With millions of lines of programming code in the Microsoft Windows operating system, errors are inevitably going to occur. This creates a danger from cybercriminals, who continuously search for ways to take advantage of these known software errors.

To combat these threats, Microsoft regularly releases updates/patches for its products.

Regularly installing these updates will ensure that your computer is up-to-date and not vulnerable to known threats. To install the latest security updates, run the Windows Update program. To do this, click on the “Start” button, click on “All Programs,” and then click on “Windows Update.”

While performing Windows updates, you should take the following precautions:

How cyber-smart are you?

In honor of National Cyber Security Awarness Month, security engineers at Cisco Systems developed and released an interactive quiz to challenge your cyber street-smarts.

The quiz is helpful in testing your cybersecurity intellect, but it is focused more for buisness users. However, it applies to everyone so Start the Quiz!

For more information on National Cyber Security Awareness Month, check out the additional resources found at staysafeonline.org.

Mobile devices are highly portable, designed for usability, and make Internet access very convenient. However, it is easy to forget your smart phone behind in a taxi cab or accidentally leave it at the airport security checkpoint. What can you do to secure your mobile device?
 
Most mobile devices have built-in features that should be turned on. There are 3rd party apps that can be installed if your device does not have these features. Always make sure that your device requires a passcode before anyone can access and use your device. Remember to enable the auto-lock feature for some amount of time and setup the ability to remotely track or wipe your device when you no longer physically have it in your possession.
 

The unrest and political upheaval blowing across the Middle East and North Africa right now is something the US Government has tried to fan for decades. By fueling Afghani fighters during the Cold War to counter the USSR by proxy, or trying to install the Shah in Iran, the US has tried to shape a democratic and/or friendly government in various countries. These operations always seem to have “blowback” like the Mujahedeenfighters of Afghanistan who were trained at President Carter’s orders to fight the Russians, but who we in turn had to fight in the 00s, possibly including Bin Laden. Did Facebook, Twitter and YouTube do in five months what 50 years worth of US presidents, secret ops, wars and funding failed to do?

Change Must Come From Within

     How much is your credit card number worth on the black market?

     According to a recent report from PandaLabs, there are some shocking rates for some of the most popular kinds of cybercrime.

     Marketing campaigns  offer "Try before you Buy" and service guarantees and some even go as far as using Facebook pages to meet new customers.

     Just note that there are often minimum order requirements, but they do offer bulk discounts!

     The Blog site, Mashable,  discusses this topic and provied a brief overview of some of the typical offers available on the black market: