More about retail troubles

As retail bankruptcies climb toward post-recession high, these companies could be next

 Krystina Gustafson 21 hours ago 

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Ten retailers have already filed Chapter 11 this year, setting a record pace for the industry.

But the pain is far from over.
With AlixPartners predicting 2017 will mark the highest number of retail bankruptcy filings since 2009, a new report from S&P Market Intelligence has named the 10 public companies it finds most at risk over the next year.

It includes Sears Holdings (NASDAQ: SHLD), which said Friday that it would shutter 92 Kmart pharmacies and 50 Sears Auto locations this year. The department store also named a new chief financial officer — its second in about six months — and said it aims to save $250 million through its latest maneuvers. If achieved, these savings would be on top of the $1 billion Sears has targeted in part by shuttering 150 locations.

S&P's list also includes Bebe Stores (NASDAQ: BEBE), the specialty apparel brand that said last week that it would close all 175 of its shops by the end of May.

"Retail's troubles are manifold, and the diagnosis is different in each struggling company's case," Jim Elder, director of risk services at S&P Global Market Intelligence, wrote in his report. "But it is widely agreed that the U.S. is overstored and that the solution for flat or declining in-store sales resides to a significant degree online, where the most sales growth is now taking place."

Most of the chains that have already filed Chapter 11 this year belong to the specialty or apparel categories. They include Payless, BCBG, The Wet Seal and Limited Stores.

Retail in trouble?

To follow is an article that should make you think! This is why you need a functioning website now, not later but now..

According to Bloomberg, store retailers are filing for bankruptcy at a record rate during Donald Trump’s first 100 days in the Oval Office. The former reality host has claimed again and again, during and after his presidential campaign, that he would be a job creator. But again and again his promises have proved to be bullshit.  

In a little over three months, 14 chains have announced they will seek court protection, according to an analysis by S&P Global Market Intelligence, almost surpassing all of 2016. Few retail segments have proven immune as discount shoe-sellers, outdoor goods shops, and consumer electronics retailers have all found themselves headed for reorganization.

How these companies file bankruptcy (something Trump is familiar with) will determine how much of the cost American taxpayers will pay.

Much of the retail decline is due to online stores outselling land stores. Like the housing bubble, there are too many land stores and not enough customers and this too has also created ”a bubble — that will burst,” according to Urban Outfitters Chief Executive Officer Richard Hayne.

“We are seeing the results: Doors shuttering and rents retreating. This trend will continue for the foreseeable future and may even accelerate.”

There doesn’t seem to be a quick solution for this.

Jim Elder, S&P Global Market Intelligence’s director of risk services, wrote that first quarter results suggest there’s no quick recovery in sight. Sears Holdings Corp., Bon-Ton Stores Inc., and Perfumania Holdings Inc. are among the most vulnerable in the coming year, according to an S&P analysis of public retail companies. Sears acknowledged in a March filing that there is “substantial doubt” about its future. Fitch named retail chains including Nine West Holdings, Claire’s Stores, and children’s clothing outlet Gymboree Corp. in a study late last year. (Representatives from Bon-Ton, Perfumania, Nine West, and Claire’s didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.)

The Standard & Poor/S&P Global Ratings states the department stores, electronics retail, and apparel shops are at highest risk.

Add another “accomplishment” to Trump’s #100DaysOfShame. Though the problem is mostly stemming from competitive online selling, many, many store employees will find themselves out of jobs — and jobs are something Trump promised there would be more of.

There is no enjoyment that comes with this news, which is bad no matter how one looks at it. And there is no hoping for the failing of retail stores just so Trump can look bad. No, that’s how many Republicans roll. This is to prove, once again, that Donald Trump is a fraud. He can’t make good on his promises, because he didn’t think them through, and he doesn’t know how to think them through because prior to his election, he had absolutely no experience in politics. He also can’t  make good on his promises because he’s a scamming, ignorant, lying, ego-driven, deranged and dangerous human being. If mainstream media won’t use these honest adjectives to describe him in their stories — I will.

Have you thought of a phone application?

