Tips For Blocking Those Stupid Robocalls

Nothing is more frustrating than when you are about to sit down and eat a freshly cooked Totinos pizza covered in Sriracha sauce and watch Netflix on the couch with your cat when suddenly you receive a call. Who could it be? Mom? Dad? Nope, it’s a stupid robocall ! You have wasted 30 seconds of your life that you will never get back, and your cat has now taken your spot on the couch. That sly little cat bastard!

You're tired of getting these stupid calls, and you are ready to do something about it. You wonder if Robocalls are just a fact of life that you just have to accept, or if you should try and FIGHT BACK and rage against the machines!

You shout at your cat “Is there anything I can do about these stupid robocalls?” He just stares back at you with unconcerned indifference and blinks those creepy alien-like eyelids of his at you as he claws your leather couch out of sheer spitefulness.


The answer to your question is YES! There are a few things you can do to help cut down on those annoying robocalls.

Here Are a Few Tips For Cutting Down on The Amount of Robocalls You Receive:

1. Get Yourself (And Your Phones) on The Do Not Call Registry

The National Do Not Call Registry (for U.S. residents) should be your first stop on your quest to fight back against robocallers.

The Do Not Call Registry allows you to register all of your phone numbers and helps prevent telemarketers and other unwanted solicitors from calling these numbers. You can register both landlines as well as cell phones, Registering with this service should significantly cut down on the number of “SPAM calls” that you receive. Registration is completely free.

You can check to see if your number is on the list by using the “Verify My Registration” feature of the Do Not Call website.

If you aren’t a U.S. resident, check to see if your country offers a similar service. For example, if you’re in the UK you can register with the Telephone Preference Service which has an opt-out program that is similar to the U.S.


Do Not Call Registry.

2. Use Nomorobo’s Free Robocall Blocking Service

If you’re wanting to cut down on Robocalls and your home phone service uses Voice Over IP (VoIP) technology to deliver your phone calls (and is on the list of supported providers), consider using Nomorobo (as in No More Robocalls ). This free service is supposed to drastically reduce the number of robocalls you receive by answering the robocalls for you and then checking to see if they are on a list of blacklisted robocallers (or on a whitelist of legitimate services).

Check Nomorobo's website for an explanation of how it works as well as a list of supported carriers to see if you can take advantage of this innovative service.

3. Get a Google Voice Number and Use it With Nomorobo

Even if you don't have one of the providers listed, you may be able to port your phone number to a Google Voice number and then use it with Nomorobo or another call blocking / screening service. Check out the Google Voice Page to learn more about what a free Google Voice number can do for you.

Also check out our article on How to Use Google Voice as a Personal Privacy Firewall.

4. Use Anonymous Call Rejection and Call Screening Features (If Your Phone Company Offers Them).

Even if you don't have a provider that supports Nomorobo, you can use your phone company's call screening and anonymous call rejection features to help prevent robocalls from getting through to your phone. Check your providers website to see if they offer these features.

When Does Oversharing Online Become a Security Problem?

haring on social media has become a double-edged sword. It’s fun to share things about our lives that help keep us connected to our friends and family, but sometimes sharing too much can actually drive people away and may also compromise our personal safety.

There are so many ways to share things now, Facebook for our thoughts and likes, Instagram for our pictures, Foursquare for our location check-ins.


There is a social media network for sharing nearly every aspect of our lives.

The big question: At what point does sharing too much oversharingg) become a problem?

Let’s Look at 3 times When Oversharing Can Become a Serious Problem For Ourselves And Others:

When It Provides Your Current Location

Oversharing can become a real personal safety issue when it comes to sharing your current location. You have to decide, whenever you “check-in” while you’re out and about or on vacation, whether the risk of letting potential strangers know where you are is something you are willing to live with.

You need to realize that when you post a geotagged selfie while your on vacation you are letting everyone know that you are not at home. A criminal trolling social media sites for this type of opportunity might take notice, locate your address, and rob your house while you're away.

Posting your location on social media is akin to a porch light left on during the daytime, or a newspaper left in the driveway, both things that indicate that you might not be home.


Social media vacation posts are worse because they confirm that you are gone (and not just too lazy to get the paper). They may also give the criminals a timeline to work with. If you post while you're on vacation in a relatively far off place then they could surmise that you are perhaps at least 8 to 10 hours away.

