Archive for the ‘privacy’ Category
@Google, please stop with the language! #google
I have my Google account set up with English as the preferred language, my browser sends the HTTP header message:
Accept-Language: en-us,en;q=0.5So why do you keep shoving a language I do NOT choose in my face after I’ve asked you numerous times, and in numerous ways, not to. I thought computers listened to people, do you just program your computers to be stupid?
I know I’ve asked this many times, and every single time I’ve been ignored. Perhaps they will listen to me some day…
Tightening your Security Budget #security
I was reading 6 Tips For Doing More Security With Less and was happily surprised by the following points:
1. Get out of the deployment business.
3. Get more out of your existing security tools and systems
1. Get out of the deployment business.
IT security should definitely be involved in selecting data protection tools, but shouldn’t be dealing with provisioning tools that require heavy customization, Forrester’s Jaquith says. That can drain already-limited resources.
Many companies want provisioning tools with which they can specifically add users and specific edit fields, they want a helpdesk to perform this task so they can have cheap labour without compromising security. This is a short term thinking by Forrester, in my opinion.
3. Get more out of your existing security tools and systems
[...]
Consider reorienting the more labor-intensive tools, such as those for data leakage prevention (DLP), he says. Forrester recommends using DLP products mainly for monitoring activity rather than for blocking the leakage of data. And enlist the help of your business units to get the big picture on where data is flowing in the organization. “If you are looking at DLP to stop a data leak, you’re probably a little too late. You need to understand how users are using the information they have, what they are downloading, [etc.],” he says.
Absolutely, if you are using DLP to prevent data leakage you are doing it wrong. Implementing controls to monitor data leakage and informing your employees is far more effective and less intensive on the budget. The recently passed Nokia Law to allow email snooping may look evil on the surface, but this is also part of DLP. Personally I am against the tactics used by Nokia, but they have a valid reason to monitor their network traffic for data leakage, corporate espionage.
Technorati Tags: nokia, law, data, leakage, prevention, provisioning, security, business
Banks don’t understand Privacy #privacy
I was approached by a recruiter for a role as PKI specialist for a Dutch bank. They asked me to send them a copy of my passport over the internet. They wanted to forward this to the bank. According to the recruiter this was normal practice for them and the bank.
Interestingly enough when I had privacy concerns they thought I was making a big deal about nothing. This is the recruiter for the Triple-A rated Dutch bank, who I’ve mentioned in my blog before. I refused to send a copy of my passport over the internet, and told the recruiter that I would need some assurance that they would not send it over the internet.
Technorati Tags: privacy, bank, recruitment, security, risk
Predicting Chrome Privacy and Banking #google
I have the proof: German Security Office Smells Stink on Google Chrome, and the irony is that he wasn’t even the first to predict this: Chrome in Sandbox. I installed it in a sandbox to protect me from the combination Internet & Beta Software, and I protected myself from Google.
Deleting Doesn’t Remove Data #privacy
Many people live in the believe that the data they give to a website will be removed when they cancel their account, this should usually be the case. Some of the Social Networks don’t, because they can’t because they would brake their marketing.
I received a mail from a OKCupid, a networking site with dating as it’s theme, like Xing they send out an email highlighting certain people you should contact. I’m not sure what the heuristics are behind adding somebody to the introduction mail, but it’s obvious she didn’t want to get the kind of response she did as she immediately deleted her account and created a new one.
Had OKCupid really removed her profile the mail they send out would have a dead link and picture in it, but the picture was still in there. It seems they only deleted the link to her profile as all her messages and part of her details could still be retrieved and more importantly they still have her pictures.
Do you trust a private (not indexed) Social Network to really remove your details?
technorati tags: privacy, social, networking
Virtual World in Your Browser
RocketOn is social networking from a browser plugin, you can visit sites and collect cool virtual items. Mashable said it Rocked in their article My Journey as a ROCKETON Avatar Rocked, but DarkReading found the twist.
In the article Free Virtual Goodies at Price of Privacy they expand on that. Naturally RocketOn are currently in Alpha, so bugs are to be expected, but this is different. It’s the Alexa Toolbar on acid, and it’s a brilliant marketing concept, except for the tracking cookies, possible bugs and viruses, and the privacy concerns.
Other companies with the same idea are Weblin and PMOG. That’s why I run my browsers in Sandboxie.
technorati tags: social, networking, privacy, hacking, vitrual, world, vr
