas Heritage by Morgan Barker (Washingtonexec.com) August 3, 2012
"WashingtonExec: What’s on your summer reading list?
Dr. Cedric Sims: I’m very fortunate and blessed to have four wonderful children; one has just entered into her teen years. As a father, I’m very concerned about making sure that she has the beneficial aspects of the internet and few of its negatives. There is a great book that has recently been released by a person that I respect greatly and the book is called Protecting Your Identity: Are You Naked Online? It was written by Theresa Payton who is a fantastic security executive. Even more importantly, the book is written in plain English and it has relevance to those in this industry and those that are not. I highly recommend it. After you read it, you will want to give it to your family and your coworker, alike.
WashingtonExec: You discussed a book about protecting your identity online…what are the biggest threats to the individual posed by cyberspace?
Dr. Cedric Sims: Complacency and expectations of anonymity. We all know the dangers of the internet. We have passwords for all our accounts, whether they are Facebook, Twitter, email or financial systems. However, recent breaches and the public display of captured passwords show that the message is still not getting through to our community. In the case of the Yahoo breach, one of the most common passwords is ’123456.’ Fortunately, most financial institutions force the use of complex passwords. Which brings me to my next point. Our youngest users of the Internet do not understand the life-long, permanent trail of pictures, thoughts, and deeds that are being amassed every minute, every day. There is limited anonymity in cyberspace. If you do not take explicit action to protect your private information, consider it public. Sometimes, even our best efforts are not enough."
To read the whole article, click here.
"WashingtonExec: What’s on your summer reading list?
Dr. Cedric Sims: I’m very fortunate and blessed to have four wonderful children; one has just entered into her teen years. As a father, I’m very concerned about making sure that she has the beneficial aspects of the internet and few of its negatives. There is a great book that has recently been released by a person that I respect greatly and the book is called Protecting Your Identity: Are You Naked Online? It was written by Theresa Payton who is a fantastic security executive. Even more importantly, the book is written in plain English and it has relevance to those in this industry and those that are not. I highly recommend it. After you read it, you will want to give it to your family and your coworker, alike.
WashingtonExec: You discussed a book about protecting your identity online…what are the biggest threats to the individual posed by cyberspace?
Dr. Cedric Sims: Complacency and expectations of anonymity. We all know the dangers of the internet. We have passwords for all our accounts, whether they are Facebook, Twitter, email or financial systems. However, recent breaches and the public display of captured passwords show that the message is still not getting through to our community. In the case of the Yahoo breach, one of the most common passwords is ’123456.’ Fortunately, most financial institutions force the use of complex passwords. Which brings me to my next point. Our youngest users of the Internet do not understand the life-long, permanent trail of pictures, thoughts, and deeds that are being amassed every minute, every day. There is limited anonymity in cyberspace. If you do not take explicit action to protect your private information, consider it public. Sometimes, even our best efforts are not enough."
To read the whole article, click here.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Cybertheives Prey on Worried Parents
Webnotes by: Theresa Payton, Fortalice, LLC. Content also featured on WBTV's "Protecting Your Cyberturf" segment featuring Theresa Payton and Kristen Miranda.
It’s every parent’s worst nightmare.
Your child calls and they are out of the country and going to jail.
They are upset. You are upset. It’s hard to get all the
details during the phone call, but it doesn’t really matter - you would do
anything to free them. The problem is, more often than not, it’s a scam
of the worst kind. Taking advantage of you to make you give up your
wallet without asking questions.
Cyberthieves are trolling internet information and hide behind the anonymity of the net and a convincing phone call to trick parents out of thousands of dollars. I know it sounds like this scam would be easy to spot but it’s so scary, so emotional, and happens so often even Western Union employees are trained to ask questions when an upset parent is wiring money. Cyber expert, Theresa Payton, explains.
HOW THEY TARGET YOU AND CARRY OUT THEIR CRIME:
1. Cyber thieves will troll internet phone books and online databases looking for targets
2. They will do internet searches to find mentions of family or friends
3. The more sophisticated ones will even surf social networks to learn nick names, pet names, and other details to make the phone call more convincing
4. Armed with data, they usually call in the middle of the night so their potential victim will be groggy
THE FOUR TELLTALE SIGNS THIS IS A SCAM:
1. AREA/COUNTRY CODE: Look up the country code / area code of the call to make sure it matches the location they claim to be in. Many of these internet & phone call scams originate in Quebec, Canada-area code "914".