When it Puts Your Family Members or Loved Ones in Harm’s Way

Do you tag others in your pictures or your status updates when they are with you? This may seem harmless, but it can be a form of oversharing which could put them at risk.

If you are on vacation and you tag another family member in a photo who is also on the vacation, then you have just put them at that same location, thus giving up their current whereabouts. This is harmful for the same reason mentioned earlier.

Tagging other people's children is also not a good thing because those people may not want their children's identity provided to potential strangers. Even if you tag them instead, and don't use their child's name, you are establishing who their parents are. Predators could use this information as part of a pretext to gain trust.

Keep your tags to yourself and don't bring other people into your location check-ins without their permission to do so.

When it Puts Your Job In Jeopardy

Whenever you talk about your work, you could potentially be putting your job at risk, especially if you say something bad about your boss or the company you work for. Companies take social media very seriously and won't take kindly to it when you say something negative. As an employee, you are a representative of who you work for, and your words and actions could potentially cause harm to the company.

You might be able to delete your negative post, but possibly not before someone has taken a screenshot of it and forwarded it to your boss or the local news.

You might also talk about something that is company proprietary information or divulge something that might seem innocuous to you, but might give a competitor an advantage. Example: say you discuss a missed deadline for a product launch. A competitor might pick up on this and push to get their product out before yours.

Bottom Line:

Think about the potential impact that sharing something might have on yourself and others before you share it with the world.
Posting your location on social media is akin to a porch light left on during the daytime, or a newspaper left in the driveway, both things that indicate that you might not be home.

Social media vacation posts are worse because they confirm that you are gone (and not just too lazy to get the paper). They may also give the criminals a timeline to work with. If you post while you're on vacation in a relatively far off place then they could surmise that you are perhaps at least 8 to 10 hours away.

When it Puts Your Family Members or Loved Ones in Harm’s Way

Do you tag others in your pictures or your status updates when they are with you? This may seem harmless, but it can be a form of oversharing which could put them at risk.

If you are on vacation and you tag another family member in a photo who is also on the vacation, then you have just put them at that same location, thus giving up their current whereabouts. This is harmful for the same reason mentioned earlier.

Tagging other people's children is also not a good thing because those people may not want their children's identity provided to potential strangers. Even if you tag them instead, and don't use their child's name, you are establishing who their parents are. Predators could use this information as part of a pretext to gain trust.

Keep your tags to yourself and don't bring other people into your location check-ins without their permission to do so.

When it Puts Your Job In Jeopardy

Whenever you talk about your work, you could potentially be putting your job at risk, especially if you say something bad about your boss or the company you work for. Companies take social media very seriously and won't take kindly to it when you say something negative. As an employee, you are a representative of who you work for, and your words and actions could potentially cause harm to the company.

You might be able to delete your negative post, but possibly not before someone has taken a screenshot of it and forwarded it to your boss or the local news.

You might also talk about something that is company proprietary information or divulge something that might seem innocuous to you, but might give a competitor an advantage. Example: say you discuss a missed deadline for a product launch. A competitor might pick up on this and push to get their product out before yours.


Think about the potential impact that sharing something might have on yourself and others before you share it with the world.

