3 Myths & Truths About Your Child’s Safety Online

October 9, 2014 by Jim Lastinger Leave a comment

There’s a lot of talk these days about the many risks of children being online.

We hear news story after news story about cyberbullying, online child predators, and others with malicious intent lurking around every corner. Sure, there are risks, and practicing safe online usage is essential, but most of the time the benefits of the Internet far outweigh the potential hazards.

In today’s post, we’re debunking some common myths about your child’s safety online, and we’ll fill you in on the real truths of each situation.

MYTH #1: Social media transforms kids into bullies.

TRUTH: Social media is just another outlet for bullying — it doesn’t turn kids into bullies. Most kids who engage in online bullying are also often bullies at school and usually have another reason for acting out, like family issues, school problems, etc. The most productive thing to do is for parents and teachers to educate themselves about the warning signs of bullying so that they can step-in before the behavior goes too far.

MYTH #2: Never post photos of your children on social media — it’s too dangerous!

TRUTH: By using the appropriate privacy settings, you can post pictures AND keep your children safe. To ensure that your kids remain safe & protected, (1) use privacy settings that limit your posts’ reach to only family and trusted friends, (2) limit your audience by using photo-share sites that require a login to see pictures, like Flickr, and (3) don’t tag or identify your children in the photos.

MYTH #3: Strict parental control setting are the best way to protect your children online.

TRUTH: Using just one measure for online security gives you a false sense of safety. Parental controls are just one piece of the puzzle, you also need to openly discuss online safety precautions with your children, share the risks of being online, establish agreed-upon rules, and encourage your children to be both responsible and respectful when online.

To further protect your children from online risks, consider setting up a VPN to ensure privacy, security & safety while online. For more information, click HERE.

This post was inspired by this article.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Maximum Security & Privacy on Facebook

October 2, 2014 by Jim Lastinger Leave a comment

Half a billion people are on Facebook. Yes, that’s billion with a “b”.

And, while Facebook may seem like all funny posts and picture-sharing, there are a number of risks that come with sharing personal data online — risks like identity theft, cyberbullying, scams and more.

If you’re one of the 500 million on Facebook, and want to ensure that your security and privacy are secure, read through our step-by-step instructions below to keep yourself safe & happy on this social media site.

Basic Security Settings

Go to “settings” in the drop-down menu in the upper righthand corner or the page. Make sure you’re in “general settings” in the lefthand column.

Double check to make sure you’re using a email address that is solely dedicated for your Facebook account, NOT your primary email. If you use your primary that you also use for accessing credit cards, banking info, etc., you are putting yourself at risk.
Use a long, strong password. Never use the same password for your Facebook account that you also use for other important accounts online.

Manage Your Security

Still in “settings”, click the “security” tab in the lefthand column.

Set up login notifications. This will alert you if someone is trying to access your account.
Set up login approvals. This setting will require that you input a code sent to you via text if Facebook doesn’t recognize the device from which it’s being accessed. This is great hacking-prevention!
Check out trusted browsers. It’s best to NOT save browsers and also to log out after each and every Facebook session.
Start a list of trusted contacts. This will help you get your account back to normal after you’ve been hacked or lose your password.
Where have you been logging in from? This will show the various locations and devices from which you’ve logged in to Facebook. If there are sessions that don’t look familiar, look into them as it may mean your account has been compromised.

Protect Your Privacy

Again, still in “settings”, click the “privacy” tab on the left.

Set your sharing/privacy option to Friends only.
Limit the reach of older posts on your Timeline.
Choose who can request to be your “friend”.
Do NOT allow search engines to access your Timeline.
Check out the Activity Log to review all the pictures, posts, etc. you’ve been tagged in.
Select either a “basic” or “strict” filter.
Set “who can look me up?” to Friends only.

We also recommend reading as much as you can about Facebook privacy because it’s constantly evolving. For even greater online protection & privacy, consider using a VPN whenever you access your social media accounts.

How To Access Blocked Websites

July 31, 2014 by Jim Lastinger Leave a comment

Last week, we investigated blocked content and websites throughout the world, and the list was staggering!

[Missed that blog post? Read “What Content is Blocked Throughout The World” here.]

