The Cocoon Blog
The Internet as it should be: private, secure and virus free

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:

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According to Bloomberg Businessweek: Online banking fraud is primarily carried out in two ways. In a phishing attack, criminals impersonate bank websites in order to get unsuspecting users to provide their login credentials. The other modus operandi of online banking frauds is to install keystroke-logging malware.

Attack Vectors

Of course there are other banking attack vectors such as man-in-the-middle attacks,man-in-the-browser attacks, cross-channel attacks and pharming (Trojan horse/virus on the victim’s computer). Banking Trojans like Gozi Prinimalka, SpyEye and Zeus can target an online bank site and detect when victims access their bank website. The attackers then have the capability to steal log-in credentials and other personal data associated with the victim’s account.

Blackhats

Back in September of last year, a cybercriminal who goes by the name “vorVzakone” announced in an underground forum a new blackhat project known as Project Blitzkrieg.

VorVzakone said at the time that the operation will target the customers of 30 U.S. banks using a Trojan program that has been in development since 2008 and has more functionality than Zeus or SpyEye — crimeware toolkits commonly used to steal money from online banking accounts. –ComputerWorld

During the spring of 2013 (and it is right around the cyber corner), VorVzakone plans to target the customers of 30 U.S. banks. I don’t have a clue as to the banks that will be targeted, but I plan to be prepared for it.

“Skype flooding” is also part of the VorVzakone operations package so that customers will not be able to contact their banks to verify funds. Does it make you mad that cybercriminals are becoming so vain that they can boast about their cybercriminal plans prior to executing them?

Phishing

You’ve heard of phishing attacks by now.  Phishing occurs when a victim is tricked into handing over their private information under false pretenses. It’s a simple concept that can be executed via simplistic or complex methods.

Often enough, if a cyber criminal gets a hold of a victims email address, they may create a fake message appearing to come from a trusted source. For instance, if a cybercriminal hacks into your banks database, they may gain access to your email address. They can then send you their phishing message, which is identical or similar to a message your bank would normally send you. These fake messages will often ask you to visit a rogue landing page (again, identical to that of your bank) where they will provide a form that asks for your personal information. Due to the highly tailored nature of these scams, a surprising number of people fall victim to them every day.

URL Check

It’s important to check the URL of any website you visit before giving up personal data. A website’s privacy policy will often tell you which information they may ask you, and what types of data they collect on you. The more information a cybercriminal gains about someone, the easier it becomes for them to obtain login information, bank account credentials, social security numbers and so on. You’d be surprised how many people are susceptible to hacks just by what is publicly available online, coupled with some common sense. This is further proof of why it’s so important to remain vigilant when banking online.

 Online Banking Tips

1. Update your computer or device on a regular basis

2. Make sure you are using a secure site  

Look for “https” instead of http and look for the “lock” icon on the address bar of the browser you are using

3. Use a secure password

Minimum of 8 characters
Include a mix of numbers, letters, Uppercase & lowercase
If you can use special characters (&%#*), be sure to add those too
Change your password a minimum of every 3 months and never use the same password at any other site

4. Use your own devices to bank online

Never use a public computer
Consider using a dedicated computer for all financial transactions conducted online
Layer your connection with your bank by using a service such as Cocoon

5. Monitor your bank accounts
Always be aware of what is happening with your financial accounts

My Banking Solution

I use desktops with Vista and Windows 7, an iMac, a laptop (Win 7), a Linux server, an iPhone and an Android. I find myself layering different operating systems with whatever flavor works for me. On Windows and iMac I generally use Cocoon in varying capacities and also use Cocoon on my iPhone as my primary browser of choice. On my Linux machine I am mainly inside my terminal and rarely use a browser. Cocoon is always my top choice for browsing the Internet or banking online because it adds an additional layer of Internet security – and in 2013, we need additional layers of online protection to thwart cybercriminals like vorVzakone.

Do you have any online banking tips to share?  Leave a comment at our blog or visit us on Twitter and Facebook.

Who Tracks You?

