The CyberHood Watch Blog

It may be a new year, but the fight against drunk driving is still as imperative as ever…

CHWatch — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:21:58 +0000

2012 New Year’s Resolutions

It may be a new year, but the fight against drunk driving is still as imperative as ever. So now, at this time of the year, a time of new beginnings, we are recommitting ourselves to making an impact in the fight against drunk driving and saving lives in 2012.

This year, we resolve to:

Serve 65,000 victims of drunk and drugged driving, as well as recruit additional volunteer victim advocates across the country to serve even more victims. You can help becoming a MADD victim advocate or by spreading the word about MADD’s victim support services.
Continue introducing new legislation to states that currently do not require convicted drunk drivers to use ignition interlock devices, and introduce legislation creating enhanced penalties for adults who drive drunk with children in the car. Join us by going to the policy action site to email your legislators to take action.
Equip more parents with the tools they need to talk with their teens about alcohol and expand our parent outreach, through schools during PowerTalk21® and Red Ribbon Week, to more than 65,000 parents. Download our free parent handbook and share it with other parents you know that may want to start the conversation with their kids about alcohol.
Walk Like MADD® with more than 20,000 walkers and raise at least 2.5 million dollars to help in our fight to eliminate drunk driving. Get involved and make a difference by registering for a Walk in your community at www.walklikemadd.org.

What are some of your resolutions? Share them on Facebook.

Thanks to good folks @MADD for providing this great information, insights and facts to help US to protect our family members!!

Learn IT, DO IT, Teach IT, Share IT, BE IT

Your CyberHood Watch Partner

Radio Security Journalist

[MADD Messenger: 2012 New Year's Resolution!]

Go to The CyberHood Watch on iTunes to listen to over 350 world-wide professionals & experts helping parents everywhere, by Keeping Our Children Safe online, click below to learn how-to protect yourself!!!

Managing Family, Appointments, Activities, Homework and Personal Needs Is A Huge Commitment!

CHWatch — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 06:33:01 +0000

Managing a family takes a huge amount of commitment and time. The appointments, activities, homework and personal needs of you and your family fill your schedule to its limit. As a parent, you find yourself focusing on what’s best for your children, putting your educational and career goals aside. Yet, putting your goals on hold isn’t always the best decision. Instead, finding a way to earn your master’s degree could benefit both you and your family by helping you gain a more successful and well-paying career opportunity. The best part is that you won’t have to figure out how to fit classes into your already busy schedule because you can earn your master’s degree online.

Many different institutions offer online master degree for people who want to improve their career outlook. Online learning offers some perks you might not receive by attending a brick-and-mortar college.

First of all, you are not limited to the college that’s closest to you because the schools are just a few clicks away.

The convenience of the Internet allows you to shop around for the best program available. You can compare course and degree offerings, program requirements and tuition costs to find the most suitable option for your needs.

If paying for tuition is a concern, inquire about financial aid or grant availability at the institution you are interested in attending. With financial aid, you can arrange to borrow the money for tuition and pay it back in the future – usually after you’ve completed your academic program. Some institutions offer grants which are similar to scholarships in that they are awarded based on merit or need and are not expected to be paid back. In some situations, your employer may offer to pay for your continued education if the schooling will increase your knowledge and skill set, making you a more valuable employee. Approach your manager and ask about the possibility of the company covering all or part of your tuition costs. Make sure to mention to your employer that you won’t have to miss work to attend classes, which will be an added bonus.

Once you choose your school and map out your tuition options, you can move forward with beginning your educational journey. You can do everything you need to do from the comfort of your home. An added benefit is that you don’t have to try and tailor your already busy agenda to a class schedule. Online learning offers amazing flexibility. Look for courses that allow you to complete work at your own pace for best results. Then, if you have an hour or two early in the morning – before your children get up and before you leave for work – you can sit down at the computer and complete some coursework. If you want to wait until after the kids have gone to bed to log on, it’s your choice.

