For a while now, I've been a participant in what is called "Counter Strike" on a client platform known as "Steam" v1.6. It's premise is relatively simple, play "T" or "Terrorist" and your objective is one of three. Either a) plant the bomb, b) hold hostages ransom, and if necessary, kill em, and/or c) kill your opponents or the "CTs" (Counter-terrorists). If you play "CT", then your objective is the opposite of those three "T" objectives. In my view, it's very addictive, especially when using weapons that are close to real world weapons, instead of some made-up super-weapon.
There are no levels, and there are no "invincibility" cheats to exploit. But there's a side to this game that almost no one talks about anymore, and it's also the reason I feel is the decline of the popularity of the game. When I first started, I had used a computer far inferior to the one I have now. It's capabilities were limited at best, so running this type of game required, quite literally, an all-night adventure. It's also the reason I felt I was lacking in the game, and really there wasn't much I could do about it, except go and spend $500-900 for hardware that I felt wasn't justified. Though even on a Cable Modem connection, there's still moments of sheer lag that just makes the game horrible to play, even as a fan.
Removing the hardware/software issue of the game, and removing the variable of my computer system being an issue, I've noticed that there seems to be blatant disregard for certain guards against cheating. Whether by design, or by design flaw, many have chosen to exploit the vulnerability in the system to their liking. Steam (aka Valve) has put into place what is called "VAC" or "Valve Anti-Cheat" system. Supposedly, this logs a user who is frequently exploiting "hacks" to better their aim, their efficiency, even their kill rate. In theory, this VAC system will log the user's IP address, and send a signal to Valve's mainframe computer that the user has fraudulently exploited the system, and will subsequently ban that user for life. In other words, if one decides to cheat, they run the risk of being given the permanent kick in the ass.
However, as my best friend and I soon found out, this VAC system is nothing more than a glorified joke of an Anti-Cheat system. During play on one of my favorite servers, I notice that many still use "hacks" despite the warning that displays during a load of every server, saying that if caught, that player will be banned. But what are some of the more popular cheats that one can use? What's the most surprising is that despite this so-called "VAC" system, there are hacks available that are undetectable by such system, rendering it rather useless.
I did some digging around, went to a few various sites, and what I found wasn't exactly surprising, though I wonder why Valve hasn't done the same search to find these cheat-producing users, and ban them for life. Among some of the more exploits are:
1) Auto-Aim (aka AimBot) - This is probably the most popular of the hacks. I'm not entirely sure the process, but it allows one to simply sit back, relax, and simply click the mouse when needed to make a kill. No forced moving around the mouse to get a good clean shot, you just wait, and kill when the time is right.
2) Wall Hack - Probably the more talked about (and rather annoying) hack of them all. This is when you are clearly NOT in view of any enemy, yet seemingly you are killed. Why? This hack will basically allow someone to clearly see you on the other side of a wall, and shoot you with any weapon for a kill. Some claim that they do not use this exploit, but I've witnessed people shooting at walls only to get a good 2-3 kills out of it. This can't just be a user being "that good" at playing.
3) Speed - Whether increasing your overall speed, or slowing everyone else down, this hack is when someone clearly is moving faster than the rest of the players on a server. This is not only an annoying hack, but it can also create server-side lag that makes playing the game honestly very difficult, and turns off many new players.
4) Invisibility cheat - Self explantory, but not quite. Basically, a player can conceal himself in a less visible way, wait for the time to strike, then knife another player's character to death. This I feel is one of the worst cheats/exploits/hacks. No matter how good you are, someone ALWAYS has this exploit running, and they WILL find you. Doesn't matter where you are, they will hunt and kill your character.
So what drives an individual to "hack" a game that is intended to be an honest, fair, and otherwise fun game? Some do it for fun, but for most it's about increasing their statistics, especially their kill-to-death ratio. Some do it just for the simple fact that they can, and haven't gotten caught. A good majority do it for the fact of being considered "the best", even though they are really cheating both themselves and the people who they use these exploits against. Unfortunately, despite Valve/Steam's best efforts, I believe "hacking" / exploiting the game still goes on, and is a much more widespread practice than what is believed by newbie players. This type of exploint turns off most veteran players from even joining games.
What can be done to curb this total disregard for playing an honest game? What measures can be put into place that ensure the spirit of the game isn't "hacked" or cheated upon? For one, I think Steam/Valve needs to routinely (and randomly) check a good sampling of servers every month to verify that each one is abiding by their VAC system. If they have to, they should hire people trained to spot "hacks", and report the behavior to those who can review, even suspend and/or terminate accounts whose holders have decided it was time to cheat.
Another idea would be for Steam/Valve to do a regular Google search. Just quick few keywords and I was able to locate "hacks" for Steam/Counter strike within a few minutes of my time. If Steam claims this kind of involvement would require too many man-hours, they are wrong. Again, it only took me a few minutes to figure out what cheats were out there. Based on the "hacks" that are available, one could argue that Steam has the resources to combat this behavior, and even write new patches to detect these exploits better, and eliminate those players who breach rules more aggressively.