Every move you make on the Internet is being monetized by the advertising ecosystem. During the course of a typical day – if you use your computer, your smartphone, your TV and shop at your local stores using a loyalty card – targeted advertising will trail behind you. When you sit down to watch TV, your TV is watching you. Visiting Facebook, searching on Google or Bing also adds to the fleshing out of your behavioral profile that consists of your searches, online habits, preferences and buying patterns.

“Already, the web sites you visit reshape themselves before you like a carnivorous school of fish, and this is only the beginning. Right now, a huge chunk of what you’ve ever looked at on the Internet is sitting in databases all across the world. The line separating all that it might say about you, good or bad, is as thin as the letters of your name. If and when that wall breaks down, the numbers may overwhelm the name.” –The Atlantic

Infographic provided by BackgroundCheck.org.

Check out Cocoon: an online privacy solution that prevents online tracking from a privacy-invasive web.

Tell us what you think by leaving a comment at our blog. You can also visit us on Twitter and Facebook.

Data Privacy Day is celebrated across the United States, Canada, Council of Europe member countries, and a host of other countries across the globe. The day constitutes an international collaboration and nationwide effort to educate and raise awareness about data privacy, stewardship of data and protecting the privacy of personal information.

Social Media

Keep pace of Data Privacy Day happenings on Facebook and Twitter at: https://www.facebook.com/DataPrivacyNCSA and www.twitter.com/DataPrivacyDay and the DPD Twitter hashtag is #DPD13.

Intel and Reed Elsevier Free e-book until January 29, 2013

Download from Amazon

I just downloaded this e-book via Kindle for iPhone and it is packed full of great info with 11 chapters: It includes topics such as High School in the digital age; Your Life, online; Active Reputation Management; Good People, Bad Behavior – a really great book to share with students, family, Moms, Dads, educators, privacy advocates etc!

 The Cocoon Team wishes everyone a Happy Data Privacy Day 2013 – Let’s keep the concept of our shared responsibility for data privacy going strong!

You can also visit us  on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and Pinterest too!

November 2012

In early November we announced a collaboration with the KlaasKids Foundation. Whether it is identity theft, online tracking, or profiling, the Internet can be an open door to a child’s personal information. That is why Virtual World Computing is working with child-safety advocate Marc Klaas, founder of the KlaasKids Foundation, to establish a free online tool to protect children from predators and abusive marketers.

The KlaasKids Foundation was established in 1994 to give meaning to the death of twelve-year-old Polly Hannah Klaas, (Marc’s daughter) who was kidnapped at knife point from her mother’s home during a slumber party in Petaluma, California, on October 1, 1993. People from her home town and throughout the world helped search for her. Polly’s body was found on December 3, 1993. She was a daughter, a step-sister, a student, a friend, and a grandchild.

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.

In November, we also offered tips on how to avoid the top 5 Black Friday scams and the top 5 Cyber Monday scams. From electronic pickpocketing to email phishing scams – we provided important tips to help everyone stay safe at the mall and online.

Towards the end of November we shared more of our collaboration with the KlaasKids Foundation in hopes of harnessing the power of technology to protect children from predators and abusive marketers. We also revealed that Cocoon for KlaasKids will provide parents with a free browser plug-in designed to protect children from corporate tracking and family computers from malware. Parents can even lock this puppy into “Kid Mode,” ensuring kids only browse a parent-sourced whitelist of recommended, appropriate and safe websites.

December 2012

During the second week of December we posted the Top 10 Security Threats for 2013. With the web picking up traction in the distribution of malware – cybercriminals continue to focus their efforts on exploiting the weakest link. From irreversible malware to premium attack exploit toolkits – the threat landscape of 2013 will continue to amp up the security battleground…

We predicted:

1- More browser-infecting malware
2- More Android mobile madware
3- More IPv6-based attacks
4- More madware (mobile apps)
5- More ransomware
6- More use of legal surveillance tools
7- More targeted spear-phishing attacks
8- More social networking scams
9- More search history poisoning
10-More sophisticated Cybercriminal Attack “Premium” Toolkits

January 2013

Early this month, Vernon Irvin, our President and CEO, introduced CocoonKids for KlaasKids at the KlaasKids Foundation Press Conference in Morgan Hill, California.