If you travel abroad for work, have to deal with strict office restrictions, or are frustrated by “blackout zones” on sites like MLB.TV, we’ve compiled a list of easy ways to bypass these setbacks so that you can access any website you choose.

Use a proxy browser extension – The easiest (though somewhat slow and unreliable) way to gain access to blocked websites is via a proxy browser extension like Hola or Stealthy. This will enable you to visit the website using a proxy server based in another geographic location, thus freeing up the blocked content.
Get a VPN – A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is an effective, faster, more reliable way to bypass country restrictions. A VPN will mask your IP address and geographic location so that you can visit any website you choose from anywhere in the world. Read more here.
Try a translation service – Check out a translation service, like Microsoft Translator or Google Translate. These sites will display a website for you without you having to visit the page directly, thus acting like proxy server. This method is not 100% foolproof, and not nearly as reliable as a VPN, but it’s a potential workaround if need be.

Tired of restrictions? Try GhostPath VPN for just $10/month with our no-risk 7-day money back guarantee!

Are You At Risk For Facebook Hacking?

July 10, 2014 by Jim Lastinger Leave a comment

Do you know if you’re at risk of having your Facebook account hacked?

If you’re like most people, you probably don’t really give Facebook hackers much thought as you peruse friends’ photos, post updates, and scroll through your Newsfeed. But, the truth is, social media hacking is a lot more common than you might think! And, if you’re not taking some basic precautions, you might be putting yourself at risk, too.

In 2011, 1 in 10 social network users reported that their accounts had been hacked, and in 2012 the frequency increased to 1 in 6. (Source: Norton Cybercrime Report 2011, 2012.)

In order to protect yourself, your accounts, and your personal, private information, here are 7 simple techniques that you can use to ensure that your Facebook account does not fall prey to hackers.

1. Never share your login or password information.

This may seem like a given, but you’d be surprised how many people freely share their logins and passwords with friends and family members. Though your family and friends likely have your best interest at heart, they may unknowingly post, share or communicate information about your account that could put you at greater risk.

2. Create passwords that are LONG and STRONG.

If you use the same easy-t0-remember password for all your accounts, this is a big no-no. It’s recommended that you change your password every few months and create passwords that are both LONG and STRONG. A great way to do this is to use an acronym of your favorite song title or lyrics. For example, if you’re a Billy Joel fan, you could transform some lyrics from his 1976 hit, “New York State of Mind”, into a great password such as ImInaNYSofM1976 — no one’s going to guess that!

3. Don’t click Newsfeed links.

Never click on suspicious looking links to games, apps and other ads that you’re unsure of that may pop-up in your Facebook Newsfeed, and avoid allowing 3rd party applications to access your information when you sign-up for something.

4. Add a second email.

In the “General Settings” section of your Facebook account, had a secondary email in case your account is ever hacked. In the event that your account is compromised, Facebook will send recovery info to both email accounts so you have a better chance of recovering your information quickly and restoring your account security.

5. Only “friend” friends.

Only accept and extend friendship to individual that you actually know. When you accept a stranger’s friend request, you give them access to your personal information, so it’s always best to never post any sensitive, personal or financial details about yourself.

6. Follow Facebook’s advice.

Facebook offers step-by-step instructions that you can follow that outline “How to Prevent Your Facebook Account from being Hacked”. They suggest enabling login notification, checking your active sessions, and enabling secure browsing. Learn how to do all 3 here.

7. Beef up your online security.

Using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a fantastic way to beef up your online security in general and will sure-up not only your social media accounts but all your online activity including emailing, browsing and accessing sensitive sites like banking or credit cards.

A VPN is kind of like a secure tunnel that contains all your data and info, and the tunnel is comprised of an encryption ring that hackers cannot decipher, meaning everything that flows through the tunnel, including your social media activity, is safe.

VPN’s are also extremely valuable if you routinely access your social accounts from low-security networks like coffee shops, airports, hotels, restaurants, or any other public WiFi hotspot.

For a risk-free 7-day trial of GhostPath’s premier VPN service, click here.

How to Break Through the Great Firewall of China

June 12, 2014 by Jim Lastinger Leave a comment

China has the largest number of people connected to the internet — more than 600 million in fact.