If one thing was for sure it is that the web and users of the web are using their phones and tables more and more. It has been a slow rise of the use of phone applications for business but not if you are into sports or radio or weather.  Applications are springing up everywhere and your business can benefit by using and having a phone application that your customers can download and use. Want to give away coupons or discounts to prospective customers than a phone application is a great way to do it. If you want to send immediate notifications to your best customers using your app, a phone application is a great way to do it.

If you have an interest in having a phone application, we make them just let me know and we can discuss the benefits and costs to  you.

Talk soon.

Joe Rossini

Visiting my customers and it was fun!

On Tuesday Brenda and I went to visit one of our neatest customer, Randy Rundle the owner of Fifth Avenue Internet Garage he is one dynamic man. If you ever get out to Clay Center Kansas, go visit Randy and see his museum of sorts. Randy has done many things and building his business almost from scratch is one of his great accomplishments among many others. You can learn more about Randy at http://fifthaveinternetgarage.com/

We also visited another old customer, Union State Bank and began work on their new website. It was neat to finally meet people you have heard of but never shook hands with. A new website should be released in about sixty days.

Finally, we met the economic development director for Clay County and added them as a new customer! We are proud to soon be working on a new and updated website for Lori Huber.

It was a great trip and one we will be making again soon.

More to come.

Joe Rossini

Info about phone applications

• About 65% of 300 retail IT managers and c-level professionals in the U.S. and U.K. that were recently surveyed about their technology priorities said mobile payments technology is the innovation most in-demand in their ogranizations, according to research from Zynstra, a U.K.-based enterprise-grade IT software provider.
• While mobile payments technology was the far and away leader, about 49% said self-checkout capabilities are important, and similar time-savers like scan as you shop (44%), click and collect (41%) also finished strong.
• Another 37% said in-store customer analytics were chiefly important, according to the survey

More and more people are using their phones for everything. A phone is not just for talking anymore they are the real Star Trek communicators!

Oh boy this might be cool:

• Google is augmenting its Image Search capabilities through Android apps and the mobile web with a new “Similar Items” feature that helps users find products similar to those they see in searched photos.
• Google Image Search accomplishes this by using machine vision technology, a form of machine learning that identifies products in lifestyle images and displays matching items to the user. The Similar Items feature currently allows search results related to handbags, sunglasses and shoes, and will cover other apparel and home and garden categories in the next few months.
• Retailers and merchants wanting to leverage the new feature need to add and maintain schema.org product metadata on their web pages, according to the Google Webmaster Central blog. Schema.org/Product markup helps Google find product offerings on the web and give users an at-a-glance summary of product info.

More info about just how much phones are now being used:

• American adults will spend 2 hours and 25 minutes daily on mobile apps this year on average, an increase of 10.3% from last year and slightly above an earlier projection, according to a new report from eMarketer. Mobile apps will account for nearly 20% of American’s total digital media time this year. 
• The number of unique apps smartphone users occupy themselves with per month is expected to dip to 20.7 this year from 21 in 2016. In 2019, Americans will check out 20.1 apps at least once a month. App usage is contained largely in social media networks, and Google and utilitarian apps, a category that covers maps and messaging apps. 
• When they’re using mobile apps, Americans mostly listen to digital audio, social network, play games, watch videos and message. The time Americans spend on those activities is poised to rise even further. In 2018, Americans are anticipated to spend 2 hours and 35 minutes on mobile apps, and that figure will clock in at 2 hours and 43 minutes in 2019.  

Lets face it phones and apps are the coming force and we at Rossini.com can make them for you!

How to spot fake news

This is from Facebook:

Tips to Spot False News

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We want to stop the spread of false news on Facebook. Learn more about the work we're doing. As we work to limit the spread, here are some tips on what to look out for:

