At Virtual World Computing (VWC) we are pleased to announce our latest contest — the “Anything You Love About Cocoon” contest. From May 19-31, participants may submit an entry to VWC from the contest entry tab on our official Facebook page. The Grand Prize Winner will receive a iPad Mini (Apple is not a participant in or sponsor of this promotion), based on your contribution on the entry form about “why you love Cocoon.” All other contest prizes will be selected in a random drawing.

The official contest rules are posted here at our blog. The grand prize winner will be selected on June 3 and will be based on the participant’s written entry about “what they love about Cocoon”. All other prizes will be selected in a random drawing on June 1.

The remaining 16 prizes include:

(a) One $100.00 iTunes Music Card (retail value $100.00); (b) One $100.00 Amazon.com Gift Card (retail value $100.00); (c) One $75.00 Amazon.com Gift Card (retail value $75.00); (d) Three $50.00 Amazon Gift Cards (retail value $50.00 each for a total $150.00); (e) Ten 1 year subscriptions to either PC World or Mac World (retail value $19.97 each for a total $199.70). The total value of this prize package is $975.00. Only one prize per winner.

All winners will be notified by email within three business days following the close of this contest. All winning participant prizes will be dispensed between June 6-12. The odds of winning the Grand Prize depend upon the written entry. Whether you love the concept of online security and privacy, love a particular Cocoon feature, love to stream their favorite US content when traveling abroad, or you just love Cocoon because it makes you feel soft, fuzzy, and Cocooned – there is only one winner for this coveted grand prize. The odds of winning the remaining 16 prizes depend upon the number of eligible entries received for this drawing.

Mobile Smart Link: http://a.pgtb.me/pknzbq

Good luck!

When it comes to the Internal revenue Service, what constitutes as “too invasive?” The IRS is trying to do its job by expanding its search for tax cheats to close the “tax gap.” What does this mass form of data tracking mean for our privacy, as the IRS potentially has the freedom to track our purchases, transactions, social media posts, and credit card history.

This type of tracking can be compared to Internet “cookies” that track more than just our favorite websites – including access to Social Security numbers, health records, financial transactions, etc.

“It also recently assembled $350 million in high-tech tools to do a lot of auditing, tracking and analyzing what people do on the Internet. The agency has used social media and other third-party sources in the past, but it has now increased its capability to do so from its own growing database of networks”. –Business Insider

 The IRS has also hired private industry experts to assist them in tracking digital financial transactions. These “private industry experts” will have access to our credit transactions, health records, and social security numbers.With private industry having access to our personal information, it is only a matter of time before our private data bleeds all over the Internet…

Social Media Too

They will also be analyzing Facebook and other social media sites. Currently,  the only way that the IRS can get in touch with Facebook is via this form:

“Private industry would be envious if they knew what our models are,” boasted Dean Silverman, as reported in trade publications. Silverman is the high-tech specialists who heads a group of recruited private sectors to update IRS technology to snoop on citizens using the internet. As expected the IRS declined to comment to national mainstream journalists on how they will use the new technology to sniff out online tax cheats. According to U.S. News and Report–IRS officials has already outline their plan in partnership with IBM and EMC to use their new technology for the following:

(1) Charting and analyzing emails and Social Media like Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin.

(2) Targeting audits by matching tax filings to Social Media or electronic payments.

(3) Tracking individual internet addresses and emailing patterns.

(4) Sorting data in 32,000 categories of metadata and 1 million unique “attributes.”

(5) Maching learning across “neutral” networks.

Can Americans Avoid the IRS Internet Trap? –Global Research CA

Before you allow grandma to post to her Facebook page about her next big pie sale, make sure that she is posting to “friends only” and not to the everybody else!

I have three children and over the years I have bought countless computers, phones and tablets. Our children seem to be using devices at a younger and younger age, and there are studies to prove it.

One recent study by Commonsense Media found that 22 percent of 5- to 8-year-olds use computers once a day, and more than a third of children under the age of 8 have used a mobile device – either cell phones or tablets – to watch movies, play games and use apps. While the Internet creates countless opportunities for kids to engage and learn online, it is essential that parents learn about best practices and use the available technology to protect their kids.