Lastly, I think Steam ought to provide a reward system for those who report suspicious behavior. Give an incentive for players who report "hacks" and game-exploitations, like $5 off a purchase from Steam/Valve. That would certainly get me to start reporting people left and right. Although, I agree that this might require manpower, not only to investigate, but to enforce rules, and if necessary carry out the consequential actions.
Over the past 6 years, this has been my #1 game, but not for the good reasons. It's been on my crap list of games that people exploit for their own gain, and even though I still play it, I wish I didn't. Too many have "hacked" the game to the point where it's not even fun anymore. There are very few servers to login to where cheating isn't exactly widely used, and the servers one does find it is not long before someone who is cheating logs on and takes the whole fun out of it all.
In closing, and I hope this is read by Valve/Steam, because this really is the reason in my opinion that has brought upon the decline of players. It was only a few short years ago that I would log on and the number of servers would number in the THOUSANDS, possibly tens of thousands. Today, logging in, I only find a few hundred servers, and most of which are infested with "hackers".
I've thought about using such "hacks" for my own gain, but then I would be lowering myself. I don't want to do that. I feel that if one is to play an online multiplayer game, one should be able to play fairly, and without the use of "enhancements" or hacks to get ahead.
Steam/Valve, if you are reading this, you've still got a lot of work to do.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Counter-Strike & Steam: To Hack or Not To Hack
Born and raised in southern California, I've lived in many different places. I've worked as a customer service agent, technical support, billing, and as a "travel industry professional". My experience with computers is extensive, with experience in almost all computer systems, and I have the ability to adapt to new computer systems easily. I've also got plenty of peripheral experience (printers, cameras, scanners, USB hard drives, USB flash drives, etc). The point is that if you have a computer problem, I'll do my best to answer it, and if I cannot, I'll direct you to the people who can help. I provide this blog not to "out" anyone in the industry, but to help the common consumer understand what techs do on the other end of the phone. We're not just mindless drones, and we can do our jobs effectively if you'll let us. All I ask in return is that you give us patience, and the common sense to follow directions. And of course, read my blog before calling. It'll save you a lot of frustration, and possibly a lot of time arguing over something minuscule.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Social Networks And Security Settings (And You)
It should go without saying (by now, I hope) that social networks are a great way to keep in touch (or reconnect with) friends of old, new, and in between. It has been my experience that sites like MySpace and Facebook are excellent tools to share ideas (whether similar or otherwise) with friends, family members, and even local news stations are getting in on this great tool. There are, however, drawbacks to having such an open-book lifestyle. Some of the more common drawbacks are the increasing demands of employers to invade personal lives, intrude on people's personal business, and even use that information against their own employees.
One of the more serious threats, notwithstanding businesses who wish to use social networks as their own personal "big-brother", is the reality that there are individuals who seek to destroy personal lives for their own personal gain. One such practice has been the increasing presence of scams that appear to be genuine, but in truth are designed to elude you into a false sense of "doing the right thing." Other practices are quite common that include getting you to provide your information in hopes of "hacking" your social network account, and post messages, videos, links, and photos that are pornographic in nature, or just simply ruin your good name.
It's worth noting that aside from my own personal experiences using such sites, I've watched news tips and reports on Facebook, MySpace, etc, and have found that while some of their tips are genuinely good, a lot of it is designed to scare you into seclusion. While it is true that many of us fear that someone may one day steal our identity with something as simple as using a No. 2 pencil (this is not new, by the way), we can however, take some steps to minimize a potential threat, or even neutralize an existing one. On that note, it should be completely clear that if you're not using common sense, you shouldn't be on any social network sites, and should be sticking with good ol' email. Better yet, stick to the regular snail mail.
On a related note, social networking sites can cause problems within a family, and usually dealing with children and/or pre-teens/teens. If you are a parent, there are some tips that may prove helpful while only minimally encroaching your child's privacy. It should go without saying that there are potentially hundreds of threats that children face daily while using the internet, the least of which has almost nothing to do with acts of a sexual nature. I emphasize "almost", because it's not necessarily what predators are after. I'll probably cover this more in an opinion blog later down the road, but the best defense for any parent against this would be to "TALK TO YOUR KIDS!" My best advice is to be an active listener, and be reasonable.
So, how does one protect themselves against the seemingly endless array of online threats when using social networking sites like Facebook? What steps are practiced widely? As a computer tech, I can say with certainty that there is no simple solution, but there are simple steps that anyone with a brain can do to minimize those threats.
(One final note before getting into the details, if you're that concerned over being safe, it's probably an exaggeration, but my advice would be to shut down your PC, stay indoors, and lock your doors, and windows up nice and tight)
Since some social network sites are different in how your account interacts with others, I'm going to base my observations from using Facebook. If you are having difficulty with the social network site of your choice, please refer to that site's help or frequently asked questions page for more information.
