Safety In The News

ONLINE SAFETY EXPERT RECOGNIZED WITH TOP HONOR IN INDUSTRY

2008-12-13T22:33:00Z

Linda Criddle Given Outstanding Achievement Award by Family Institute in Online Safety WASHINGTON, D.C. – Linda Criddle, founder of LOOKBOTHWAYS , Inc. , an online safety consulting, education, and software company, was honored last night by the Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI) with an Outstanding Achievement Award. The award, one of eight given at the FOSI Annual Conference & Exhibition, recognizes individuals for their tremendous contributions in promoting online safety. The Family Online...(read more)

Virus Attacks Facebook Users

2008-12-13T20:58:00Z

Virus Attacks Facebook Users Summary: A new virus is winding its way through Facebook, and McAfee security experts warn, "The situation is likely to get worse before it gets better." The ‘Koobeface’ virus crawls the address books of already infected users and leverages Facebook’s internal messaging system to send all their Facebook friends a message that says “you look just awesome in this new movie” and provides a link to view the supposed video. Unwitting recipients who click the link are taken...(read more)

Digging Deeper Into the CheckFree Attack

2008-12-12T20:07:00Z

E-billing Company CheckFree Hacked Summary CheckFree , the nations largest e-billing system, was hacked last week. The hackers were able to redirect visitors to a fake customer login site in the Ukraine that tried installing password-stealing software. CheckFree has more than 24 million users, which is between 70 and 80 percent of the online bill paying market according to Avivah Litan , a fraud analyst with Gartner Inc . Consumers use the service to pay bills like military credit accounts, insurance...(read more)

Obama Speechwriter Posts Photos on Facebook … Groping a Clinton Cutout

2008-12-11T21:52:00Z

Obama Speechwriter Posts Photos on Facebook … Groping a Clinton Cutout Summary: Future White House director of speechwriting, Jon Favreau (27), appeared in compromising photos on Facebook Friday dancing with, and groping, a cardboard cutout of future secretary of state Hillary Clinton. The photos were only posted on his Facebook account a scant two hours before being removed - in his takedown process, Favreau also removed every other photo from the site except his profile photo. His attempt at containment...(read more)

Thieves Winning Online War, May Be Using Your PC

2008-12-09T01:04:00Z

Thieves Winning Online War, May Be Using Your PC M alicious software is spreading through computers faster than ever before. Microsoft has measured a 43 percent jump in malware removed from Windows computers in just the last six months, and SRI International now collects over 10,000 unique malware samples from around the world daily. By the end of this year experts project that 15 percent of Internet enabled computers will be controlled by botnets – an increase from 10 percent in 2007. By these estimates,...(read more)

Craigslist Ads Lead to Armed Robberies

2008-12-07T02:00:00Z

Craigslist Ads Lead to Armed Robberies Summary : An online ad on Craigslist offering an iPhone for $300 (about $100 less than in-store pricing), lured three separate buyers to meet the supposed ‘seller’ where instead of getting a phone they were robbed at gunpoint. My Thoughts: The fundamental mistake these three buyers made was to show up in an isolated meeting place on their own. Its a classic mistake for men to make as men are typically less likely to have personal safety concerns than women....(read more)

TheOnlineMom’s Shopping Guide for Tech Toys

2008-12-04T19:32:00Z

TheOnlineMom’s Shopping Guide for Tech Toys Scratching your head over which tech gadgets and toys are right for your child/tween/teen this holiday season? TheOnlineMom has just published a timely list to help parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles, find smart gifts that withstand screening by adults and testing by kids. Whether you’re stumped or still making up your mind, check it out here . Linda...(read more)

Deathcasting: Teen commits suicide in front of Webcam

2008-11-30T21:42:00Z

Deathcasting: Teen commits suicide in front of Webcam Summary: An emotionally vulnerable young college student committed suicide by lethal drug overdose while talking to others via his webcam last week. After threatening to kill himself, the teen was alternatively encouraged and discouraged by those watching to make good on the threat – some viewers apparently even debated whether the dose he took was lethal. My thoughts: The senselessness tragedy of a teen suicide is always painful. But the idea...(read more)

MySpace verdict, should social networks do more to protect consumers?

2008-11-30T04:21:00Z

MySpace verdict, should social networks do more to protect consumers? Summary: Thirteen-year-old Megan Meier killed committed suicide just over two years ago after being cyberbullied by Lori Drew, the mother of an ex-friend. Lori Drew was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2008 on three misdemeanors and one felony count of criminal conspiracy. Today Drew was convicted on the lesser charges, but cleared on the felony count. My thoughts: The Meier’s case , the case of Ryan Patrick Halligan , and...(read more)

In Plain English Videos Feature Safety Themes

2008-11-12T02:15:00Z

Technology and the risks involved in using it don't have to be difficult to understand. Common Craft does a great job of explaining online technology and associated risks in simple terms in a series of short video pieces they call "In Plain English". Case in point: this cartoon-like video walks you through the typical techniques used in phishing scams. Their easy-to-understand advice helps you to spot common scams and report them. Click to watch the Common Craft Videos...(read more)

In Sour Economy, Some Scale Back on Medications

2008-11-06T01:09:00Z

In Sour Economy, Some Scale Back on Medications Summary New research from IMS Health, a research firm that tracks prescriptions, shows consumers are struggling to afford prescription medications in the current economy. The extent of the difficulties patients are feeling can be seen in the reduction of prescriptions dispensed in the United States in the first eight months of 2008, over the first eight months of last year. "People are having to choose between gas, meals and medication" said Dr. James...(read more)

Webcams in Cars: Saving Lives or Surveillance?

2008-11-04T01:43:00Z

Summary A state sponsored study in Maryland has placed Webcams in the cars of teen drivers to record unsafe driving maneuvers. Heralded by parents and researchers, it is hoped the cameras will reduce the number of deaths among teen drivers. Not surprisingly, teens are less enamored with the monitoring in spite of the service provider’s claims that any embarrassing footage of the teens is suppressed. The cameras capture about 20 seconds of footage whenever their sensors are triggered by actions resulting...(read more)

Protect Your Child from Cyberbullying

2008-10-23T02:10:00Z

I originally wrote this article for the National PTA ; it appears online now, in their October Issue. Cyberbullying involves hurting others using online tools. While physical bullying usually reaches its peak in elementary school, according to one study , more than 30 percent of middle and high school students report being cyberbullied. Unlike physical bullying, cyberbullies can deliver an onslaught of accusations and threats at any time of the day or night. They can take and alter photos in damaging...(read more)

Taking Pets on the Road? The Internet Can Help

2008-09-16T05:04:00Z

If you are one of the 80 million pet owners in this country, a new web service can help you find emergency medical help and other services for your pet via your internet enabled mobile phone. g o2Pets.com lets you enter the zip code of your current location and get results for emergency veterinary hospitals, as well as information like local off-leash parks, pet friendly accommodations and restaurants, camping, airlines, and kennels. Sponsored by Purina, you enter your cell phone number through the...(read more)

The Internet Protectors Launches First Online Cybersecurity Information Community

2008-09-11T05:19:00Z

The Internet Protectors (TIP) is a new Internet Security and Safety website that focuses on providing help to non-technical computer. Users can ask questions of topic experts, research different aspects of security in a library of podcasts, videos, and white papers, read and subscribe to blogs on multiple security topics, discuss security issues in forums, and more. Experts, known as TIPsters, on hand at launch include Roger Thompson of AVG on new threats, Monte Robertson of Software Security Solutions...(read more)