1. Be skeptical of headlines. False news stories often have catchy headlines in all caps with exclamation points. If shocking claims in the headline sound unbelievable, they probably are.
2. Look closely at the URL. A phony or look-alike URL may be a warning sign of false news. Many false news sites mimic authentic news sources by making small changes to the URL. You can go to the site to compare the URL to established sources.
3. Investigate the source. Ensure that the story is written by a source that you trust with a reputation for accuracy. If the story comes from an unfamiliar organization, check their "About" section to learn more.
4. Watch for unusual formatting. Many false news sites have misspellings or awkward layouts. Read carefully if you see these signs.
5. Consider the photos. False news stories often contain manipulated images or videos. Sometimes the photo may be authentic, but taken out of context. You can search for the photo or image to verify where it came from.
6. Inspect the dates. False news stories may contain timelines that make no sense, or event dates that have been altered.
7. Check the evidence. Check the author's sources to confirm that they are accurate. Lack of evidence or reliance on unnamed experts may indicate a false news story.
8. Look at other reports. If no other news source is reporting the same story, it may indicate that the story is false. If the story is reported by multiple sources you trust, it's more likely to be true.
9. Is the story a joke? Sometimes false news stories can be hard to distinguish from humor or satire. Check whether the source is known for parody, and whether the story's details and tone suggest it may be just for fun.
10. Some stories are intentionally false. Think critically about the stories you read, and only share news that you know to be credible.

How can I protect my Facebook account?

Here are 6 things you can do to help keep your account safe:

1. Protect your password: ...
2. Use our extra security features.
3. Make sure your email account(s) are secure.
4. Log out of Facebook when you use a computer you share with other people. ...
5. Run anti-virus software on your computer: ...
6. Think before you click or download anything.

Security Tips | Facebook Help Center | Facebook


What do I do if my Facebook has been hacked?
Once you click on End Activity, change your password right away. Next, getFacebook's help. Facebook has a system to help you if you've been hacked. Go to the Facebook help page, click on I think my account was hacked or someone is using it without my permission, and then click on secure it.

How do I set the highest privacy settings on Facebook?
Click the 'Privacy' tab located in the left column:**Set default privacy/sharing option to Friends.**Use the Activity Log to review all your posts and things you're tagged in.**Limit the audience for old posts on your Timeline.**Set who can send you friend requests. ... **Select if you want Basic or Strict filtering for your inbox.
I have used Facebook for several years and as time goes on so do the security options and threats. I will add more about this later.


Joe Rossini

What about EU web security?

 Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities continue to dominate the list of most common vulnerabilities found in real-world tests.

In more than a third (37 per cent) of cases, a website vulnerable to XSS is also vulnerable to a more critical flaw such as SQL injection or improper access control, according to web security testing firm High-Tech Bridge.

Insecure WordPress blogging platform installs also continued to pose problems. More than 72 per cent of WordPress installs assessed by High-Tech Bridge had default admin panel location and at least one brute-force crackable login/password pair, nullifying any efforts their owners might have made to keep patches up to date.

More than two thirds (77 per cent) of mass website infections with malicious code are possible because of the exploitation of a known vulnerability in an open-source content management system (CMS), its plugin or theme publicly disclosed over the previous three months.

Elsewhere there has been mixed progress on the web server security front. Firms have continued to phase out the obsolete SSLv3 protocol, support for which was exploited in attacks such as POODLE (padding Oracle on downgraded legacy encryption) and others. By the end of September 18 per cent of web servers still support it, compared with 23 per cent recorded by High-Tech Bridge in June 2016.

By contrast there has been no move away from the ageing TLS 1.0 protocol: 96.1 per cent of web servers still support it, compared with 97 per cent in June 2016. Maintaining compliance with the credit card industry’s PCI DSS standard means those who handle credit card data need to drop support for TLS 1.0 from June 2018.

Ilia Kolochenko, High-Tech Bridge’s chief exec, commented: “Both SMEs and multinationals experience serious problems and face financial losses caused by insecure web applications. Traditional web security testing by automated solutions and defence by web application firewalls cannot reliably protect modern web applications any more.

“Companies shall look on DevSecOps and S-SDLC implementation to manage their web application lifecycle. Web application security is a continuous process, not an ad-hoc action or quarterly scan." Article from the Register..

I posted this just to let you know that there are more threats then just those in the USA, these treats are worldwide. Hackers are everywhere so you must be vigilant!

More to come

Joe Rossini

Some information about Kaspersky anti virus

First I want to start by saying over the years I have used various anti virus programs. Some programs have been great, some free, some with a lot of holes.  I am now using Kaspersky personal version and I have been happy. I am in no way advising you to buy this brand of security but I will say it works for me and I am on a lot.

