Ways to Secure Your Online Data and Information

Computers house so much of our personal data that it's essential to set up protective measures in case of cyber attack or mechanical failure. These must-do steps dramatically increase the odds your computer (and your privacy) will remain safe from the latest online criminal activity and let you salvage your most important files if your computer becomes irretrievably infected.

While using the internet for online shopping or banking purpose the two main risk that gets associated, about are someone taking or misusing your personal data and security of online payments. As now a days it is getting very common the news about hackers stealing credit card numbers or bank account numbers and stealing someone’s identity is about as easy as learning how to drive.

So here some tips discussed that will help you to protect yourself and your online data from hackers and scammers.

Beware of free or open Wi-Fi connections.

Open Wi-Fi connections at cafes and hotels are advantage for travelers but it is actually a great opportunity for data and identity thieves. While you get connected with the Internet using unprotected Wi-Fi anyone it gets easy for anyone available on the same network to see your data. The process of spying on Wi-Fi users has been common now but the Firefox extension Firesheep makes it even easier. Firesheep gives you the ability to destroy someone’s electronic privacy if you have got the tech savvy to check sport stats online.

• To avoid such situation start following these things:
• Don’t open Wi-Fi networks altogether.
• Try to avoid harmless activities like reading the news or anything that requires a login, such as email or banking.
• Use email, but make sure to use SSL/TSL.
• If you are a heavy Internet user then try to avoid getting connected to VPN (virtual private network) service because this can transmit from your computer, regardless of the privacy settings of the network you’re on, will be encrypted.

Protect your browser against malware.

There are list of ways that malware authors break your browser and violate your privacy like such scariest is the “drive-by download,” in which malicious code automatically gets installed whenever you visit a compromised website. However, a foolproof defense to these browser exploits like drive-by downloads does exist: sandboxing.

When a browser is sandboxed it can only access the few resources necessary to it. Any other software that tries itself to install such as a virus, will be blocked. The Chrome browser also sandboxes the Flash plugin, to provide extra protection.

For Windows users, the Sandboxes program allows to sandbox anything running on your system, and you need to sandbox both your browser and your Flash installation.

Watch how and what you share online.

To protect your privacy you can a lot by keeping your social networking profiles sealed. Make your Facebook profile to strictest privacy setting and share the details only with the people you know. Never post your confidential details like your address or phone number.

Similarly when you are commenting on someone’s blog or forum use this steps to make sure your digital privacy. Use a separate email account, never use your full name for commenting. For example if your name is Edward Paul you can use an email address like ebjunkmail@mailrpovdier.com with a user name like “EP.” This way if other website use poor security practices and it get hacked then your personal information won’t be revealed and you privacy will remain protected.

Opt out of third-party tracking cookies.

A lot of attention has been paid to third-party tracking cookies and how they can compromise your online privacy. There are two things that you can do right now to protect yourself from online trackers.

First, by setting your browser to cancel all third-party cookies which means only websites you visit will be able to collect data on you; it will minimize the chances of an unscrupulous tracker stealing your personal information via a malicious ad embedded on the websites you visit.

Second, install opt-out cookies, The FTC has mandate that online marketers make opt-out cookies available to protect your privacy. From the World Privacy Forum you can easily get the list of these cookies and where to get them; there are a few dozen you’ll need to install.

 Make use of your phone as computer

Your Smartphone attracts privacy snatchers as your device have access to your emails, address book and many other sensitive pieces of data where you rarely induce any privacy controls. If you are using an Android or BlackBerry phone you can add installing an app like Lookout Mobile Security to add phone-based privacy protection. You need to make sure that you couple the anti-malware measure with a phone password in case when your device is stolen or stolen. You always make a habit to read the fine print before installing any new apps. Like the computer’s antivirus your phone security software cannot protect you ignore security warnings or install an app. Make use of these privacy tips for protecting your online data. 

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HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY 2016

On 15 August, India celebrating its 70th Independence Day.