Some steps you can do:
1) Settings - Whether it's privacy settings or the account settings, this can do a multitude of tasks designed to protect you. First and foremost, unless you are like me and you know exactly who you are interacting with, you'll probably want to limit the information that people can see. On Facebook, there are ways to set the privacy level of most given sections of your profile to either "Everyone", "Only Friends", "Friends of Friends", and "Customize". There's also an option where you can selectively block people from accessing certain information, or block them from your profile completely. This is also true for the photo albums and their respective settings. You'll want to lock out anyone who might find your night of passion with a hot date objectionable.
2) Wall/Status Posting - Obviously there are some things that don't need to be communicated over the internet, such as "I'm going to take a huge dump!" That's probably something you want to keep inside your head, rather than share with the world. There will, however, be some grey areas about what's acceptable to post, and what should never be posted. While everyone should agree that posting something like "I hate my fucking boss" is just not acceptable, especially when someone, say a co-worker, sees that, and decides to play the politics game, which can land a person in trouble very quickly, and quite possibly fired. A huge debate is going on about that, and while I agree that we have rights to free speech, it can however damage an employers' reputation, no matter how warranted it may be. Maybe that person feels he or she is being mistreated at work, or treated unfairly, or perhaps they deserve the unfair treatment for their poor performance. Whatever the reason may be, posts like this should never circulate on a scale that rivals even the best phone chains. An obvious post like "got a date with a hot blonde from the mall" after calling in sick would be VERY inappropriate, especially if that person is friends with an assistant manager or something like that. The key here is to use your best judgment, use logic, and above all, use common sense.
3) Usernames and Passwords - This is perhaps a most understated point, and couldn't ever be stated enough. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER let anyone know your username and password... On ANYTHING! Not even a close friend, not a co-worker, not even your most trusted computer technician should know YOUR username and YOUR password. Statistically speaking, some 85% of social network users use their personal email address, and the same password to access said email account as their login for Facebook. If anyone knows this information, even by accident, it could mean trouble for the victim. My best personal advice is either to never give out your information (which is the top advice of ALL computer techs), or if anyone in your circle of trust needs to know that information, set up a separate email account and password specifically for Facebook. This is good for two reasons. One, you can minimize the damage by immediately changing your associated email address on Facebook, and two, if you cannot change it (usually because it's been changed by the "suspect" who has your login information), this lets you deactivate the email account, so that the suspect in question can't change anything else, and therefore will be stuck with an account that can't be closed due to the email no longer active. (This has happened to me with an old MySpace account)
4) Applications - Applications can be a lot of fun, and can be even more fun when shared with friends who have similar interests. Though there are some apps that shouldn't be shared for the same reason some statuses shouldn't be as well. Do yourself a favor. If you are really going to add that funny application that has some mature content to it, make sure you don't post anything that someone in your family might see. Remember what I said in my previous blog about "if grandma shouldn't see it"? Same is true for applications on social network sites.
5) Fan Pages - This can be both good and bad. I'll start with the bad first. Once again, if family members see that you are a fan of "porn", that might cause some problems, so it's probably best to avoid the obvious material that is objectionable to some. Similarly, there are sometimes fan pages to TV shows and movies, which are harmless in nature, but can spark sharp differences between friends, family members, and sometimes leads to severed communications. Just like applications, this can be good though in the sense that you can share similar interests with friends and family.
6) Links - Setting up links for people in your friends list to review can be a good way to get your ideas posted, and have a resource to back those ideas up. Some links are well-intentioned, but can have devastating effects. It goes without saying that a posted link about sex might get some friends' attention, but it might also get unwanted attention from family members who have children who view YOUR page. Once again, if grandma shouldn't see it, your kids shouldn't either.
7) Comments - This is one of those lovely topics that seem to bite people in the ass more times than I'm sure anyone cares to admit. Comments are very powerful, and sometimes can have a lasting, but unwanted result. I'm talking about comments that are, at times, objectionable to some individuals. Honestly, I couldn't care less who reads my comments, but over time I've been selective in what comments are visible on my profile. Nevertheless, some comments should remain as inside thoughts in your head. I've seen some pretty nasty comments that include racist remarks, political bigotry, and even some content that includes acts of a sexual (and grossly peculiar) nature. This has led me to believe that a person's comments can sometimes reflect what a person is really thinking and feeling, but would probably not say in a face-to-face meeting with a person offline. Although, this is not necessarily true, it once again comes to the point that if grandma shouldn't see it, your family, and even more-so, your employer shouldn't see it either. Posting something like "Oh man, I want to just take off her clothes, rip her panties off and bang her every which way but loose" is probably going to get a lot of male friends' attention, but will certainly turn off a lot of women, and even more so, they'll drop you like a bad habit.