OK here are some good pages to look at about Kaspersky: http://usa.kaspersky.com/about/how-we-work/principles-of-fighting-cyberthreats/:

More to read: http://usa.kaspersky.com/about/how-we-work/cooperation-with-governments-and-law-enforcement-agencies/

There is a lot more. On my version I often choose to run a quick scan it is much faster and it looks at important areas of your computer. A full scan of my system can take over an hour so I usually will run this after business hours.  What ever you choose you must have some form of virus protection and this one is not that expensive to buy. I will be looking at others soon.

One last thing, read this about an overview of Kyspersky it may allow you to think as to why you should choose them: http://usa.kaspersky.com/about-us/company-overview/

More to come.

Joe Rossini

Your mobile phone security

There are a few important ways all smartphone and cell phone users should protect their device security…” 90 percent of workers in the United States use their personal smartphones for work purposes. As the BYOD movement gains momentum, so too do security threats.

Some security questions:

How do I secure my cell phone?

Ways to stay secure

1. Lock your phone with a password or fingerprint detection. ... 
2. If it's not already the default on your phone, consider encrypting your data. ... 
3. Set up remote wipe. ... 
4. Back up phone data. ... 
5. Avoid third-party apps. ... 
6. Avoid jailbreaking your iPhone or rooting your Android. ... 
7. Update operating systems often.

9 Tips for Keeping Your Mobile Devices Secure

1. Make sure your software is up-to-date. ... 
2. Employ strong passwords. ... 
3. Don't mess with the security settings. ... 
4. Avoid unencrypted public wireless networks. ... 
5. Paying to access a Wi-Fi network doesn't mean it's secure. ... 
6. URLs beginning with 'https:' are safer (but not foolproof). ... 
7. Use VPN.

Are cell phone calls secure?

No, GSM calls (and data traffic) are not always encrypted. 2G connections can be unencrypted as part of the 2G protocol and even if you have a 3G or 4G phone you still can make those unencrypted 2G calls. In a perfect world all calls would beencrypted as you would expect providers to turn on 2G encryption.  As we move more and more into 4g and now 5g encryption is getting stronger and stronger.

Some of these facts came from Malwarebytes Labs

More to come soon.

Joe Rossini

Moe on the Internet privacy Act

This was a link I read on Twitter: http://www.npr.org/2017/03/28/521831393/congress-overturns-internet-privacy-regulation

Security and the cloud

Security issues associated with the cloud[edit]

Cloud computing and storage provides users with capabilities to store and process their data in third-party data centers.^[1] Organizations use the cloud in a variety of different service models (with acronyms such as SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS) and deployment models (private, public, hybrid, and community).^[2] Security concerns associated with cloud computing fall into two broad categories: security issues faced by cloud providers (organizations providing software-, platform-, or infrastructure-as-a-service via the cloud) and security issues faced by their customers (companies or organizations who host applications or store data on the cloud).^[3] The responsibility is shared, however. The provider must ensure that their infrastructure is secure and that their clients’ data and applications are protected, while the user must take measures to fortify their application and use strong passwords and authentication measures.

When an organization elects to store data or host applications on the public cloud, it loses its ability to have physical access to the servers hosting its information. As a result, potentially sensitive data is at risk from insider attacks. According to a recent Cloud Security Alliance Report, insider attacks are the sixth biggest threat in cloud computing.^[4]Therefore, Cloud Service providers must ensure that thorough background checks are conducted for employees who have physical access to the servers in the data center. Additionally, data centers must be frequently monitored for suspicious activity.

In order to conserve resources, cut costs, and maintain efficiency, Cloud Service Providers often store more than one customer's data on the same server. As a result, there is a chance that one user's private data can be viewed by other users (possibly even competitors). To handle such sensitive situations, cloud service providers should ensure proper data isolation and logical storage segregation.^[2]

The extensive use of virtualization in implementing cloud infrastructure brings unique security concerns for customers or tenants of a public cloud service.^[5] Virtualization alters the relationship between the OS and underlying hardware - be it computing, storage or even networking. This introduces an additional layer - virtualization - that itself must be properly configured, managed and secured.^[6] Specific concerns include the potential to compromise the virtualization software, or "hypervisor". While these concerns are largely theoretical, they do exist.^[7] For example, a breach in the administrator workstation with the management software of the virtualization software can cause the whole datacenter to go down or be reconfigured to an attacker's liking.

