SugarSync discount extended
March 31st, 2010 - Posted by Kent
SugarSync has extended their exclusive 15% discounts on its 60GB and 100GB plans until May 31st. SugarSync is a fun and feature-rich service that's particularly useful for those with smart phones. It does not, by default, back up as many files as Mozy or Carbonite (users must manually select email and system preferences, and Microsoft Outlook backups are not supported), but it really excels at file-sharing and syncing between computers.
To read our thoughts on SugarSync, check out our review. If you like what you read come back here and click the links below; you must use the links in this blog post to get the discount.
15% off 60GB annual plans ($84.99 per year)
15% off 100GB annual plans ($127.49)
How can I use Vonage to block unwanted calls?
March 31st, 2010 - Posted by Tasha
The following is an actual user-submitted question:
Q: How can I use Vonage to block unwanted calls?
A: Vonage provides several ways to block both inbound and outbound calls. These features are included free of charge with your Vonage plan. With Anonymous Call Block, you can block inbound callers who aren't allowing their caller ID to be displayed. These callers will hear an automated message indicating they need to disable their caller ID blocking and call back. You can enable this feature either from your phone or your online account.
Activating the Do Not Disturb feature will cause all inbound calls to be sent to voice mail. This is convenient if you'd like to take a nap, or if you just don't want to be disturbed by the sound of the phone ringing. You can also set this up directly from your phone or via your online account.
Finally there's International and Directory Assistance Blocking. If you don't want outbound calls made to international or directory assistance numbers, just login to your Vonage Online account and turn it on. It's a great feature if you're having a party and don't want random (and possibly expensive) calls showing up on your bill.
At this time Vonage does not allow you to block specific inbound call numbers. As always, you can easily reach Vonage at any time by calling their toll-free number: 888-692-8076.
If I sign up for Carbonite now and decide to cancel my subscription, what happens to my backed up items?
March 30th, 2010 - Posted by Kent
The following is an actual user-submitted question:
Q: If I sign up for Carbonite now, 4/2010, and decide to cancel my subscription in 4/2011, what happens to my backed up items?
A: If you cancel Carbonite you will lose remote access to those items. Here's the official word from Carbonite's help docs:
If you are a paid Carbonite customer, we will continue to store your data for 30 days after your subscription expires. However, if your subscription expires, you will need to renew your subscription to access your backup.
So, there you go. If you're excessively concerned that your data may somehow live on after you cancel Carbonite (it shouldn't, of course), you can manually delete your files before your subscription expires.
I live in the US about half the year as a legal resident with the necessary visa but as I am a UK citizen I do not have a social security number. How can I get a credit report?
March 30th, 2010 - Posted by Tasha
The following is an actual user-submitted question:
Q: I live in the US about half the year as a legal resident with the necessary visa but as I am a UK citizen I do not have a social security number. Without that number none of the firms will provide me my credit report or score. How can I get the reports?
A: Unfortunately, you do need a social security number to receive a credit report. Your social security number is the unique identifier that the "big 3" credit bureaus use to match credit information to you as a person. Additionally, credit bureaus use it as a safeguard measure to ensure they are giving the credit history to the correct individual.
However, if you are in the US as a legal resident you may be able to get a social security number. There are a number of documents that permit individuals to receive a social security number, including Form I-551, an I-94 or a work permit card from the Department of Homeland Security. For more information about how to get a social security number, see the official US social security number site. Once you've received your SSN you'll be able to sign up for a credit report monitoring service.
Looking for a job? Hide your Facebook Account
March 29th, 2010 - Posted by Tasha
As having an online presence leaks more and more into our everyday life, there's yet another boundary that's being crossed. Potential employers are scouring the internet for any information about potential applicants. This means if you apply for a job, they're likely to do a thorough search of anywhere you appear online including Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Have any incriminating photos or un-tasteful comments on your Facebook account? Employers will look and judge. Do you tweet regularly and about subjects that might not be job-appropriate? You may have just lost a potential job.
Job seekers should limit the amount of personal information they share online and make sure their online privacy is secure. Make sure you review and update your Facebook privacy settings. Then take a look at the settings on your Twitter account and make the appropriate adjustments – click "protect my tweets" and uncheck the box that lets others find you by email address. Double check LinkedIn and ensure the job history and positions you have listed match up with what you told employers.
Even taking all these steps may not be enough if you've been liberal in sharing personal and/or inappropriate details online, but they are the first line of defense. As always, we recommend the less is more policy. It's easy for both potential employers and unscrupulous characters to learn too much about you online and take advantage of it. Check out our identity theft protection reviews and FAQs for more information about how to protect yourself.
Top 10 cities for cyber crime
March 29th, 2010 - Posted by Robert Siciliano
Robert Siciliano is a NextAdvisor.com Expert Guest Blogger
"I love that dirty water, oh Boston you're my home." Boston Legal, Cheers, Boston Bruins, Red Sox, Celtics, chowda, lobsta,"Pahkin the Cah in Havad Yahd," and home to the second worst ranking of cyber crime in America. Lovely! Seems whatever advice I give in Boston media, means squat. After all, I am a Proper Bostonian. Boston missed first place by a lousy 11 points. I blame the college kids. Boston has the highest concentration of college students on the planet. It's their fault. Seattle took first place. What's your excuse, Seattle? Microsoft?
