The Password is…..

February 16, 2017 by Jim Lastinger Leave a comment

The Problem

When working to secure our data we often overlook the most obvious of vulnerabilities, our passwords! We make our passwords easy for us to remember and in doing so they’re easier to break. First things first, a randomized 8 digit password is very strong. It’s made even stronger when providers require our passwords to have at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one special character, and one number. That process will generate 18,170,005,425,000 different passwords. If you were able to try 100 passwords a second, it would take you over 5,000 years to attempt every password! Surely, a randomized password would be almost impenetrable, right? Therein lies the problem, our passwords are not random. We compromise our passwords when we create them.

The characters we choose that compose our passwords are often words or numbers that have significance to us. For example, many numbers are often birth years, or just the number 1. Sometimes, it’s easier just to use a sequence of numbers like 123. By making the password relevant to us and easier to remember, we have made it easier to crack. In 2016 the 25 most common passwords made up about half of all passwords.

The Solution

Passwords are inconvenient. We’re supposed to have long, complex passwords and store them in our heads. To complicate our lives even further, we’re not supposed to duplicate our passwords for any site. While this may be ideal it’s also entirely impractical. The best way to maneuver through this seemingly impossible dilemma is to use a password manager. LastPass and Dashlane are both excellent choices that provide users with the security of having a complex password without the vulnerability of writing it down or the inconvenience of forgetting passwords.

Take a moment to consider how many passwords you have. Do you use the same password for different accounts? Do any of your passwords contain numeric sequences? Are you vulnerable?

Sources:

https://keepersecurity.com/public/Most-Common-Passwords-of-2016-Keeper-Security-Study.pdf

10 People Who Need a VPN [infographic]

October 23, 2014 by Jim Lastinger Leave a comment

Do you need a VPN?

We’ll get to the answer to that question in a minute, but first, let’s back it up.

Do you know what a VPN is?

VPN is a Virtual Private Network. And, it’s an effective, safe and easy way to add security and privacy to both public and private networks. Basically, it enables you to freely use and browse the Internet without the fear of putting yourself at risk of cybercrimes, hackers, or geographic restrictions.

As you can imagine, having a VPN can be really beneficial, but there are specific groups of people who really can benefit from having a VPN.

If you’re wondering if you are a one of them, check out the infographic below to find out!

Click HERE to view infographic in a new page.

For even more info about how a VPN can benefit you, visit GhostPath.com.

What The Big Dogs Are NOT Telling You About The Security Of Your Mobile Device

October 16, 2014 by Jim Lastinger Leave a comment

Ever feel like you’re not getting the whole story?

Well, we’ve done some digging and it turns out that there’s quite a lot that the big dogs (namely Google and Apple) are NOT telling you about the security of your mobile device.

According to a recent Unisys study on workplace mobile habits, it was found that many business users access important corporate data using non-secure methods, like public WiFi. Plus, an increasing number of employees are accessing their workplace’s business applications on their personal devices, putting both themselves, sensitive data and their company at risk.

And worse, most people don’t give a second thought to the security of their devices before logging on at a WiFi hotspot or checking their email using mobile data.

Here are some enlightening facts about our mobile device habits & security:

By 2020 there will be 50 billion (yes, with a b) internet-connected devices
51% of organizations have experience data loss in the last year from non-secure device usage
32% of Americans say they prefer to use simple passwords; a practice that puts you & your data at risk
In a recent media company security breach, it was uncovered that 3,000 users had the password “123456” and 2,000 users used “password” as their password

In order to better protect yourself, your data & your mobile device, get a VPN (virtual private network), which will encrypt your data and protect your privacy no matter what device you use to connect to the Internet.

This post was inspired by this infographic.

The Actual Time It Takes Hackers To Crack a Password + Celeb Phone Hacking

September 3, 2014 by Jim Lastinger Leave a comment

Do you ever wonder how secure your passwords are?

In light of the recent celebrity phone hacking scandal which resulted in revealing pictures of 100 celebs being posted and shared online and via social media, you’re probably wondering how secure your own passwords are.

