Staying "safe" online as a user. (OLD)

                  ###############################################
                  # Staying secure online as a user| By: _St0rm #
                  ###############################################


                              www.twitter.com/_st0rm


                               Table of contents:


                               [*] Passwords

                               [*] Facebook Security

                               [*] Anti-Virus

                               [*] Calls

                               [*] Links

                               [*] Tools


            "A real hacker makes his victims not know they've been hacked."




As a user, everyday you may be faced with spam, scammers and other malicious material.
Staying safe in this day and age can be a challenge if you're not computer literate.
So i'm going to list some tips on how to stay safe, and hopefully not get hacked.

========================================================================================
                         #############
                         # Step one: # Passwords
                         #############

Step one, have good passwords. These passwords can be something like:

923593963395692_J@ys0ns@cC0unt

"That seems really scary... I like my simple to remember password such as:"

Jodie92

Well having easy to remember passwords is a really bad thing, people could look you
up on facebook, and then see your name's Joedie and you were born in 1992.
With that information, they could try guessing.

Also having good passwords makes it exceptionally hard to crack them from a hackers
point of view.

If you find it really hard to remember passwords, then write them on a piece of paper
and put them somewhere safe where you work or live. Then instead of something like:

Yahoo email account:

Username: [email protected]
Password: 923593963395692_J@ys0ns@cC0unt

Have something like:

Y
john231
923593963395692_J@ys0ns@cC0unt

For anyone looking at that, they're not gonna have a clue where that belongs to.
Last thing, is don't use the same passwords EVER. This is the easiest way to hack into
more than one thing for a person.

oh, and PS: Don't tell anyone your passwords...

Trust me, all hackers have done it.
========================================================================================
                         #############
                         # Step two: # Facebook Security
                         #############

On facebook there's over 800 million users. Facebook is the biggest "Free" database
for hackers or anyone to learn more about their target.

Seems scary?

So you've made your profile, you have your 1000 friends, and you're happy.
Well have you enabled any of the security features?

I lived for 2 years having my facebook completely secure, nothing was allowed to be
shown and no random people were added, only IRL friends were added.
This helped me GREATLY! Everyday I always see some virus, or some of my friends
inviting me to "join this" when really it's a malicious program used to send spam on
your facebook account. And I never had any.

So I reccommend if you're security cautious about your personal information then I
reccommend having 1: Good passwords, 2: Extra security on your facebook account.

If you don't know how to enable the features, then simply search it into google
or youtube for video guides.

Once you've enabled some features you'll see some Facebook games or some
"super awesome app" And you'll really want to use it.

Personally I DESPISE using these and adding them to my profile, because it has complete
access to your personal information... Just to play a game?
It's not worth it, google free online games and you can play for free
without your information being noted down in a server somewhere.

This security goes exactly the same way for twitter. Don't click on random links
by people you really don't know.
========================================================================================
                         ###############
                         # Step Three: # Anti-Virus
                         ###############

I won't ramble about which is the best or why, however I will say:
Norton Internet security is HORRIBLE.

Hackers whom i've encountered have even said it's almost a virus in itself.
I utterly hate it because it's really bad.

An alternative for it could be AVG. The free version of AVG is 'in my opinion'
better than Nortons paid packages.

So if you hate the anti-virus you have, or you want some new software
or maybe you think you have a virus already. Download only ONE type of Anti-virus
software, sometimes having two can be bad.

So I suggest, look on forums, look on google, watch youtube videos
ask friends, ask the "I.T Guy" in your office!

Ask as many people as possible until you find the one that's right for you.
See the anti-V's rating before buying it and make sure it's used by people you know.

Anti-virus in your computer is imperitive, I once spoke to a colleuge of mine about
what software did he have, and he said: "Oh I don't have any."

My jaw almost dropped, and once we had scanned his computer, we found he had
numerous viruses.

So this is where you the user goes and does what we like to call: "Recon."
And find the best suitable Anti-Virus for yourself.

========================================================================================
                        ##############
                        # Step Four: # Calls
                        ##############

Where I live, I get a call almost every week from people saying they're from
microsoft and there's something wrong with my computer.

Don't believe everything someone says, ask for credentials
and if they wont give you any then hang up.

I got so many calls that I got a phone phreaker friend of mine to attach the phone
to my computer so when someone called, I instantly got their Name and their Phone
number.

Which I thought was pretty cool.

After I got the call, I would troll the caller so much that we would both laugh
at the end of it, after I had a trace, I found where they were calling from.

I drove to the location where it said and after my friend at the Phone company helped
me out in giving me their details.

I found where they lived, and knocked on the door. They denied everything, and so then
I took my phone out and was about to call the cops. The people then removed their
file on the people on the "recent call list." And I haven't had a call since.

People will try to scam you to get you to give them access to your computer,
which from there they can do anything.

Always ask for credentials and always jot down what the person said for later use.
========================================================================================
                        ##############
                        # Step Five: # Links
                        ##############


You'll always get someone sending you malicious links, these are a real "NO NO."
Don't ever click on a link that says "Make millions here!"

This is normal for some readers, but unfortunatly there's select few out there
that do click on these links and lose access to their computer.

This is real basic internet knowledge, but for someone who's not used to the internet
if you get a random email from someone with a PDF inside, and you think.

"Well it' just a PDF what could go wrong?"

PDF's and other documents can contain malicious programs which are called
spyware and malware. These will give the hacker access to "logs" from your keyboard.

So when it comes to the internet and emails, be vigilant. Be smart. Be safe.
========================================================================================
                        #############
                        # Step Six: # Tools
                        #############


There aren't a whole lot of tools you can have as a simple internet user to keep safe.

There's things called Network sniffers, which can see who's on your network what they're
doing and from what IP are they coming on from.

These can be really good if you have wireless Internet in a large area with lots of
people.

There's also programs and software out on the internet that can be used
to encrypt certain files and software to hide it from unauthorized access.

A really good example of some tools are from a Defcon video I stumbled upon.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4oB28ksiIo

The title is:

Defcon 18 Pwned By the owner What happens when you steal a hackers computer zoz part

It's REALLY good, and I reccomend checking it out, because this guy can be used as
our "user" example. His computer was stolen and he uses his skills and methods to
find the person who did it by using some tools and software he had installed.

So if you're interested DEFINATLY watch that Youtube video and listen to his story.
========================================================================================

If I have missed something please don't hesitate to contact me on Twitter @

www.twitter.com/_St0rm

Thanks,

Storm.