Social Media

Social media sties are a great way to interact with other users over the internet.  Unfortunately, a large number of social media users don't understand the importance of limiting what's posted on these sites.  Attackers regularly use social media sites as reconnaissance tools,  It's no longer surprising to hear about people falling victim to identity theft or networks being infiltrated because of information gathered from social media sites.

What can you do?

• Assume that anything you post online is public and permanent.
• Don't post information that may damage you or your company's reputation.
• Be cautious of what you post because any information can be used to carry out additional attacks
• Go through all your privacy settings and restrict who is able to view your profiles.
• Connect with people you know.

Add On to Prior Pot

Recognizing phishing attempts:

Check that the e-mail message is well composed with the grammar and spelling you would expect from the sender, whether it's your boss, your brother or your bank.

Does the e-mail ask you for personal information?  Most organizations would never ask for personal information in an e-mail or ask you to "reconfirm" your password and account information.

Trust your gut!  If something doesn't seem right, it probably isn't.  If you are not sure and are worried that there is something urgent that needs your attention, then contact that company/organization as you normally would.  Never use the e-mail links or any information from a suspected phishing e-mail (including the phone number!). 

Understand that e-mail phishing works on unsuspecting people every day.  Even e-mails that seem farfetched ("Send me $100,000 so I can give you my inheritance") work all the time, but those aren't the only e-mails that get sent.  There are often crafty and well-constructed e-mails that require a close look to notice they are malicious.  So take that second lok and check before you click, download, or enter your information.

Phishing E-mails

So what can you do to prevent malicious viruses via e-mails?  First look at the "from" address.  Be sure you recognize it.  Than take a second look at the domain name (that's the name after the "@" symbol).  Make sure it's spelled correctly.  At the office, an internal e-mail from your coworker would display only his or her name.  If it also shows the full e-mail address, it came from the outside.

Look for a "reply" address that matches the "from" address.

More soon..........

Spam & Junk

Understand that "spam" and "junk" filters do not catch all malicious e-mails.  Second, know what signs to look for in a phishing e-mail.  The vast majority of phishing attempts are fairly easy to recognize and avoid.  My next blog will give some aspects of phishing e-mails that can help you recognize their true nature.

Tired of Cybersecurity Yet?

Phishing is one of the most commonly used attacks against users.  By way of e-mail, those with malicious intent will contact unsuspecting persons, asking them to click a link or download a file.  Generally, the end goal is to infect the user's computer with malware or get them to submit important personal information.  Next blog will deal with what you can do to avoid malicious attempts. 

Passwords

Never write down your password, and never store it in your browser.  If you have many user names and passwords (as we all do), it's impossible to remember them all.  Some form of storage is needed.  Utilize a password manager application.  A password manager automates the random generation of all passwords for each of your accounts, allowing you to remember only one strong passphrase (see prior blog posting.)  Password managers have strong encryption and can pseudo-randomly generate strong passwords for each unique account you log in to.

Here is a non-extensive list of password managers, as of September 10, 2015, from Wikipedia.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_password_managers

Even More Security

I know these postings are lacking variety but security of your electronic devices is important enought to warrant the attention.

Major software vendors that we are alll familiar with operate their own websites to distribute or sell their own software.  Use a major vendor's site to download their software, (e.g., Microsoft, Apple, Google). 

Even open-source projects typically have their own websites where you can safely download the software.  First search for favorable references to the project or developers from sources like industry news and review sites or software publishers you've worked with in the past. 

More to come......

And Still More Cyber Security

Download software only from reputable websites.  Software downloads are a great way to disguise malware.  There are numberous sites that serve as repositories for independent developers and/or open-source softwarek, which makes validating the source of the software and the download difficult.  Without knowing where the software or download originated, you could expose yourself to some very harmful software. 

Next:  What can you do?

Still More Cyber Security

Which antivirus software should you use?  Want to know who the best is?                                      Visit http://www.av-comparatives.org.  They run many different types of tests against various AV vendors' software and on different types of platforms.  Check it our and see what would work for you!

