privacy

Warning: Your WiFi Is Likely Compromised

Is your wifi network on KRACK? This "attack works against all modern protected Wi-Fi networks."

If you use wifi in any way, here are six things to note:

  • KRACK is an extended security and privacy vulnerability revealed just today. It’s unlikely your wifi is secure yet.
  • This is a vary capable bug, so don’t underestimate the seriousness of this matter.
  • “The attack works against all modern protected Wi-Fi networks.”
  • “It appears almost any device that uses Wi-Fi is affected.”
  • You “may want to be wary of using Wi-Fi at all until patches are widely rolled out.”
  • “It’s more urgent for general users to patch their personal devices, whether phones, PCs or any smart device, be they watches, TVs or even cars.”

KRACK: beware the wifi hack/bug

Some measures to take while you wait for updates to your wifi network

Read it all

Is What You Wrote Hate Speech?

Your answer may mean nothing to the guardians of the culture.

“They” may still deem you guilty of social pollution.

I was going to warn you the morning of August 26 when I first read this. I hope I’m not too late to save your bacon.

(To whom it may concern: I mean no harm with bacon nor with speaking of yours.)

The federal government is spending nearly $1 million to create an online database that will track “misinformation” and hate speech on Twitter.The National Science Foundation is financing the creation of a web service that will monitor “suspicious memes” and what it considers “false and misleading ideas,” with a major focus on political activity online.

The “Truthy” database, created by researchers at Indiana University, is designed to “detect political smears, astroturfing, misinformation, and other social pollution.” Read it all

Do Non-Kooks Fret About Their Cellphones Being Tracked?

Companies, governments, individuals, angels, God, Satan -- who am I missing?

I saw this breaking on Drudge earlier, but he’s still linking back to his home page:

Makers of surveillance systems are offering governments across the world the ability to track the movements of almost anybody who carries a cellphone, whether they are blocks away or on another continent.

The technology works by exploiting an essential fact of all cellular networks: They must keep detailed, up-to-the-minute records on the locations of their customers to deliver calls and other services to them. Surveillance systems are secretly collecting these records to map people’s travels over days, weeks or longer, according to company marketing documents and experts in surveillance technology.

For sale: Systems that can secretly track where cellphone users go around the globe

And just so you know, your cell provider has been able to do this from day one. Read it all

Baring Your Heart, Soul, Mind, Life — via Gmail

Will your old content make you vulnerable in the future?

If you’re not a Gmail user, move along.

Wait, wait — I need to amend that. If you’re not a Gmail user and if you don’t send email to Gmail addresses, you can just move along.

That’s not true either. Here’s the best amendment so far: If you don’t use the Web, you can ignore this post.

I begin with this “reassuring” statement:

The system operates automatically and nobody working for Google is able to see any of the images being examined.

Do people still believe such assurances? 🙄 And even if it were true today, tomorrow’s line may be, “That was then; this is now.” Read it all

Your Earwax Is Tattling on You

Never mind your armpit -- have you smelled your earwax today?

This is ridiculous. Another way for the wrong people to breach our privacy and security. 😯

Read it. Call me paranoid. If you want. :mrgreen: (Does the Google Glass earpiece have a sniffer?)

Just beware of the next person offering to whisper a secret in your ear. Especially if he puts his nose up to your ear… Read it all

Who Can Email You Via Google+?

It depends on whether you leave the new default setting set.

So Google+ is playing catch-up with Facebook again.

Now it’s by allowing people who don’t have your email address send you an email if they have your Google+ address or profile or whatever it’s called.

Quoting from an email from Google early this morning…

Gmail update: Reach more people you know

Ever wanted to email someone you know, but haven’t yet exchanged email addresses? Starting this week, when you’re composing a new email, Gmail will suggest your Google+ connections as recipients, even if you haven’t exchanged email addresses yet.

That seems useful enough. Even innocuous.

But what about people not in your Google+ circles. Can you send them an email too? And much more importantly, can they send you an email?

Of course! Read it all

6 Things Most People Don’t Know About Me

Proceed with caution; you may get what you're not expecting.

Mark Roth partially bares his soleBefore my list, some questions:

  • Why do I think it important to announce them?
  • Why should anybody care to know?
  • What makes people do stuff like this?
  • What drives your interest?
  • Does this look like Facebook to you?

Do you still want to see my list of 11 things most people don’t know about me? Read it all

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Above all, love God!