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Signs That Your Social Media Account Has Been Hacked

PSafe Newsroom — Sun, 30 Jul 2017 20:11:43 +0000

The typical signs of a hacked social media account can be easily pinpointed: weight loss ads claiming that users can “Lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks with this new pill!” or giveaways telling users to “Sign up now! Giving away free 5,000 iPads!” Sometimes, though, compromised accounts are harder to pinpoint, giving hackers access to personal data for weeks before the breach is detected. One easy preventative measure that you can take is to activate the Applock feature. Click here to lock your sensitive apps:

By using Applock, Android users can choose to protect certain apps with a password and safeguard this sensitive data from thieves and hackers. It’s a simple, but effective, way for your apps to remain private, even if your phone’s screen is unlocked.

Signs of a Compromised Account

The top two signs of a compromised account include changes to posts and changes to follower counts. While the appearance of numerous new posts is a common sign of hacking, so is the disappearance of older posts. Hackers taking over Facebook or Instagram accounts often delete old posts and photos. In addition, dramatic changes in follower counts, either in the number the account is following or the number of followers, often point to a hacking incident as well.

In some instances, hackers will change the account’s information immediately after accessing it, shutting out account owners. In these cases, repeated, incorrect password entries are a sign of a compromised account rather than a forgotten password. Additionally, on social media sites that allow messaging, and on Twitter in particular, hackers will send infected links to mutual followers in an effort to compromise more accounts.

Logins from Other Devices

Social media giants such as Facebook will often track the devices associated with specific accounts, and notify users when a login has been attempted from a device not previously associated with the account. However, there’s an easy way to double check individual accounts. Facebook provides users with data on the devices and locations of past and active login sessions, and allows users to end sessions for unfamiliar devices. To view this service, visit the Facebook account settings page and go to the “Security” tab. Under this section, users should click “Where You’re Logged In” to view all recent login data.

Twitter offers a similar tool which lists the times of recent logins and types of devices associated with the logins. To access the tool, click your account’s avatar at the top of the screen and click on “Settings and Privacy.” From the “Settings” screen, go to “Your Twitter Data” on the left-hand side of the page and scroll down to see “Your Devices and Login History.”

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Can Your Smartphone Be Hacked Through Sound Waves?

PSafe Newsroom — Sat, 10 Jun 2017 14:00:03 +0000

Hackers have gotten much more creative over the years. From gaining control of smartphones that are offline to creating apps that download phishing software, hackers are using sophisticated methods to control your devices. If you’re concerned that your device might currently be infected with malware, or if you want to simply check on the security of your device, use the Security Scan feature to quickly check your phone for malware:

One of the most surprising — and potentially very dangerous — new methods of hacking is hacking smartphones using sound waves. Researchers suggest that a sound wave security flaw could make millions of smartphones, as well as smart devices and even cars, vulnerable to hacking. While learning of yet another way that cybercriminals can steal your information can be unsettling, the best way to protect yourself from attacks is by being informed on the latest threats. The following will answer three of smartphone users’ most pressing questions about sound wave vulnerabilities.

How Can Sound Waves Affect Your Phone?

Sound waves can affect your phone’s accelerometer. An accelerometer is a very small sensor in your phone that helps it to detect movement. This is useful when you’re tilting your phone or counting your steps, for example. Even from a distance, these sensors can be tricked into sensing a fake motion signal. Essentially, if hackers find the right frequency to affect the sensor, the accelerometer will read data that isn’t true to life.

Has This Hack Been Reported in the Real World?

Not yet. Only researchers in labs have been able to exploit the sensors’ vulnerabilities. But in the labs, scientists have been able to manipulate the sensors in many different devices. For example, the researchers took over a music file to make a smartphone add the word “Walnut” to its accelerometer readings and took over an app involving a toy car.

How Can Hackers Use This Technology?

Even if you don’t care if hackers add extra steps to your Fitbit, the technology has serious consequences in the real world, especially as we link more and more devices to our smartphones. For example, if shaking your phone were linked to your car’s engine starting up, hackers could start your car remotely. Think about what this would mean on a large scale.