Even when you have a busy schedule and a family who depends on you, you can find a way to further your educational and career goals without any major sacrifices. The ability to work from home at your own pace makes gaining a master’s degree not only doable, but convenient.

Learn IT, DO IT, Teach IT, Share IT, BE IT

Your CyberHood Watch Partner

Radio Security Journalist

[Managing Family, Appointments, Activities, Homework and Personal Needs Is A Huge Commitment!]

Top CyberSecurity Threats in 2012

bwardell — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:45:04 +0000

Most popular Cybersecurity coverage tends to focus on large-scale threats. Big businesses, banks, and governments are always under attack. But that kind of coverage understates the significance of digital threats to individuals.

With that in mind, here are the top four digital threats in 2012.

1. More Attacks Via Social Networking

The effectiveness of social engineering attacks is catalyzed by human predisposition. Even in the relatively remote realm of e-mail, social engineering attacks are convincing enough to trick a lot of people.

The environment of trust and familiarity intimated by social networking amplifies that threat.
In 2012, expect the threat of social engineering attacks through social networking sites to increase: Expect convincing attacks and expect more of them. These attacks are often an attempt to gather personal information necessary for financial exploitation, so beware of any strangers who spontaneously contact or friend you on any social networking site.

2. Greater Mobile Threat

Smartphones make easy targets. Apps are the easiest way for information thieves and spammers to get malware onto your smartphone. Fresh out of the box, most smartphones come loaded with third-party software and apps.
Though spyware attacks have been limited to the Android, expect 2012 to bring a greater diversity of malware attacks to all smartphones.
Subsequently, expect manufacturers and employers to implement greater smartphone security measures in response.

3. Increased Prevalence of RAM Scraping

Though RAM scraping is one of the oldest Cybersecurity compromises around, it’s only recently been used to seize personal information.
RAM scraping essentially targets the wealth of information left on a computer or server’s memory while a process is being performed. It can also be used to pick through encryption keys stored in your computer’s memory.

Before its recent surge in use, RAM scraping was relatively ineffective at harvesting information from servers. However, information thieves have optimized RAM scraping for attacks on personal systems.
This means that 2012 may bring more RAM scraping attacks on personal computers. This form of attack takes advantage of misconfigured browsers, so make sure you use a safe and properly-configured browser when you access sensitive information.

4. Wireless Security Breaches

Wi-Fi networks are staggeringly prevalent. Most coffee shops, restaurants, and government buildings seem to offer free, unsecured wireless Internet access. All this free wireless is great for easy data access, but it also provides an opportunity for malware to exploit a widened security gap.

A lot of wireless attacks already exist, from hardware exploitation to seizure of proprietary information. Expect an increase in these attacks in 2012.

If you regularly use unsecured wireless internet, you should start taking regular precautions. Avoid accessing personal or financial information on an unsecured connection. Properly configure your browser for optimal security.

Thanks to a rise is cybersecurity training degree programs, more and more people are joining the frontlines of internet safety, but they can’t do it all. Take the necessary steps to protect yourself!

Cybersecurity trends don’t just threaten digital compromise for corporations and government; sophisticated and effective attacks are more frequently aimed at personal systems. Know what’s coming and be prepared.

Learn IT, DO IT, Teach IT, Share IT, BE IT

Your CyberHood Watch Partner

Radio Security Journalist

[Think IT Won't Happen To You? Top CyberSecurity Threats in 2012!]

Go to The CyberHood Watch on iTunes to listen to over 400 world-wide professionals & experts helping parents everywhere, by Keeping Our Children Safe online, click below to learn how-to protect yourself!!!

Donna Rice Hughes & David C. Ballard Together Again At EIE Conference!

CHWatch — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 04:57:48 +0000

Donna Rice Hughes & David C. Ballard Together Again At Local EIE Conference, in Salt Lake City, UT

If you’re in the area and would like to meet them both Donna Rice Hughes & Dave Ballard they would love to meet you…

Donna is the President of Enough Is Enough® and Dave is the Co-Founder of The CyberHood Watch the’re attending the UTAH STATEWIDE LAUNCH OF INTERNET SAFETY 101

Enough Is Enough® is excited to announce the launch of the award-winning Internet Safety 101® Program in the state of Utah.