8) Groups - No matter if you're using social network sites, or sites like Yahoo that utilize "groups", they can be fun, sometimes informative, and even provide valuable information about a product, service, idea, or just a fun online get-together with friends who have similar interests. Just like the aforementioned sections, groups can also be bad when friends, family, and even employers might put you in a negative light depending on what groups you belong to. Groups can also provide insight into what a person likes, dislikes, and in some cases, tell a prospective employer why they should NOT hire you. Again, do yourself a favor. If you are applying for jobs, DO NOT give employers your personal email address. Instead, give them an email that has been specifically set up to receive employer applications, and one that can't be searched for on social network sites.
9) Friends/Family - Okay, this one is another one of the grey areas that people are a little hot (like my friend John Brown might say) about. Certainly, social network sites are fun and useful when it comes to connecting with current friends, reconnecting with old friends, and even connect with family members that are hundreds or thousands of miles away. However, they can also be hurtful if there are clashes between friends you know from column A, and those from column B, as well as family members. I've been extremely fortunate that most of my friends know me well enough, and most are of the same type of personality, that there is rarely a moment where clashes occur. That being said, clashes can often occur where there is a strong difference of opinion on both sides of an argument. I think that it's a great thing to be able to share ideas openly, but there is a point where some ideas, no matter how well-intentioned, can be hurtful, even if that wasn't the intention of the originating post. Does this mean you need to ask if you can share your thought? No, but a word of advice. Use your brain, it's there for a reason. Knowing who might benefit from an idea, or benefit from some new way of looking at an idea can be helpful to everyone on your friends list. Better yet, instead of mass posting it to the world about your idea, send it to a few individual friends or family members and get their thoughts about it.
10) Profile Information - There isn't much to discuss here. You can provide as much or as little information as you want, but a good rule of thumb would be to limit what you expose of yourself to others. Again, this goes back to the privacy and account settings mentioned earlier. I've heard of stories where a suspect got a victim's name, address, and phone number just by looking it up on Facebook. However, what that story DOES NOT include is that person was probably careless with their settings and was showing it to EVERYONE. I can't stress this enough, but I'm a strong advocate of COMMON SENSE! There's an old phrase that says "Use it or lose it" My twist on that is, you should "USE YOUR BRAIN" or "LOSE YOUR PERSONAL LIFE", because it can and will be exposed if you are not careful.
A final word on social network sites, if you are new to using such sites, my advice is to get to know the settings. Play around with them, and see what works for you. Often times, I get people who come up to me and ask where a setting is, and after guiding them to that setting, they forget it quickly. Practice makes perfect, and if you visit the settings page regularly on your favorite social network of choice, you should be able to navigate your way into using the security settings that are provided by the developers. Use them wisely, but again, use common sense, it does work!
On my next blog, we'll get more into the opinions side of social networks, starting with parenting. I'd like to ask my readers that if there is a point you'd like for me to make in my next blog, I want to know about it. Send me your ideas to either my Facebook inbox, or email me at halfblind79@gmail.com!
Have a comment? Suggestion? A topic you'd like to have discussed on my blog? Email me at halfblind79@gmail.com. And if I don't know the answer, I'll post up information on who to ask, where to go, or what to do to get your answer. :) Until then, have a great day, and I hope you've enjoyed reading my computer tips so far!
One of the more serious threats, notwithstanding businesses who wish to use social networks as their own personal "big-brother", is the reality that there are individuals who seek to destroy personal lives for their own personal gain. One such practice has been the increasing presence of scams that appear to be genuine, but in truth are designed to elude you into a false sense of "doing the right thing." Other practices are quite common that include getting you to provide your information in hopes of "hacking" your social network account, and post messages, videos, links, and photos that are pornographic in nature, or just simply ruin your good name.
It's worth noting that aside from my own personal experiences using such sites, I've watched news tips and reports on Facebook, MySpace, etc, and have found that while some of their tips are genuinely good, a lot of it is designed to scare you into seclusion. While it is true that many of us fear that someone may one day steal our identity with something as simple as using a No. 2 pencil (this is not new, by the way), we can however, take some steps to minimize a potential threat, or even neutralize an existing one. On that note, it should be completely clear that if you're not using common sense, you shouldn't be on any social network sites, and should be sticking with good ol' email. Better yet, stick to the regular snail mail.
On a related note, social networking sites can cause problems within a family, and usually dealing with children and/or pre-teens/teens. If you are a parent, there are some tips that may prove helpful while only minimally encroaching your child's privacy. It should go without saying that there are potentially hundreds of threats that children face daily while using the internet, the least of which has almost nothing to do with acts of a sexual nature. I emphasize "almost", because it's not necessarily what predators are after. I'll probably cover this more in an opinion blog later down the road, but the best defense for any parent against this would be to "TALK TO YOUR KIDS!" My best advice is to be an active listener, and be reasonable.
So, how does one protect themselves against the seemingly endless array of online threats when using social networking sites like Facebook? What steps are practiced widely? As a computer tech, I can say with certainty that there is no simple solution, but there are simple steps that anyone with a brain can do to minimize those threats.
(One final note before getting into the details, if you're that concerned over being safe, it's probably an exaggeration, but my advice would be to shut down your PC, stay indoors, and lock your doors, and windows up nice and tight)
Since some social network sites are different in how your account interacts with others, I'm going to base my observations from using Facebook. If you are having difficulty with the social network site of your choice, please refer to that site's help or frequently asked questions page for more information.
Some steps you can do:
1) Settings - Whether it's privacy settings or the account settings, this can do a multitude of tasks designed to protect you. First and foremost, unless you are like me and you know exactly who you are interacting with, you'll probably want to limit the information that people can see. On Facebook, there are ways to set the privacy level of most given sections of your profile to either "Everyone", "Only Friends", "Friends of Friends", and "Customize". There's also an option where you can selectively block people from accessing certain information, or block them from your profile completely. This is also true for the photo albums and their respective settings. You'll want to lock out anyone who might find your night of passion with a hot date objectionable.
2) Wall/Status Posting - Obviously there are some things that don't need to be communicated over the internet, such as "I'm going to take a huge dump!" That's probably something you want to keep inside your head, rather than share with the world. There will, however, be some grey areas about what's acceptable to post, and what should never be posted. While everyone should agree that posting something like "I hate my fucking boss" is just not acceptable, especially when someone, say a co-worker, sees that, and decides to play the politics game, which can land a person in trouble very quickly, and quite possibly fired. A huge debate is going on about that, and while I agree that we have rights to free speech, it can however damage an employers' reputation, no matter how warranted it may be. Maybe that person feels he or she is being mistreated at work, or treated unfairly, or perhaps they deserve the unfair treatment for their poor performance. Whatever the reason may be, posts like this should never circulate on a scale that rivals even the best phone chains. An obvious post like "got a date with a hot blonde from the mall" after calling in sick would be VERY inappropriate, especially if that person is friends with an assistant manager or something like that. The key here is to use your best judgment, use logic, and above all, use common sense.
3) Usernames and Passwords - This is perhaps a most understated point, and couldn't ever be stated enough. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER let anyone know your username and password... On ANYTHING! Not even a close friend, not a co-worker, not even your most trusted computer technician should know YOUR username and YOUR password. Statistically speaking, some 85% of social network users use their personal email address, and the same password to access said email account as their login for Facebook. If anyone knows this information, even by accident, it could mean trouble for the victim. My best personal advice is either to never give out your information (which is the top advice of ALL computer techs), or if anyone in your circle of trust needs to know that information, set up a separate email account and password specifically for Facebook. This is good for two reasons. One, you can minimize the damage by immediately changing your associated email address on Facebook, and two, if you cannot change it (usually because it's been changed by the "suspect" who has your login information), this lets you deactivate the email account, so that the suspect in question can't change anything else, and therefore will be stuck with an account that can't be closed due to the email no longer active. (This has happened to me with an old MySpace account)
4) Applications - Applications can be a lot of fun, and can be even more fun when shared with friends who have similar interests. Though there are some apps that shouldn't be shared for the same reason some statuses shouldn't be as well. Do yourself a favor. If you are really going to add that funny application that has some mature content to it, make sure you don't post anything that someone in your family might see. Remember what I said in my previous blog about "if grandma shouldn't see it"? Same is true for applications on social network sites.
5) Fan Pages - This can be both good and bad. I'll start with the bad first. Once again, if family members see that you are a fan of "porn", that might cause some problems, so it's probably best to avoid the obvious material that is objectionable to some. Similarly, there are sometimes fan pages to TV shows and movies, which are harmless in nature, but can spark sharp differences between friends, family members, and sometimes leads to severed communications. Just like applications, this can be good though in the sense that you can share similar interests with friends and family.
6) Links - Setting up links for people in your friends list to review can be a good way to get your ideas posted, and have a resource to back those ideas up. Some links are well-intentioned, but can have devastating effects. It goes without saying that a posted link about sex might get some friends' attention, but it might also get unwanted attention from family members who have children who view YOUR page. Once again, if grandma shouldn't see it, your kids shouldn't either.
7) Comments - This is one of those lovely topics that seem to bite people in the ass more times than I'm sure anyone cares to admit. Comments are very powerful, and sometimes can have a lasting, but unwanted result. I'm talking about comments that are, at times, objectionable to some individuals. Honestly, I couldn't care less who reads my comments, but over time I've been selective in what comments are visible on my profile. Nevertheless, some comments should remain as inside thoughts in your head. I've seen some pretty nasty comments that include racist remarks, political bigotry, and even some content that includes acts of a sexual (and grossly peculiar) nature. This has led me to believe that a person's comments can sometimes reflect what a person is really thinking and feeling, but would probably not say in a face-to-face meeting with a person offline. Although, this is not necessarily true, it once again comes to the point that if grandma shouldn't see it, your family, and even more-so, your employer shouldn't see it either. Posting something like "Oh man, I want to just take off her clothes, rip her panties off and bang her every which way but loose" is probably going to get a lot of male friends' attention, but will certainly turn off a lot of women, and even more so, they'll drop you like a bad habit.