Right now, scientists and policy makers are still considering the implications of these findings. As of now, we don’t necessarily have the features on our phones that could make the hack detrimental. Manufacturers will certainly have to secure these sensors as we connect our smartphones to more and more important objects and devices.

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Coachella’s Site Was Hacked: Is Your Credit Card Info Safe?

PSafe Newsroom — Sat, 22 Apr 2017 20:00:06 +0000

In early March, several thousand Coachella.com accounts were compromised. This has left thousands of people in a panic over whether their bank accounts, payment information, and personal information are safe or not. This data breach leaked names, birthdays, phone numbers, and email addresses. So, to answer the question: your credit card information is likely fine. Lucky enough for the concertgoers, the ticket purchases are a separate entity from Coachella.com. This is a big reason why credit cards were not directly compromised from this hack.

Coachella Account Information for Sale

California State University (at San Bernardino) Professor, Tony Coulson, is a cyber-expert who was interviewed by a local CBS station in Los Angeles. He noted that the users’ information is currently for sale on the dark web for just a few hundred dollars. Hackers can purchase this information and subsequently enter your username into an algorithm that will help crack your bank password by continually guessing it on the website until they get a hit. As a result, it is urgent that you change your bank account information if it mirrors the information you used in your Coachella account.

Additionally, hackers have begun sending out malicious emails, masquerading themselves as Coachella staff. These emails will likely and ironically ask you to change your password to avoid hacking. The hacker will ask for your old account name, old password, and new password. Please be cognizant of the fact that Coachella will never ask for any personal information via email to avoid phishing scandals.

The Issue of Passwords

If you are one of those people who uses the same username and password for everything, from your bank account to your AOL or Gmail account, then you should seriously consider changing your password for everything. If a hacker has access to your username, for example, this can be an easy first step that allows the hacker to compromise your other accounts, including your bank account.

Passwords are not an area you should be slacking in: you should use strong, unique passwords for each account that you have online. If you have trouble remembering all of your various passwords and need some help, consider using a password manager to help secure your accounts.

While you may be safe from the direct hacking of the Coachella website, that does not mean that you are completely exonerated from malicious activity. Be sure to keep a different username and password for each website that you use.

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How to Protect Your Privacy if Your Webcam is Hacked

PSafe Newsroom — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 14:00:59 +0000

With the constant use of phones and computers for all types of communication, privacy protection is a worry for all Internet users. It seems, sometimes, that staying safe online is an uphill battle, with so many creative tricks always at play. However, you can take several steps to ensure your webcam is safe and protected from hackers. Here are four simple and straightforward ways to make sure your privacy is always secure.

Regularly Scan Your Devices for Spyware and Other Forms of Malware

While some hackers gain access to your webcam with a secret URL, most of the time they need to compromise your device or computer first with some type of malware. To make sure that your devices remain secure while you video-chat with others, it’s important to practice safe online habits in addition to running regular virus scans on your device. A Full Virus Scan will check for malicious threats on your smartphone and SD card that could be targeting your webcam. A routine malware scan like this ensures that hackers won’t gain control of your camera. Click here to scan your device for malware:

Don’t Fall for a Fake Wi-Fi Network

Hackers can set up Wi-Fi networks that look like the network you always use at your local coffeeshop or library. While you don’t want to have to continuously enter the password for the network, it’s a good idea to check up on the networks your device joins automatically. Delete networks one-by-one and start fresh every so often so you’re not duped by fake networks.

Physically Cover Your Webcam

The bottom line in protecting your webcam from hackers is to believe that it is always on. That means that you should never do anything in front of your open laptop that you wouldn’t be comfortable with anybody seeing. To ensure no one is watching, though, you can take a simple manual approach: cover the webcam with a piece of paper, a Post-It note, or a piece of tape. For example, Facebook’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, is fond of this method.

Update Your Firmware.

Most webcams are controlled by firmware, and it’s through firmware that most hackers receive access to your webcam. If there are vulnerabilities in your firmware, manufacturers will often fix bugs and holes with new updates. Making sure that you’re staying familiar with these new updates — and ensuring that you’ve allowed for automatic updates — can keep your webcam safe.

