Archive for the ‘Facebook’ Category
We here at Geekamongus care about you, the visitor, so we offer some news and tips about staying secure:
iPhone
Here’s a good reason to set your iPhone to *not* auto-join Wifi networks, especially those AT&T Wifi Hotspots.
Antivirus Software
There is no need to pay for antivirus/security software for your Windows computer. Save your money. As cnet suggests, use one of the many free programs available. Personally, I prefer MSE or Avast.
Facebook
Considering there may be 1.5 million Facebook accounts up for sale on the black market, now would be a good time to rid your computer of malware and then change your Facebook password.
While you are at it, you may want to learn about (and restrict) all the personal data Facebook has unilaterally decided to share about you.
Microsoft SharePoint Security Warning
SharePoint administrators and users, beware: Serious XSS flaw haunts Microsoft SharePoint
The Google Overlords
Afraid of Google? Here’s a good way to anonymize yourself when doing Google searches or using many of their services:
Read more on the project page. Download the Firefox plugin here.
Facebook keep redesigning their interface, and thus messing up instructions people have written for doing simple things such as integrating your blog posts with Facebook. If you have every wanted to make it so that your blog updates Facebook automatically, this is how, as of this writing:
1. Log in to Facebook
2. In the upper right, click the arrow next to Account and in the drop-down menu, choose Application Settings
3. In the list of applications, find Notes and click it
4. On the right is a box for Notes Settings. In it, click “Import a blog”
5. Enter the blog URL: http://www.yourblog.com
6. Check the box about agreeing to accept the terms
7. Click Start Importing
8. You are shown a preview of the blog import
9. On the right, click Confirm Import if all looks as it should
As long as your blog has a working RSS feed, Facebook will find it and use it to do the import.
I wrote previously about Facebook hacking, which is something everyone needs to be aware of, but there is a more immediate Facebook danger which millions of people every day are already exploited by. Not only could it lead to insecurity, but your personal data is being exposed to advertisers every time you take one of those “What kind of hamburger are you” quizzes.
Facebook applications get access to all data of users who sign up, though users sign up for dozens of one-time use applications like these quizzes without thinking twice. There are hundreds of applications springing up every day, and Facebook’s model of implementing no technical sandboxing and policing applications when things go wrong is completely unscalable.
This article explains why you can’t trust your friends on Facebook. It demonstrates how easy it is to gain someone’s trust by using an account that they think is that of a friend. The next time your friend on Facebook asks you to borrow some money, or asks when you are going out of town, think twice. Read the rest of this entry »
1 Comment »