Terror Government, "Global Info Grid" is not enough, your personal computer, cyber home invasion!

With the influx of foreign cyber attacks, and phishing data sniffers, personal computer data security is a major risk that evolves faster than protocols.

The issue of threats on computers do not just apply to desktop and or laptops, but also iphone app capable electronics. The more our cellphones become like computers, the more risk they are of getting the same viruses, or worse.

As one of the comments at the bottom of this linked page said, this "raises more questions than answers".

Government capable of wiretapping millions of encrypted sessions, including those secured by IE, Microsoft’s SSL, others.

You probably feel safe when you see the padlock on your browser window indicating secure communication with your bank or e-mail account. You probably think your users are safe if they are accessing your network over your SSL VPN. What if instead of worrying about man-in-the-middle attacks, it became government-spy-in-the-middle eavesdropping? Is Big Brother spying on you? Before I'm done showing you these surveillance products, you will probably be ticked for both security and privacy reasons.

Certified Lies: Big Brother In Your Browser

[edit on 24-7-2010 by ADVISOR]

reply to post by ADVISOR


But we are all too ready to disclose all sorts of personal information on social networking sites. As Facebook reaches the 500 million member mark, the internet has become a way of life and some might say a basic human right. In one sense, we have either been duped into or knowingly relinquished our right to privacy by our desire to obsessively document our lives online.

I am not sure if my computers have been all that secure.

I use an old technique. Set up the computer to a point where I like the abilities it has. Not familiar with the linux systems so I go with xp.

Set it up to sp2 and then shut down all services that are not absolutely required. Shut down all updates at this point. Set up a clone image and then about once a month use that image to reset my computer with that image.

As for the browser I use a security system that keeps track of all ports. Plus I use an active ports program that alerts me whenever any new port is opened. I also attempt to keep a minimal amount of the newer fangled antivirus and firewall systems. Any sign of something weird going on with my computer, bang reset with the cloned image.

Now, I do not know if this keeps my browsing and everything safe from being monitored, but I do know that I have a SUPER fast system and it seems to run quite well. Yes, I may not get to have all the fancy newer stuff that vista and now 7 offers, but who cares.

One thing awhile back I tried a certificate monitoring add-on with firefox. Almost half the sites I would go to this window would open up and let me know stuff about the certificate of the site. The whole problem with it is, I do not even know half of what the add on was telling me and how do I know the certificate authentication protocols are correct anyway?

I pretty much do not worry about it. One thing I do know is, whenever I create a password for anything that I would want to be secure like a bank account, I reset to the clone image and then use copy and paste from then on when entering any sites. This prevents any possible key logger from having any chance of copying the passwords.

But, of course all my techniques are null and void if someone can either clone a site or be in between me and the site. Oh well, you can never be completely safe can you?

Still learning, thanks for the read OP.

Well anyone that runs windows and thinks they can keep the CIA out of the system for more than 2 seconds needs sending to a nut house.

my machine is running overtime indexing all my files and more than likly looking for keywords like 'C4' ,jiad and uploading them whilst i'm asleep.

i could turn index services off but i would guess it's goes much futher than that and spying is built into the core of the windows operating system and thats why they have a registry and files are not deleted when you hit the delete key and just removed from the FAT table.

reply to post by LieBuster


Well, that is what CCleaner is for. It overwrites the deleted files plus you can set it to wipe the free space also.

As for windows systems being completely overrun with CIA influences, you can get a exterior software that acts like the task manager. It will show you everything your computer is doing. That is why I stop at the sp2. There are some things that go on that I do not like when running the next service pack.

I am not familiar with the linux and am getting a little overwhelmed with the software that I do use. Getting too old to learn an entire new system let alone to know it enough to know if and when something is wrong with the system.

Originally posted by LarryLove
reply to post by ADVISOR

 

But we are all too ready to disclose all sorts of personal information on social networking sites.

That is not the issue.

The issue is having access to your online banking statements, credit info, any and all "PERSONAL" information. NOT public gossip that the masses share with one another on social networks.

The information many people store on their computers includes credit card data, medical information and even issurance reports.

I'm not talking about some asshats on jokebook or faceplace script kiddy hacking.

I am talking about malicious intend to steal or monitor your personal data and activity.


Why I even bother I don't know....most of you either don't care enough to want to know or are proud to be stupid...

Originally posted by LarryLove
reply to post by ADVISOR

 

But we are all too ready to disclose all sorts of personal information on social networking sites.

That is not the issue.

The issue is having access to your online banking statements, credit info, any and all "PERSONAL" information. NOT public gossip that the masses share with one another on social networks.

The information many people store on their computers includes credit card data, medical information and even issurance reports.

I'm not talking about some asshats on jokebook or faceplace script kiddy hacking.

I am talking about malicious intend to steal or monitor your personal data and activity.


Why I even bother I don't know....most of you either don't care enough to want to know or are proud to be stupid...

Originally posted by LarryLove
reply to post by ADVISOR

 

But we are all too ready to disclose all sorts of personal information on social networking sites.

That is not the issue.

The issue is having access to your online banking statements, credit info, any and all "PERSONAL" information. NOT public gossip that the masses share with one another on social networks.

The information many people store on their computers includes credit card data, medical information and even issurance reports.

I'm not talking about some asshats on jokebook or faceplace script kiddy hacking.

I am talking about malicious intend to steal or monitor your personal data and activity.


Why I even bother I don't know....most of you either don't care enough to want to know or are proud to be stupid...

reply to post by ADVISOR


Okay, there's no need to be rude. I certainly wasn't in my reply and being inferred to as stupid by a super moderator is the last thing I would have expected. If you want to encourage positive debate, and have people post with civility, then attitude needs to change.