Here are the complete rankings (courtesy of Symantec):
1. Seattle
2. Boston
3. Washington, D.C.
4. San Francisco
5. Raleigh, N.C.
6. Atlanta
7. Minneapolis
8. Denver
9. Austin, Texas
10. Portland, Ore.
Cities with high concentrations of "spam zombies" placed the highest. Becoming a Zombie or part of a Botnet is something that happens to PCs that aren't properly secured, coupled with user behavior that invites attacks.
If you are surfing porn all day or gaming on distant websites in foreign countries then you are at a higher risk. Downloading files from P2P sites or seeking software cracks or pirated content is also risky. Remember. frat boy, there is no honor among thieves.
The Boston Business Journal stated another factor is the Hub's many unsecured WiFi hotspots — 53.6 per 100,000 residents — where cyber criminals may lurk, trolling for unwitting users. While high-profile or widespread computer attacks are relatively rare, small-scale attacks like these threaten even savvy computer users, the report noted.
Hey, Top 10, pay attention:
Computers that are old and have outdated unsupported operating systems like Wind 95/98/2000 are extremely vulnerable.
Systems using older outdated browsers such as IE 5, 6 or older versions of Firefox are the path of least resistance.
Update your operating system to XP SP3 or Wind 7. Make sure to have automatic updates for anti-virus. Don't engage in risky web-based behaviors.
Protect your identity:
- If you think you're a victim of identity theft, find out how to get a credit freeze. This is an absolutely necessary tool to secure your credit. In most cases, it prevents new accounts from being opened in your name. This makes your Social Security number useless to a potential identity thief.
- Invest in anti-virus and keep it auto-updated.
- With your iPhone get my book as an App or go to my website and get my FREE ebook on how to protect yourself from the bad guy.
- Invest in identity theft protection and prevention. Not all forms of identity theft can be prevented, but identity theft protection services can dramatically reduce your risk. (Disclosures)
Robert Siciliano Identity Theft Speaker discussing ATM Skimming on Fox Boston.
Robert Siciliano is CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com, an identity theft expert, professional speaker, security analyst, published author and television news correspondent. Siciliano works with Fortune 1000 companies and startups as an advisor on product launches, branding, messaging, representation, SEO and media. Siciliano's thoughts and advice on all these matters appear often in both the televised and print news media including CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, FOX, Forbes and USA Today. He has 25 years of security training as a member of the American Society of Industrial Security. He is the author of two books, including The Safety Minute: Living on High Alert; How to take control of your personal security and prevent fraud. He's also partnered with Intelius to help raise awareness about the growing threat of identity theft and to provide tips on how you can protect yourself.
Chemistry.com Free Communication Weekend
March 26th, 2010 - Posted by Tasha
Chemistry.com has brought back their popular free communication weekend! If you've wondered whether online dating is for you, this is a great weekend to try it out. Chemistry.com is offering free communication and matching to new users from this Friday March 26 through Sunday March 28. Their special promotion allows you to access all the Chemistry.com subscriber benefits at no cost. This means you can have the complete Chemistry.com experience for free – you don't even need to provide a credit card.
After you complete your online profile, Chemistry.com will display your matches and you can immediately start contacting and interacting with them. It's the perfect time to give online dating a test drive. If you'd like to learn more about online dating, take a look at our comprehensive review of the most popular dating sites.
Can I use Vonage with a wireless internet connection?
March 25th, 2010 - Posted by Tasha
The following is an actual user-submitted question:
Q: Can I use Vonage with a wireless internet connection?
A: Yes, you can. Regardless of whether your internet connection is wireless or wired, if it's your personal high speed connection you'll have a router/modem on the premises. The Vonage phone adapter plugs directly into this router/modem, and then your phone connects to the phone adapter.
The exception to this is if you're using a public wireless connection where you don't have direct access to the router/modem. If this is the case, you won't be able to use Vonage World with a normal phone. Instead, you can download a Vonage add-on feature called Vonage Softphone to make calls from your computer (PC or Mac).
Vonage Softphone is similar to Skype in that you would actually be making and receiving calls from your computer. It costs $9.99 a month for 500 minutes of calls to the US and Canada. These 500 minutes would be in addition to the unlimited free calls to 60+ countries you get with Vonage World, so you could still use your land line to make as many free calls as you want.
If you normally use a land line to make and receive calls and just want to make calls on your computer occasionally you might want to consider adding Vonage Softphone to your Vonage plan. However, if you plan to make all your calls via the computer you probably want to opt for Skype.
As always, if you have any questions about Vonage or the Vonage plans, you can call Vonage toll-free at 888-692-8076.
Kickball is DEAD: 1 in 4 children hack
March 25th, 2010 - Posted by Robert Siciliano
Robert Siciliano is a NextAdvisor.com Expert Guest Blogger
A few months ago I interviewed a criminal hacker who hacks out of a hut in Ghana stealing data all over the world. He has children ages 9 and 12 and he stated that "they hacked all over the world, man." He teaches his kids to hack. It's not just a lifestyle, it's an occupation. He and his kids are the most famous in their village.