{WISH YOU ALL } 

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY

MAY OUR COUNTRY PROGRESS IN EVERYWHERE AND IN EVERYTHING

SO THAT THE WHOLE WORLD SHOULD HAVE PROUD ON US.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY

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How to Speed Up a Mac ?

Macs can perform slowly, too. If your Mac seems to be running slower than it should, the variety of tips here should help you identify and fix the problem. There are many reasons a Mac might be slow.Stay away from programs that promise to “optimize” your Mac and make it run faster. Some “cleaning” programs — like the Mac version of CCleaner — can remove temporary files and free up space, but they won’t make your Mac perform faster.

Manage Your Startup Items

It goes without saying that a clean startup helps speed up a slow Macbook. When your Mac launches faster, it takes less time to do anything. No waiting for Safari, Chrome, or Firefox to load — they open instantly. How do you get such speed? Well, when your Mac boots up, it runs a lot of unnecessary apps. It’s quite easy to take control of it again. Go to your System Preferences > Users & Groups and then click on your username. Now click on “Login Items,” select a program you don’t immediately need when your Mac starts up, and click the “-” button below.

Use Activity Monitor

If you want to see what apps are using up your system, open the Activity Monitor in the Utilitiesfolder.

Activity Monitor shows all the processes on your Mac (some of which you can’t or shouldn’t close) so click on View and Windowed Processes. Now click on the CPU button and the CPU column to list all programs by the amount of CPU they are using.

You can also use this to see what memory, disk and network processes are using up resources. A new feature in Mavericks is Energy that enables you to see which apps and processes are using up the most amount of energy from your battery.

Clean Up Your Hard Drive

If you want the most bang for your buck, cleaning your hard drive is by far the best and easiest way to speed up Macbook or iMac. Go through your hard drive and clean out everything that’s slowing it down. But how to clean up a Mac? What to look for? Caches, logs, apps, widgets, language packs, plugins, hidden trashes, and large files. Good news is, you can clean up Mac manually. But (there’s always a but) finding all of these things and removing them takes time, plus you have to know where to look. So there’s an easy solution to it,CleanMyMac 3 app has everything you need to finish the 3-hour task of hard drive cleanup in under 5 minutes. Even more, it will clean up the junk you didn’t even know about and give your Mac major a speedup.

Update Your Mac (OS and Hardware)

Typically, Macs take care of themselves. The latest software from Apple makes speeding your Mac up simple. Currently, the latest OS X is El Capitan. Compare it to the OS X version on your Mac by clicking on the apple icon in the top left corner of your screen. Then click About This Mac. Make sure you have the latest OS X installed (or the latest you can install, since not all Macs upgrade to El Capitan). As for the hardware upgrade, as you’ve probably guessed, it’s costly. But if your OS is the latest you can install on your Mac and you’ve cleaned up your hard drive, and you still have troubles with speed, this could be your option. Keep in mind that upgrading Mac hardware is not possible on certain Macs.

Must Read: How to Fix Common iPhone 6 Problems 

Manage your startup items

Obviously, a clean startup helps speed up a Macbook that’s running slowly. No wasted time waiting for Chrome, Firefox, or Safari to load. Instant access! Well, when your Mac boots up, it runs a lot of unnecessary apps that slow your Mac down.

Take control of your Mac again! Go to your System Preferences > Users & Groups and then click on your username. Now click on Login Items. Select a program you don’t immediately need when your Mac starts up, and then click the “–” button below.

Taking care of these startup programs is an easy way to help add speed to your Mac.

Turn off visual effects

Most Macs are now capable of running Mac OS X Mavericks without any trouble. But some people prefer to keep the dock static to prevent slowdown. Click System Preferences > Dock and uncheck the following check boxes:

• Magnification
• Animate opening applications
• Automatically hide and show the dock
• Turn off accessibility

Now click on Minimize windows using and change Genie Effect to Scale Effect.