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There’s an Insulin Pump That Can Be Hacked

PSafe Newsroom — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 17:50:22 +0000

Recently, Johnson & Johnson issued a statement warning about a potential security issue with its Animas OneTouch Ping Insulin Infusion Pump. A computer security firm found that it would be possible for hackers to hijack the pump through the unencrypted radio frequency system it uses. Strange as it might seem, this isn’t an entirely new thing. Several people have already hacked into their own device in order to change its configurations or just to satisfy curiosity about how it works. Still, the fact that someone with bad intentions could access a person’s pump is enough to cause legitimate concern.

How Do You Hack an Insulin Pump?
Insulin pumps are used to help diabetic people control their blood sugar. These pumps are worn on the body, usually underneath clothes, and deliver insulin through a catheter. Used predominantly by people with Type 1 diabetes, these pumps can receive dosage instructions through a wireless remote. A hacker would have to use a radio frequency monitor to zero in on the particular pump they were targeting. They could then theoretically repeat the command to deliver a dose multiple times, causing the pump to administer dangerous and even fatal levels of insulin. According to the manufacturer of the OneTouch pump, someone would need to be within 25 feet of the pump and would need to possess sophisticated technical equipment to accomplish this.

Should We Worry?
Experts in the healthcare and medical device industries say that while the possibility exists, it is highly unlikely that someone would break into another person’s insulin pump for the purpose of harming them. So far, there are no known incidents of any insulin pumps — or other medical devices — being hacked maliciously. IT security isn’t typically something a doctor or medical device manufacturer would need to understand. In today’s world, however, this knowledge gap between the healthcare industry and the tech it uses creates an unignorable risk.

How Can Medical Device Security be Improved?
Department of Defense hospitals have already addressed the medical device security threat by requiring that all implanted devices must comply with DIACAP (Department of Defense Information Assurance Certification and Accreditation Process), a risk management protocol for information systems. This means that all of their networked devices are subject to mandatory security evaluations. Perhaps civilian hospitals will follow suit in the near future. Going forward, Johnson & Johnson has said that they will incorporate security features into any future devices manufactured under their name. Additionally, the company has been working alongside the FDA to develop guidelines for medical device cybersecurity.

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Here’s What We Know About Who Hacked Yahoo

PSafe Newsroom — Mon, 24 Oct 2016 21:02:48 +0000

Over the years, Yahoo has failed to implement necessary security measures or changes to their service for fear of pushing their current users away. One could say, shame on them for having a blasé attitude towards cyber security, and, further, for failing to properly update their current users on the information breach. But many critics will respond: shame on those who still use Yahoo. So, despite all of this, how did this happen?

Who’s Responsible for the Yahoo Hack?
The short answer: we still don’t know. Yahoo previously stated that the hack was state-sponsored, meaning that a foreign government is likely responsible. However, InfoArmor, a cybersecurity company based in Arizona, recently claimed that an Eastern European gang was responsible. That gang then sold the stolen information to several clients, one of them being a state-sponsored group. This gang has also been responsible for several other major security breaches, including ones at LinkedIn and Tumblr. Neither answer, however, is definite. The Yahoo hack is still being investigated. It could be a while before there’s a definite answer as to who is responsible, or we may never really know. Unfortunately, cybersecurity breaches can be difficult to track.

The Known Information About the Hack
Yahoo has made plenty of excuses for this breach, one of them being that they couldn’t have prevented the attack. But it has been well documented now that the company didn’t have the right attitude towards security. While cybersecurity threats and large company breaches have become increasingly common, there are measures Yahoo could have taken to make their service more secure.

But this all happened two years ago. How are we just finding out about it now? Earlier this year, an online user bragged about having Yahoo account information for sale. A streak of other clues followed, and the breach was eventually confirmed. A lot of account information was stolen, such as personal information and passwords, and even recovery email addresses.

How to Respond to the Yahoo Cyberattack
This is a big deal. Even if you don’t currently use Yahoo, odds are you at one point had a Yahoo email address (considering how popular it used to be), so it’s a good idea to check on the status of that old account if it’s still around. As with all of your accounts, make sure to practice good password-making habits and to have unique passwords for each account. If you must use security questions, make your answers more complex or misleading. Make sure to be aware of current cyber threats and how you can protect your information. Finally, download PSafe Total and PSafe Total Windows for automatic, 24/7 virus scans on your devices.