Here are a few tips and new tools to make it easier to help protect your children in the real and virtual world, ensuring they can surf, play and learn safely.

1.  Be Web Wise

According to a Science Daily article, “Four out of five children can’t tell when they are talking to an adult posing as a child on the Internet, according to researchers working on software to track pedophiles online.”

Teach your children how to interact safely with people they meet online. Be sure your kids understand they should never provide personally identifiable information about themselves, their current whereabouts, where they live or even what school they attend.

Your children may deal with situations online such as bullying, unwanted contact, or hurtful comments. Work with them on strategies for when problems arise, such as talking to a trusted adult, not retaliating, blocking the person, or filing a complaint. Agree on steps to take if the strategy fails.

2. Set Clear Expectations

As parents, we all have those tough “conversations”: drugs, the birds and the bees, where are you going and the like. Parents must set expectations about how our kids will use the Internet. We set curfews, bedtimes, chores, etc., and now we need to set boundaries for online surfing,  even from a cell phone. Set boundaries about:

-The types of websites your kids are allowed to visit

-Who they are allowed to socialize with online

-How much time they are allowed to be online at all, including study time and mobile browsing

Online safety can be a shared, positive experience. Surf the Internet with them. Appreciate your children’s participation in their online communities and show interest in their friends. Try to react constructively when they encounter inappropriate material and make it a teachable moment.

3. Activate Parental Controls

Kids may accuse parents of “spying” on them, but respectfully monitoring their online activity provides a check-in to ensure those expectations you’ve set are being met. Parental controls are a great way to be proactive about your child’s online safety and activities.  When enabling parental controls, use age-appropriate settings to filter, monitor and block your child’s activities.

Our company, Virtual World Computing, has worked to develop CocoonKids for KlaasKids, a new free tool to provide parents with a free browser plug-in designed to protect children from corporate tracking and family computers from malware. Parents can lock it into “Kid Mode,” ensuring kids only browse a parent-sourced whitelist of recommended, appropriate and safe websites. Accessing sites beyond CocoonKids for KlaasKids requires parental permission.

4. Discuss “Reputation Management”

Colleges and prospective employers alike are reviewing the online presence of their applicants to ensure they are accepting qualified, appropriate candidates. Kids and teens may not fully comprehend the damage that can be done – or the permanent trace that can be left – from their online photos and comments.

Keep up to date on Facebook security settings, and ensure your kids keep tight settings.

“Friend” your kids on Facebook and other social media outlets so you can see who they are friends with, what photos they are posting, etc. And make sure they do not have a “parent-friendly” Facebook page just for you to friend. (Yes, they really do that.)

Educate your kids about the importance of appropriate social decorum online, and the long-term impact their digital presence can have on their dreams and career options.

5. Protect Your Child’s Identity

The past two years, the FTC has reported that 8 percent of identity theft cases involve kids. Further, a 2011 study by Carnegie Mellon University discovered that 10.2 percent (4,311) of the children in the report had someone else using their Social Security number – 51 times higher than the 0.2% rate for adults in the same population.

In response to such issues, the Utah Attorney General has started the Child Identity Program (CIP) that provides parents a secure means to place their children in the TransUnion “high risk fraud” database. While this is not available in other states, it is important for parents to monitor their child’s credit regularly by pulling reports from the three major reporting agencies. Individuals are allowed to pull a report once a year for monitoring purposes free of charge.

Consider this case from the Carnegie Mellon report: AllClear ID discovered that a 17-year-old girl has over $725,000 in debt. Her Social Security number was linked to eight different suspects. The suspects opened 42 open accounts including mortgages, auto loans, credit cards, and bills in collections including medical, credit cards, and utilities.

6. Protect Your Child, Period.   

Technology can help us diminish the risk of the most unspeakable tragedies from occurring. Marc Klaas of the KlaasKids Foundation has been working to protect kids since his daughter Polly was kidnapped and murdered twenty years ago. He recently unveiled new technology tools to help parents keep their kids safe and to help find missing children.

The first three hours is the most essential if a child is missing. Polly’s Guardian Angel is the nation’s first parent-initiated missing child smartphone alert application. It’s a smartphone app that empowers parents to instantly mobilize friends, neighbors, and other members of the community to help in the search for a missing child.