5 Online Dating Red Flags You Shouldn't Ignore

Online dating has gone from something that was scoffed at a few years ago, to a ubiquitous technology that is as mainstream as ordering pizza. There are dating sites that cater to certain niche audiences such as the infamous farmersonly.com and of course there are still the large established mega sites such as match.com, eharmony, and others.
Love it or hate it, online dating appears to have staying power and will likely be with us for quite a while.
We’ve already talked about some tips for having a safer online dating experience in our article: Online Dating Safety and Security Tips.
In this article, we’re going to focus on online dating red flags you shouldn’t ignore in your quest for the perfect date.
Not Everyone is Really Looking For Love
Unfortunately, there are a lot of scammers out there. They take advantage of folks who are looking for love and will try to lure them away from dating sites and over to phishing sites and other nefarious enterprises. Scammers will employ technologies such as bots to do their dirty work and will make it difficult to tell the real folks from the fake ones.
Here Are Some Red Flags You Shouldn't Ignore When You're Looking For Love Online:
Red Flag #1 - They Don’t Really Answer Your Questions Directly
A lot of scammers will use bots, (programs that mimic human interactions) to try and con users into visiting sites or performing some action that scammers want their victim to perform (such as divulging personal information.
The problem is, bots are stupid. They don't interact well (except for maybe some of the more robust "chatterbots").
When you ask a bot a question, it's most likely not going to give you a straight answer. It may look at keywords in your responses and try to message you something relevant, but it still won't be a direct answer. If it seems like the person you're talking to isn't answering your questions directly, try to ask them (or it) something very specific to see if it comes back with another generic response.
This will help you determine if you're dealing with a bot or a scammer who just doesn't really want to put in the effort required to carry on a normal conversation.
Check out these 5 Signs Your Online Love Interest Might be a Scam Bot
Red Flag #2 - They Want to Move You Off The Dating Site As Soon As Possible
A scammer's goal is to get you off the dating site and onto their site so they can take whatever it is that they want from you, whether it be your credit card information, your personal information, or something else. Expect them to attempt to direct you to a website, phone number, or e-mail address of their choosing. They will usually try to do this in the first 5 or so messages.
They may waste a little time trying to build a rapport with you, but eventually they will show their true colors and try to close the deal by enticing you to click a link or contact them offsite. This is not to say that everyone who tries to give you their phone number right off the bat is a scammer, but it is a red flag nonetheless, and should put you on alert to look for other signs of danger.
Red Flag #3 - They Want to Know Your Location
Whether they are a scammer or just some weirdo, they shouldn't be asking for your address up front. This could be part of a phishing scam or something much worse. Until you've really gotten to know someone, you should never give out your location. When you agree to meet, neutral public locations with a lot of people are probably best for meeting someone new. Always tell a friend what your plans are and if they change.
Red Flag #4 - They Get Too Personal Too Fast
If they start asking a lot of deeply personal questions that seem out of context, they could be attempting to phish you for personal information that they could use for identity theft purposes. Don't give out your birthdate to strangers. It's one of the critical pieces of information they might need to set up an account in your name.
Red Flag #5 - Their Profile Looks a Little Thin or Generic
If the dating profile is weak and has very little info other than generic statement like the cliche "I love to laught" then it might be a red flag that they may just be using canned cut-and-paste scam profile information. Check out these tips on How to Spot a Fake Friend Request, many of the same tips apply in this situation.

Help! My Password Has Been Cracked

You’re not really sure How the Heck They Got Your Password, but they did, and now you’re freaking out. The password to one of your accounts has been cracked and you don’t know what to do to get control back of your account.
Let’s look at several things you can do to get control of your account and get things back to a secure state:
If Someone Cracked Your Password But You Can Still Log Into Your Account
The worst case scenario is that your account password gets hacked and the hackers change your password. Hopefully the security questions that you answered when you set up your account will help you regain control of your account and allow you to reset your password back and lock them out.
What if there aren’t any security questions? Many accounts have a password reset process that will allow you to initiate a reset using an email account that you have on file with the account provider. Unless the hacker has changed this email address, you should be able to regain control of your account by having the password reset link sent to your email.
If They’ve Taken Control Of Your Account and Locked You Out By Changing The Password
If the person who cracked your password has locked you out by changing your password then getting it reset might be a little more complicated. You may need to contact the account support line of the account provider and explain the situation, they should be able to verify that you are who you say you are via other means such as by looking at the phone numbers you have on file, verifying your address, or reviewing the answers to your security questions.
Make sure that you inform the account provider that this just happened and that any new information recently added to your account is false and that you want to place your account on hold until everything is sorted out. Reporting the password hack quickly is essential to limiting the damage.
If The Account Was Your Main Email Account
If your main email account is hacked then things can become even more complicated because, chances are, you have a lot of other accounts pointing to your email account for password reset purposes.
Thankfully most email providers have multiple ways of verifying that you are whom you say you are. Follow their account password reset procedures and if all else fails contact their account support.
The next step you should take after resetting your main (hacked) email account password is to change all passwords for any other account that you have that point to that account for password reset purposes. The reason: the password crackers could have initiated password resets for those other accounts.
Steps to Take To Prevent it From Happening Again:
Make Your Next Password Much Stronger
When creating passwords to replace ones that have been cracked, you need to create a much stronger, longer, and more complex password. For tips on creating strong passwords, check out our article: How to Make a Strong Password.
Use Two-factor Authentication If It’s Offered
Another way to prevent future account compromises is to enable two-factor authentication on the accounts that support it. Two-factor authentication usually requires some kind of token, such as a PIN that is sent by the account provider via an already established communication line that you have verified, such as a mobile phone or secondary email account. Other methods of two-factor authentication use fingerprint readers such as those featured on newer iPhones, iPads, and some Android devices.