The hacker, in this case, “took advantage of a security flaw in Apple’s online backup service, iCloud. Many online services lock someone out after several unsuccessful attempts to log in, but not Apple’s Find My iPhone app and iCloud. That has been changed by Apple in the aftermath of the nude celebrity photo scandal. But with unlimited guesses, a computer program can generate and test thousands of potential passwords until an account is entered. It is called a brute force attack. The tendency of many people to choose weak passwords and to use the same password for each service helped. Once a celebrity’s Find My iPhone app password is discovered, the same password often can access iCloud. People might never know their accounts have been compromised.” (quote from CNN.com)

With that in mind, if your passwords resemble something along the lines of “123456” or “password” or you use the same password for all sites, you’re putting yourself unnecessarily at risk.

Smart hackers are adept at breaking codes in little time, and when you use a simple or common password, you’re opening yourself up to be the victim of online crime.

Here is the actual time it take a hacker to break a password:

Lowercase, 6 characters = 5 minutes
Lowercase, 9 characters = 2 months
Uppercase & Lowercase, 6 characters = 5.5 hours
Uppercase & Lowercase, 9 characters = 88 years
6 characters with numbers & symbols = 8.5 days
9 characters with numbers & symbols = 19,985 years

As you can see, adding a length and complexity to your passwords pays off BIG TIME.

Here’s a little tip, instead of using simple words for your passwords, use phrases. For example: “Time flies when you’re having fun!” becomes “TFlyzwhenurhavinFUN!”

A password like that won’t be cracked for millennia!

And, be sure to use a different password or password variation for every site with a secure log-in.

For extra protection, look into a Virtual Private Network to protect your data and privacy on all your devices, anywhere in the world! Read more HERE.

For the full scoop on the celebrity phone hacking scandal, watch the video below.

This post was inspired by an element of this infographic.

How To Watch The 2014 FIFA World Cup Online

June 15, 2014 by Jim Lastinger Leave a comment

One of the world’s greatest sporting events — The FIFA World Cup — is underway, and many of you us want to watch it online.

But how?

Fortunately, in 2014, it’s easier than ever to cut-the-cord, and watch all the World Cup games online.

And, we’ve made it extra easy for you to do away with cable with this flow chart (below) that you can follow.

World Cup Flow Chart for Cord Cutters
click for full-size

IMPORTANT: If you’re watching the cup using either ITV in the UK or CBC in Canada, then you’ll need to use Ghost Path to connect through one of those countries. Why? Because both ITV and CBC have geographic restrictions in place, so you need to be connected through their respective home countries to be able to use the service. But, Ghost Path enables you to bypass those restrictions so you never miss a game!

Ghost Path’s VPN service is just $10/month (or $5 a week), and you get instant access. Click here to start watching the World Cup online now!

5 Reasons We’re 100% For Net Neutrality

May 15, 2014 by Jim Lastinger Leave a comment

Earlier this month, we wrote this blog post that shared an unbiased view of the Net Neutrality Debate so that you could get a clear picture of what this debate involves without any kind of slant.

(Don’t know what “Net Neutrality” means? Get up to speed by reading this post or watching the video below.)

So, now that you’re all caught up, we want to explain why Ghost Path is 100% for Net Neutrality (a viewpoint that most internet users and small businesses share).

In a recent statement, Jim Lastinger, founder of GhostPath, explained the importance of net neutrality: “Net neutrality is absolutely vital to the continued growth of the internet, as well as the people and companies that rely on it. The United States is falling behind countries such as Brazil, who recently enacted an internet bill of rights that guarantees both net neutrality and privacy rights. We cannot afford to fall further behind and be at the mercy of giant telecoms. A permanent ruling from the FCC supporting neutrality is our best chance to insure that innovation is able to continue.”

Below are the top 5 reasons why GhostPath is completely and totally in support of keeping the Internet free and open for everyone:

Freedom of Speech – We believe that the Internet should be a free and open technology without any kind of bias or unjust favoritism. Without net neutrality, gatekeepers could re-route, impede or even stop the flow of web traffic as they see fit. Not cool.

Ideas & Innovation – The Internet is behind countless ideas and endless innovation, and we feel this creativity should not be stifled. “Net Neutrality safeguards everyone’s fundamental right to an open Internet, making it possible for one person’s good idea to blossom into the next big business or, even, a movement of millions.” (Source: Save The Internet)

Economic Recovery – “The Internet has thrived and revolutionized business and the economy precisely because it started as an open technology”, and “Obama and Congress also recognized that the economy cannot benefit by building a closed Internet”. (Source: Save The Internet)

Conflicts of Interest – If network providers are able to restrict information, the temptation to inhibit competitors will be too tempting to pass up. This means that depending on what service provider you use, you could be restricted or even penalized by accessing data that is not provided by or affiliated with your ISP.