Repair Disk Permissions

This might sound complicated, but it’s actually not that hard. In short, it means checking if your Mac goes to the right places to get info. It’s an alternative to the old “turn it off and on again” method. But it involves using Terminal (if you’re on El Capitan) and if you’re not familiar with it, we recommend simply “downloading CleanMyMac 3”, a Mac maintenance app that has a bunch of optimizing tools, including one-click disk permission repair. If Terminal doesn’t scare you much, you can open it and run commands. To open Terminal, either use Spotlight Search and type it in, or find it in the Apps/Utilities folder. 

Now, in the Terminal window, type in this:

sudo /usr/libexec/repair_packages --verify --standard-pkgs /

This will verify permissions. If you see anything (or a lot of things) starting with “Permissions differ”, type in this:

sudo /usr/libexec/repair_packages --repair --standard-pkgs --volume /

Update your software (and set to auto update)

Make sure you perform a software update for Mac OS X and all the apps installed in Mac. Click on the Apple icon in the menu bar and choose Software Update (or open Software Update in the App Store).

If you have apps purchased outside of the App Store, they will need to be updated separately. You’ll usually find Check for Software Update from the program name in the menu bar.

AppFresh is an app that can help keep track of all your software and checks it constantly to see if updates are available. Some apps can also self-update by integrating with AppFresh.

You should also make sure that Mac OS X keeps itself up to date. Click on System Preferences > App Store and ensure that Automatically Check For Updates is ticked. You can also tick Install App Updates, which will automatically ensure that apps are updated.

Clear out your caches

If you regularly use your computer, odds are that it’s building up all sorts of cruft over time. That’s taking up space on your hard drive, and could also be slowing down applications. Web browsers, with their backlog of history and massive caches, are famous for this, which is why it’s a good idea to clear your cache from time to time. But they’re not the only programs that build up caches and other files over time, which is why we recommend you check out CCleaner for Mac.

Uninstall software you don’t use

Freeing up space on your boot drive can increase performance, particularly if your drive is nearly full. An easy way to save a bunch of space is to delete apps you don’t use anymore. So if you’re the kind of person who installs a bunch of apps and then forgets about them, it’s time for a journey. We need to head to your Applications folder and take out the trash. But don’t just drag your applications to the Trash icon -that will leave behind a bunch of stuff you don’t need. Instead, look into the free application AppCleaner.

Find and delete unnecessary files

Apps probably aren’t taking up most of the space on your drive — it’s files. But which ones? The free application Grand Perspective gives you a birds-eye view of your files, with the largest files taking the form of the biggest blocks. Explore this and see if there are any large files you want to delete or move to an external hard drive for long-term storage.

Clean up your desktopHere’s a quick tip: if your desktop is a cluttered mess of icons, clean it up. Your desktop is a window like any other, so if it’s so overwhelming you can’t find files, it’s also probably slowing down your system. Even putting everything on your desktop into a folder can help, if you’re too overwhelmed to actually sort everything. We get it.

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Top Ways People End Up Getting Hacked and how to stay safe ?

In this day and age, internet users are under constant threats from hackers and cybercriminals. Additionally, said users know very little of the precautions that need to be taken in order to protect themselves. As difficult as it may sound, it is really entirely impossible and extremely simple for internet users to protect their presence online, and it can be made simpler if one is aware of the most common ways people end up getting hacked. Keeping this in mind, here are the top 5 ways that hackers mostly resort to in order to victimize internet users.

1. Brute Force Attack

It is important to note that cracking a password as simple as '12345' can take no more than a second, so it really does not come as a surprise at all that hackers rely on brute force attacks to get access to confidential information and files. Seeing how people, including Mark Zuckerberg, tend to use simple passwords,hacking becomes a breeze that is unless users start using stronger passwords and avoiding using them over and over again while creating new accounts.

2. Password Reuse Attacks

As mentioned earlier, using simple passwords can put users at great risk – Mark Zuckerberg – co-founder and chairman of Facebook too made the same mistake which resulted in several of his accounts being compromised in the process. If he had used several different passwords, the problem would not have been so difficult to deal with in the first place. Since most users tend to make the very same mistake, hackers find it to be one of the most effective ways to compromise several different accounts of the same user.

