Definition - A cracker is someone who breaks into someone else’s computer system, often on a network; bypasses passwords or licenses in computer programs; or in other ways intentionally breaches computer security. A cracker can be doing this for profit, maliciously, for some altruistic purpose or cause, or because the challenge is there. Some breaking-and-entering has been done ostensibly to point out weaknesses in a site’s security system.

The term “cracker” is not to be confused with “hacker“. Hackers generally deplore cracking. However…click for more

 

Passwords are everywhere now. What a pain huh? A different one for the bank, credit card company login, your web mail and the list goes on.

I am amazed at how many people think that hacking on the Internet is a rare occurrence. I can show you years worth of server logs to assure you that hacking is a daily activity on all networks.

Most of these hackers can be traced back to places all over the world, generally the nastiest coming from Europe and Asia.

I guess it is easier for Windows users, since there is no logging of this sort of thing on by default and therefore not noticed.

The Honeynet Project

“The project takes servers and computers “out-of-the-box” — without any changes to improve or reduce their security — and connects them to the Internet for the sole purpose of seeing how often they are probed and hacked, and what techniques attackers are using.

Based on the project’s tests, the average unprotected Windows computer with the most common security holes will be hacked within 20 minutes. Even secured computers…click to read more.”

We live in a time where identity theft and corporate sabotage are at epidemic levels. Do you own a paper shredder to destroy your more sensitive documents? Have you thought about your digital footprint?

Get a piece of paper and start keeping track of your passwords! Keep this paper in a safe place, not under your keyboard or taped to your monitor.

DO NOT USE the same password on any two web sites.

DO NOT USE words that are too easy such as your children’s names.

DO NOT SAVE passwords in your web browser.

There is a reason that most web sites are now requiring you to use at least 8 characters and a combination of alpha numeric characters.

I generally recommend that people use a sentence that they can remember and then add alpha numeric and characters to make it a little more secure.

example:

Ihatepasswords translates to: Ih@+3p@55w0rd5

Notice how I have used the plus symbol instead of a T a 5 instead of S and so on. I know it seems complicated but after you type it 5 or 600 times you will be doing it fast! Remember if it is easy for you to type then it is also quite easy for someone else! 8-10 characters should be adequate.

Never ever ever respond with password or banking information to an e-mail, particularly if it says click link here or warns of a suspended account. If you are concerned it is real, pick up the phone and call them!

No company you deal with will ever ask for your password in e-mail because it can be read too easily in transit.

When you go to a bank, credit card company and just about any other web site that requires a login you will see a little lock symbol in your web browser. If you look at the address bar, you will see that the site says:

https://whatever.com instead of http://whatever.com

The S stands for secure. This means that there is a tunnel between you and that website and that the data you are typing or viewing is encrypted and cannot be read in transit. I would consider a site like this perfectly safe, UNLESS the link came to me in an e-mail in which case I would have deleted it without ever clicking on anything!

Ok paranoid now? If you are not, you should be, or perhaps you are one of those generous people who just likes to share, if so please disregard the above advice.

A few extra things you can do to protect yourself in Windows.

1. 1/ Use the Windows firewall. It is not great but will help to deflect some attempts.

2. 2/ Make sure you have file and print sharing turned off

3. 3/ Make sure that there is a secure password on the Administrator account of your computer.

4. 4/ Make sure you have a secure password for your own login on your computer.

5. 5/ Run utilities such as Ad Aware and Spybot regularly to take out spy ware. Often times these evil little things are there to harvest your data as you type it and transmit it back to goodness knows who on the net.

6. 6/ Don’t save passwords in your web browser when you visit a site.

7. 7/ Set Internet Explorer or Firefox to empty all private data or Internet cache on exit.