Advocate (Dr.) Prashant Mali's Blog

5 things you should consider removing or not posting to Facebook and/or other social networks. 1. You or Your Family's Full Birth Dates and Address We all love getting happy birthdays from our friends on our Facebook wall. It makes us feel all warm inside knowing that people remembered and cared enough to write us a short note on our special day. If you are having a private party, leave the addre ss off Facebook, unless you are in a public place. We have all seen what happens in the media, when you or your friends privacy settings are compromised. The problem is when you list your birthday and your address, you are providing identity thieves with 2 of the 3 or 4 pieces of personal information that is needed to steal your identity. It's best to not list the address or the birth date at all, but if you must list the birth date, at least leave out the year. Your real friends should know this info anyway. 2. Your Relationship Status Whether you are in a relationship or not, ...

A handbook by Nato's Co-operative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE), located in Tallinn, Estonia is released. The centre was established in 2008 after Estonia suffered massive cyber attacks which wreaked havoc on the country's network infrastructure. The guidelines include a provision for states to respond with conventional force if cyber attacks by another state resulted in death or significant damage to property. It also states that hackers who take part in online attacks during a war can be legitimate targets even though they are technically civilians and not soldiers. Some rules that cover conventional warfare such as the Geneva Convention have been adapted to the internet. For example, attacks on certain key civilian sites are outlawed. In order to avoid the release of dangerous forces and consequent severe losses among the civilian population, particular care must be taken during cyber attacks against works and installations containing dangerous forces,...