Well, it has nearly been a year since my last post and much has changed since then...
The new job has been going great. I work for a great company and with a great group of engineers. The company is very supportive and loves to see you succeed.
I have traveled to Seattle (headquarters) twice, and I'm looking to traveling more in the coming year.
Now that I'm settled in and will have some free time, I think I'll try my best to start posting starting after New Year's. So stay tuned! :-)
Monday, November 26, 2012
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Happy Holidays...
I hope the holidays are treating everyone well?
I'm sure that everyone received nice gifts for Christmas. And I'm betting that they are of the electronic persuasion that allow Internet access. e.g., laptops, PCs, mobile phones, wifi-enabled LCD TVs, etc. One of the most important and crucial things you should do when you power on these devices for the first time is get them connected to the Internet (or mobile network) and do all the necessary (security/firmware) updates & patches. A lot of these devices have probably been sitting on the store shelves for weeks, even months before they were purchased. So there's no doubt in my mind that between the time of manufacturing and shipping, there have been several security updates and/or patches that have been made available. You just need to be proactive and check to make sure they're up-to-date. Some devices will automatically update themselves once they achieve Internet connectivity, but it's always good to check to make sure. CYOA (Cover Your Own Ass) as the say!!
It's also a good idea to ensure that for laptops/PCs/mobile phones, they have a good, working anti-virus software application installed. The days of getting viruses only through email are long gone. Nowadays, you can just surf to some benign or trusted website and still get infected. Yep, it's that easy!!
Well, I have only a few more days left before I start my new job. I'm desperately hoping to squeeze in at least two more posts before I start. I'm not sure what the future will bring in terms of allowing time for me to post, but I will do my best.
Stay safe and Happy New Year 2012....
--ma
Michael
I'm sure that everyone received nice gifts for Christmas. And I'm betting that they are of the electronic persuasion that allow Internet access. e.g., laptops, PCs, mobile phones, wifi-enabled LCD TVs, etc. One of the most important and crucial things you should do when you power on these devices for the first time is get them connected to the Internet (or mobile network) and do all the necessary (security/firmware) updates & patches. A lot of these devices have probably been sitting on the store shelves for weeks, even months before they were purchased. So there's no doubt in my mind that between the time of manufacturing and shipping, there have been several security updates and/or patches that have been made available. You just need to be proactive and check to make sure they're up-to-date. Some devices will automatically update themselves once they achieve Internet connectivity, but it's always good to check to make sure. CYOA (Cover Your Own Ass) as the say!!
It's also a good idea to ensure that for laptops/PCs/mobile phones, they have a good, working anti-virus software application installed. The days of getting viruses only through email are long gone. Nowadays, you can just surf to some benign or trusted website and still get infected. Yep, it's that easy!!
Well, I have only a few more days left before I start my new job. I'm desperately hoping to squeeze in at least two more posts before I start. I'm not sure what the future will bring in terms of allowing time for me to post, but I will do my best.
Stay safe and Happy New Year 2012....
--ma
Michael
Friday, December 23, 2011
Cutting down on blogging...
Well, I just recently snagged a new job. Therefore, posting to my blog won't be happening as much as I'd like in the foreseeable future. However, I don't start until January 3rd. So perhaps I'll make a few blog entries before then.
Also, my next (online) class starts in late January (this class should be an easy "A" though). Not to mention I'll be going away on business sometime in January. So it'll be very busy time for me and most likely I won't be making many blog entries. We shall see though! I'll keep you informed.
Stay safe...
--ma
Michael
Also, my next (online) class starts in late January (this class should be an easy "A" though). Not to mention I'll be going away on business sometime in January. So it'll be very busy time for me and most likely I won't be making many blog entries. We shall see though! I'll keep you informed.
Stay safe...
--ma
Michael
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Beware of Phone Scams
Be on the lookout and be extra cautious for phone scams this holiday season. They usually come out in full-force around this time as perps like to take advantage of people looking to score big on merchandise for the holidays.
