Catherine Conner
Posts tagged online security
Don’t Use These Passwords — Make a Better One!
Jun 14th
Lots of people have asked me recently about how to choose secure passwords. Not only does this article show you some of the most common passwords in use (don’t EVER use any of those! 
) but includes a short video with some easy tips on how to create a secure, yet memorable, password.
Using Public WiFi Safely
Jul 9th
My friends are constantly surprised when I tell them how unsafe public WiFis can be. I’ve explained this multiple times to multiple people in the last several weeks. Then I came across this great Lifehacker article that spells out the dangers and the solutions, so I’m posting it for people to use as reference. Happy (and safe) surfing!
Easy Ways to Avoid Online Scams
Dec 14th
Many basic safety rules we learned as children: look both ways, don’t talk to strangers, do unto others. But for those of us who didn’t get online safety rules with our mother’s milk, here’s a great basic guide to avoiding online and email scamming from lifehacker.com (a great how-to site). A quick, easy, and non-tech-heavy read, I recommend it highly.
The Complete Guide to Avoiding Online Scams (for Your Less Savvy Friends and Relatives)
Don’t Believe Everything You Click: Some Common Facebook Ad Scams
Dec 1st
Facebook is a great tool, but like everything on the Internet, should also be used with a dose of caution. A great article on some common (and currently legitimate) ad scams on Facebook.
I finally came to this realization: People on Facebook won’t pay for anything. They don’t have credit cards, they don’t want credit cards, and they are not interested in shopping. But you can trick them into doing one of three things:
* Download a toolbar: It could be spyware (such as Zango) or something more legitimate, such as Webfetti or Zwinkys.
* Give up their email address: You’ve won a “free” camera or perhaps you’ve been selected as a tester for a new Macbook Pro (which you get to keep at the end of the test). Just tell us where you want us to ship it.
* Give up their phone number: You took the IQ Quiz, so give us your phone number and we’ll tell you your score. Never mind that you’ll get billed $20 a month or perhaps be tricked into inviting 10 other friends to beat your score.
It’s always wise to know what tunes the devil is playing! How To Spam Facebook Like A Pro: An Insider’s Confession