I personally am a little cautious about the cloud but the use of it is so strong today that security issues might arise. Most of us smaller companies probably are not targets of hackers in the cloud but those big boys certainly are. Let us take that if yo could get .01 from every bank in the world how rich would you be? Think about it would a bank even know or care? So this is a potential problem if your company was hacked in the cloud and maybe lost just a few dollars, just a few would you even know?  Well enough of that more to come, just be vigilant.

Joe Rossini

More Web security info

Keeping Your Computer Secure

In addition to selecting and securing your web browser, you can take measures to increase protection to your computer in general. The following are steps and links to information resources that will help you secure your computer.

1. Read the Home Network Security document

2. Enable automatic software updates if available

   Vendors will usually release patches for their software when a vulnerability has been discovered. Most product documentation offers a method to get updates and patches. You should be able to obtain updates from the vendor's website. Read the manuals or browse the vendor's website for more information.
   Some applications will automatically check for available updates, and many vendors offer automatic notification of updates via a mailing list. Look on your vendor's website for information about automatic notification. If no mailing list or other automated notification mechanism is offered, you may need to check the vendor's website periodically for updates.

3. Install and use antivirus software

   While an up-to-date antivirus software package cannot protect against all malicious code, for most users it remains the best first-line of defense against malicious code attacks. Many antivirus packages support automatic updates of virus definitions. We recommend using these automatic updates when available. A list of virus basics is available on the CERT/CC website.

4. Avoid unsafe behavior

   Additional information on this topic can be found in the Home Network Security document.
   • Use caution when opening email attachments or when using peer-to-peerfile sharing, instant messaging, or chat rooms.
   • Don't enable file sharing on network interfaces exposed directly to the Internet.

5. Follow the principle of least privilege — don't enable it if you don't need it

   Consider creating and using an account with limited privileges instead of an 'administrator' or 'root' level account for everyday tasks. Depending on the operating system, you only need to use administrator level access when installing new software, changing system configurations, etc. Many vulnerability exploits (e.g., viruses, Trojan horses) are executed with the privileges of the user that runs them — making it far more risky to be logged in as an administrator all the time.

Some of the above might seem a bit tough to understand but what I have learned is always have a virus protection program installed and working. I always ty to run a virus scan once a week or twice a month. Try to use a product like Malware Bytes to get those hidden little buggers out of your system. I also recommend using Carbonite back up or something like it just in case your computer gets shut down by a virus, you might be able to have a service rep restore everything you lost.. Do not click on a link that is suspect, I know it can be tempting but do not.

Ok more to come soon.

Joe

Web surfing security

This article is from US-CERT a very respected informational source:

Why Secure Your Browser

Today, web browsers such as Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Apple Safari are installed on almost all computers. Because web browsers are used so frequently, it is vital to configure them securely. Often, the web browser that comes with an operating system is not set up in a secure default configuration. Not securing your web browser can lead quickly to a variety of computer problems caused by anything from spyware being installed without your knowledge to intruders taking control of your computer.

Ideally, computer users should evaluate the risks from the software they use. Many computers are sold with software already loaded. Whether installed by a computer manufacturer, operating system maker, Internet service provider, or by a retail store, the first step in assessing the vulnerability of your computer is to find out what software is installed and how programs will interact with each other. Unfortunately, it is not practical for most people to perform this level of analysis.

