By Dennis Powell, e-Management

When I was a kid, many of the boys in my neighborhood dreamed of becoming a computer hacker. True story. Why would we want to become hackers? Because we were kids and anything computer-related and that also outsmarted adults was just plain cool. My friends and I loved the Oscar-nominated 1983 film War Games, where Matthew Broderick (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off) stars as a young hacker who taps into government computers systems. Fast forward to present and the world is full of hackers from my generation—some ethical (like the trusted cyber security professionals employed by e-Management) and perhaps many more unethical (those who tap into the computer devices and networks illegally and maliciously).

Since many of us are wired to computers such as electronic car keys, building access cards, smartphones, and portal digital media players, more and more people are becoming easy targets for hackers looking to play “war games” at our expense. But hackers are only one aspect of security in the computer age. Corporations may also be extracting information about us without our knowing. So, we’ve put together a list of how to protect yourself from unethical hackers and businesses looking to gain access to your information.

Don’t Fall for Chain Letters, Urban Legends, and Hoaxes. If you ever received electronic messages, chances are you’ve come across Internet hoaxes, chain letters, or urban legends comprised of fantastic, sensational stories designed to get you to forward it to your friends/family. In some cases, these phony messages trick you into giving up important information about yourself and even connect you to a malicious website that could easily download malware and other threats to your favorite devices. To defend yourself from these menaces, the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT), a part of the Department of Homeland Security, recommends you verify contents of a chain letter before you click on links or even forward it to your network of family and friends. It is also recommended you use search engines to verify the authenticity of such online messages.

Remember Strong Passwords Are Good for Us! You’ve probably heard this a million times already and I don’t feel guilty telling you this again because it’s important! Use strong passwords to protect your information and devices. Use passwords to gain access to your smartphones (Android, iPhone, etc.), tablets, notebooks, and desktops. Strong passwords include upper and lowercase letters, numerals, and special characters (like #, $, or %). Whenever possible, passwords should be at least 6 characters long. Remember to use different passwords for different accounts and devices.

Install Trusted Security Applications (Apps)/Software. Install trusted applications designed to protect your devices from predators. For computers, always keep your anti-viral and security software such as Norton or McAfee suites updated. For mobile devices, e-Week.com lists a number of applications designed to protect your Apple smart devices from hackers. A few apps listed include the Intego VirusBarrier; Lookout Mobile Security; McAfee WaveSecure iOS Edition; GadgetTrak; and Firewall iP among others. These apps may protect iOS devices when they are lost or stolen, secure personal data scan Websites and detect malware-infected files. Android and Blackberry users may search their app stores for comparable security apps.

Avoid Downloading Every App to Your Favorite Device. Smartphones and tablets have made “apps” the biggest craze since videogames hit the arcades and home. Many of us have become addicted to apps! In fact, the average smartphone has 41 apps according to Nielsen data. Even though they are convenient, some apps are collecting information about you to which you may object. A recent article in the New Observer discussed North Carolina State University researchers who revealed many developers of free apps are earning money from interested parties who want the information apps are getting from your smartphone including your whereabouts. Android Authority.com points to the laidback submission policies of app stores so some applications may in fact carry malware. While Google has addressed this issue with the introduction of Bouncer to protect Android devices, the site recommends that before downloading apps, users should only use established online stores like the Android market or the Apple app store. Additionally, users should carefully review comments regarding the app from other users and be sure to read what permissions and information specific apps are requesting.

Last but not least, have fun safely!
The new information age has led to wonderful convenience (meal planners, traffic alerts, movie, music, etc.) and fun activities (online games, instant messaging, etc). What other safe practices did we overlook? How do you protect yourself and your family against marketers and hackers? Have any of your accounts or devices ever been hacked? How did that you change your approach to security?