08/01/2019 E-Newsletter: FaceApp – stealing your info? What is SSL and why do I need it?

Delete FaceApp | Check App Permissions Before Installing
Recently, you’ve probably seen pictures of friends or relatives that have been altered to make them look drastically different. This is the product of FaceApp; an application that was released in January, 2017 by a Russian company called Wireless Lab. It has blown up recently due to celebrities sharing their results from the app.

Security was a big concern here as it is thought that the app might obtain full rights and control of all the data on your device. In an interview with The Washington Post, the CEO of FaceApp denied that the app saves anything but the photos you upload to it. However, there is a section in the app’s terms (User Content, paragraph 3) which states that the app is automatically granted consent to use the user’s content, regardless of..pretty much anything.

SSL is what keeps sensitive information private when sent over the web. If your website does not have an SSL certificate, it is more susceptible to hackers. If your website uses WordPress without an SSL certificate installed then your login and password are broadcast unencrypted on the internet every time you log in. On top of that, browsers make sure to let users know that they are browsing on an unsecure website. Google will even rank competitors with an SSL certificate above you if you don’t have one.

Password Manager
Programs like LastPass and Dashlane offer a free solution to creating and remembering different secure passwords. The only password you’ll ever have to remember again is the one used for the manager. Just create an account and they’ll safely store and encrypt all your passwords. THEY can’t even see the passwords you store. If they ever get breached, hackers will be met with the same encryption. Nothing worth stealing!

Sextortion Email Scam
This is a scam that has come and gone multiple times, so it can really catch you off guard.
The attacker will send the user an email containing a real password that they obtained from an old data breach. They’ll then claim to have access to personal files, browsing history, and even your webcam. A lot of the time, the attacker will claim to have webcam footage of the user browsing pornography sites. Blackmail then ensues with the attacker threatening to send the video to all of the user’s contacts if they fail to pay up. If you receive this, you can relax knowing that they have no such footage. Although if you still use that password anywhere, you should change it asap. Make sure to report and delete the email.