To avoid this problem, it is necessary for users to create strong and unique passwords for each account. Additionally, if they find it difficult to remember these passwords, they should utilize a password manager rather than make things incredibly easy for hackers and cybercriminals.

3. Social Engineering

Social engineering includes several techniques like whaling, vishing, phishing, spear phishing and privilege misuse. The method is used to trick users into giving out confidential information. This could be in the form of an email from a service provider or even a colleague, which makes it all the more legitimate for users to let their guard down thus giving hackers and cybercriminals the edge they need to achieve their goals.

4. Malware

Another common way people end up getting hacked is by involuntarily downloading malware programs. These programs are usually transmitted via email attachments, emails that link to other pages and websites that offer free downloads. To prevent this from happening, users need to make sure their emails are originating from a reliable source. Moreover, they should also stay clear from unknown and unreliable sites.

5. Physical Theft

A lot of people tend to make the terrible mistake of noting down their credentials on post-it notes or in their diaries/journals. Even though the method is not necessarily a high-tech hack, it still counts seeing how many people end up losing their information through physical theft.

6.Phishing scams

Lucky you! A Nigerian prince has selected you to help smuggle millions out of his country. For a little bit of effort — a few simple wire transfers — you'll get a substantial cut. What could be easier?

bet you're asking yourself, "Who would fall for that?" Well, tens of thousands of people do every year. That's why Nigerian scams, known as 419 scams, are still very popular.

Also See: How to protect your phone and avoid being hacked

Other versions might say you won a contest or have a job offer. Maybe someone wants to meet you, or you can make money for shipping some goods.

The catch is that you have to send in personal or banking information, or pay a fee. Of course, your information and money is going straight to hackers.

Use common sense before reacting to any e-mail. Scams rely on making you act quickly. If you think about things long enough, you can usually see through them. Just remember the old saying, "If it looks too good to be true … "

7. Trojan horse

Many hackers want to slip a virus on your computer. Once installed, a virus can record everything you type and send it back to the hacker. It can send out spam e-mail or attack other computers.

To do this, the hackers disguise the virus as something harmless. This is called a Trojan horse, or just Trojan.

One of the most popular ways to deliver a Trojan is a variation of the phishing e-mail scams.

For example, the e-mail might say it's from a shipping service, bank or other reputable company. There's been a problem with a transaction! To learn more, you have to open an e-mail attachment.

The attachment might look like a normal file, but it really contains a Trojan. Clicking on the file installs it before you can do anything.

See Also: Steps to Maximize your Wireless Network Security

Similar scams appear on Facebook and Twitter. You think you're going to watch a funny video your friend posted. Instead, a popup tells you to update your video player. The "update" file it provides is really a Trojan.

The key to defeat this tactic, as with phishing e-mails, is common sense. However, up-to-date security software is essential as well. It should detect and stop most Trojans before they can install.

8. Drive-by downloads

Security software is good, but it isn't always enough. Programs on your computer might have weaknesses that hackers can use to bypass security software.

To take advantage of these weaknesses, hackers set up websites embedded with viruses. You might get there by clicking a malicious link in a phishing e-mail or on social media. You can even find these sites in a search for popular programs or topics.

It isn't just malicious sites, though. Hackers can sneak malicious code on to legitimate websites. The code scans your computers for security holes. If it finds one, a virus can download and install without you doing anything.

To stay safe, you have to keep your programs up-to-date. Every month, Microsoft releases updates for Windows and Internet Explorer. These updates close critical security holes that hackers exploit.

Other critical programs to patch are Adobe's Flash and Reader, and Oracle's Java. Using old versions of these programs is like sending hackers an engraved invitation.

You should also be using the latest version of your programs. Anyone using Internet Explorer 6, 7 or 8 needs to update or switch browsers immediately.

9. Bypassing passwords

Hackers are masters of guessing account passwords. In the real world, however, very few hackers bother.