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How to Prevent Security Cameras From Being Hacked

PSafe Newsroom — Tue, 20 Sep 2016 21:59:10 +0000

As IP security camera technology is getting easier to use, more people are purchasing security cameras to watch their property. The problem, of course, is with increased technology often comes increased security risks. In this case, security cameras can pose problems because hackers can break into these systems. Here are five ways you can make sure your camera is protected from voyeurs.

Localize Your Cameras
You don’t need to connect your home security camera to the Internet at all. Instead, you can hook up your camera to a local network and then set up a non-routable internal IP address. Your camera manufacturer’s website will usually give you instructions on setting up this kind of non-routable camera.

Add Passwords to Your Cameras
While not every security camera comes with password protection, you can still password-protect your camera. Most cameras let you set up a password in the initial setup, but you can also add one later in your settings, as well. You want to make sure that you set up a strong password that includes a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols. Make sure you change it regularly.

Encrypt Your Wireless
If your camera is wireless, you want to make sure you’re joining a wireless network that can’t be accessed by people trying to find your video. The best wireless you can join is an encrypted network – look for a WPA2 encrypted network on your new camera device.

Update Firmware
If there are problems with your camera’s firmware, the manufacturer usually will repair these problems in newer firmware versions. Make sure you’re checking your camera manufacturer’s website to see if any updates have been made. You want to make sure that your camera has up-to-the-minute security features.

Keep Your Camera Out of Private Areas
The best way to keep any embarrassing footage off the Internet is to make sure you keep your camera out of places you wouldn’t want footage seen. While it might be creepy to see yourself online eating dinner, that kind of footage isn’t as creepy as other footage types that could be posted.

Since you’ve gone to the trouble of protecting your home with a security camera in the first place, you want to make sure you can use it effectively. To better your camera’s function, download PSafe Total. With PSafe’s Memory Booster, you can optimize your device’s memory and storage so that you can speed up your device. Make sure all your security camera footage is recorded and stored properly with PSafe.

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How to Tell if Your Android Has Been Hacked

PSafe Newsroom — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 23:26:07 +0000

Nowadays, smartphones are how most of us stay connected to the world around us. Emails, text messages, phone calls — in a single tap we can send information to anyone, wherever they may be. We can also receive anything at any time, and what that means is that our phone is constantly at risk of being hacked remotely. Hackers can take control of a phone and access all our files through a single text message or an application. Given how much sensitive information is held on our phones, it’s of the utmost importance to keep them secure. The majority of hacks happen without the user knowing, but there are a few telltale signs to look out for that can help identify when a hack has happened, and ultimately protect your device.

1. Unusual cell phone charges

One key sign that malware has been downloaded onto your phone can be found in the form of odd charges on your phone bill. Hackers often use devices to send premium text messages (such as subscriptions or voting services), which can incur charges to your account. If you find any billing amounts that appear out of the ordinary, reach out to your service provider to find out where they came from and determine if a hacker has accessed your phone.

2. Data Access Patterns

Malware downloaded through a malicious app will often use data to turn your phone into a spam relay. This allows anyone, not just known users, to send information to your phone. If your phone is hacked in this way, it can lead to you becoming more susceptible to another hack and receiving unwanted advertisements. Luckily, Android phones allow you to track your data usage (just go into settings). If any of your apps are using an abnormally high amount of data, chances are they’re malicious.

3. Rapid Changes in Battery Life

If a hacker is accessing your phone, or running malware on your device, it will cause your battery to drain. Look out for rapid changes in your battery life, as this may be a sign that your phone has been hacked. Keep in mind, your battery will only drain when malware is being run, and sophisticated malware can lie dormant for days or weeks to avoid suspicion. Hacks can happen at any time, and so it’s important to constantly be on the lookout. To see if any apps are using up an unusual amount of battery, download PSafe’s PowerPRO.

For Extra Protection

Look no further than PSafe Total, which offers an extra layer of security to effectively prevent against hacks. Additionally, its AV scan feature can check for threats across all your phones’ files, allowing you to instantly detect any threats to your device.

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