There is an increasing threat from software attacks that take advantage of vulnerable web browsers. We have observed new software vulnerabilities being exploited and directed at web browsers through use of compromised or malicious websites. This problem is made worse by a number of factors, including the following:

• Many users have a tendency to click on links without considering the risks of their actions.
• Web page addresses can be disguised or take you to an unexpected site.
• Many web browsers are configured to provide increased functionality at the cost of decreased security.
• New security vulnerabilities are often discovered after the software is configured and packaged by the manufacturer.
• Computer systems and software packages may be bundled with additional software, which increases the number of vulnerabilities that may be attacked.
• Third-party software may not have a mechanism for receiving security updates.
• Many websites require that users enable certain features or install more software, putting the computer at additional risk.
• Many users do not know how to configure their web browsers securely.
• Many users are unwilling to enable or disable functionality as required to secure their web browser.

As a result, exploiting vulnerabilities in web browsers has become a popular way for attackers to compromise computer systems.

In addition to following this paper's recommendations, refer to the documentation in the References section for other steps you can take to secure your system.

It is important to understand the functionality and features of the web browser you use. Enabling some web browser features may lower security. Vendors often enable features by default to improve the computing experience, but these features may end up increasing the risk to the computer.

Attackers focus on exploiting client-side systems (your computer) through various vulnerabilities. They use these vulnerabilities to take control of your computer, steal your information, destroy your files, and use your computer to attack other computers. A low-cost method attackers use is to exploit vulnerabilities in web browsers. An attacker can create a malicious web page that will install Trojan software or spyware that will steal your information. Additional information about spyware is available in the following document: http://www.cert.org/archive/pdf/spyware2005.pdf. Rather than actively targeting and attacking vulnerable systems, a malicious website can passively compromise systems as the site is visited. A malicious HTML document can also be emailed to victims. In these cases, the act of opening the email or attachment can compromise the system.

Cookies are files placed on your system to store data for specific websites. A cookie can contain any information that a website is designed to place in it. Cookies may contain information about the sites you visited, or may even contain credentials for accessing the site. Cookies are designed to be readable only by the website that created the cookie. Session cookies are cleared when the browser is closed, and persistent cookies will remain on the computer until the specified expiration date is reached.

Cookies can be used to uniquely identify visitors of a website, which some people consider a violation of privacy. If a website uses cookies for authentication, then an attacker may be able to acquire unauthorized access to that site by obtaining the cookie. Persistent cookies pose a higher risk than session cookies because they remain on the computer longer.

Some software features that provide functionality to a web browser, such as ActiveX, Java, Scripting (JavaScript, VBScript, etc.), may also introduce vulnerabilities to the computer system. These vulnerabilities may stem from poor implementation, poor design, or an insecure configuration. For these reasons, you should understand which browsers support which features and the risks they could introduce. Some web browsers permit you to fully disable the use of these technologies, while others may permit you to enable features on a per-site basis.

This section provides links that show you how to securely configure a few of the most popular web browsers and how to disable features that can cause vulnerabilities. We encourage you to visit the vendor's website for each browser you use to learn more. If a vendor does not provide documentation on how to secure the browser, we encourage you to contact the vendor and request more information.

Multiple web browsers may be installed on your computer. Other software applications on your computer, such as email clients or document viewers, may use a different browser than the one you normally use to access the web. Also, certain file types may be configured to open with a different web browser. Using one web browser to manually interact with websites does not mean other applications will automatically use the same browser. For this reason, it is important to securely configure each web browser that may be installed on your computer. One advantage to having multiple web browsers is that one browser can be used for only sensitive activities such as online banking, and the other can be used for general purpose web browsing. Using multiple browsers can minimize the chances that a vulnerability in a particular web browser, website, or related software can be used to compromise sensitive information.

Web browsers are frequently updated. Depending on the version of your software, the features and options may move or change.

More to come soon....

Joe Rossini

A BDS Security alert

I hate to say it but maybe the secret camera in the microwave or tv might just be true!!!!!!

Today's Security Tip:

IoT, Internet of Things, devices in the workplace can make tasks easier. Just like how an IoT device at home makes your life more convenient. But can an IoT device leave openings for an hacker to attack?

It can, as long as manufacturers keep using cheap hardware and software to connect devices to the internet. "The price of turning a dumb device into a smart device will be 10 cents," says Mikko Hyppönen, chief research officer at F-Secure.

Unfortunately, the connectivity is not always there to benefit you, the consumer. Most of the time, it will be put in to benefit the manufacturers by collecting data for analytics. If you want IoT devices in the workplace, discuss with an IT expert, like BDS, before integrating it into your network!