Instead, they go around passwords. They might get your password from a data breach at a company or website you use.

It's important that you use a different password for every account. That way, if a hacker discovers one, they can't get in to every account.

Perhaps the hacker slipped a virus on to your system. It records your passwords and sends them to the hacker; no guessing needed.

As mentioned above, you can stop viruses with up-to-date security software and programs.

A hacker might tackle your account's security question. Most security questions can be answered with information people post publicly.

You should change how you answer security questions. Give a random answer that has nothing to do with the question. That way, no one can guess it.

10. Using open Wi-Fi

sure you have a Wi-Fi network at home. Is it encrypted? If you don't know the answer, then it's probably, "no."

That means hackers, and neighbors, can connect to your network from outside. They can see and record everything you do. They can surf to bad websites and download illegal files on your connection. You might be getting a visit from the police.

You need to take a few minutes and secure your network. Trust me; it's worth it. The instructions will be in your Wi-Fi router's manual.

That being said, now that you know of the top 5 ways people end up getting hacked, you will be able to better protect yourself. Furthermore, you can also ensure you do not end up making similar mistakes. But then again, if you are not sure where to start and how to simplify the process of protecting yourself online, you can start by taking advantage of what PureVPN has to offer. Not only will you be able to enhance your online security and anonymity, but you can make sure nobody monitors or tracks your online traffic.

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Steps to Maximize your Wireless Network Security

Steps to Maximize your  Wireless Network Security.We emphasized so many times we are living in an interconnected world and it is a fact we take for granted. This increasing level of connectivity between us and our devices implies not only a greater degree of physical mobility for us, but also the possibility to access the Internet in most places in the world.

It is a fact that more user-friendly technology applications increase the chances of more missutilization. Its best example is the Wi-Fi connection it is totally made easy for its users to use in computer, portable media player, mobiles, video games along many other wireless devices which you want to use without cables. This modern world’s trendy applications made lots of things easy from the traditional networking services. But as you get easy access hacking also becomes more easy for bad guys.

Hacking chances even increase more when you want to share your Wi-Fi access with your friends for long. Young generation will love to use Google TV dongle for watching YouTube videos with friends by logging in the same network instead of using YouTube’s iOS and Android apps to bring clips together and collect them for TV screen.

Though some developers have find out few clever apps to share password with secured strategies but nothing seems as effective as to stop hackers or abandon them completely. what we really require is a different Wi-Fi security approach. Instead of strengthening security reasons more hacking tools and software are increasing day by day.

Here is a good news that we can secure our home network. The secure strategy will not only prevent others from stealing your internet but also control hackers to computers through wireless network. There are some simple steps that can help you to secure your wireless network easily.

 1.OPEN ROUTER SETTING PAGE:

Access your wireless router’s settings and enter the correct user name and password for the router Or else you can find manuals from Google for most routers online.

 2.DIFFERENT PASSWORD FOR ROUTER:

To secure your Wi-Fi network you need to change your default router’s password to achieve more security. So that others can’t easily access the router. Change your password from admin settings on your router’s setting page.

3.CHANGE NETWORK’S SSID:

SSID or wireless network name of your wireless router is always pre-defined so it can be a weak point for security point of view. Never use your name, personal information, home address for SSID name. Most of the time hackers use scanning tools which are available freely to find all available wireless networks in an area. When you set your SSID name then you can connect with the correct wireless network even if there are multiple wireless networks in your area.

 4.ENABLE NETWORK ENCRYPTION:

Encrypt your wireless signals to avoid your area computers from using your internet connection. Among several encryption strategies, WEP, WPA (WPA-Personal), and WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access version 2) are most known methods.

If you want your wireless network to be enabled by an encryption, then open the wireless security settings on your router’s configuration page. It will help you to select which security method you want to select, For older devices, choose WEP, otherwise go with WPA2. Enter a security phrase to access the network by setting difficult procedure. Set complex pass phrase by combining letters, numbers, and special characters.