One example such as this is a friend of mine who received a call from someone stating that their name was randomly selected, they won a large sum of money, and that they would need their bank account info in order to complete the deposit. <red flag> Don't EVER give your personal info, let alone your bank account info to an untrusted individual or company. The best thing to do is write down the date/time that you received the call, as well as the phone number & name from the CallerID, then disconnect the call. Promptly call police and inform them of the scam. This is what my friend had done after receiving the call.
My friend was kind enough to give me the CallerID info, and I went the extra step as well and did a lookup of the area code. Come to find out that the call originated from Seattle, Washington. Although the CallerID info was most likely spoofed, the call can still be traced back to its origin. I sent the info in an email to the FBI branch in Seattle, informing them of the scam.
Just to note...A majority of the scammers will prey on senior citizens as well. So if you have elderly family members or neighbors, make sure you educate & inform them about these scams.
Stay safe!!
--ma
Michael
One example such as this is a friend of mine who received a call from someone stating that their name was randomly selected, they won a large sum of money, and that they would need their bank account info in order to complete the deposit. <red flag> Don't EVER give your personal info, let alone your bank account info to an untrusted individual or company. The best thing to do is write down the date/time that you received the call, as well as the phone number & name from the CallerID, then disconnect the call. Promptly call police and inform them of the scam. This is what my friend had done after receiving the call.
My friend was kind enough to give me the CallerID info, and I went the extra step as well and did a lookup of the area code. Come to find out that the call originated from Seattle, Washington. Although the CallerID info was most likely spoofed, the call can still be traced back to its origin. I sent the info in an email to the FBI branch in Seattle, informing them of the scam.
Just to note...A majority of the scammers will prey on senior citizens as well. So if you have elderly family members or neighbors, make sure you educate & inform them about these scams.
Stay safe!!
--ma
Michael
Monday, November 21, 2011
The holidays are among us... And so are the threats & risks....
Well, I am back.... After getting my homework & midterm done for school, as well as the final exam, I'm all done until late January. Time to catch up on some blogging!
A lot of has happened in the InfoSec world since I've been away, but I'm not going to discuss any of that here. However, since the holidays are right around the corner, so aren't the risks of shopping online. With the infamous "Black Friday" vastly approaching, as well as Christmas, the cybercriminals will be in rare form, as they use the holiday season to take advantage of weary & unsuspecting customers looking to cash in on sweet deals.
With all the holiday hooplah going on, always keep your guard up. Thieves will do anything and everything to get a hold of your creditcard, personal, or banking information to siphon your bank accounts. Beware of emails purporting to come from some online retailer with exclusive sales on good & services. Especially if they come from a retailer that you've never heard of or have not signed up for. This could very well be a phishing scam aimed at getting your personal or financial info.
Be weary of online retailers that you plan on doing business with. There are various ways to check their online reputation (score) to ensure that they're legit and safe. Once you've decided on an online retailer make sure their website is secured (https:) and has a verified seal at the bottom of the website. It's also a good idea to only shop at websites that are located in the USA. Again, checking the retailers reputation should divulge where they're located if you aren't sure.
When paying for purchases online, NEVER use your bank's checkcard or debitcard. That's a huge no-no. Using your debitcard could potentially allow cyber-thieves to have complete access to your entire checking account if in the event your debitcard info is compromised. Use either a creditcard or a prepaid debitcard with the amount allotted to your purchases (including taxes and shipping costs). Using a creditcard is better, because under certain laws you will be protected if you spend a certain amount and unauthorized purchases are made. Not to mention that your bank will usually refund you the amount of losses if your creditcard number is stolen and used for fraudulent purchases.
After you made your purchases keep an eye on your account statements to ensure that unauthorized transactions weren't made using your card. If there were any made, you can take care of them right away.
Before embarking on any online shopping spree, make sure your browser is up-to-date. I've posted a blog entry a while back about the "Qualys Browser Check add-on" for all the major web browsers. It'd be a good idea to install and run that tool prior to your shopping spree to update your browser and computer, and patch any security holes. Cybercriminals will almost certainly be infecting legitimate websites to serve up malware (malicious software) to infect your computer. There are also various browser add-ons that you can use to alert you of fake online websites used to phish your info.
