Security warning/notice

[zacharysonicfast]

Be advised that when using any public wifi or if you are in a public place, cameras are everywhere. They easily record your user info, passwords, etc.

Think carefully before typing in anything while you are anywhere near a camera. Many cameras can see a quarter up to 1/4 mile away (statute mile) and at night time too.
Cameras can also be very tiny too.

I discovered a camera right behind my shoulder at a restaurant watching every keystroke and what was on my screen.

Now I have to change all my passwords.

This applies to everyone, all operating systems. All devices. Anything you type.

[nomko]

Now I have to change all my passwords.

When you type your password, does it show up on the screen as dots? Asterixes??
Is not it a bit too exaggerated???

[zacharysonicfast]

The camera sees the screen and sees the keys your fingers are pressing. Just as if someone stood behind you while you used the computer.
Yes, I get asterisks. But what good is that if they can see which buttons your fingers are pressing? And that is relative to whatever site you have on your screen.

Say you went to hotmail or similar. It sees that site and the login screen you use. It also sees both your email address and the keys you press on the keyboard for your password.

Another issue would be online banking. It sees the site, the username & password too.

Online purchases - it sees you enter your credit card info!

What an easy way for criminals to steal your information. And most restaurant cameras not only record locally they are also recorded and monitored remotely.

Many public places have outdoor cameras that can watch everything. I understand that those can be a good thing but not in this case.

You use your smartphone in a store. Cameras are being hidden inside display dummies and can see everything you do if you are in it's view. Not to mention the pinhole ones hidden behind pegboard walls and such.

[nomko]

You sound like some paranoid person...

[zacharysonicfast]

Notwithstanding your assessment of my motives, there are all kinds of stories on the news about identity thieves stealing everything they can.

Remember the old dumpster-divers?

Just about everyone is concerned about ID theft.

If you don't take proper precautions and common sense you too can be a victim.

Here is but one out of many sites to see:

http://money.cnn.com/2012/02/28/pf/consumer_complaints/

According to the FTC here are the the top 10 consumer complaints:
Identity theft
Debt collection
Prizes, sweepstakes, lotteries
Shop-at-home, catalog sales
Banks and lenders
Internet services
Auto-related complaints
Impostor scams
Telephone and mobile services
Advance-fee loans and credit protection/repair

I have yet to see any news article or other warning about cameras in public places.

[nomko]

Dude, lightened up! You're really, really very paranoid!

[homerscousin]

Maybe zac sounds a little paranoid, but this is reality. These devices are out there. And as technology progresses we will find more. Depends on who uses them and for what purpose. Probably meant to keep the majority safe until one of the less savvy minority screws up and it bites him/her and it's, oh well, who gives a snarff.

[zacharysonicfast]

Some are working on cross browser cookie gleaning too.

What this means is that you use one browser and the browser is manipulated so as to look for cookies in others browsers that may be on your system, then report back those cookies. Interesting concept but the powers that be are trying to do just that.

Ans yes, I am paranoid to a degree. I have to be and so does everyone else too. Otherwise there wouldn't be browser security patches and system security patches to protect the users.

You read frequently that someone steals information just to steal your money and impersonate you.

One big worry isn't about money loss. It is about impersonating you. If someone did that and say committed a bad crime, YOU could be on the hook for it and possibly go to prison, unless you have gobs of cash to hire expensive lawyers to prove your innocence.

The world is getting scarier every day.

Did you know that satellites in orbit can hear what you say in your car with the windows rolled up? They measure the vibrations of your voice on the windshield.

Amazing stuff out there.

[sammiev]

Did you know that satellites in orbit can hear what you say in your car with the windows rolled up? They measure the vibrations of your voice on the windshield.

Amazing stuff out there.

Learn sign language.

[xenopeek]

Learn sign language.

You forgot about the cameras!

[bigj231]

Learn sign language.

You forgot about the cameras!

What about sitting on your hands while signing and driving? Then they won't have any idea what you're trying to do. Heck, nobody will.

[Jerry]

He is not paranoid at all. This is reality. The fact that cameras are viewed remotely does not infer that the remote viewer is an honest person. The point he is making is actually very valid.

[zacharysonicfast]

Thanks for your support seallion.