8) Groups - No matter if you're using social network sites, or sites like Yahoo that utilize "groups", they can be fun, sometimes informative, and even provide valuable information about a product, service, idea, or just a fun online get-together with friends who have similar interests. Just like the aforementioned sections, groups can also be bad when friends, family, and even employers might put you in a negative light depending on what groups you belong to. Groups can also provide insight into what a person likes, dislikes, and in some cases, tell a prospective employer why they should NOT hire you. Again, do yourself a favor. If you are applying for jobs, DO NOT give employers your personal email address. Instead, give them an email that has been specifically set up to receive employer applications, and one that can't be searched for on social network sites.
9) Friends/Family - Okay, this one is another one of the grey areas that people are a little hot (like my friend John Brown might say) about. Certainly, social network sites are fun and useful when it comes to connecting with current friends, reconnecting with old friends, and even connect with family members that are hundreds or thousands of miles away. However, they can also be hurtful if there are clashes between friends you know from column A, and those from column B, as well as family members. I've been extremely fortunate that most of my friends know me well enough, and most are of the same type of personality, that there is rarely a moment where clashes occur. That being said, clashes can often occur where there is a strong difference of opinion on both sides of an argument. I think that it's a great thing to be able to share ideas openly, but there is a point where some ideas, no matter how well-intentioned, can be hurtful, even if that wasn't the intention of the originating post. Does this mean you need to ask if you can share your thought? No, but a word of advice. Use your brain, it's there for a reason. Knowing who might benefit from an idea, or benefit from some new way of looking at an idea can be helpful to everyone on your friends list. Better yet, instead of mass posting it to the world about your idea, send it to a few individual friends or family members and get their thoughts about it.
10) Profile Information - There isn't much to discuss here. You can provide as much or as little information as you want, but a good rule of thumb would be to limit what you expose of yourself to others. Again, this goes back to the privacy and account settings mentioned earlier. I've heard of stories where a suspect got a victim's name, address, and phone number just by looking it up on Facebook. However, what that story DOES NOT include is that person was probably careless with their settings and was showing it to EVERYONE. I can't stress this enough, but I'm a strong advocate of COMMON SENSE! There's an old phrase that says "Use it or lose it" My twist on that is, you should "USE YOUR BRAIN" or "LOSE YOUR PERSONAL LIFE", because it can and will be exposed if you are not careful.
A final word on social network sites, if you are new to using such sites, my advice is to get to know the settings. Play around with them, and see what works for you. Often times, I get people who come up to me and ask where a setting is, and after guiding them to that setting, they forget it quickly. Practice makes perfect, and if you visit the settings page regularly on your favorite social network of choice, you should be able to navigate your way into using the security settings that are provided by the developers. Use them wisely, but again, use common sense, it does work!
On my next blog, we'll get more into the opinions side of social networks, starting with parenting. I'd like to ask my readers that if there is a point you'd like for me to make in my next blog, I want to know about it. Send me your ideas to either my Facebook inbox, or email me at halfblind79@gmail.com!
Have a comment? Suggestion? A topic you'd like to have discussed on my blog? Email me at halfblind79@gmail.com. And if I don't know the answer, I'll post up information on who to ask, where to go, or what to do to get your answer. :) Until then, have a great day, and I hope you've enjoyed reading my computer tips so far!
Born and raised in southern California, I've lived in many different places. I've worked as a customer service agent, technical support, billing, and as a "travel industry professional". My experience with computers is extensive, with experience in almost all computer systems, and I have the ability to adapt to new computer systems easily. I've also got plenty of peripheral experience (printers, cameras, scanners, USB hard drives, USB flash drives, etc). The point is that if you have a computer problem, I'll do my best to answer it, and if I cannot, I'll direct you to the people who can help. I provide this blog not to "out" anyone in the industry, but to help the common consumer understand what techs do on the other end of the phone. We're not just mindless drones, and we can do our jobs effectively if you'll let us. All I ask in return is that you give us patience, and the common sense to follow directions. And of course, read my blog before calling. It'll save you a lot of frustration, and possibly a lot of time arguing over something minuscule.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Passwords and You
In today's world, passwords are on almost everything. Online Journal sites, email, forums, message boards, and even chat rooms are sometimes password protected. Back when I was growing up, if I didn't want someone to see something I've written on my computer (this was back in the day of "IBM-PC clones), I came up with passwords that no one in my family could ever venture to guess, but if I wanted to get into something of theirs, the passwords were quite easy to figure out. The purpose of my blog today is to focus on passwords, and what you can do to minimize the possibility of your account being hacked into. One piece of information that I'd like to point out is that even the strongest password encryption is no match for the most sophisticated trojan virus. Keep your anti-virus definitions up-to-date and have the latest security updates and service packs installed. If you have trouble with this, please refer to your computer manufacturer for help.
