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How to Protect Yourself from Online Security Threats of 2013

Where the Internet is stored

Where the Internet is stored (Photo credit: debs)

Next year will be the year of the mobile security threat, according to Internet security software giant McAfee, based on the predictions report it released today of the leading security threats expected in 2013. With online technology rapidly moving from computers to the palms of our hands, cybercriminals and hackers are evolving their methods to fit the times. Whether it’s the new Windows 8 OS or the trendy HTML5 browser language, cybercriminals will be stepping up their game in 2013 to capitalize on the newest technology.

So what can consumer expect to see in the way of cyber threats in 2013? We read through the report and focused on some of the biggest threats you should look out for in 2013, and what you can do to protect yourself.

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Twitter is not charging in October, there is no petition, you’re being phished

Another scam to steal Twitter users credentials is making the rounds today. The tweets being sent out read “Twitter might start to charge in October, sign this petition to keep the service free! -URL-.”

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Twitter to Add Parental Controls

Image via Wikipedia

Twitter has added a way to flag links within tweets as “possibly sensitive.” The company announced late Thursday that there is a new field in the Twitter streaming API that will show up whenever a tweet contains a link, giving Twitter users the option to be warned before they click links that might be too sensitive for the workplace, or for tender ears and eyes.

The new feature is not functional yet, but Twitter was informing developers that it was just added and is now in the testing phase. According to Twitter representative Taylor Singletary, “In the future, we’ll have a family of additional API methods & fields for handling end-user ‘media settings’ and possibly sensitive content.”

According to Gizmodo, Twitter reps say the company doesn’t intend to censor material. But according to Twitter’s media policy document, the company will “remove media that might be considered sensitive such as nudity, violence, or medical procedures.”

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Twitter Gives Users More Control Over Third Party Apps

Image via CrunchBase

Twitter has updated its permissions process in an effort to provide users with more transparency and control over what information can be accessed by third-party applications.

When a user first connects an app to her Twitter account, she will now be shown a permissions screen that details what information the app will be able to access, as well as what “activities” they can perform with her account, such as posting tweets, reading tweets, and viewing the accounts she follows. Twitter will also be limiting the access that third party apps have to direct messages.

“Apps that you use to access your direct messages will ask for your permission again. By the end of the month, applications that do not need access to your direct messages will no longer have it, and you can continue to use these apps as usual,” Twitter wrote in a blog post.

Take a look at the apps that you’ve approved to access your account by visiting the Applications page, what apps you’ve approved by visiting the “Applications” page under “Settings.”

Here’s what Twitter’s new permissions screen will look like:

  • Like Facebook, Twitter announces more detailed permissions for third party apps (thenextweb.com)
  • Twitter Offers Better Transparency About What Third-Party Apps Can Do With Your Account (readwriteweb.com)
  • Twitter introduces new restrictions for third-party apps (venturebeat.com)
  • Mission: Permission (twitter.com)
  • Can Twitter Apps Access Your DMs? New Permissions Screen Sheds Light (mashable.com)
  • Twitter Launches New Permissions Screen, Vows to Keep Your Direct Messages Safe (newsgrange.com)
  • Twitter Revokes Automatic 3rd Party DM Access, Gives Users More Details On App Permissions (techcrunch.com)
  • Twitter announces permissions change, frustrates app developers (macworld.com)
  • Twitter expands security controls for third-party apps (electronista.com)
  • ? Twitter’s Shit Sandwich (daringfireball.net)
  • Twitter Extends New OAuth Deadline For Apps Accessing Direct Messages (programmableweb.com)

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Google Chrome Warns Against Malicious Downloads

The browser now alerts users if the file being downloaded is malicious

Google boasts about several security features in its Chrome web browser. Now, Google has added one more feature in Chrome web browser which will alert users against malicious file downloads. Now that’s something every browser should ideally have so that users don’t have to be dependent on anti-malware programs. This experimental feature is currently made available to Chrome Development Channel for testing and initially, it will alert against malicious Windows executables.

The Google Safe Browsing API comes into picture when the browser checks if the Windows executable being downloaded originates from a malicious code bearing site or not. Also, it has the same privacy policy as in the Safe Browsing feature which means Google will never know what URL you’ve visited to download that particular file.

This new alert against malicious file download could be too small to be noticed. At times, users are in such a hurry that they click on the ‘x’ (Close) on any pop-up message. So instead of showing an alert just above the status bar, something more attention drawing is required to make this feature actually useful.

Google Chrome has been offering features such as alerts the users against faulty websites that intend to inject malicious code in the user system. Google accumulates data about such websites and makes it available via Safe Browsing API. Several web browsers – Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari make use of Google’s Safe Browsing API to warn users if they happen to visit webpages that have been coded smartly to inject malware code in the system.
Google didn’t promise any date when the feature would be implemented and made available via a stable build of the Chrome browser.
Source -: http://www.techtree.com/India/News/Google_Chrome_Warns_Against_Malicious_Downloads/551-115023-643.html

  • This File Appears To Be Malicious, Google Chrome Safe Browsing Protection (ghacks.net)
  • Rumor: Get Google Chrome Web Browser will login Soon ? (huangyu860810.wordpress.com)
  • Google’s Chrome Browser to Warn of Dangerous Downloads (pcworld.com)
  • Google Chrome Stable Security Update April 2011 (ghacks.net)
  • Google Chrome Browser Will Block Dangerous Downloads (pcworld.com)
  • Chrome’s New Security Feature Will Protect You From Malicious Downloads (GOOG) (businessinsider.com)
  • Google Chrome at 120 Million DAU, Chrome OS Set for Mid-Year (searchenginejournal.com)
  • Google Chrome to warn of malicious Windows executables (go.theregister.com)
  • Five Hot Features Coming to Google’s Chrome Browser (pcworld.com)
  • Google Chrome and Chromium add protection against malicious downloads (downloadsquad.switched.com)
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