Yet, despite the prolific use of the internet in one of the world’s biggest economies, freedom of information is hard to come by thanks to the communist government’s attempts to block all information that it considers to be politically incorrect or anti-cultural.

This makes it a real challenge for business people and travelers to access common and popular websites like Facebook and Twitter, as well as many others that people access on a daily basis.

These sites are blocked because the Chinese government simply can’t control how people exchange information on them. The censorship tool that China uses is widely known by the nickname “The Great Firewall of China”, or the Golden Shield Project.

In today’s post, we want to offer you some resourceful tips that will enable you to break through this censorship wall so you can access your favorite websites if you plan to visit or currently reside in China.

A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, allows you to circumvent these blocks by encrypting your data and sending it through secure virtual tunnels so that you can access social media sites as well as location-specific sites such as Netflix. Even better, most VPN services extend coverage to various electronic devices such as your laptop and Smartphone.

But first, let’s delve into the tactics that The Great Firewall of China uses block websites:

IP blocking
DNS filtering and redirection
URL filtering
Packet filtering
Connection reset

The cool thing is, with a VPN service, you get protection from all these tactics because the service hides your IP address and data, giving you the needed security to access the internet without compromising your access or privacy.

Once you sign up for a Virtual Private Network, you will have to choose your subscription plan depending on how long you will need the service. You can even choose a free service or one with a money-back guarantee to ensure you like it before you commit!

Here’s a step by step guide on how to get your preferred VPN up and running:

After signing up for your preferred subscription method, download the VPN client onto your desktop or phone and install it. This typically takes a couple of minutes.
Sign in via the VPN client user interface using your username and password. (These will be emailed to you once your subscription is active.)
Log in and connect to a server of your choice.
That’s it! Now, you’re all set to surf anonymously and with maximum privacy!

Most VPN services stay secure even in the event of a connection drop, meaning that you have that peace of mind knowing that you’re covered at all times.

With the help of a VPN service provider, you can easily bypass “The Great Firewall of China” and enjoy unlimited access to all your favorite and necessary websites!

To learn more about VPN services or to try it out for yourself, click HERE.

5 Simple Steps To Keep Your Home Wi-Fi Secure

May 22, 2014 by Jim Lastinger Leave a comment

Do you have Wi-Fi in your home?

Chances are the answer is “yes”.

Today, Wi-Fi is essential because of the growing multitude of devices that only work if connected wirelessly, like mobile phones and tablets.

Even most desktop computers use Wi-Fi for their internet connections nowadays because it’s just simpler to connect to Wi-Fi than it is to run an unsightly network cable across the floor.

All of this Wi-Fi is great, but is it safe?

We’ve all heard horror stories about some unsuspecting family who has a criminal next door that uses their Wi-Fi to do some ghastly deed, ultimately resulting in legal trouble for the victimize family. Now, in all likelihood, that won’t happen to you, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take the proper precautions to ensure that your home Wi-Fi is as safe and secure as possible.

Here are 5 simple steps you can take to secure your home Wi-Fi connection:

Encryption – One of the easiest, quickest ways to protect your home network is to encrypt it. In fact, most routers support encryption already, just be sure to use either the WPA or WPA2 settings — they provide the best level of security. Once you encrypt your network, you’ll have to enter a password whenever you wish to connect, but that minor inconvenience definitely outweighs the headache of getting hacked.

Change Passwords – Many routers come with preset passwords for working with the device settings, and this password is different from the password that you use to access your Wi-Fi itself. Hackers often know standard default passwords and then are able to manipulate your router. Be sure to change the router’s device password after installation.

SSIDs – Another safety measure you can take is to set your router so that it does not broadcast your service set identifier a.k.a. SSID, which is your network’s name. Once you disable your SSID broadcasting, your network’s name will no longer be visible on nearby computers and devices. This means that only people who know your network’s name will be able to find and access it.

Firewall – Most wireless routers come with built-in firewalls, however sometimes these firewalls are turned off when the router is shipped. Double check that your router’s firewall is turned on.

Disable Remote Admin – Often routers allow you to access the router remotely and administer changes. Unless this is a feature you need and are very familiar with, it’s often best to disable it so that hackers cannot gain administrative access to your Wi-Fi network for their own personal gain.

To learn how GhostPath VPN can protect your privacy online, click here.