 5.ENABLE MAC ADDRESS:

All wireless devices have unique MAC adresss just as computers have internet access with specific IP address. You need to filter your MAC addresses to avoid spoofing. For MAC fliteration prepare a list of all hardware devices to connect with your wireless network. Go to administrative settings to find your MAC addresses by opening command prompt and typing in “ipconfig /all”, which will show your MAC address near the name “Physical Address”.

 6.REDUCE WIRELESS SIGNAL:

If you have a small living place then don’t go for high range wireless router. So change mode of your router to 802, 11g instead of 802.11n or 802.11b or else you can try different wireless channels. Place your router in a small box or wrap a foil around the router antennas to restrict signals directions. Even you can apply the anti Wi-Fi paint, which is developed by researchers to block accessing of your home network without setting up encryption of router level.

 7.UPGRADE ROUTER’S FIRMWARE:

Check manufacture’s site to ensure whether your router is running with latest firmware or not. You can find the version through router’s dashboard at 192.168.*.

8.SECURE WIRELESS NETWORK CONNECTION:

After filtering your MAC address you can add new settings to your computer or to any other wireless devices to be in touch with Wi-Fi network. By selecting the automatic connection option in your computer, you can protect your SSID entrance and every useful information during every time internet connection.

9.TURN OFF NETWORK DURING NON USE PERIOD:

Turn off your router when you are not using your computer for longer period. It not only save you from wireless piggy backers but also save your electricity.

10.WISE USE OF MAC ADDRESS:

When you are using any new device to connect with your network, there you need to find MAC address and add it to your router. But if you want to let a friend connect to your wireless network one time, its better to remove your friend’s MAC address from the router settings when he or she leaves your place.

So with these steps you can secure your Wi-Fi network and also can enjoy your as usual YouTube party with group of friends without any fear.

11. Choose a strong password for your network administrator

To set up your wireless router, usually you need to access an online platform or web page, where you can make modifications to your network settings.

As everybody knows, it is something normal to find a router with default credentials such as “admin” and “password”. And these default login credentials are not so difficult to break by a hacker.

Most changes we do on an online platform are things like setting a strong password for the wireless network or changing the network’s name, both changes being made to ensure a greater level of protection from online criminals’ malicious actions.

12.Disable Remote Access

Normally, you can access your router’s interface from a device connected to your network, but some routers allow access even from remote systems. To stop online hackers access to your router’s private settings, it is safe to disable this option in your router’s settings.

To make this change, access the web interface and search for “Remote access” or “Remote Administration“.

13. Keep your router’s software up-to-date

Consider your router’s software like any other software you have on your operating system. It may be your antivirus program or any other application running on the system. The router’s firmware, like any other software, contains flaws which can become major vulnerabilities, unless they are quickly fixed by firmware releases from the manufacturer.

The problem is that most routers don’t have the option to install the latest security updates and from time to time you need to check the official website for security fixes.

We must not forget that some of the worst security breaches came from security holes in unpatched programs and operating systems.

14. Make sure you have a good firewall

Some routers have their own firewalls that can help block hackers from accessing your computer.

In case your router doesn’t have such a firewall, make sure you install a good firewall solution on your system to watch for malicious access attempts to your wireless network.

These days, most people use the firewall solution provided by their operating systems, which is a good option. In case you are using a security software that contains a firewall, it is a good option to turn it on.

Oh! Why my Internet is Slow ?

15. Protect the devices that connect most frequently to your wireless network

Don’t leave any door open for online criminals!

Though you may have secured your router and your wireless network, you need to make sure you are not leaving any security breach that can be exploited by IT criminals. Therefore, follow some general and common sense guidelines to stay away from online dangers, like having the latest software availableinstalled on the system and the latest security patches downloaded to ensure no security hole or breach is left open to online predators.

Even more, check what devices connect mostly to your home network and make sure they have security software installed against the viruses and spyware.

And finally, use a specialized security software to protect your devices from financial and data stealing malware, cyber-criminals and malicious hacker servers.

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