We are thrilled to inform you about the details of the program launch and would like to invite you to attend special Internet Safety 101® training’s in Utah. (Click above for event/training details)

EIE has partnered with the Utah Council for Crime Prevention (UCCP) to be the Utah home for the Internet Safety 101® Program. EIE will be launching the program in conjunction with the UCCP “Power in Prevention” conference the week of January 23-28, 2012.

The conference will take place at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center in West Valley, UT, where EIE President Donna Rice Hughes, will be conducting training’s on the Internet Safety 101® Program. (Click on the banner above to see info for the event/training details)

If you would like to listen to our past interview with Donna on the #CHWR on 2010/01/12 (The Internet Safety 101: Empowering Parents Program with Donna Rice Hughes) click the player below or click the link above!!

Learn IT, DO IT, Teach IT, Share IT, BE IT

Your CyberHood Watch® Partners

Dave Ballard & Bill Wardell

Radio Security Journalists

The Day Of Dread: April 15, 2012 Are You Prepared?

bwardell — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:20:36 +0000

Well if you are prepared we congratulate you!! If not, then you should listen below as Marty Evans explains new tax laws and why you need to very cautious when you using the internet and quick fix Tax People and not doing your due-diligence in finding a true Tax Professional that works with you not only to prepare you taxes but also, throughout the year by giving timely advice!

Please listen to this fantastic interview:

Marty Evans | Client Relations Professional & Business Builder

Successful, loyal, dedicated, operationally detailed executive, capable of managing all aspects of an organization. Proven ability to vitalize an ongoing operation, take an existing organization to greater production and net worth or take a start-up operation to maturity with positive financial success. Client retention thru client service and client loyalty…

Tax and Business Services Business expansion

Qualified Preparers – Quality Tax Preparation & Services

For info: TaxPro, Midway, Utah

Office – 435.654.5332

National – 866.876.8788

Learn IT, DO IT, Teach IT, Share IT, BE IT

Your CyberHood Watch Partner

Radio Security Journalist

E-Book News In The CyberHood

CHWatch — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:28:45 +0000

E-Book News

Nintendo is looking to revamp their Wii gaming system in hopes of competing with Microsoft’s XBox and Sony’s Playstation 3. The main complaints about the Wii are that it lacks the sophisticated HD graphics that appeal to hardcore gamers, and that the controller is awkward. The Wii also has no third-party game support from major publishers. These are things Nintendo wants to rectify when the new Wii U is released. The new Wii U design will feature a sleeker looking console with rounded edges, but the main design change is to the controller, which will use the newest touch screen technology.

Nintendo app store

Digital Trends, reporting from the Consumer Electronics Show 2012 in Las Vegas, wrote that Nintendo is planning a competitive app store and hoping it will turn the console into much more than a gaming device. The new app store will be a total marketplace for the new Wii U system and will offer much more than anything they offer for DS products or the existing Wii shop.

Rumors of downloadable e-book service

Rumors about a possible e-book service surfaced after Nintendo’s announcement about their planned app store. Users would be able to download books, magazines, newspapers or comic books to the console and read them on the controller or a Nintendo DS system. Forgetthebox.net quoted an unnamed software developer working closely with Nintendo, who claims knowledge of the complete downloadable e-book service that would have these items as part of their service.

It’s also possible that this service could dig into Nintendo’s archives to offer downloadable strategy guides for all of its games. Another advantage is that the out-of-print guides for NES, Gameboy, and other older systems would be available for free from the e-book store. It is also possible that past issues of Nintendo Power Magazine would be available in e-book form.

A new e-book market?

