Posts Tagged ‘PC security’
When Can Police Force You to Decrypt Your Data?
Can police in the United States to force you to unlock an encrypted hard disk—or individual files on your PC—for inspection? A pair of federal appeals court decisions issued on February 23 clarified the murky answers to these questions. The answer is basically: If police know what you encrypted, they can make you decrypt it [...]
Who’s Protecting Your Privacy Online? No One…Except You!
The Internet is everywhere. It’s not just on your laptop anymore…nearly 1 billion consumers worldwide now carry Internet-connected smartphones. That means “malware” spread over the Internet—viruses that steal your data, pfishing scams that trick you into giving a thief access to passwords—and other threats will only get worse. How can you protect yourself? Here are [...]
Internet Telephony: Cheap, but NOT Private
Only a few years ago, it seemed like a dream: place—or receive calls—from anywhere you have an Internet connection, for only a few dollars a month—or for free? With a technology called “voice over Internet Protocol,” or VOIP, you now can. VOIP technology chops your phone conversations into digital packets and sends them over the [...]
Congress Inveighs Against Surveillance Abuses—in China
It’s great to know that our elected representatives are vigilantly guarding civil liberties. Only, they’re much more concerned about surveillance in other countries, not here in the USA. Case in point: China. Over the last few weeks, congressional civil libertarians have revived legislation that, if enacted, would forbid U.S. companies from selling electronic surveillance equipment [...]
Can Police Search Your Cell Phone without a Warrant?
Modern cell phones do a great deal more than simply send and receive calls. They’re sophisticated personal computers with the same capabilities, and more, of a laptop PC. You can use them to send and receive e-mail and instant messages, browse the Internet, keep track of your appointments, take photos and videos, etc. If you [...]
Canadian Customs Wants Your Laptop, Too
U.S. customs authorities have assigned themselves the authority to copy all data on your laptop or other electronic device when you cross a U.S. border. I wrote about this policy in an earlier post. Now, customs authorities in Canada (and other countries, especially the U.K.) are getting into the act. I’ve received reports from several [...]
Windows “Shadow Copy” Raises Security Risks
I’ve long criticized the lackadaisical attitude of Microsoft toward security. However, in recent years they’ve done a much better job identifying and patching vulnerabilities in their operating systems and applications. One exception, though, is the “Shadow Copy” feature incorporated into Windows Vista and Microsoft’s newest operating system, Windows 7. Shadow Copy is what lets these [...]
Heaven Forbid…a GOOD Lawsuit?
Some lawsuits are frivolous, but most are not. If industry practices, the government, or any other combination of factors makes it impossible for you to avoid some kind of loss, your only recourse may be to file a lawsuit. I was reminded of this principal recently when I learned a couple in Illinois recently sued [...]
Spies Can Monitor Your Keystrokes Through the Air—or the Electrical Grid
No, it’s not an April Fool’s joke. If only it were… Imagine you’re a lawyer, and you’re working on an important legal brief for a client at a coffee shop, airport or other public location. Unknown to you, your legal opponent is sitting on the other side of the room. Using an oscilloscope and an [...]
Spy on Yourself … for the Children
Nothing is “too much” when it comes to protecting our children. Especially your privacy. Republicans in the U.S. Senate and House have introduced companion bills that would force Internet Service providers (ISPs) to retain user data from every subscriber for up to two years. Key congressional Democrats and the Obama administration appear to endorse their [...]