5 Things You Should Never Post on Facebook

Facebook has become the Google of social networks. If you're not updating your status right now, chances are that you are uploading photos or taking some sort of odd quiz. We post tons of intimate details about our lives that we normally wouldn't share with anyone. We think that as long as we make sure our privacy settings are set correctly that we are safe and snug within our circle of friends.
The problem is that we never know who's really looking at our information.
Our friend's account could have been hacked when they installed some rogue application, or their creepy uncle might be using their account because they forgot to log out. For the sake of the safety of you and your family, there is some information that you should never post on Facebook. Here are 5 things you should consider removing or not posting to Facebook and/or other social networks.
1. You or Your Family's Full Birth Dates
We all love getting “happy birthdays” from our friends on our Facebook wall. It makes us feel all warm inside knowing that people remembered and cared enough to write us a short note on our special day. The problem is when you list your birthday you are providing identity thieves with one of the 3 or 4 pieces of personal information that is needed to steal your identity. It’s best to not list the date at all, but if you must, at least leave out the year. Your real friends should know this info anyway.
2. Your Relationship Status
Whether you are in a relationship or not, it may be best not to make it public knowledge.
Stalkers would love to know that you just became newly single. If you change your status to "single" it gives them the green light they were looking for to resume stalking now that you're back on the market. It also lets them know that you might be home alone since your significant other is no longer around. Your best bet is to just leave this blank on your profile.
3. Your Current Location
There are a lot of people who love the location tagging feature on Facebook that allows them to let people know where they are 24/7. The problem is that you have just told everyone that you're on vacation (and not at your house). If you add how long your trip is then thieves know exactly how much time they have to rob you. My advice is not to provide your location at all. You can always upload your vacation pictures when you get home or text your friends to let them know how jealous they should be that you're sipping an umbrella drink while they toil away at work.
4. The Fact That You Are Home Alone
It is extremely important that parents make sure their children never put the fact that they are home alone in their status. Again, you wouldn’t walk into a room of strangers and tell them you are going to be all alone at your house so don’t do it on Facebook either.
We may think that only our friends have access to our status, but we really have no idea who is reading it. Your friend may have had their account hacked or someone could be reading over their shoulder at the library. The best rule of thumb is not to put anything in your profile or status that you wouldn’t want a stranger to know. You may have the most stringent privacy settings possible, but if your friend’s account gets compromised than those settings go out the window.
5. Pictures of Your Kids Tagged With Their Names
We love our kids. We would do anything to keep them safe, but most people post hundreds of tagged pictures and videos of their kids to Facebook without even giving it a second thought. We even go so far as to replace our profile pictures with that of our children.
Probably 9 out of 10 parents posted their child’s full name, and exact date and time of birth while they were still in the hospital after delivery. We post pictures of our kids and tag them and their friends, siblings, and other relatives. This kind of information could be used by predators to lure your child. They could use your child’s name and the names of their relatives and friends to build trust and convince them that they are not really a stranger because they know detailed information that allows them to build a rapport with your child.
If you must post pictures of your children then you should at least remove personally identifying information such as their full names and birth dates. Untag them in pictures. Your real friends know their names anyway.
I would be a hypocrite if I said that I have completely removed all tagged pictures of my kids on facebook. It is a daunting task given the amount of pictures that we take as proud parents, but I have started on it and I'll do a little bit each day until it's finished.
Lastly, think twice before you tag pictures of the children of friends and relatives. They might not want you tagging their kids for the reasons mentioned above. You can send them a link to the pictures and they can tag themselves in place of their children if they want to.

How Hack-proof is Your Wireless Network?

