Share And Earn! Click Social networks like Twitter and Facebook offers the possibility to users to keep in touch with their friends. However, they applications can prove to be dangerous, especially when users are on vacation.
For example, the Facebook Dorpl or Trip Advisor from Facebook, displays messages regarding the location of the users and their travel plans. Using the geolocation Twitter application of GPS integrated localization services of the iPhone and Android based devices, information regarding the location of the user can be found. These information can be used by burglars, and users can come home to an empty house.
” These programs ( Facebook, Twitter, etc ) are interesting and fun, but the problems is in the way burglars can exploit the information provided by these social networks. We have already assisted at the shutdown of some services like PleaseRobMe, like, as the name suggests, were connecting to these applications to give information about users who were on vacation, and made these information public” warns us Luis Corrons, technical director at Panda Security.
Also, people that have to use a computer to access bank accounts or to shop online must be careful and ensure that their personal data are not saved automatically. After they are finished, the user has to delete all the personal files, browser history, cookies and any other information saved on that computer.
Some advice for a safer vacation
If you take your computer with you on vacation:
- create a backup of all the data from your computer. Accidents and thefts can occur at any time.
- ensure that you installed a protection solution, updated, and all patches are installed
- to minimize the consequences in case your computer is stolen, encrypt the data on the hard drives, even if this seams to be a pretty complex and difficult task. In this case, you can avoid other people to access your personal data.
- delete your temporary files, logs, cookies or memorized passwords by your Internet browser. This way you can prevent the use of the stolen computer to access your email, social network account, bank accounts, etc.
- do not connect to unsecured WiFi networks because you can use a network that is also used by a hacker to steal information on the Internet. Even if you pay to pay, it’s better to use trusty secured networks.
- carefully used email. Phishing attacks or spam messages are more complex each day.
If you use another computer, other than your own
- using computers from internet cafe’s, hotels or airports to access your banking accounts can have serious consequences if a trojan was already installed on that computer.
- if you do not have any other alternative and you have to visit web sites that require personal authentication information, change these data the first chance you get, to minimize the risk.
- avoid any transaction or online purchase. You have to consider the fact that every information you type can easily land in the hands of a hacker.
- do not accept automatic saves of personal data, services offered by different Internet browsers.
- when you finished the session, delete all temporary files, browser history, cookie files, logs or any other information that was saved on the computer.
- if you download local files do not forget to delete them before shutting down the computer. This way you can ensure that these information will not be accessed by other people.
On social networks or similar applications
- never use vacation planning applications offered by different social networks, this way you can ensure that you will not be located. Do not accept the geolocation feature offered by Twitter and do not use this technology on your mobile phones.
- do not share your vacation plans on the Internet, on different communities, discussion lists, forums, chat rooms, etc.
- if you spend your time in chat rooms during your vacation, to not reveal personal information or confidential data to people you don’t know.
- ensure that neither your children do not reveal these information, because children are naive and more willing to share information on the Internet.
If you notice strange behavior on social networks ( people you don’t know have a too much interest regarding your vacation plans ) contact the police!
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