The LEO Wristwatch has a titanium infused steel wristwatch/cell phone with a GPS Child Locator that can only be removed by the parent. It includes a 911 panic button if the child is in troubleSearch for other tools you trust to keep you and your children safe online and in the real world.

Originally posted at:

You can visit us at The Cocoon Kids Blog  | CocoonKids on Facebook | CocoonKids on Twitter  | Cocoon on Facebook  | Cocoon on Twitter

Short & Sweet Tips for Traveling Abroad

Treat all your digital devices as though they are completely open to electronic snooping…

Storified by Get Cocoon· Wed, Apr 17 2013 11:43:26

CocoonKids for KlaasKids is a free online child-safe browsing tool to help parents manage their children’s web visits.

Virtual World Computing (developer of the Cocoon online privacy solution) has partnered with child safety advocate Marc Klaas of the KlaasKids Foundation and we are releasing our free beta today! It is available for download at www.getcocoon.com/kids

“We are pleased to partner with Marc Klaas and the KlaasKids Foundation to develop a product that is so needed in today’s world. With Cocoon users in over 100 countries, we have an opportunity to protect children in the US and worldwide by blocking a child’s identity to online marketers and predators. We block the IP address and their location. We protect them inside of a cocoon”. –Jeff Bermant, Our Founder and CEO

Marc Klaas, whose 12-year-old daughter was kidnapped and killed nearly 20 years ago, explains, “When we started the KlaasKids Foundation in 1994, the Internet wasn’t a major factor, but today it is the new frontier for child safety. I thought this partnership was a wonderful opportunity to create a product that protects children from the many threats that exist today on the Internet.” (Video of Marc Klaas explaining the need for tools to protect kids online is available at the CocoonKids Blog.

With criminals, deviants and sexual predators actively targeting children who browse the web (coupled with the naivety of our children) -as parents, it’s up to us to ensure that our children do not wander into the streets of the world-wild web alone.

Studies show that children today are online more than ever and at increasing risk of being illegally tracked and having their personal data and identities stolen. This does not apply only to teens. A recent study by Common Sense Media found that 22 percent of 5 to 8-year-olds use computers once a day, and more than a third of children under the age of 8 have used a mobile device – either cell phones or tablets – to watch movies, play games, and use apps. Personal data being collected on children is widely available.

Our message to Parents

The Internet can be an open door to a child’s personal information, whether it is identity theft, online tracking, profiling, or cyber-predators.

Society has an obligation to protect our children and online safety for children should be a priority.COPPA was drafted to protect kids online privacy in 1998. Since then, we have seen the advent of social media, smartphones, tablets, open Wi-Fi connections, iTunes, online gaming, and online homework and proposed updates to the law have stalled out in Congress. Collaborations – such as the one we have formed between KlaasKids and Virtual World Computing – can be part of the solution by providing more parental tools and education for child online safety.

Entirely AWESOME product features:

CocoonKids for KlaasKids has the potential to provide millions of parents a free tool to manage their kids website visits and protect their family’s personal information online.

Relevant Statistics about the Need for our FREE Online Tool

Some of the most popular kids websites have been found to have “super cookies” (sometimes 30% more than the average adult site according to that 2010 report by WSJ) to track data more effectively. Children are prevalent Internet users, even at an early age, and they are more vulnerable than adults to online tracking and identity theft because they are by nature more trusting.

While the official age when people can join Facebook is 13, Consumer Reports released a report in May 2011, finding that 7.5 million kids under the age of 12 are members. They have access to Facebook’s new “frictionless sharing,” which allows people to easily share what they’re reading and listening to without choosing to actually click “share” or “like.” In reality, the new system follows Facebook users across the Internet taking copious notes on their reading, browsing and shopping habits – and that is only one social media site.

Kids are also at high risk of having their identities stolen. Eight percent of identity theft complaints are for minors under the age of 19, according to the FTC. Further, Carnegie Mellon released a report in 2011, “Child Identity Theft,” findings show “4,311 or 10.2% of the children in the report had someone else using their Social Security number – 51 times higher than the 0.2% rate for adults in the same population.”