For tips, please visit our website at bdsNOW.com!

Smart TV Hackable Remotely

Although we all knew smart TVs could get hacked, a new attack method was found. This attack uses terrestrial radio signals to hack a wide range of smart TVs. This allows a hacker to control a large number of sets at once without having physical access.

You might be asking, "Why would a hacker want to control my TV?" For starters, they can use the TV to attack further devices in the home network or spy on the user with the TV's camera and microphone.

This exploit relies on "digital video broadcasting - terrestrial, a transmission standard that's built into a majority of TVs." In the case a TV station or network is compromised, this could affect millions of TVs.
For more information, please visit: ArsTechnica.com

Medical Washer-Disinfector Found Vulnerable

A Germany-based manufacturer disclosed that its internet-connected washer-disinfector is vulnerable to hacking. This equipment was made to clean and properly disinfect laboratory and surgical instruments.

The flaw in the IoT device allows an unauthenticated, remote attacker to access sensitive information on the server. Most likely, an attacker would be after information like usernames, passwords, and client information.

A researcher privately disclosed the vulnerability to the Germany-based manufacturer in November 2016, but did not hear back from them for more than three months. The timeline for a fix, or even if it exists, is unknown. For now, the best way to keep yourself, your company, and customers safe is to disconnect this device from the internet!

For more information, please visit: TheHackerNews.com

OK can we all imagine what those tv's are shwing someone...holy cow!!

More to come.

Joe

OH yes remember we create web sites, SEO services and more!!

More virus secrets

Can you stop from having your surfing habits tracked?
The answer is mostly yes but potentially not totally but mostly is good.

What else can you do?
Most Web browsers keep track of every single Web site you type into the address bar. This Web history should be periodically cleared out not only for privacy's sake, but also to keep your computer system running at top speed. In Internet Explorer, you can delete your search history by clicking on Tools, then Internet Options. In Firefox, all you need to do is go to Tools, then Options, then Privacy. You can also clear your Google searches very easily by following these simple steps. Don't want Google to keep track of you at all? Read How to Keep Google From Tracking Your Searches for more information 

Most search engines these days require you to create an account and log in to access the full array of their services, including search results. In order to best protect your privacy, it's always a good idea to log out of your account after executing your Web searches.

In addition, many browsers and search engines have an auto-complete feature that suggests endings for whatever word you might be typing in. This is a very convenient feature, however, if you're looking for privacy it's something you'll want to get rid of.

Most search engines these days require you to create an account and log in to access the full array of their services, including search results. In order to best protect your privacy, it's always a good idea to log out of your account after executing your Web searches.

In addition, many browsers and search engines have an auto-complete feature that suggests endings for whatever word you might be typing in. This is a very convenient feature, however, if you're looking for privacy it's something you'll want to get rid of.

This is pretty self-explanatory: don't go to places on the Web that you would be embarrassed to have your wife, husband, children, or employer see. This is a very low-tech way to protect your Web privacy, and yet, out of all the methods on this list, might be the one that is most effective.

\Before sharing anything online - on a blog, website, message board, or social networking site - be sure it's not something you would mind sharing in real life, off the Web. Don't share information that could identify you in public, especially if you are a minor. Keep identifying details, like user names, passwords, first and last names, addresses, and phone numbers, to yourself. Your email address should be kept as private as possible, because an email address can be used to track other identifying information (see How to Find Information Using a Reverse Email Search).

Social networking sites such as Facebook are extremely popular, and for good reason: they make it possible for people to connect with each other all over the world. It's important to make sure that your privacy settings are set appropriately and that what you share on social networking sites would not reveal anything of a personal or financial nature. For more on how to keep yourself safe on Facebook, try reading How to Block Searches of Your Facebook Profile, and Protect your Facebook privacy with ReclaimPrivacy.org.

OK there is so much more like the scam or fishing virus that sends you an e mail from a friend a one liner usually saying read this!  It is usually not your friend. Would yur friend really send that? usually not.

Most of the above was courtesy of: Lifewire.

More to come from Joe Rossini