More on Cyber Security

One of the top methods of computer attacks comes from malicious software (malware), to the extent that there are tens of millions of new pieces of malware each year.  Malware can be transmiotted to a computer from file downloands, e-mail attachments, USB thump drives, and other removable media.  To make matters worse, malware is often disguised as something safe or even helpful like antivirus software.

More on this in a couple of days......

More on Passwords

OK, so how do you build a strong password? 

Start with a normal phrase that means something to only you so yu can remember it.  Do not use common quotes from books or other cultural artifacts.  Write it down, including spaces.

For example, if the phrase you use is:

Super best phrase of pass that only I can remember

Add capitalization in odd places

SupEr best pHrase of paSs that Only I caN remember

Add numbers

SupEr7best90 pH32rase of paSs th00at Only I c4aN rem9ember

Add special characters (!#$)(*&%<>?":{}][,./;@).

SupE$r7best90 pH32&rase" of paSs: th00at 0,nly I c4aN re;m9ember

That looks too hard for me to remember so I'll simply

SupE$r best90 paSs:

I'll type it into a window that will not save my work but will allow me to read what I have typed a few times to engage muscle memory.

SupE$rtest90paSs:

After typing it a few times, I have an idea of how I usually mess up typing the passphrase, which I use as part of my memory of how to type out the passphrase.  Destroy the written copy of this password-generation process that we started with.  Now you have a strong passphrase that you can remember. 

More Cyber Security

Here's some thought on what you can do to make sure your passwords are strong.  Avoid the following:

•  using your user name
•  using the same passoword with just a different digit
•  using other easily guessable aspects to your password.

Instead, use a passphrase.  A passphrase is a sentecy that you can early remember.  The longer your passphrase, the stronger it is.  Making your passphrase strong can limit the success of humans and/or computers in guessing your passphrase.  Using only simple sentences is becoming less effective with the decreasing cost of consumer graphic cards, which allow approxminate 8,810,000 encrypted password hashes (how domain user's passwords are stored in Active Directory) to be attempted each second!   

Cybersecurity

October is national cybersecurity awareness month.  Accordingly, here is a tip for securing your electronic data.

Use strong passwords.  Passwords are naturally subject to many different attacks.  Shared password conventions can increase the likelihood of passwords being guessed.  Shorter passwords of dictionary words with few or predictable numbers (e.g., the year) and not using all types of complexity are easily cracked with freely available tools and inexpensive graphic cards.

More in next blog posting...................

Interest Rates

Probably everyone is aware the Federal Reserve Bank did not move to increase interest rates at its recent meeting.  It is still speculated that we will see a quarter point increase in either October or December.  The big concern now is global economic colatility. 

Ironman

Another Madison Ironman in the books!  Awesosme weather for it yesterday.  It still amazes me the committment the athletes make to do the 2.4 mile swim; 112 mile bike ride; 26.2 mile run!  Congrats to all who participated even if they were unable to finish. 

Cowboy Stadium

I was fortunate to be in Texas for the UW/Alabama game Saturday night.  Alabama is a very good football team.  A match up with Ohio State would be a classic!  And I cannot really define how big that Cowboy Stadium is.  They certainly do things big in Texas!

Wild Ride

It appears that stockholders did not panic during the wild ride the stock market has been on.  The China economic situation certainly points out how we have become a global economy, although the U.S. economy still is the prime mover of global markets.  And the recent correction was long overdue. 

Economy

Don't panic!  In fact, if you have some excess cash, it might be a good time to invest in the market.  You would be buying good companies cheaper than several weeks ago!

Interest Rates

If you believe what you read, it appears the Fed is hell bent on increase rates a bit by year end.  For those on fixed incomes and depending on income from fixed income type securities, this would be good news.  For borrowers, should not make a great difference.

Memorial Day

The Memorial Day weekend kicks off summer.  People travel.  And then there is Brat Fest.  But let us not forget the real meaning of the Day.... to remember and honor those who have served our country to protect the freedoms we enjoy!

Interest Rates

Bloomberg reports that Fed Chair Yellen warned investors in a recent speech that long term interest rates are at very low levels and that once the Fed begins to raise Fed funds, longer term rates "can move very rapidly" and investors could see "a sharp jump in long-term rates."