You set up your wireless network many years ago and then you forgot about it because you don’t want to mess with something as long as it’s working. As the old saying goes: “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, right? Wrong!
When you set up your router initially, you remember setting a password, perhaps turning on wireless encryption, but your memory is hazy and you don’t really know the exact settings.
So here we are. Your wireless network router is doing its thing in a corner, gathering dust, but you really don’t know if it’s even hacker-resistant.
Let’s take a quick quiz and see just how secure your wireless network is. Answer the following questions and at the end of the article we’ll tell you what your security posture is and what you can do to improve it.
Give yourself a point for every question you answer yes. While no network is truly "hack-proof" we'll tell you how we think you're doing at the end of the quiz.
1. Does Your Wireless Network Have WPA2 Encryption Turned on? (+1 point if Yes)
Your wireless network needs to have encryption turned on in order to protect data traversing it, as well as providing a way to keep unwanted users from freeloading. The type of Wi-Fi security used makes a big difference.
If you're using outdated WEP encryption, then you are highly vulnerable to having your network cracked by even the most novice hacker. WEP is extremely vulnerable to compromise and there are tools available on the Internet that can crack WEP encryption in a matter of minutes.
If you aren't using WPA2 encryption, you should be. Check out our article: How to Encrypt Your Wireless Network for details on implementing WPA2.
2. Does Your Router Offer a Firewall Feature And is it Turned on? (+1 point if Yes)
Most modern wireless routers have a built-in network firewall that can help protect your network from unwanted traffic attempting to enter and/or leave your network. This can be a valuable tool if configured properly. Check out our articles on How to Configure a Firewall and also How to Test Your Firewall to see if it's doing its job.
3. Do You Have a Strong Password For Your Wireless Network? (+1 point if Yes)
A strong network password is essential in preventing brute force password attacks. Check out our article on How to Change Your Wi-Fi Password if you think yours might not be a strong enough password.
4. Did You Change Your Wireless Network Name to Something Unique? (+1 point if Yes)
Using a simple, common, or default wireless network name can also put you at risk for getting hacked. Read our article: Is Your Wireless Network Name a Security Risk to find out why it might be.
5. Are You Using a Personal VPN Service To Protect Your Network? (+1 point if Yes)
A personal Virtual Private Network (VPN) can be an excellent tool for protecting the data on your network and can also provide features such as anonymous browsing. Learn about the many benefits offered by personal VPNs in our article: Why You Need a Personal VPN.
6. Is Your Wireless Router's Firmware up to Date? (+1 point if Yes)
If your router's firmware is out of date then you may be missing out on security patches that could help fix router-related vulnerabilities. You may also be missing out on new features that are sometimes offered in updated firmware. Check with your router manufacturer to see if there is any updated firmware available for your specific model.
Your Score.
If you answered "yes" to all 6 questions, then your network is about as secure as they come. 5 out of 6 isn't bad either. Less than 5 would indicate that you may have some security issues that need to be addressed soon so that you are better equipped to sustain a wireless hacking attempt. Try to implement all 6 items to give yourself the best odds of not becoming a wireless hacking victim.

Security Tips For Using A Shared Computer

There comes a time when most everyone is going to have to use a publicly accessible computer at some point in their lives. You may have to use one at the library or in a student computer lab at your school.


Whatever the case may be, there are some things you should avoid doing, as well as some digital housekeeping that you should take care of when you're finished using a publicly accessible or shared computer.

Here Are 5 Major Security-related Tenets You Should Abide by When Using a Shared Computer:


Turn on Private Browsing


Most all modern web browsers offer a private browsing mode which is intended for the kind of situation where you might be using a shared computer and want to ensure that no one has access to your history or web cache after you complete your web browsing session.


You should strongly consider using your browser's private browsing feature when you are in a computer lab situation, otherwise, someone using the computer after you might be able to connect to websites you had logged into using your cached credentials.


To learn how to turn on private browsing in your favorite web browser of choice, check out our article How to Enable Private Browsing in Your Web Browser for full instructions.


When you're done using private browsing mode, always make sure to close all browser windows so that someone can't hijack your session before it gets cleared out by closing the window.


Clean That Cache Before You Dash


Whether you are using private browsing or not, you should make it a habit to clear your history, your temporary Internet files (cache) and any cached passwords and cookies that might have gotten saved while you were browsing.


If you were using private browsing, these files shouldn't be present, but there is no harm in clearing these out even if you're pretty sure they don't exist. It's always good to be sure even if it might be unnecessary. If you weren't using private browsing mode, then it is absolutely critical to clear these files before you leave your computer.


