PRINCETON: Playing it safe in a digital world

By Jennifer Bradley, Staff Writer
   The CEO of Internet Crimes Group offered advice on how to stay safe online at the Princeton Chamber of Commerce’s July monthly luncheon at the Princeton Marriott on Thursday, July 12.
   ”Treat your virtual world as you would your real life,” said Jeffrey Bedser. “The Internet is a very public environment.”
   Mr. Bedser’s presentation focused on how to secure one’s digital world, how to stay safe on social media sites and how to watch for online scams.
   ”Once ‘Who are you?’ was something only you could answer,” Mr. Bedser said. “Today ‘Who and where are you on the Internet?’ impacts everything from job interviews to whether or not you become a target of aggressors.”
   Mr. Bedser began by discussing the dangers of placing personal information on the Internet. He said many people update their status or tweet about when they are out of the house or on vacation, which presents an opportunity for burglary. Whether it’s through posting vacation photos or tweeting about being out with a friend, these updates alert the world that one is not in his or her house.
   ”When you’re telling somebody you’re not home, somebody knows you’re not home,” he said. “This can lead to burglary or attract pedophiles if kids post that they are home alone.”
   Mr. Bedser also discussed the threat of geotagging. He said geotagging occurs when the precise latitude and longitude is attached to media objects such as a picture.
   Geotagging often occurs on cell phones because they have global positioning software, according to Mr. Bedser. Thus, people need to be careful where they post pictures from their phones since the location is available.
   Mr. Bedser said geotagging does not usually happen with digital cameras because they do not have the GPS software that phones have.
   Mr. Bedser also talked about how sharing personal information can lead to doxing. According to Mr. Bedser, doxing is the act of identifying a person from one small bit of information such as an email address. The “doxer” uses the one piece of information to find out more personal information such as address, phone numbers, etc.
   According to Mr. Bedser, doxing is legal as long as the doxer is only finding publicly available information. It becomes illegal if the doxer stalks or hacks people. Therefore, people need to be cautious about the information they post online.
   Mr. Bedser mentioned if accounts such as email ask for security questions such as a pet’s name or an anniversary date, the account’s security can still be compromised. He said if one posts about his or her pet on Facebook or lists his or her anniversary date on an online profile, then aggressors can figure out the answers to security questions. Thus, people need to use security questions that cannot be answered using public information.
   Mr. Bedser also recommends lying when asked to give personal information, such as an address, to create any account. People should use fake information whenever possible to maximize security, he said.
   When purchasing a new computer, tablet, smart phone or wireless router, people are often required to name it. Mr. Bedser recommends people never use their real name or anything personal when naming these objects because that identity is tagged in meta-data, which is then attached to things like pictures, documents and other activity.
   The presentation also addressed how to handle online spam, which is also referred to as phishing. Mr. Bedser said it is best to delete all unsolicited requests without opening them. According to Mr. Bedser, by opening an email, viewing an attachment or clicking a link, one’s computer or network could be exposed to hackers.
   A recruitment scam, which states that the sender is a recruiter that can get the target a job if he or she pays the sender money, is a common form of an online scam, according to Mr. Bedser. Other common scams include a sender who claims to be the receiver’s long lost relative and needs to be sent emergency money, or a bank that requests a Social Security number or other personal information online.
   To avoid these potential online threats, Mr. Bedser offered several different recommendations. He reminded the audience that Facebook and Twitter own everything put on their websites, and everyone should use the highest privacy settings to protect their accounts. According to Mr. Bedser, the privacy settings and tutorials on how to set them on social networking sites are usually reliable because these sites want to avoid any potential litigation regarding security.
   He also said to use anti-virus programs, preferably ones that update daily, and to avoid connecting to unsecured wireless networks because skilled hackers can access one’s personal information if he or she uses their network.
   ”Create Internet acceptable use policies for your family and children,” said Mr. Bedser. “Many companies use them for a reason, and your family is no different. Keep security measures updated, use common sense and ask for help when you feel over your head.”