Lastly... Don't forget to make sure an anti-virus program is installed, working, and up-to-date!
Good Luck & be careful... The Internet is a scary place!
--ma
Michael
A lot of has happened in the InfoSec world since I've been away, but I'm not going to discuss any of that here. However, since the holidays are right around the corner, so aren't the risks of shopping online. With the infamous "Black Friday" vastly approaching, as well as Christmas, the cybercriminals will be in rare form, as they use the holiday season to take advantage of weary & unsuspecting customers looking to cash in on sweet deals.
With all the holiday hooplah going on, always keep your guard up. Thieves will do anything and everything to get a hold of your creditcard, personal, or banking information to siphon your bank accounts. Beware of emails purporting to come from some online retailer with exclusive sales on good & services. Especially if they come from a retailer that you've never heard of or have not signed up for. This could very well be a phishing scam aimed at getting your personal or financial info.
Be weary of online retailers that you plan on doing business with. There are various ways to check their online reputation (score) to ensure that they're legit and safe. Once you've decided on an online retailer make sure their website is secured (https:) and has a verified seal at the bottom of the website. It's also a good idea to only shop at websites that are located in the USA. Again, checking the retailers reputation should divulge where they're located if you aren't sure.
When paying for purchases online, NEVER use your bank's checkcard or debitcard. That's a huge no-no. Using your debitcard could potentially allow cyber-thieves to have complete access to your entire checking account if in the event your debitcard info is compromised. Use either a creditcard or a prepaid debitcard with the amount allotted to your purchases (including taxes and shipping costs). Using a creditcard is better, because under certain laws you will be protected if you spend a certain amount and unauthorized purchases are made. Not to mention that your bank will usually refund you the amount of losses if your creditcard number is stolen and used for fraudulent purchases.
After you made your purchases keep an eye on your account statements to ensure that unauthorized transactions weren't made using your card. If there were any made, you can take care of them right away.
Before embarking on any online shopping spree, make sure your browser is up-to-date. I've posted a blog entry a while back about the "Qualys Browser Check add-on" for all the major web browsers. It'd be a good idea to install and run that tool prior to your shopping spree to update your browser and computer, and patch any security holes. Cybercriminals will almost certainly be infecting legitimate websites to serve up malware (malicious software) to infect your computer. There are also various browser add-ons that you can use to alert you of fake online websites used to phish your info.
Lastly... Don't forget to make sure an anti-virus program is installed, working, and up-to-date!
Good Luck & be careful... The Internet is a scary place!
--ma
Michael
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Be back soon...
Hi all,
Sorry, been busy with school and trying to catch up with getting my midterm and one of my last homework assignments of the semester done.
As soon as class is over (Nov 14th), I'll be back to posting routinely.
Thanks for your patience....
--ma
Michael
Sorry, been busy with school and trying to catch up with getting my midterm and one of my last homework assignments of the semester done.
As soon as class is over (Nov 14th), I'll be back to posting routinely.
Thanks for your patience....
--ma
Michael
Friday, October 28, 2011
John McCarthy (1927 - 2011)
A few days ago the programming and technology community lost yet another pioneer, John McCarthy, creator of the LISP programming language.
Although I don't know much about the man behind the programming language, nor the programming language itself, I felt that it was my duty to pay respects to a man admired by many for his contributions.
Here's an article that details his life and accomplishments....
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-20125026-92/john-mccarthy-creator-of-lisp-programming-language-dies/
Thank You, Mr. McCarthy for all that you have done and shared with so many.
God Speed....
--ma
Michael
Although I don't know much about the man behind the programming language, nor the programming language itself, I felt that it was my duty to pay respects to a man admired by many for his contributions.
Here's an article that details his life and accomplishments....
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-20125026-92/john-mccarthy-creator-of-lisp-programming-language-dies/
Thank You, Mr. McCarthy for all that you have done and shared with so many.
God Speed....
--ma
Michael
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