It’s Discriminatory – With Net Neutrality, we have control over our Internet experience. However, without it, service providers could charge extra or slow down your connection depending on what you’re doing online and what sites you’re visiting. This is discrimination and completely compromises the democratic nature of the Internet.

Do you support Net Neutrality, too?

Sign the petition (we did!) to show your support and keep the Internet FREE and OPEN!

Should The Internet Be Free & Open? The Net Neutrality Debate

May 12, 2014 by Jim Lastinger Leave a comment

In case you’re unfamiliar, let’s get you up to speed.

Net Neutrality is the notion that the Internet should be “open” so that all users can access any content they please and use any applications without limitations and without being charged by internet service providers (ISP) based on the variety of content or quantity of bandwidth used.

What exactly is this debate about then?

Well, recently the Appeals Court ruled that the Open Internet Order’s rules are no longer valid. And, these rules prohibited ISPs from blocking specific sites and charging for more bandwidth (i.e. faster connection).

With this ruling, ISPs are now allowed to block sites, limit, tier and give preferential treatment to those who are willing to pay for better, faster connections and more access.

Prior to this decision the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) enforced “Net Neutrality”, which meant users and consumers could consume the content of their choice in a fair manner. Now, competition is the governing force, not regulation.

So, what does that mean?

It means that big companies that can afford it (think Netflix, Google, Facebook, etc.) will easily be able to pay for fast connections, whereas new start-ups will not. Plus, users will be subject to slower connections for sites and applications that refuse to pay for faster connectivity.

Also, without Net Neutrality regulations, ISPs could give preferential treatment to a search engine (for example) that they signed a contract deal with, and then that ISP could incentivize customers to use that particular search engine by charging users more to use others.

You decide…

Should the Internet be free and open? Or should vendors pay for the bandwidth they’re using?

Have something to say?

The FCC is collecting public comments to help them develop their new set of guidelines. Click here to voice your opinion!

How To Protect Your iPhone From Peeping-Toms

May 8, 2014 by Jim Lastinger Leave a comment

DeathtoStock_Wired9 Did you know that any time you use public WiFi with your smartphone you are putting yourself at risk?

That’s right — public WiFi is a playground for hackers who are just waiting to access your secure data. But, here’s the good news…

You can do something about it!

The solution in three words: Virtual Private Networks. Virtual Private Networks, or VPNs, serve to protect you, your data and your identity in a number of ways, but the most important thing to understand about VPNs is this: VPNs secure the Internet connection you are using so that all of the data you are transmitting is encrypted. This makes it more secure from hackers and other people who are trying to see what you are sending or receiving.

More specifically, a VPN is a collection of computers or networks that are joined together over a public network such as the Internet. You can use a VPN to connect your data centers, or to access your home network without the need to log into a computer on the same local area network. A VPN could also be used to secure transmissions and messages if you are using an untrusted network that is open to the public. So, as you can clearly see, VPNs offer you a world of benefit in the smartphone era.

Here are a few more reasons why VPNs are so vital for smartphone users:

1. Having a VPN allows you to access your files and other data on your network even when you are away from home, your office or when you are traveling. A lot of companies are letting their employees use their own devices for work, and having a VPN is a great way to keep your transactions, messages and data safe.

2. Use VPN when you are on public Wi-Fi. Public Wi-Fi puts you at risk, and you never know who may be trying to hack into your phone. Having a VPN on your iPhone or Android will keep you safe when you are connecting to a public Wi-Fi in a coffee shop, airport, hotel or elsewhere.

3. VPN allows you to be more secure. If you use your smartphone for work, you will appreciate that VPN easily makes your transmission, e-mails and other communications safe, encrypted and secure.

4. If you are using your iPhone or Android to download files, you should also use VPN. This is also true if you are paranoid about BitTorrent files. Sometimes, just having a torrent-downloading app on your iPhone could put you at risk, but a VPN will protect you against that potential problem.

5. With VPN, you can use your smartphone to watch your favorite TV shows back home. When traveling, you can connect to a VPN and check out your TV shows, sporting events or even watch Netflix online, even if it is restricted where you are.