Is your refrigerator putting your home network at risk? We live in a world of “smart” objects, where some things like thermostats, coffee pots, and refrigerators are connected to the Internet. We carry around smart devices like phones, and we even wear them in the form of fitness trackers and medical devices. This complicated Internet ecosystem offers us tremendous benefits, but it also poses unique risks.

As technology continues to evolve and advance through all aspects of our lives, it is critical to use Internet-connected devices in safe and secure ways. These devices pose various privacy and security challenges because they collect personal information about the user which could potentially be accessed by others. The user is responsible for understanding what information these devices collect and how it is being shared.

Follow the simple tips below to secure any object or device that connects to the Internet and sends or receives data automatically: 

• Read privacy policies and know what information an app or device will collect to determine if you really want to share such information.
• Keep any device that connects to the Internet free from viruses and malware by updating the software regularly.
• Understand privacy settings to control how much information a device or app will display publicly about you.
• Set strong passwords and change them regularly.

 I encourage YOU ALL you watch this video – Anatomy of an IoT (Internet of Things) Attack - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvLnb4YQHh0 and https://youtu.be/4gR562GW7TI

 A cyber security company sent me their scam of the week.  You must also be prepared for scammers trying to take advantage of horrific events and turning it into a money-making scheme.  More details about a particular scheme below.

 "Heads-up! Bad guys are exploiting the Las Vegas shooting. There are fake Facebook pages, tweets are going out with fake charity websites, and phishing emails are sent out asking for donations to bogus Vegas Charities. 

Don't fall for any scams. If you want to make a donation, you can go to http://www.charitynavigator.org before you consider giving to any charity. This free website will let you know if the charity is legitimate or a scam. It will also tell you how much of what it collects actually goes toward its charitable work and how much it spends on salaries and administration expenses. 

Do not click on any links in emails or text you might get. Whatever you see in the coming weeks about Las Vegas disaster relief... THINK BEFORE YOU CLICK.”