From my most recent reading bag… I am sure you have seen the commercials now about the goofy lady posting she is on her way to ???? and some masked criminal comes back,”have a good time”… or something to that effect… well this goes on with that and how easy it is getting for theives to gather m ore and more about us and how hard it is for us to protect our selves from them… I think we all need to read up a bit and be more worried about what we post out here…I think I need to review more seriously what I post and how…probably need more email masks , etc.… but just ensure I don’t give out more info that I positively minimum have to… that said from a recent illicit credit card fraud use victim… yes, someone else unknown to me tried to spend a lot of my money at Wal-Mart.com… caught it pretty quick because I check my accounts regularly but could of gone on until I got the monthly statement?
From an article in Windows Secrets about security… snipit piece…
Pushing users toward a universal sign-in
Privacy advocates have also voiced concerns about the use of social networks. Currently, over a billion people have Facebook accounts. More and more sites now allow you to sign in with your Facebook credentials. That’s just an extraordinarily bad idea for two reasons (and there are undoubtedly more).
First, you’re using one username and password on potentially hundreds of sites. That could dramatically increase the odds of giving cyber criminals access to your various accounts. It’s especially dangerous if you use the same password for both Facebook and your online banking. (The top three rules of passwords are: make them complex, use a unique password for each account, and put a good password manager on your digital devices.)
The second problem with using Facebook credentials as your “global” sign-in is a bit murkier. This “convenience” gives Facebook more information about sites you regularly visit; it might also provide those sites with some basic data about your Facebook account. Also, it can be difficult to keep track of which sites you’ve linked to your Facebook account. Facebook tools let you restrict third-party access, on a case-by-case basis, but this shouldn’t be considered an absolute solution. (If you’d like to know some of what you’re sharing outside of Facebook, try the online site, “I shared what?” [JavaScript required.] You’ll probably be surprised by what’s revealed.) I recommend you check out Facebook’s page, “Updates to Facebook Login.”
Locking down your social-network account
The first rule of social networking: If you don’t want information about yourself to appear all over the Web, don’t put it on a social network. Even your private one-on-one chats with friends and family can be leaked via software glitches, loose privacy settings, or even malicious scripts. Keep in mind that social networks are simply massive databases containing their users’ thoughts, activities, pictures, private messages, location, and more. This information is mined for targeted advertisements and other uses.
Moreover, your information can be shared without your knowledge. Another user can tag you in a photo or include you in a location-based update.
Most of us choose to remain on social networks such as Facebook and Google+. It’s become the standard venue for keeping in touch with far-flung friends and family. But it’s in your best interests to carefully manage what’s viewed and by whom. Start with the aforementioned “I shared what?” site. Next, regularly review your current privacy settings. Social sites are notorious about changing their policies with little or no notice. Again, consider carefully what you post. If you don’t want the world to see it, don’t put it up on your social-networking page. And don’t accept “Friend” invitations from anyone you don’t trust. Pumping up your friend count might be good for the ego, but it can compromise your privacy.
Hide your email address — and maybe more with MaskMe
WD0AJG