It’s spring, and that means that it’s time for some spring cleaning. At least on this site.
I go over my blogs and other sites every once in a while, and over time, I change — so my web sites also have to change. And it’s time for a change of format and etc. here on Simple Security Tips.
Don’t take this too terribly harshly, but the real reason we have security problems is you. You simply don’t know what to watch out for. You don’t know where Trouble comes from or what it looks like. You want stuff that you know is too good to be true to actually be true — but it’s not going to be true today, tomorrow, or ever.
And the criminals know that and they take advantage of it. Why do you think you still get zillions of spam emails promoting “enhancement” products? Because people still click on the links in the emails and buy the stuff. Because people let their systems be compromised (as opposed to hackers actually popping their computer) so that they can be joined to botnets and used to send the stuff in the first place. Because people download what they think is a free game but it turns out to be a password stealing Trojan that allows the criminal to log into their webmail account and send garbage to everybody in their address book.
Sure, even the “experts” get hacked. Sometimes. It happens. But most of the bad stuff that happens to good people like you can, unfortunately, be blamed on you. Sometimes you don’t know any better. Sometimes you do but do the wrong thing anyway. But I know, from my years of experience in computer (and other types of) security, a lot of it can be prevented if you just know what’s really going on.
Sure, I have the “creds”. I was doing risk assessments and managing key inventories for military units 30 years ago (yeah, I’ve been “doing” security for a long time. And don’t ever tell me that you lost your keys! No mercy at all…). Certifications? Got five computer security certifications at the moment. They come in handy when I need to deep inspect packet data to inspect TCP flags, packet sizes and sequences… Lots of boring stuff.
But my point is that having the creds and qualifications to do that kind of stuff has put me in positions where I see what’s really going on. I know where the problems lie, and for the most part, it’s people doing stuff they shouldn’t be doing. My experience has shown me that a lot of the problems can be prevented if people will simply do the right thing. What’s so hard about that? 
You have a good brain. You’re a smart person. I’m going to help you exercise that muscle between your ears (otherwise known as a “brain”) so that you stop doing the wrong thing and start doing the right things.
You can do this. I know you can! And I’m going to help you learn what you need to learn without your having to get a doctorate in security. And for those times when you do everything right but bad things happen anyway (and they will), I’m going to tell you how to protect yourself and recover as fast as possible.
But this old blog is B-O-R-I-N-G!!! Heck, I don’t even think my mother reads it any more (OK, there are a few hundred who swing by every month… visitors, that is — not mothers!). We’re going to change all that.
Enough of the sugar coating. Enough of the stuff that reads like a paper I wrote during my senior year of college (where my professor gave me an “A” without reading it because it was too painful to actually read). Let’s start talking about the real security problems and what you can do about it.
And the first “something” is for you to stop doing stuff that you know you shouldn’t be doing. Don’t open emails from people you don’t know. Stop accepting every friend and game request you get on “that” social networking site. Don’t click on ads if they seem too good to be true. Don’t do recreational surfing from a computer you use to produce income. Don’t hide your house key under a flowerpot or door mat. Don’t leave your car unattended with the engine running, even if the doors are locked (rock plus velocity = broken window and stolen car). You’ve probably heard it all before, but you need to hear it again — and you need to hear it from me.- somebody who’s “been there, done that” — and is about to wear the T-shirt (and write the book… or at least the web site!).
Welcome to the new Simple Security Tips. Almost.
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