With a new controller and app store, Nintendo appears to be trying to create a place for themselves at the intersection of e-readers and video game consoles. With millions of consumers already enjoying tablets like the Amazon Kindle Fire and Apple’s iPad, selling consumers on an e-book format that isn’t inherently portable might be a stretch.
But for college students, the connection might be a solid solution to combining home entertainment and education. The market for electronic textbooks is still in its infancy—and while more traditional e-books are being used at major colleges and universities, there’s still room for a new kind of e-book.

According to The New York Times, textbook publishers are beginning to take advantage of the popularity of tablet computers by expanding their catalogs and product offerings to include rentals of digital textbooks that expire at the end of one or two semesters. By giving students a way to interact with their learning materials on a video game console—perhaps even gamifying educational content—it’s possible that video games could become a supplemental system to portable tablets, leaving older technology like laptops behind.

Simba Information, a research company specializing in publishing, has even more impressive projections; they estimate that digital textbooks will generate $267.3 million in the US alone for the 2011-2012 academic year. An increase of roughly 44.3 percent over last year certainly points to a trend towards greater use of digital textbooks.

For e-publishers, those numbers are encouraging; and the addition of a new platform by which to deliver their content could mean an even bigger boost for e-books.

Online or distance education

It isn’t surprising that given the increasing popularity of tablet computers, eReaders and downloadable e-books, and the use of digital textbooks, that a logical progression would be to online education. Academic institutions offer prospective students the opportunity to get a degree from a fully accredited academic institution, while taking all of their classes online. More and more universities are deciding to offer at least some of their classes online.

About Author: Lindsey is a writer living in Indianapolis. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and cooking. Lindsey is writing on behalf of Colorado Technical University.

We would like to thank our guest writers on The CHW Blog! We feel it’s a honor and pleasure, to have others participate and contribute to the great content, advice and opinions on and in our CyberHood, we all live in…
help us, help them, by supporting and visiting their sites!

Learn IT, DO IT, Teach IT, Share IT, BE IT

Your CyberHood Watch Partner

Radio Security Journalist

[E-Book News In The CyberHood!]

Teen Sexting in 2012: Possible Consequences Parents Can Expect With the Advent of Smartphones

CHWatch — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 07:00:49 +0000

As technology advances, parents of teens find themselves faced with new challenges with each generation. From drug awareness to sexual activity, new technology brings with it a new twist on age-old issues. Today, smartphones have taken teenage sex lives to a whole new level and it is something parents need to be on the alert for in 2012 if they allow their adolescent child to have these status symbol devices they can feasibly have with them nearly everywhere they go.

Sexting is the term used for explicit sexual text message conversations and image sharing. It can technically be considered safe sex because there is no actual physical contact involved and therefore the risk of sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy is zero, but it can one day lead to traditional sexual activity and puts teens in danger as they share photos and information that can possibly fall into the wrong hands or be used against them.

Teenage boys can use nude images of an ex-girlfriend as revenge. If the breakup was a particularly bad one, some have no qualms about sharing the photo with their entire male (and even female) contact list, ruining both her reputation and often his own life.

In 2009, 18-year-old Florida teen Philip Alpert had just argued with his 16-year-old girlfriend of 2 1/2 years. In a rash middle-of-the-night decision he chose to send a naked picture she had sent him to members of her family, as well as countless friends. Alpert ended up arrested and pleading no contest to child pornography charges, which resulted in him being sentenced to five years probation and forcing him to register as a sex offender. He realizes his act was wrong, but will remain on the Florida sex offender list for 20 years and possibly longer if his petition two decades from now to be removed is denied.

Teen sexting is not a unique activity and a 2010 poll showed 13% of Boston high school students had sent sexual messages, while one in 10 Boston teens had sent sexual messages or content via cell phone or internet. Other polls have showed sexting linked to feelings of despair or depression, as well as teen suicide, suggesting the activity may be linked to feelings of low self-esteem. Parents need to pay specific attention their teen’s mental state of mind, as the Boston survey showed that some teen girls had begun cutting themselves if a revealing picture they had sent a boy was shared with others. Other young girls reported shame in texting led them to eating disorder tendencies.