CocoonKids for KlaasKids will offer:

Throughout the month of January we are also helping to champion the success of Data Privacy Day by posting daily tips to all our social media sites to get the word out about how important it is to protect our online data.

On January 11 we celebrated the two-year anniversary of Cocoon. The initial idea was developed atVirtual World Computing (VWC) where Co-Founders Jeff Bermant,Founder & Executive Chairman and Brian Fox, Founder & CTO believed that the solution to the web woes of viruses, malware and online tracking was to recreate the browser so that the Internet would never directly touch you.

We would like to thank our online community for supporting Cocoon and helping to spread the word – we could not have done this without you!

Currently we offer Cocoon services via Desktop for Mozilla Firefox,  Internet Explorer, and Google Chrome for Mac beta. We also offer Cocoon for iOS. Our service creates a new way for people to browse the web privately and securely with total freedom from viruses, malware and online tracking. We hide your identity and IP address behind a protective barrier that gives you control over what you choose to share or not share. We  also encrypt your connection to the web and make every site you visit as safe as visiting your online bank.

You can find out more about our product by visiting us here.

 -The Cocoon Team!

You can also visit us  on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and Pinterest too!

Update [April 9, 2013]: You can visit the CocoonKids blog and sign-up for the FREE BEST child browser for your little web surfer here.

Today, our very own Vernon Irvin is introducing CocoonKids for KlaasKids at the KlaasKids Foundation Press Conference in Morgan Hill, California. Virtual World Computing partnered with Marc Klaas to harness the power of Cocoon technology to protect children from predators and abusive marketers on the Internet. Learn more about Virtual World Computing at www.vworldc.com/about.

CocoonKids for KlaasKids not only gives parents a free tool to manage their kids’ website visits; it protects their family’s personal information whether on their computer, laptop, iPad, iPhone and other personal devices.

With CocoonKids for KlaasKids, you get:

A Wall Street Journal investigation into online privacy in September 2010, found that popular children’s websites install more tracking technologies on personal computers than top websites aimed at adults.

CocoonKids for KlaasKids is currently in the final stages of development, and will be available sometime in mid February, 2013. Check back at getcocoon.com at that time to get in on the action!

CocoonKids for KlaasKids is one of the Foundation’s several new initiatives

This Thursday, January 3, 2013, on the anniversary of what would have been Polly Klaas’ 32nd birthday, the KlaasKids Foundation will introduce a revamped, modern child safety website and a variety of initiatives designed to protect children well into the next decade, including a free online tool to protect children from predators and abusive marketers called CocoonKids for KlaasKids. The event will be held at 11:00 a.m. on January 3, 2013 at the Find Sierra Search Center located at Burnett Elementary School at 85 Tilton Road in Morgan Hill, California.

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“Polly was kidnapped in 1993. It has been 20 years,” said Marc Klaas. “We can think of no better way to commemorate her memory than to provide America’s young families with child safety solutions that reflect the challenges faced by children in this era of advanced technology. We are evolving child safety technology in ways that no other child safety organization has even considered.”

Vernon Irvin, President and CEO from Virtual World Computing, developer of the Cocoon online privacy application, will discuss the role technology can play in protecting children and provide an update on the development of the free child online safety and privacy application, CocoonKids for KlaasKids.

Several other initiatives by the KlaasKids Foundation will be represented at the event: Polly’s Guardian Angel is the nation’s first parent-initiated missing child smartphone alert application; the LEO Wristwatch has a titanium infused steel wristband, making it the first GPS Child Locator that cannot be easily discarded; The Klaas Family Housing Fund is a new and innovative way to assist the families of missing children with housing expenses by partnering with Pacific Union Real Estate.

Please join the KlaasKids Foundation, Polly’s family and Sierra LaMar’s father Steve LeMar, as well as slain student Michelle Le’s cousin Krystine Dinh, child kidnap victim Midsi Sanchez, and Sacramento victim Linnea Lomax’ parents Craig and Marianne Lomax.

Representatives from CocoonKids for KlaasKids, LEO Wristwatch, and Polly’s Guardian Angel will be present to explain the ease of use and value inherent in these technology solutions.

Media Contact:
Michelle Morel, Principal
Morel Communications
michelle@morelcommunications.com
(207) 329-6767