When In Doubt Log Yourself Out


If you've logged into any website, whether its an online store, your email account, bank site, etc, BE SURE to click on the log out link on the site when you are done using it, otherwise, there is a strong potential risk that your credentials may be cached by the browser and made available to the next person who uses that computer.


You don't want someone going on an online shopping spree on your dime, do you? When in doubt, ALWAYS Log yourself OUT.


Be Aware of Your Surroundings


Another risk associated with using a shared computer in a common area with other people watching you is the possibility that someone will 'shoulder surf" and watch you enter your credentials, usernamee and password) so they can steal your account information and impersonate you.


It's critical to be aware of your surroundings and those who are around you. If someone looks suspicious or you feel like they might be trying to observe you entering your password, move to another computer. You might also want to check to make sure that the keyboard on your computer doesn't have any mysterious extra attachments between it and the computer. If you see what appears to be a thumb drive in between the keyboard and the computer connection this might be a sign of a USB keylogger used to steal passwords and other data.

5 Cool New Security Features Found in Android Lollipop 5.0

The latest iteration of Google’s Android operating system known as Lollipop 5.0 has a host of new features under its hood. In addition to replacing just-in-time compiling of apps, Google has made some other major sweeping changes to this version of the OS. Notably Google has made some noble progress in the area of security.

The Lollipop 5.0 release features several new security features, as well as

some enhancements for existing ones that help to improve their functionality.

Here are 5 Cool New Security Features of The Android 5.0 (Lollipop) OS That You’re Going to Want to Check Out:

1. Smart Lock with Trusted Bluetooth Devices

Most of us loathe passcodes because we are constantly having to enter them every time our phone goes to sleep. This lock and unock process can quickly become tiresome, even when the passcode is just 4 digits long. Lots of people end up ditching passcode lock altogether or make it something so simple that anyone can guess it.

The makers of the Android OS have heard the whines of the masses and have come up with something much easier to deal with: Smart Lock with Trusted Bluetooth Devices. Smart Lock allows you to pair your Android with any Bluetooth device of your choosing and use that device as a virtual security token.

Using Smart Lock, you can pick any Bluetooth device, such as a fitness tracker, wireless headset, smart watch, even your car’s hands-free speaker
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phone system, and as long as it’s in range of your phone or tablet, you can use the presence of the Bluetooth device in lieu of your passcode. Once the device is out of range, then a passcode would be required. So if someone makes off with your phone, they won’t be able to get into it, unless your trusted Bluetooth device is within close proximity.

Check out our article on Android Smart Lock to learn more about it.

2. Guest Logins and Multiple User Accounts (for the same device)

Parents will love the new Guest Login feature that allows for multiple users on the same device. Kids are always wanting to use our phones or tablets but we might not necessarily want to give them the keys to the kingdom. Guest Logins allow for multiple user profiles that can be switched at will, preventing “guests” from having full access to your stuff.

3. Application Screen Pinning for Restricting Use

Have you ever wanted to let someone see something on your phone, but you didn't want them to be able to exit the app and start poking around all the other stuff on your device? With application screen pinning you can lock your Android device so that someone else can use the app but can't exit the app without a passcode.

This might be useful when you want to let one of your children play a game but you don't want them going on an app store shopping spree.

4. Automatic Data Encryption By Default (on new devices)

Android is now encrypting all data on a device by default (on new devices). This makes it more secure in terms of data privacy, however, there have been reports of a negative impact on overall storage performance as a result of the encryption overhead. These potential performance issues could be cleared up in a future patch to the OS.

5. Better Malware Protection via SELinux Enforcement

Under previous Android OS iterations, SELinux permissions, which helped applications play in their own sandboxes, were only partially enforced. Android 5.0 will require full enforcment of SELinux permissions which should help prevent malware from running wild and infecting processes and applications.

How to Find a Lost Bluetooth Device ?

The number of Bluetooth enabled devices in the world is expanding rapidly. From wireless headsets to fitness trackers to speaker docks. Everything electronic seems to have a Bluetooth connection as a feature.

Advances in battery life and technologies such as the Bluetooth Low Energy standards have given rise to smaller more compact devices such as ultra small lightweight headsets, Fitbits, etc. The

big problem is that when things get smaller they can also get lost more easily. I have personally lost one or 2 Bluetooth headsets in the past year alone.