The personal information collected on children is accessible to cyber-predators who could lure a child away from their home for malicious purposes. A 2010 article in Science Daily reported, “Four out of five children can’t tell when they are talking to an adult posing as a child on the Internet, according to researchers working on software to track pedophiles online.”

Some of the most trusted names have been in the headlines for marketing practices that accumulate private information of kids without parental consent, including McDonald’s and Nickelodeon. Last summer, McDonald’s set up a “star in a music video” feature on their site where kids could upload their own photo to be added to a cartoon character. They were then encouraged to share their video with friends and family through email – without the consent of a parent. Kids were sharing names and email addresses with the company in order to share the video. McDonald’s contends they were in compliance with COPPA and that they never collected the contact…

To Celebrate our Launch!

CocoonKids for KlaasKids is hosting a #CocoonKids party!

You can join the party on Twitter this Wednesday, April 10, 9pm-10pm to discuss CocoonKids and how to keep kids safe online.  Our favorite parenting bloggers: @dumbparent, @shellthings, @momonashoe,and @TeachMama will be joining us.  Plus, like every great party, there will be gifts!  One lucky participant will win an iPad Mini, and 4 others will go home with $50 Amazon gift cards!

You can find out more about the Twitter party and how to RSVP to this event at the CocoonKids blog.

A short note about CocoonKids for KlaasKids Development

CocoonKids was developed in partnership with The KlaasKids Foundation to provide an easy and safe way to manage a family’s Internet experience and protect the online identity of children. CocoonKids for KlaasKids was developed with the help of parenting experts and national bloggers who comprise Cocoon’s Mom Advisory Board, including Amanda of Parenting by Dummies, Roo of Nice Girl Notes, Angie of Seven Clown Circus, Shell of Things I Can’t Say, Leticia
of Tech Savvy Mama, and Beth of Mommy on a Shoestring.

Let’s never forget that “Children are our most valuable resource”. – Herbert Hoover

One of the biggest threats to Mac computer users today is the belief that Apple’s operating system is immune to malware and viruse attacks. The Flashback Trojan attack  (April 2012) was a strong reminder to Mac users that third-party software is a vehicle that can and will infect both Windows and Mac computers alike.

[Krebs on Security]: A year ago today, Apple released a software update to halt the spread of the Flashback worm, a malware strain that infected more than 650,000 Mac OS X systems using a vulnerability in Apple’s version of Java.

10 Ways To Protect Your Mac

1-Back-up-Sunday was World Backup Day - when was the last time you backed up your Mac?

 With Apple’s Time Machine software (OS X 10.5 and above) you can perform full-system and incremental back-ups.

2-Use strong passwords: Check your password at Microsoft, is it strong?

A weak password such as 123456, password, abc123, or using your first name or pet’s name as your password is the Achilles heel of online security. Passwords are your first line of defense against cybercriminals. Create complex passwords for each site (do not share the same password at multiple sites), change them frequently and create accounts at sites that use good encryption.

3-Use a firewall & secure your Airport

A firewall is a barrier that can keep destructive forces (hackers, malicious software) from the Internet away from your computer.It can also stop your computer from sending malicious programs to other computers.

To set up the Mac OS X 10.6X and above Firewall:

Click the Apple menu > select System Preferences > select the Security Icon > Click the Firewall Tab > click the *Start Button > Advanced> select your desired Firewall configuration > click OK > close the security pane to save your selections.

* Note: If the Start button is gray, click the lock icon (bottom of window) and enter your administrative password at the prompt.

To secure your Airport:

Change your wireless router password to a strong password and use encryption.

4-Use Anti-virus software and keep it up-to-date.

New viruses and malware is created everyday, so it is important that you keep your antivirus software updated. Sophos Mac Home Addition (free for home users), is simple to install while updating and downloading virus definitions on an hourly basis.

 5-Update OS X and Apps on a regular basis.

-Open software update from the Apple Menu to install updates.

-Open the App Store and download available updates.

6-Disable Automatic File Opening in Safari After Download.

For added security, disable this feature when using Safari > Open Safari Preferences > Click the General Tab > uncheck open safe files after downloading.

Note: If you use Cocoon, all files downloaded from the Internet require user approval.