2. HURRY & DON’T TELL ANYONE: The caller will say - “Don’t tell anyone” and then will talk about embarrassment or making it worse. That’s the hook. If you feel you must commit while on the phone, do so but BEFORE YOU SEND ANY MONEY, contact the State Department's Office of Overseas Citizens Services (OCS) at 1-888-407-4747. We will help you verify whether the situation is legitimate or a scam!
3. DON’T CALL MY NUMBER: Call all the numbers of the loved one that is “in jail” first even if you are convinced that they are in danger and you are on your way to the Western Union to wire money.
4. SEND CASH QUICKLY: Any requirements to send 1 or more wires quickly is a red flag
TIP TO PROTECT YOURSELF:
In advance, choose a code word that family members will know for emergencies. Make sure it is something that you would never share on social media sites. If this ever happens to you, it’s one more piece of information to detect if your loved one is in trouble or if you are being scammed!
VICTIMS OF THE SCAM:
1. Call your bank immediately
2. Report it to your local law enforcement
3. Report the incident to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) - this is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C).
WORD OF THE WEEK: BLACKHOLE MALWARE. This is a virus spreading mostly via twitter. It sends you to their “black hole” and while you think you are at a legitimate site, when you click on a link it “talks” to a site in Russia that will attempt to download. This virus is morphing and has been seen in tweets about traffic tickets, photos, and news. Think before you click!
WEB RESOURCES:
Check the State Department’s website where they cover this type of scam:
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/financial_scams/financial_scams_5608.html
File a report with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
Western Union has tips on avoiding fraud at:
http://www.westernunion.com/us/consumer-protection/cp-consumerProtection-cch-01.page?
Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection .
File a complaint with the State Attorneys General Office of Consumer Affairs
Cyberthieves are trolling internet information and hide behind the anonymity of the net and a convincing phone call to trick parents out of thousands of dollars. I know it sounds like this scam would be easy to spot but it’s so scary, so emotional, and happens so often even Western Union employees are trained to ask questions when an upset parent is wiring money. Cyber expert, Theresa Payton, explains.
HOW THEY TARGET YOU AND CARRY OUT THEIR CRIME:
1. Cyber thieves will troll internet phone books and online databases looking for targets
2. They will do internet searches to find mentions of family or friends
3. The more sophisticated ones will even surf social networks to learn nick names, pet names, and other details to make the phone call more convincing
4. Armed with data, they usually call in the middle of the night so their potential victim will be groggy
THE FOUR TELLTALE SIGNS THIS IS A SCAM:
1. AREA/COUNTRY CODE: Look up the country code / area code of the call to make sure it matches the location they claim to be in. Many of these internet & phone call scams originate in Quebec, Canada-area code "914".
2. HURRY & DON’T TELL ANYONE: The caller will say - “Don’t tell anyone” and then will talk about embarrassment or making it worse. That’s the hook. If you feel you must commit while on the phone, do so but BEFORE YOU SEND ANY MONEY, contact the State Department's Office of Overseas Citizens Services (OCS) at 1-888-407-4747. We will help you verify whether the situation is legitimate or a scam!
3. DON’T CALL MY NUMBER: Call all the numbers of the loved one that is “in jail” first even if you are convinced that they are in danger and you are on your way to the Western Union to wire money.
4. SEND CASH QUICKLY: Any requirements to send 1 or more wires quickly is a red flag
TIP TO PROTECT YOURSELF:
In advance, choose a code word that family members will know for emergencies. Make sure it is something that you would never share on social media sites. If this ever happens to you, it’s one more piece of information to detect if your loved one is in trouble or if you are being scammed!
VICTIMS OF THE SCAM:
1. Call your bank immediately
2. Report it to your local law enforcement
3. Report the incident to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) - this is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C).
WORD OF THE WEEK: BLACKHOLE MALWARE. This is a virus spreading mostly via twitter. It sends you to their “black hole” and while you think you are at a legitimate site, when you click on a link it “talks” to a site in Russia that will attempt to download. This virus is morphing and has been seen in tweets about traffic tickets, photos, and news. Think before you click!
WEB RESOURCES:
Check the State Department’s website where they cover this type of scam:
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/financial_scams/financial_scams_5608.html
File a report with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
Western Union has tips on avoiding fraud at:
http://www.westernunion.com/us/consumer-protection/cp-consumerProtection-cch-01.page?
Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection .
File a complaint with the State Attorneys General Office of Consumer Affairs
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