When you set up a Bluetooth device, you usually pair it to another device, For instance you’ll pair a headset to a phone, or a phone to a car speakerphone / audio system. This pairing mechanism is critical to helping you find a lost Bluetooth device and we’ll show you how and why in a minute:

I’ve Lost My Bluetooth device (headset, Fitbit, etc)! Now What?

As long as your headset or device still has some battery life and was turned on when you lost it, the odds are pretty good that you still will be able to find it with the assistance of a smartphone and a special app.

In order to find your device, you’re going to need to download a Bluetooth scanning app. There are several of these apps available for both iOS and Android-based Phones and Tablets.

Step 1 - Download a Bluetooth Scanner App

Before you begin the hunt, you need the right tool.

You should download and install a Bluetooth scanner app on your phone. The scanner app will show you a list of all the Bluetooth devices in the area that are broadcasting and should also show you one other important bit of information that will help you locate the device: signal strength.

Bluetooth signal strength is usually measured in Decibel-milliwatts (dBm). The higher the number or the closer the negative number is to zero the better. For instance -1 dBm is a much stronger signal than -100 dBm. I won’t bore you with all the complicated math, just know that you want to see a number closer to zero or above it.

There are several Bluetooth scanner apps that are available for various types of smartphones.

If you have an iOS based phone (or other Bluetooth enabled device, you may want to check out Bluetooth Smart Scanner by Ace Sensor. This free app can locate Bluetooth devices in the area (including low energy types (according to the app information page). There are other options, search “Bluetooth Scanner” to find more app choices.

Android users may want to check out Bluetooth Finder on the Google Play App Store, It provide similar functionality as the iPhone App. A similar app for Windows-based phones is available as well.

Step 2 - Make Sure Bluetooth is Active on Your Phone

Your Bluetooth device won’t be able to be located if your phone’s bluetooth radio is turned off. Make sure you turn bluetooth on in your phone’s settings before using the Bluetooth locator apps downloaded in the previous step.

Step 3 – Begin Your Quest

Now the game of electronic Marco Polo begins. In the bluetooth scanning app locate the missing bluetooth item in the list of found devices and make a note of it’s signal strength. If it’s not showing up, start moving around the location you think you may have left it until it shows up on the list.

Once the item has shown up on the list then you can begin to try to locate it’s exact location. You’ll basically start playing a game of 'hot or cold'. If the signal strength drops (i.e. goes from -200 dBm to -10 dBm) then you are further away from the device, If the signal strength improves (i.e goes from -10 dBm to -1 dBm) then you are getting warmer

Other Methods:

If you’ve lost something such as a headset, you could also try to send some loud music to it via your phone’s music app. Since most bluetooth headset’s volume can also be controlled by the phone, you could crank the volume all the way up. If the searching environment is fairly quiet, you might be able to locate it by listening for the music coming out of the earpieces on the headset.

5 Ways to Make Your PC a Less Attractive Hacker Target

Hackers seem to be everywhere these days, on the news, in the movies. You can’t turn around without seeing a news story about a major data breach or massive hacking attack that took down a huge company’s online operations.

You just want to be left alone to play your PC games, browse Facebook, the basics. You don’t want to become a target and/or victim of a hacker. So the question is, what can you do

to make your computer a less attractive target to a hacker.

Here Are 5 Ways You Can Make Your PC a Less Attractive Hacker Target:

1. Enable “Stealth Mode” on Your Router’s Firewall

Some routers feature a mode called “stealth mode” where the firewall on the router does not respond in the traditional manner when a port scan is run against it. If your router offers this feature you should consider turning it on to make your network (and the devices behind it) less conspicuous to hackers attempting to probe your network.

2. Use a Personal VPN Service

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), once the domain of the privileged few who could afford to use them, are now available to the common man. You can purchase personal VPN service on a monthly basis for little more than the price of a decent cup of coffee.

VPNs offer a plethora of security features such as encryption of all network traffic, anonymous browsing via proxied IP addresses, as well as some great features that take advantage of the ability

to choose an IP address from your home country when you are traveling abroad. For an in-depth look at the other benefits offered by personal VPN services, check out our article: Why You Need a Personal VPN.

