Sunday, January 15, 2017

Tech Magic Comes with a Price

Tech Magic Comes with a Price

So, did Santa give you the new Internet-connected gadget you hoped for at Christmas? Remember, as they say in fairy tales, all magic comes with a price!

The magic in modern times is technology. One of the prices in the cyber realm is the security vs. pleasure trade off.

This shows up when we get or buy a new gadget like a web cam for home "security", then hear on the news they're getting hacked left and right due to poor protections built in by the manufacturers.

Assume the worst!
Assume the worst when you set up a new device! Check with one of your techie friends about it. Or do a web search, inquiring about security and privacy concerns.

There are ways to fix some of the known security holes in vulnerable web devices, such as updating software/firmware, changing default settings, and turning off any unwanted features.

Amazon Echo Dot - can be too convenient
Like web cams, the Echo Dot is a cool web toy. If you haven't experienced it yet, you can check it out on YouTube. One downside is it can be set for easy ordering from amazon.com. Hence there are many stories of kids ordering stuff without their parents' permission. Ouch$!

Keep a close eye on your devices and users
If you want to be security-minded and keep control of your devices - lest they control or jeopardize your bank account or worse - make a list of the devices you have and who has access to them. Keep the devices updated, and set desired controls (such as parental controls). If you're unsure about the vulnerability of any device, unplug it from the Internet until you research it or get some help from a techie.

Trust sparingly
It can be a painful lesson to "trust the company" who made it to have your security and privacy interests at heart. In my opinion, most don't. They want a fast turnaround on their investment.

Web cams (yes, I'm picking on them again) are notoriously unsafe in this regard. I recently unplugged security cameras for one of my clients due to the uptick in remote hacking of such systems. We can still see the cameras in operation and record video to a hard drive, but we have the system unplugged from the web.

Unplug to be safe
Along these lines, a good rule of thumb when leaving your home for travel is to unplug all your equipment, including your Internet modem/router. This is a good practice due to electrical surges from stormy weather, but also ensures no one can access or hack any of your devices while you're away.

And if you ever suspect a device has been hacked, turn it off immediately and get tech support from someone local or the vendor. Be sure to go directly to the vendor's website - don't just “google” for help on that device. There are plenty of scammers who prey on people searching online for tech support.

Wishing you a safe new year in cyberspace!

Thanks for reading.
Sam

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