Florida

I recently spent a week in Vero Beach, Florida.  It is on the east coast of Florida.  The traffic there seems much less congested than on the west coast.  One feeling I came away with after a week there...... I am not ready to retire!

Packers

Some of you know that I am the holder of Green Bay Packer season tickets.  The schedule just came out.  And it was announced that Brett Favre's #4 will be retired at the Thanksgiving Day night game with the Bears.  I can't understand why I am getting so many requests to attend that game with me!  LOL. 

Bankers Without A Pen

Last night was the annual Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's spring gala.  Always a fantastic time and cause.  Last night alone over $450,000 was raised for Type 1 Diabetes research!!  One of the more humorous times was when a pen was needed for filling out a form and out of 6 bankers at the table, no one had a pen!!

What A Day

I have a tough schedule today.  Brewer opener followed by UW win over Duke!  Make 'em believe!

Granddaugher's Blog

I have a granddaughter, Lydia Eager, who is spending a semester in Alicante, Spain.  She has a blog and has convinced me she's got her head screwed on right.  Her blogs are incredible.  But as we approach Easter weekend, a couple things she has blogged are very pertinent.  " If you are reading this, please breathe in, breathe out, and thank God for this beautiful world we have and life we are living."  Another quote:  "  While the week leading up to Easter is not nearly as important (in Spain) as in other places, I hope anyone reading this does their best (even if not Christian) to spend this week feeling nothing but gratitude."

Happy Easter ..... and go Badgers!

Frank the Tank

If you haven't picked up a copy of the recent Sports Illustrated with Frank Kaminsky on the cover, you should.  Good, interesting article.  Go Badgers!

Sun is Shining

It is fantastic to see the change in peoples' moods as a result of the sun and warmer air! 

Spring

50 degree temperatures next week!  Boo yah!

Hoqw About Those Badgers

It is so refreshing to be a fan of the UW men's basketball team!  When we hear so much about individuals in sports who set a poor example for our youth, with the UW guys we have a group who we'd all like our kids to emulate.  Congratulations to some great people for their Big 10 championship. 

Right To Work

Can someone tell me why opposition claims Right to Work is bad for workers?  If it is so important, wouldn't those currently in unions want to remain.  So what's the issue?  Or is it big government telling us they know what's right for us again?  Right to work does not take away the right to join a union does it?  What am I missing?

Mayor of Fitchburg

Our current Mayor, Shaun Pfaff came in second in yesterday's primary.  I can only say it is my opinion that Shaun has done an excellent job as Mayor. 

Vote

A number of communities, including Fitchburg, have primaries next Tuesday, February 17.  Turnout is usually very low.  But these elections are important.  Exercise one of your most important freedoms and vote next Tuesday!

Vaccines

This year's flu season was expected to be bad and it is mostly living up to that expectation.  Even those who have been vaccinated are at risk, because of mutations in the virus that came about after the vaccine was designed.  Even so, health officials say it still pays to get vaccinated, as its the best way to reduce the chances you'll get the flu and spread what can be a deadly disease. 

Interest Rates

After the Fed Open Market Committee yesterday, their announcement implies no change in interest rates for next few months.  But longer term uncertain. 

Ouch!

I'm still suffering from "the" game last Sunday.  Can't imagine how those guys feel.

Dangerous Jobs

I came across some interesting information recently regarding risky occupations.  You would think that the most dangerous is being a police officer or a fireman.  But according to fatality statistics being a fisherman is by far the most dangerous.... 200 deaths per 100K.  Fireman have 4.4 deaths per 100K and police around 13.  Other professions with more on-the-job fatalities than cops and firemaen are airline pilots with 57 fatalities, loggers, roofers, sanitation workers and farmers. 

Go Pack Go

I was at the Packer/Cowboy game yesterday with 4 grandchildren, 3 daughters and 2 son-in-laws.  What a special place Lambeau Field is!  The trip home was also fun;  much more so than it would have been with a loss.  Recommend it for everyone's bucket list!

Interest Rates

Each year I get guesstimates from all of our officers on what they feel the prime rate will be by year end.  For 2014 several of our officers guessed 3.25%, which is where the prime rate ended up.  One of our more accurate guessers is saying the 2015 ending prime will be up to 4.00%.  Only a couple officers are predicting rates not to increase.