visit my website!	A Moment For You™ Beth Terry's quasi-semi-monthly offering to keep you sane and give you perspective. August 5, 2003	visit my website!

"Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?"
-Matthew 20:15.

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Caveat Computor!
You've heard the phrase Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware!) Well, these days, you need to stay on your toes if you are using the cool new technology out there. Here are a few warnings to keep you safe:

1.   Wireless tools: A few weeks ago, the New York Times sent a reporter on a walk through Central Park with a former hacker turned security pro. The security consultant casually tapped on his PDA as they walked through the park, showing the reporter the results of his mischief. He had honed in on dozens of computers as people sat in the park or in their offices a hundred yards away working on wireless connections. He showed the mouse as it moved across the desktop. He watched and could easily have kept a record of passwords, account information and credit card purchases. No one was the wiser. So remember that if you can get in to your computer wirelessly, someone else can, too. Follow all security precautions recommended by your computer consultant. If you don't have one, go find one and put safeguards in place. The latest estimates say that one in five of us will be victims of Identity Theft. Make sure it isn't you!

2.   Camera Phones: You've seen the ads - take a picture of the dog sitting in the car and send it to your sweetie. These phones are new enough in America that we haven't seen the problems Japan is having, where 25 million picture phones are in circulation. A recent report in the Honolulu Advertiser said, "Some people are secretly taking photos up women's skirts and down into bathroom stalls. Others are avoiding buying books and magazines by snapping free shots of desired pages." Samsung Electronics in Korea has banned the use of such phones in its research facilities, fearing someone will use them for espionage. The most heinous use was a man who photographed a woman while assaulting her and then blackmailed her with the photos.

3.   Computers outside your home or office: Recently Kinkos discovered that one of their employees had secretly installed a keystroke program on several computers in their store. Keystroke programs record every number or letter a user hits while on the computer. At the end of the day, the employee would log onto the computers and copy all the information the users had typed into the computers, including credit card info, pass codes and home computer remote access codes. The employee was discovered when he remotely accessed a home computer owned by one of the customers. The customer was in front of his computer at the time and watched in astonishment as the cursor began moving on its own and opening secret files. He immediately disconnected his computer and called the FBI. The employee had already stolen thousands of dollars through identity theft and was working on his next victim. Be careful when using computers in unsecured locations. You don't know what is on the machine. Ask the owner of the restaurant or store what kind of protections they have in place to prevent identity theft. If they don't know what you are talking about, go somewhere else.

You be careful out there! And Pay Attention!!!

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