While smartphones offer a convenience factor to both parents and teens as they are able to keep in touch in ways they never have before, they also offer a danger factor that parents can try to limit with boundaries. Unlimited texting plans are unnecessary, as well as unlimited phone access. Rules can be put in place that phones have to be handed to parents each evening, whether the teen likes it or not. And most teens will not like it, but in 2012 that is often something parents need to enforce for both the safety and mental well-being of their teenager.

About Author: My name is Nisha Sharma, I am the Editor for FireSafetyStore.co.uk. If you would like to find out more information about fire safety products, such as fire blankets, fire extinguishers, or for safety items around the home feel free to visit my site.

Learn IT, DO IT, Teach IT, Share IT, BE IT

Your CyberHood Watch® Partners

Dave Ballard & Bill Wardell

Radio Security Journalists

WordPress Makes A Public Statement…Stop! SOPA/PIPA

dballard — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:49:10 +0000

Stop SOPA | PIPA! Please…I implore you! Continue Reading Only This Once…If Never Again.

What I am about to say, I may never have the freedom to say again…More about why in just a second.

It was Tuesday, 11:00am, Raj Goel was on CHWRadio with Dave & Bill, and we were discussing Net Neutrality and SOPA.

Immediately the next day, Wednesday, I read the following public statement regarding the official WordPress project’s position on SOPA and PIPA. Breaking a silence of a no-politics rule.

Only after taking the time to read this will, you be privy to what is unfolding before you – right now – concerning the democratization of publishing and the independent web.

Many of our rights and freedoms are balancing in the wings.

Between Raj Goel’s interview and reading, the following public statement made on behalf of the official WordPress project, which speaks volumes, you will become empowered to make an informed decision.

According to WordPress, “We are not a small group. More than 60 million people use WordPress — it’s said to power about 15% of the web. We can make an impact, and you can be an agent of change.”

“Today, I’m breaking our no-politics rule, because there’s something going on in U.S. politics right now that we need to make sure you know about and understand, because it affects us all.”

Following is the WordPress News statement; Wednesday, January 10, 2012 regarding SOPA/PIPA…I implore you to read WordPress’s short post and watch the video. Only then will you understand the magnitude of what is happening that will affect us all.

It begs the question I have posted and asked before…”Whose Internet is it?”

PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.

View This Poll

Your CyberHood Watch Partner,

DigitalDave

david C ballard
Radio Security Journalist

Raj Goel | Net Neutrality | SOPA | Here is What Happened on CHWRadio With Dave & Bill

dballard — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 02:22:15 +0000

Raj Goel Talks With Dave & Bill About Net Neutrality...

Raj Goelprovides internet & information security for businesses and families from regulators, hackers, and employees.

Raj points out that the biggest change in 2011 and into 2012 is the speed of which the Internet is being Balkanized from different providers.

First, it use to be that our fears and concerns stemmed from the government, and their regulations creating havoc. Secondly, it was the fears of hackers and employees; however, today the shift is to Facebook, Apple, Verizon and private corporations and their relentless warrior attempt to fragment the Internet for their benefit.

Unbelievably…there is a great deal of power and wealth surrounding the control and use of the Internet. Surprised…I think not.

Do you think for a moment that any corporation worth its salt will stand ideally by and not try to claim or control as much of the Internet as possible? A question I’ve posed to every one of us who uses the Internet several times in previous posts…”Whose Internet is it?”

AOL – Jail Garden

Apple – iPads and iPhones walled off in the Apple store

Amazon – filtered through Kindle – Internet Traffic Sniffer

US Congress: Stopping Online Privacy Act – SOPA Bill – Threatens Freedom of Speech and more

We are experiencing the beginning stages of corporate and Congress Internet control. As consumers, we are manipulated as to what we can and cannot see while surfing the web. Certain technologies (traffic sniffers) are filtering the internet and the information delivered or not delivered.

John Gardner, who said, “History never looks like history when you live through it.“ The future of our current Internet is currently under siege, and you should be mindful of it right now.

We are at the beginnings of the Internet…Whose Internet is it? Knowing those who think it’s their Internet will also clue you in on whom to watch.

Our discussion with Raj Goel shifted to the subject of Net Neutrality and how that affects not only the future of the Internet, but our civil rights and much more.

Cables companies | Cell phone companies | Technology companies (Google – Facebook – Apple) | at one time were in favor of the open source and Net Neutrality, and now they are not so sure, especially when so much money is at stake.

It is not that the corporations have built a network they control, and are now opening it up for access…it’s the reverse. Corporations are now trying to break it up and Balkanize the Internet’s access for no good reason.

What is at stake if we lose Net Neutrality? In the short run, it will be higher costs for every one of us. In the end, it gives unsavory elements/characters control over communication.

Make no mistake…this is a battle for control – money – freedom of ideas – freedom of speech, civil rights, and freedom of livelihood.

Download and listen to the show on the go…

Listen to internet radio with Dave and Bill on Blog Talk Radio

Net Neutrality may not have a lot of sex appeal or a lot of sizzle; however, it is without question one of the more important issues that will affect an entire global structure, socially, politically, and economically.

What Raj Goel discusses with the CyberHood Watch partners is extremely important to all of us. Take the time to download the show and listen in on what we discussed.

Communication and Awareness… If you do not think these are vital, why do you think one of the first strategic tactics a government entity enforces is to cut of communications not only to those involved in the uprising, but also to the outside world?

Raj offers great insight into Net Neutrality, the significance of the Internet, and the erosion of our civil rights.

Do you know what SOPA is all about? The enclosed video is against the passing of SOPA…I agree.

View This Poll

Your CyberHood Watch Partner,

DigitalDave

david c ballard

Radio Security Journalist

PS: Raj Goel will be our returning guest the last Tuesday of the month for March | June | September |December of 2012…It is already looking good for 2012.

HELP!!! Safe Online Shopping Tips

CHWatch — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 05:09:25 +0000

With more shoppers than ever hitting the websites instead of the malls, many are wondering how safe online financial transactions really are.
Cyber security may seem like a complex subject, but with a little foresight, customers can enjoy all of the great online deals with confidence these holidays.

The first step to cyber security is also the easiest: only use a trusted personal computer. It may seem like a good idea to get in a few gifts at work or on a public computer, but these can be stalking grounds for criminals. Using a password protected home computer with a password protected Wifi connection will instantly stop a majority of crimes.

The next step is to be aware of are the online stores themselves. It is generally a good idea to steer clear of any offers that are sent directly to one’s emails unless they personally requested them. Another good habit to form is double checking the URL of a website. Any addresses that begin with https sends and receives only secured packets of information.

If the address appears to be odd for any reason, such as the company name being misspelled, it could be a false storefront used to phish for customers’ personal and banking information.

For lesser known stores or companies, it is always best to check with institutions such as the Better Business Bureau before giving away any personal information.

The easiest prey for online cyber criminals are the customers that use simplistic or easy to guess passwords and usernames. A recent leak of thousands of Yahoo email accounts show that as many as 40% of people stick to 12345 or similar sequences as their password. Using a mixture of at least 9 numbers and letters in a random order makes for the most secure passwords.

For those that are afraid of forgetting such complex names and passwords, many companies offer very secure devices to save all of this data in a single place. There are password managers available that offer a portable memory key that will house all personal information in one of the most secure computer chips available. Owners simply need to remember one pin number, much like an ATM, to access all of their information.

Online deals are getting better each and every year, but no amount of savings is worth losing one’s personal information. Even with the most basic of data, criminals can wreak havoc on credit scores, credit cards, bank accounts, and more. Keep these few hints in mind and purchase your holiday gifts with confidence this winter.

Learn IT, DO IT, Teach IT, Share IT, BE IT

Your CyberHood Watch® Partners

Dave Ballard & Bill Wardell

Radio Security Journalists