3. Encrypt Your Wireless Network

Not seeing a padlock icon next to a network name when a hacker is scanning for available Wi-Fi networks is a huge turn-on for them. This tips them off to the fact that there is essentially free Wi-Fi available because there is no password required to access networks that don’t have encryption turned on (hence, the lack of a padlock icon).

If you don’t have wireless encryption turned on, you are basically advertising to hackers and neighbors that your bandwidth is freely available for the taking. If hackers happen to use the free Internet that you are graciously providing them to carry out hacking and other crimes, guess who it will be traced back to? That’s right, YOU. You can plead ignorance but there is no guarantee that it will be an acceptable excuse.

Lock down your Wi-Fi with WPA2 (or better) encryption with a strong password to avoid being an unwitting accomplice to a hacker’s misdeeds

4. Make Sure Security Patches Are Installed And Up to Date

Hackers love to see a system with unpatched vulnerabilities that they can exploit, gain entry to, and take control of. You need to make sure you're using the automatic update feature of your operating system so that as soon as a security patch is released it will be pushed to your PC. You should periodically do a manual check as well to ensure that the auto-update process is working as it should be.

Check for updates of your Internet-connected apps (web browsers, plug-ins, etc) on a frequent basis as well and turn on their “check for updates” feature (if available). Don’t forget to check for updated wireless router firmware, as your router manufacturer might have updates waiting in the wings as well.

5. Educate Yourself and Hack-proof Your Brain

When it comes to your PC’s security, you don’t want to be the weakest link. You definitely don’t want to get tricked into installing malware or fall for some other scam that puts your PC and your personal data at risk.

Common Network Security Mistakes

Have you ever been scammed or had a computer virus take over your system. You're left wondering: “how the heck did this happen to me”? You thought you had followed all the standard advice on securing your network and computer, but you still ended up with a security breach or malware infestation.

Here Are 5 Common Network Security Mistakes You Might Be Making:

1. You're Not Using Strong Encryption On Your Wireless Network
Are you scratching your head because hackers broke into your network, even though you had wireless encryption enabled? You may have been using encryption, but you might have been using the outdated and highly vulnerable Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) encryption. WEP was cracked years ago and hacking a WEP-encrypted network is now trivial, due to a proliferation of easy to use WEP hacking tools. Even a novice hacker can break into a WEP-based network.
The Solution: replace your network's WEP encryption with Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2). WPA2 is a much more robust wireless protection method and is the current standard for “secure” wireless networks. Some older routers may be too old to support an upgrade to WPA2 while others can be upgraded via a firmware update. Check your router manufacturer’s support page for your specific router to see if it supports WPA2.

2. Your Passwords Aren’t Strong Enough

A weak password can be a hackers gateway into your network, your system, and your online
accounts. Increased computing power has decreased the amount of time it takes for password cracking tools to crack a password.

You need to make your passwords as long, complex, and random as possible. Avoid use of dictionary words in your password as cracking tools test for these. Having one embedded in your password will help the tool find your password much quicker than if it had random characters in it.

Check out our article on How to Create a Strong Password for tips on composition.

3. Your System Doesn’t Have The Latest Security Patches

Hackers love to find systems with unpatched vulnerabilities because they can be exploited with specially crafted attacks that take advantage of the unpatched weakness. OS vendors are constantly detecting new threats in the wild and developing security patches to close the holes.

Most OSes feature a set-and-forget “auto update” capability that will automatically download and apply the latest security patches on a regular basis.

The Solution: turn on auto update for your OS security patches as well as any apps that have auto update capability. You should also periodically run a manual patch check to ensure that the auto update process isn’t broken.

4. You Don’t Have a Backup Strategy

When things go bad, your first question might be “do I have a backup of those files”? You shouldn’t have to ask yourself this question, you should know the answer, and the answer should be "let me go pull up my backup of those files”.

Backups are critical resources. Some computer malware such as ransomware can encrypt your files and hold them hostage. If you have a backup of your files then you can laugh at the ransom demand and tell those hackers to go stick it in their ear or some other orifice.

Check out our article on Developing a Backup Strategy for some tips on how to go about backing up your stuff.

5. You’re Not Aware of The Latest Threats And Scams

Scammers and hackers are constantly evolving their tools and tactics. Educating yourself on the current threats is key to not falling victim to the newest and most dangerous scams and hacks happening in the world.