So you might ask what makes a good password? What can make your password even better than what it is now? After reviewing a lot of information on various sites, and drawing from my own experience, here are (what I think) some good guidelines to go by for creating a password that is highly improbable to break or hack:
1) Use the KISS method - Keep It Short And Simple. In other words, creating a password that has 35 characters in it is NOT going to be easy to remember. Usually a password containing 6-10 characters should be sufficient enough.
2) Use both numbers and letters (alphanumeric) - I can't stress this enough. Using both letters and numbers in your password decreases the possibility of your password being hacked. A good example that I like to draw upon is when I used to watch Star Trek (TNG or DS9) and whenever a character calls the computer for protected information and uses their name and some military phonetic pronunciation of an alphabet letter with a number, e.g. "Picard 47 Alpha Tango" (one of my favorites) In this case, I would use Picard47AT. Again, just an example. I don't know who in their right mind would use that exact password to begin with, but you get the idea.
3) Don't Use Common Words - Words like bank, bird, flower, dog, or even children's names should never be used as passwords. First, they are easy passwords, and second, given time someone can and will figure it out. Also, avoid using the dictionary. Like my first suggestion, using the dictionary may not only end with you being frustrated that you can't remember your password, but now you'll have to go through an entire letter in the dictionary just to find it.
4) Rotate Your Passwords - This is sort of a personal suggestion. At any given time I have at least 5 passwords that I can use to replace a hacked one. I used to keep a list, but they're all in my head now. Well, most of them anyway. The point is, a good idea will be to keep a list of passwords somewhere safe, secure, and readily accessible. Creating 5 unique passwords should be sufficient enough, and rotate them every 3-6 months. Most employers who set up authenticated access usually require this step, anyway. So do yourself a favor and have a primary password in mind, and have at least 4 alternates. One quick note on this, I've worked for employers where after changing your password at the required interval, you cannot go back to your original password until at least 6 different passwords have been used. In this instance, I had to get creative with my password generating process.
5) Get Creative - If you've created your passwords list, and you've run out of them in a short amount of time (believe it or not, this has happened to some folks), then it's time to use a bit of imagination in creating your next password. In my experience, I've used the military phonetic alphabet full name, say "delta" and then a number from something in my 30 years of life like part of a phone number (either the first 3 digits, or the last 4 without area code), and area code, or even a zip code that only I've been to and no one else would figure it out. For example, sometimes I'll go with a password like "charlie702", or even better would be "tango89107".
6) Use capital letters and special symbols - Some sites require this step, and even some employers. While I admit that this adds a little more security in your password, I would recommend against it. Too many times have I used this type of password, and almost every time I forget to put in the symbol or capital letter. It goes without saying that I've even locked myself out of accounts because of this security step. But if it is required, just make sure to add a mental note of the special requirement. Write it down if you have to, but if you do, make sure to keep it stored somewhere safe and secure where no one else will find it.
I'd like to end this with a few quick tips to go by. First, never assume that someone needs your account information, including your password, for anything. In the wrong hands, someone can really have a devastating effect on your life just by knowing how to gain access to sites that you visit frequently, and with your information. Avoid at all costs giving ANYONE (even a friend or a family member) your login information for anything. Second, never assume that just because you have a strong password means you are invulnerable. Always make sure you have installed the latest updates to your operating system, especially security updates, and also make sure you have both a firewall and an anti-virus program installed. Lastly, some articles I've read suggest you use a password manager to help you with password-protected sites and managing your login information that way. This is both good and bad, and for many reasons on both. Personally, I'd recommend against using any such program, especially if your computer is shared with others.
One final piece of advice to close this blog. If you do share your computer with others, I recommend that you ALWAYS log out of sites and programs that you use or go to, even restart the computer if you have to, clean your internet cache and your browser cookies regularly. This prevents anyone from accessing your information after you've finished using the computer system. Also, never assume that you've been logged out completely from any visited site. Your friend might be respectful and log you out as a courtesy, but someone else may want to prod and poke around in your personal affairs. Putting it mildly, if you don't want friends or family to see what kind of porn you're into, either stay out of it completely, or make damn sure you've logged out and that your login information is not shared with ANYONE outside your brain.
Have a comment? Suggestion? A topic you'd like to have discussed on my blog? Email me at halfblind79@gmail.com. And if I don't know the answer, I'll post up information on who to ask, where to go, or what to do to get your answer. :) Until then, have a great day, and I hope you've enjoyed reading my computer tips so far!
So you might ask what makes a good password? What can make your password even better than what it is now? After reviewing a lot of information on various sites, and drawing from my own experience, here are (what I think) some good guidelines to go by for creating a password that is highly improbable to break or hack:
1) Use the KISS method - Keep It Short And Simple. In other words, creating a password that has 35 characters in it is NOT going to be easy to remember. Usually a password containing 6-10 characters should be sufficient enough.