7-Enable FileVault Encryption.

From the Apple Menu: Open System Preferences > Click on Security & Privacy > Click the FireVault Tab

 8-Enable Anti-Malware Definitions

This should be enabled by default. Double-check your preferences to make sure that it is turned on:

From the Apple Menu: Open System Preferences > Click on Security & Privacy > General Tab > check Automatically update safe downloads list

9-Be responsible with social networking sites.

Social networking sites are rife with rogue apps and Internet scammers that often prey on user’s to spread their wares via permissions granted by the user. With a little education anyone can stay on top of the bad stuff and have a better Internet experience overall.

Subscribing to the Sophos Security Blog and FaceCrooks will keep you aware of the seedy and unsavory side of social media, along with providing great tips on how to stay safe online.

10-Use a layered approach when surfing the web.

 When you browse the web it is easy to land on an unsavory site or get hit by a drive-by-download. Today, the virtual threat landscape needs more protection than an antivirus suite. Many exploits utilize 3rd party browser plugins (Flash, Adobe Reader) and if your operating system or browser has a vulnerability – it can easily become an open door that invites hackers in. Surfing with Cocoon on the web can add an extra layer of protection to secure your browsing experience.

By following the above 10 tips, you will be able to minimize the impact that hackers and malicious software can have on your Mac.

Do you have more Mac Internet safety tips to offer? Please leave a comment at our blog or let us know on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, or Pinterest.

The majority of Internet security risk factors can be controlled with the right tools, the right attitude (a willingness to learn and apply the necessary strategies), and the desire to become proactive versus reactive. Keeping your computer free from badware, malware, botnets, viruses, adware, and a host of other nasties plays an important role in extending some decent net etiquette. 

If you think of  surfing the web as an Interstate and the computers that frequent the web as vehicles – driving a stable vehicle on the Interstate is integral to highway safety. Would you feel safer driving next to a car that is well maintained with a current safety inspection sticker intact, or would you feel safer driving next to that dilapidated hunk-of-junk with four bald tires and no safety inspection sticker?

10 Ways To Protect Your PC

 1-Back-up: How and why you should back up your personal computer.

Though this is one of the most neglected areas of computer maintenance,  it is essential to have a clean back-up source if your system has a hard disk failure (crashes) or your data and system files become compromised by a virus.

2-Use strong passwords: Check your password at Microsoft, is it strong?

A weak password such as 123456, password, abc123, or using your first name or pet’s name as your password is the Achilles heel of online security. Passwords are your first line of defense against cybercriminals. Create complex passwords for each site (do not share the same password at multiple sites), change them frequently and create accounts at sites that use good encryption.

3-Use a firewall: What is a firewall?

A firewall is a barrier that can keep destructive forces (hackers, malicious software) from the Internet away from your computer.It can also stop your computer from sending malicious programs to other computers.

4-Use Anti-virus software and keep it up-to-date.  

New viruses and malware is created everyday, so it is important that you keep your definitions updated.

5-Use a reputable malware scanner. Malwarebytes is highly recommended.

6-Don’t use an administrative account to browse the web

Create a new user account with limited rights to surf the web. Since malware requires administrative rights to run on the system – using a nonadministrative account will not enable malicious software to install on your system.

7-Keep your PC operating systems and programs updated.  Secunia PSI is an excellent [Free] option that keeps third-party software updated.

Windows Vista and Windows 7

To turn on Automatic Updates yourself, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, type Windows update in the search box, and then click Windows Update in the Programs list.
2. In the left pane, click Change settings.
3. Select the option that you want.
4. Under Recommended updates, select the Give me recommended updates the same way I receive important updates or Include recommended updates when downloading, installing, or notifying me about updates check box, and then click OK. –Microsoft Support

8-Never download pirated software 

According to The Dangerous world of Counterfeit and Pirated Software, pirated and counterfeit software (i.e. unlicensed software and bogus software pretending to be genuine) has become one of the most reliable fast-tracks to the risk of malware infection. –NetworkWorld

9-Be responsible with social networking sites.

Social networking sites are rife with rogue apps and Internet scammers that often prey on user’s to spread their wares via permissions granted by the user. With a little education anyone can stay on top of the bad stuff and have a better Internet experience overall.

