Tag Archive for: experts

🚪 These video doorbells have terrible security, consumer experts warn


On a recent Thursday afternoon, a Consumer Reports journalist received an email containing a grainy image of herself waving at a doorbell camera she’d set up at her back door.

If the message came from a complete stranger, it would have been alarming. Instead, it was sent by Steve Blair, a CR privacy and security test engineer who had hacked into the doorbell from 2,923 miles away.

Blair had pulled similar images from connected doorbells at other CR employees’ homes and from a device in our Yonkers, N.Y., testing lab. While we expected him to gain access to these devices, it was still a bit shocking to see photos of the journalist’s deck and backyard. After all, video doorbells are supposed to help you keep an eye on strangers at the door, not let other people watch you.

Blair was able to capture those images because he and fellow test engineer David Della Rocca had found serious security flaws in this doorbell, along with others sold under different brands but apparently made by the same manufacturer. The doorbells also lack a visible ID issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that’s required by the agency’s regulations, making them illegal to distribute in the U.S.

Thousands of these video doorbells are sold each month on Amazon and other online marketplaces, including Walmart, Sears, and the globally popular marketplaces Shein and Temu. Experts say they’re just a drop in the flood of cheap, insecure electronics from Chinese manufacturers being sold in the U.S.

Previously, regulators have asserted that thousands of unsafe products, including potentially dangerous children’s sleepwear, carbon monoxide detectors and dietary supplements, have been widely available on Amazon.

“Big e-commerce platforms like Amazon need to take more responsibility for the harms generated by the products they sell,” said Justin Brookman, director of technology policy for CR. “There is more they could be doing to vet sellers and respond to complaints. Instead, it seems like they’re coasting on their reputation and saddling unknowing consumers with broken products.”

Consumer Reports warn of security flaws in certain doorbell cameras (Copyright 2024 by WKMG ClickOrlando -…

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Security experts reveal the 10 things to never post online


Connecting to the internet, for that matter, is also important for work, socialising and keeping up to date with general goings on.

Although the internet can be a force for good, you don’t need us to tell you how dangerous it can also be.

Scammers are relentless online and will look to take advantage of any opportunity to rip you off in some way. 

So with that in mind, here are some suggestions for keeping safe online.

10 things you should never post online:

James Milin-Ashmore at Independent Advisor VPN said: “With 97.8% of the UK using the internet and 84.4% using social media, the digital world has become a hotspot for criminals to obtain personal information.

“Your online presence can make you vulnerable to identity theft, hacking and other security threats, meaning you should always be mindful and deliberate when you are posting and sharing information online.”

Your phone number

Cybercriminals can use your phone number to gather additional details about you potentially leading to identity theft and unauthorised access to your online accounts.

Posting your phone number also increases the risk of being targeted by phishing attacks, where scammers send you disingenuous messages or calls that try to trick you into providing sensitive information.

Your location

Sharing where you live or are currently staying not only puts you at risk of theft and stalking but also malicious online activity and identity theft. If a cybercriminal knows where you live, they can personalise their phishing attempts, making them much more convincing.

In terms of identity theft, if scammers have your address they will be able to build a more detailed profile about you posing a real danger to your personal information.

Even if you don’t share or post your address online, scammers may be able to breach your IP address. While your IP address won’t reveal your exact location, it does show the city or region where the device is…

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Former NCSC chief calls for ransomware payments ban, but cyber security experts aren’t keen


The former chief executive of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has called for the government to ban organizations from making ransomware payments.

Writing in The Times, Ciaran Martin, who served as the NCSC’s inaugural chief executive, suggested a ban could help put a stop to the ever-increasing proliferation of ransomware, referring to the ‘apparently sanguine attitude’ of British policymakers to cyber criminals groups.

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Best VPN Services of 2024: Reviewed by Experts

 

The Best VPN Services of 2024

  1. NordVPN – Best VPN for Privacy
  2. Private Internet Access VPN – Best VPN for Windows 
  • NordVPN safeguarded our privacy without much setup required. As soon as we clicked the ‘connect’ button, all the built-in privacy features kicked right in. Best of all, NordVPN didn’t log our IP addresses and usage data (visited sites, downloaded files, etc.)

    We liked the automatic kill switch feature in particular. It paused our internet connection when NordVPN disconnected unexpectedly, which happened twice throughout our testing period. There were also optional privacy features like the Double VPN (multihop) feature that doubles the encryption of a connection. That one requires some setup – we had to choose a server pair from a list – but it’s a breeze to use for a feature that greatly boosts your privacy.

    Speed

    Our speed with NordVPN varied, but overall, NordVPN was reliably fast. Our speed test readings averaged 225 Mbps and…

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