Sunday, March 13, 2016

Hidden Dangers of Technology – Part 2



This month’s article is a continuation of Last month’s article which deals with the “Hidden Dangers of Technology”. You will find part one on the links listed at the bottom of this article. As outlined in part one the world of technology is riddled with myths, misconceptions and outright deceptions. No disrespect to used car sale people but compared to the “spin” that is going about with the regard to technology their spin makes them look like choir boys/girls. 


Myth #4 – I Won’t Be Hacked
I am not sure where this originated I suspect it was the fact that tablets ipads and phones were sold as being bullet proof against virus infection. In any case the old adage of “there being many ways to skin a cat” applies to how the hackers have adapted to your new devices. If you drop your guard you will be hacked this is without doubt. The hackers and scammers now use new methods to gain access to your data but these have been and continue to be very successful. My advice therefore is as follows:

#1 Avoid accessing your bank account or other sensitive data over unknown or free wireless access points.

#2 Use common sense when dealing with emails. I noticed recently that the scammers had already adapted and were promising me a refund from “eir” versus Eircom.

#3 Avoid “ropey” apps on your phone or tablet. By that I mean apps that are on the edge as they are gateways to adverts and sites where you will be hacked.

#4 Do NOT leave your laptop or desktop without a solid proven anti-virus that is fully up to date. The excuse of “I seldom use it” is no defence against being virus infected/hacked.

#5 Seek Professional Help if you suspect you have been hacked. Friends and Family are wonderful but when my car acts up or I suspect something wrong with it my first call is to my mechanic.

#6 Change Your Passwords often. Laziness is your enemy when it comes to passwords. If you use the same password across multiple apps you are asking for a “hiding” and in time you may well get one. Change your passwords regularly and keep them unique by app.