Subscribing to the Sophos Security Blog and FaceCrooks will keep you aware of the seedy and unsavory side of social media, along with providing great tips on how to stay safe online.

10-Use a layered approach when surfing the web.

As an example of using a layered approach: You would use a Internet Security Suite to take care of your antivirus needs, an anti-malware product installed such as Malwarebytes, Secunia PSI to check for vulnerabilities, a link scanner like McAfee SiteAdvisor and use Cocoon to anonymize and protect your web browsing sessions.

 “Layered security is about multiple types of security measures, each protecting against a different vector for attack.” — Chad Perrin, TechRepublic

When you browse the web it is easy to land on an unsavory site or get hit by a drive-by-download. Today, the virtual threat landscape needs more protection than an antivirus suite or antimalware application. Many exploits utilize 3rd party browser plugins (Flash, Adobe Reader) and if your operating system or browser has a vulnerability – it can easily become an open door that invites hackers in.

By following the above 10 tips, you will be able to minimize the impact that hackers and malicious software can have on your PC.

Do you have more PC Internet safety tips to offer? Please leave a comment at our blog or let us know on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, or Pinterest.

Be wary of insidious movie trailer webpages that prompt you to install Free Twit Tube…

If you are browsing on your Mac and see unexpected ads or websites appear, you may be the unlucky recipient of Trojan.Yontoo.1. The Russian anti-virus company, Dr. Web is currently reporting that Trojan.Yontoo.1 installs an adware plugin into OS X web browsers – Chrome, Firefox, or Safari. (Dr. Web is also the same company that reported the Flashback Trojan of 2012).

Here’s how Trojan.Yontoo.1 works. An installer is presented to users as a browser plugin—usually on specially crafted webpages claiming to show movie trailers—but may also present itself as a media player, download accelerator, or “a video quality enhancement program.” The installer asks the user if he or she wants to install an app called Free Twit Tube; at that point, the installer downloads the trojan from the Internet, which installs a plugin for all available browsers, including Safari, Firefox, and Chrome.

From there, the Yontoo trojan monitors your Web browsing and, according to Doctor Web, transmits information about what pages you visit to a remote server. It then injects ads into those pages using third-party code, allowing the attackers to collect unauthorized ad views on nearly any website they please. And yes, that includes Apple’s own website. –Ars Technica

This particular trojan can get onto your Mac in multiple ways. Criminals have so far used movie trailer pages that prompt users to install a browser plugin, a media player, a video quality enhancement program, or a download accelerator. In other words, the usual schemes we’ve seen on Windows. –TNW

Big Red Warning Flag

The user has to actively engage in allowing the browser plugin (Trojan) to download and install. This is not the type of web toy that should be downloaded by Mac users who still believe that Macs are immune from viruses and malware.

There is also a PC version, Yontoo that displays advertisements that appear to be from Facebook.

Sometimes when upgrading or testing beta versions of Mozilla Firefox, add-on developers may not always have their add-ons ready for the latest and greatest version of Firefox. I’ve run into this a few times, and if it is a favorite add-on that you don’t want to part with – here are some great solutions!

Solution #1: Uninstall/Reinstall

 From the Mozilla Firefox Add-ons Manager (Firefox menu> tools > add-ons), locate the add-on that you want to uninstall and click on remove. Reinstall the add-on from the Firefox add-on repository or from the developer website.

Solution #2: Add-on Manager

Since Firefox automatically turns off the add-ons that can’t be made automatically compatible - you can still get most add-ons working again after a browser upgrade. Mozilla support recommends that you re-enable add-ons that were disabled when updating Firefox by:

1: Check for new versions from the Add-ons Manager and click on check for updates.

2: If updating through the Update Manager fails, you can  search for updates at the developer website. From the Add-on Manager tab – click on More, this will give you a link to the add-on homepage.

Solution #3: If all else fails…

Download and install Disable Add-on Compatibility Checks. From the Add-ons Manager enable Add-on compatibility checking (at top of the page); with this add-on you have the ability to enable any add-on that is incompatible.

Let us know if you found these tips helpful by leaving a comment at our blog.