It appears that some people don't care. But others that do not want to lose everything, including their freedom, do care very much. I have read estimates for damage repair from identity theft to be around $10,000 US, and that is just for money issues.

The 1995 movie called 'The Net' seems quite feasible with technology advancing and the crooked governments running amok.

About remote viewing - what is to stop someone from intercepting the transmission and viewing the feed? Here is one item. Some public Zoo's allow the general public to remotely view the animals and you can even move the camera shot around to your liking. Some street corner cams can allow the public to view everything too.

I didn't read anywhere that those feeds are encrypted.

Too bad the governments won't pass laws to force all connections to be encrypted. It surely would cut down the risks.

[Jerry]

I can say one thing right now, zach. And that is that remote viewing by cameras can even by done by crackers/hackers who have this knowledge. It does not even have to be some legitamite remote viewer. It can also be a non-legitamate viewer who has the skills and knowlegde base to enable such tactics. You could lose your access to your email, banking information, anything at all.

It is true that asterix's are shown in the password field but what it important to know is that you could stil have your privacy invaded upon once you open your email. A remote viewer can see and read all there is. A remote viewer can even see how much money you have in your bank account if you accessed your bank information online. A remote viewer can see and read when you decide to access your stock information online or your medical information online. Anything at all.

I don't think your paranoid at all, zach. Your actually being very realistic and I guess the best way to find out for someone who does not think seriously on this issue is to experience it the hard way. I hope no-one here ever experiences getting their privacy invaded or become the victim of digital fraud.

[eanfrid]

Don't do private things in public places or on public shared networks like wifi hotspots.
Do not use neither wifi nor bluetooth connections as far as you can.
Use multi-factor authentication.
Encrypt you data.

[zacharysonicfast]

There is good and bad for me and public wifi.

I do not do anything financial online so public wifi is safe in that respect.

However, I do worry about passwords and access to other sites.

A while ago someone stole a gmail account I had and sent out requests for money to everyone on my contact list. Took me a week to get my account back and re-notify everyone.

I do not have internet where I stay. I can only use free public wifi or none at all.

Notice: if anyone ever gets a request for money from me, NEVER send it!
I have never asked for money from anyone (other than maybe a quarter that I was short for a coffee one day)

[zacharysonicfast]

Don't do private things in public places or on public shared networks like wifi hotspots.
Do not use neither wifi nor bluetooth connections as far as you can.
Use multi-factor authentication.
Encrypt you data.

Since I am still a noob with linux, please explain the multifactor authentication and how I can do it with linux.
Thanks.

[xenopeek]

This has nothing to do with Linux, but everything to do with actually reading the security options websites offer you. Like for Google multi-factor authentication, anybody using Gmail in a public place would already have set that up on their accounts > security page. For info on Google multi-factor authentication, see here: http://support.google.com/accounts/bin/ ... 80744&rd=1.

[palo]

To anyone taking the op lightly or claiming it is just paranoia, I can say as a victim of identity theft that it is something to fear. It was like a nightmare everyday that you don't wake up from for several years. There are many ways for the bad guys to get your information - for one there are "watchers" in public places. Forget high tech security camera cracking - they can pose as an obscure tourist taking video shots with a telephoto lens.

Pat

[zacharysonicfast]

To anyone taking the op lightly or claiming it is just paranoia, I can say as a victim of identity theft that it is something to fear. It was like a nightmare everyday that you don't wake up from for several years. There are many ways for the bad guys to get your information - for one there are "watchers" in public places. Forget high tech security camera cracking - they can pose as an obscure tourist taking video shots with a telephoto lens.

Pat

Wow. Did you finally get it resolved? How many hours did you put in to fight the problem? How much have you lost & spent so far?heycould commit crimes posing as you and
Stealing your money and credit is bad enough. It is stealing your criminal-free identity that is the worst. You get the blame for it.

Oh, it has everything to do with Linux, and every other OS out there.

The cameras in public places like restaurants are a big concern. Most of the people watching them are just barely minimum wage earners. If someone was to offer them the right incentive they would surely get whatever they could, and with impunity since you would hard time proving that is where the information was obtained.

Watchers can be watched too. If I were going to steal info I would do my best not to be seen. Harder to pin it on me since they couldn't place me there. Why risk being caught?