It comes as no surprise to me, but it may be one to you that a survey has found that one in four school children have attempted some level of hacking.
SC Reports: "Despite 78 per cent agreeing that it is wrong, a quarter have tried to surreptitiously use a victim's password, with almost half saying that they were doing it ‘for fun'. However 21 per cent aimed to cause disruption and 20 per cent thought they could generate an income from the activity. Five per cent said that they would consider it as a career move.
Of those who had tried hacking, a quarter had targeted Facebook accounts, 18 per cent went for a friend's email, seven per cent for online shopping sites, six per cent for their parent's email and five per cent breached the school website. A bold three per cent had honed their skills enough to aim much higher with corporate websites under their belts."
Children's hacking is how today's kids play. Hacking is replacing dodge ball. Kids today don't know what it means not to have the Internet. I see more articles talking about how to get your kid outside and away from the computer. Part of the problem is kickball got out a lot of the childhood angst and pent up energy out of their systems. Now they funnel that energy into using technology. For good and for bad. Kids are mischievous too. And given the opportunity they will break, steal or deface whatever is in their path. I was 15 once too; but I was an angel.
It's a good reason to protect your computer and your identity:
- If you think you're a victim of identity theft, find out how to get a credit freeze. This is an absolutely necessary tool to secure your credit. In most cases, it prevents new accounts from being opened in your name. This makes your Social Security number useless to a potential identity thief.
- Invest in anti-virus and keep it auto-updated.
- With your iPhone get my book as an App or go to my website and get my FREE ebook on how to protect yourself from the bad guy.
- Invest in identity theft protection and prevention. Not all forms of identity theft can be prevented, but identity theft protection services can dramatically reduce your risk. (Disclosures)
Robert Siciliano is CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com, an identity theft expert, professional speaker, security analyst, published author and television news correspondent. Siciliano works with Fortune 1000 companies and startups as an advisor on product launches, branding, messaging, representation, SEO and media. Siciliano's thoughts and advice on all these matters appear often in both the televised and print news media including CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, FOX, Forbes and USA Today. He has 25 years of security training as a member of the American Society of Industrial Security. He is the author of two books, including The Safety Minute: Living on High Alert; How to take control of your personal security and prevent fraud. He's also partnered with Intelius to help raise awareness about the growing threat of identity theft and to provide tips on how you can protect yourself.
Robert Siciliano Identity Theft Speaker discussing Criminal Hackers on "Fox News"
A Day in the Life of an Online Student
March 23rd, 2010 - Posted by Carlisa
A day in the life of an online college student varies by each student, and can be as different as night and day. Some students study by day, and some by night. Conveniently, you don't have to set a schedule and stick to it since everyday can be different. I attend AIU Online and take classes whenever I want. The only requirements are that I complete my assignments on time, and login at least once every 15 days.
I know a lot of people out there have questions about how online college works, so I wanted to answer some of the most common questions I hear.
When do you study?
This varies from student to student and day to day. For me, it depends on what else I have going on. Sometimes I study during normal daytime hours, sometimes I study in the evenings and into the night. I have been known to wake up at 2 or 3 in the morning and get back into it! There are lots of students who work full time and/or take care of families and only study on the weekends.
When do you go to class, and how do you attend?
How do I attend? Usually in my jammies! Seriously! The first thing I do is to logon to the Virtual Campus, which is like stepping onto a physical college campus. Once I'm logged in I choose which direction to go, whether it be the Virtual Library, the learning center (where we find tutoring and learning labs), or to the classroom area. Then I choose which classroom to enter. The actual classes are scheduled one or two times a week for each class. We have the option of attending class in real time or catching the class later in the recorded archive.
AIU suggests that you log into class at least one hour per day, but its not a requirement. I pretty much set my own schedule and make sure I meet the weekly assignment deadline. The schools' computer system keeps up with when you are logged in. If you go 15 days without being logged in, you will be withdrawn due to nonparticipation.
How do you ask questions or interact with the professor and other students?
There are several methods of communication between the professor(s) and fellow students. The professors have regular office hours, and provide contact information like their phone number and email. I also have e-mail addresses for my fellow students, and instant message chat available. I am able to see when our instructor is online, and when my fellow students are online, (like in Yahoo, AOL or Facebook instant chat) so I often IM that way. I also use the Discussion Boards regularly. We actually have Discussion Board assignments that require us to post certain projects and respond to other students' work, in the interest of creating an actual classroom discussion.
The best real-time communication is either using IM or attending the live class-chat. Class-chat is similar to an online meeting, and the professor welcomes all who are attending the chat room live. I can hear the professors' voice, and some instructors also have video which allows me to see them. I am able to see the names of other students who are in attendance, and to chat with them. I can also type questions to the instructor. The professor answers these questions in real time, and then usually starts a class lecture that includes various slides, power point presentations, etc. I love to attend the classes live, but if I can't, then I can watch them later in the recorded archives. I find it helpful to watch the archived recording even I was in the live class, in case I missed something.
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