[Public-List] Privacy Issues?

[Jeffrey]

I don't want to suggest that everyone should just ignore security concerns
and the issue of personal information, but if you go down the path of being
hyper cautious then you might as well turn off the computer entirely and
walk away. Is Facebook really a risk? How many of us have the very latest
browser/OS updates? Use your computer as a limited rights user and not
admin? Solid firewalls between them and the WWW? Passwords that contain 8
characters including numbers and symbols? Change passwords often? How about
SSL when using email?  Facebook and other information sharing sites have
been getting lots of bad press lately, some justified, but for most users
how much of a risk is having your likeness on the internet compared to the
ease at which a key logger can be installed behind the scenes on your
computer. Or sending unencrypted email at the coffee shop?

Of course you'd be a fool to put your name and address on facebook, but I
think you'd also be a fool to not partake in some many of the webs
offerings.

 Just my opinion. I'm not a huge fan of facebook, but I don't see any harm
in using it wisely.

Jeff Fongemie
#116 Seagrass

http://picasaweb.google.com/fongemie








On Wed, Jan 4, 2012 at 4:29 PM, John Riley <jriley at dsbscience.com> wrote:

> Brennan Carney wrote:
> > As to tracking, I seriously
> > do not see how the corporate world could use my fondness for old boats to
> > their marketing advantage.
> >
>
> Not to veer to far off the sailing topic here, but that's not thinking
> like someone who WANTS that information.  It's an easy thing to set up
> computers to data mine - cross correlate information from one site to
> another.
>
> So, you post about boats here, and maybe somewhere else you just
> casually mention that you like old boats...alberg 30  in particular, and
> what have you posted on that other site?  What threads of connectivity
> exist that taken solely don't amount to much, but taken together amount
> to a pretty decent "profile" of not only your online browsing habits,
> but also usable information.
>
> Far fetched?
>
> Not really.  Been digging into the whitehat security game for a couple
> of decades, and this sort of thing has been known for a very long time.
>
> Remember, they don't have to know who you are to use your information
> either (a) for their gain or (b) against you.
>
> Facebook is bad in this regard because it encourages people to 'share'
> information with "friends."  It conditions people to ignore (or at least
> underestimate) the problems with 'computer security' on the Internet.
>
> I think there is a very real reason why my brother in law was asked if
> he EVER even viewed a Facebook page, and if he had, it would have cost
> him his security clearance and thus his present job.
>
> Back to sailing, or in my case, dreaming about sailing.
>
> --
> John S. Riley
> S/V Gaelic Sea
> 1972 Alberg 30 #521
>
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-- 
Jeffrey Fongemie

 1325718883.0