2) Use both numbers and letters (alphanumeric) - I can't stress this enough. Using both letters and numbers in your password decreases the possibility of your password being hacked. A good example that I like to draw upon is when I used to watch Star Trek (TNG or DS9) and whenever a character calls the computer for protected information and uses their name and some military phonetic pronunciation of an alphabet letter with a number, e.g. "Picard 47 Alpha Tango" (one of my favorites) In this case, I would use Picard47AT. Again, just an example. I don't know who in their right mind would use that exact password to begin with, but you get the idea.
3) Don't Use Common Words - Words like bank, bird, flower, dog, or even children's names should never be used as passwords. First, they are easy passwords, and second, given time someone can and will figure it out. Also, avoid using the dictionary. Like my first suggestion, using the dictionary may not only end with you being frustrated that you can't remember your password, but now you'll have to go through an entire letter in the dictionary just to find it.
4) Rotate Your Passwords - This is sort of a personal suggestion. At any given time I have at least 5 passwords that I can use to replace a hacked one. I used to keep a list, but they're all in my head now. Well, most of them anyway. The point is, a good idea will be to keep a list of passwords somewhere safe, secure, and readily accessible. Creating 5 unique passwords should be sufficient enough, and rotate them every 3-6 months. Most employers who set up authenticated access usually require this step, anyway. So do yourself a favor and have a primary password in mind, and have at least 4 alternates. One quick note on this, I've worked for employers where after changing your password at the required interval, you cannot go back to your original password until at least 6 different passwords have been used. In this instance, I had to get creative with my password generating process.
5) Get Creative - If you've created your passwords list, and you've run out of them in a short amount of time (believe it or not, this has happened to some folks), then it's time to use a bit of imagination in creating your next password. In my experience, I've used the military phonetic alphabet full name, say "delta" and then a number from something in my 30 years of life like part of a phone number (either the first 3 digits, or the last 4 without area code), and area code, or even a zip code that only I've been to and no one else would figure it out. For example, sometimes I'll go with a password like "charlie702", or even better would be "tango89107".
6) Use capital letters and special symbols - Some sites require this step, and even some employers. While I admit that this adds a little more security in your password, I would recommend against it. Too many times have I used this type of password, and almost every time I forget to put in the symbol or capital letter. It goes without saying that I've even locked myself out of accounts because of this security step. But if it is required, just make sure to add a mental note of the special requirement. Write it down if you have to, but if you do, make sure to keep it stored somewhere safe and secure where no one else will find it.
I'd like to end this with a few quick tips to go by. First, never assume that someone needs your account information, including your password, for anything. In the wrong hands, someone can really have a devastating effect on your life just by knowing how to gain access to sites that you visit frequently, and with your information. Avoid at all costs giving ANYONE (even a friend or a family member) your login information for anything. Second, never assume that just because you have a strong password means you are invulnerable. Always make sure you have installed the latest updates to your operating system, especially security updates, and also make sure you have both a firewall and an anti-virus program installed. Lastly, some articles I've read suggest you use a password manager to help you with password-protected sites and managing your login information that way. This is both good and bad, and for many reasons on both. Personally, I'd recommend against using any such program, especially if your computer is shared with others.
One final piece of advice to close this blog. If you do share your computer with others, I recommend that you ALWAYS log out of sites and programs that you use or go to, even restart the computer if you have to, clean your internet cache and your browser cookies regularly. This prevents anyone from accessing your information after you've finished using the computer system. Also, never assume that you've been logged out completely from any visited site. Your friend might be respectful and log you out as a courtesy, but someone else may want to prod and poke around in your personal affairs. Putting it mildly, if you don't want friends or family to see what kind of porn you're into, either stay out of it completely, or make damn sure you've logged out and that your login information is not shared with ANYONE outside your brain.
Have a comment? Suggestion? A topic you'd like to have discussed on my blog? Email me at halfblind79@gmail.com. And if I don't know the answer, I'll post up information on who to ask, where to go, or what to do to get your answer. :) Until then, have a great day, and I hope you've enjoyed reading my computer tips so far!
Born and raised in southern California, I've lived in many different places. I've worked as a customer service agent, technical support, billing, and as a "travel industry professional". My experience with computers is extensive, with experience in almost all computer systems, and I have the ability to adapt to new computer systems easily. I've also got plenty of peripheral experience (printers, cameras, scanners, USB hard drives, USB flash drives, etc). The point is that if you have a computer problem, I'll do my best to answer it, and if I cannot, I'll direct you to the people who can help. I provide this blog not to "out" anyone in the industry, but to help the common consumer understand what techs do on the other end of the phone. We're not just mindless drones, and we can do our jobs effectively if you'll let us. All I ask in return is that you give us patience, and the common sense to follow directions. And of course, read my blog before calling. It'll save you a lot of frustration, and possibly a lot of time arguing over something minuscule.
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