Trust No One.

Hi,

Good question Mike and one to take seriously. Trust no one is the first line of defence and in my experience it's not the few enemies I have to watch it's the friends who are so unpredictable. Being friendly these days can be taken as a sign of weakness so it pays to be careful as to what personal information is divulged.

I stopped using Chrome browser because I don't want every keystroke watched by Google; lots of YouTube videos on this subject; I now use Tor for privacy but also run a VPN called NordVPN; on top of this I have "Cyberscrub Privacy Suite" which I use to completely destroy unwanted data and files; simply using delete on the computer doesn't delete from the computer. We aren't rich but want to retain what we have.

A few years ago our bank account was hacked; two unauthorized withdrawals at almost £500 each; I check the account daily and these were in "pending" so were immediately reported and stopped but if our bank account can be hacked then no one is safe online.

The admin team on this forum do a wonderful job and as has already been stated given the security exercised on the forum and it being a friendly gardening forum the hacking risk must be very small indeed to the point it doesn't concern me on this forum. I think it fair to say hackers are after information/money not plants?

I'm a member of a number of Intenet forums and to date never experienced any hacking issues but I'm still careful.

A friend passed on a useful tip; DIY = don't involve yourself.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Hi,

That sounds strange, why would anyone stealing from your bank account not action it straight away, rather than letting it sit in pending ??
Also it may not have been your PC that was hacked as lots of banking fraud is from within, though naturally little talked about by the banks.

Am sure you are happy with your current measures and am not a vpn user but do read in some of the pc magazines that it is possible to intercept things even when using vpn.

Also a point often not clear is can vpn be used when banking as it hides your location /country which some banks need to allow you to connect ??

Never heard of Cyberscrub before and not a cheap package, but these days browsers like Firefox or Brave do automatically delete lots of such private info, plus tools like Privazer, Ccleaner, Eraser, O&O ShutUp10 etc are all free and can keep you pc very clean.

Assume you do not use Gmail to stop Googles spying on your messages ?


Be interesting to hear others views on @Retired security measurres, the above points and any improvements that we can make to Windows security ?

 

My bank account is 100% secure from hackers - there's no money in it to steal.

We spend it as soon as it comes in.

 

Hi,

Obviously regarding online security it doesn't pay to say too much.

shiney and the admin team are doing a remarkable job in protecting members and I take my hat off to all of them with my sincere thanks.

I'm not a computer wiz kid just doing my best in this world where so many are after our money; not just online but by phone and before Covid no end of charity bags and reps at our door. I have add blocker which is excellent preventing unwanted pop ups.

I can't explain what happened regarding the two transactions appearing in our bank account but as I say I check the account daily. Years ago I wrote to our bank account CEO expressing my high concern that only one password protected our accounts and handed the letter into our local branch which at the time banks still had local branches. Exactly at 9am the following day I received a phone call from an upset rather irate bank staff lady; she told me in no uncertain terms that the bank online security was "Robust enough" going on to say members would be inconvenienced should extra log in measures be introduced; I responded members would be more inconvenienced to lose their life savings. I thought I'd broken her favourite toy and why should it take just a customer to point out this when it must cost a fortune paying such people as this lady?

The following morning I received a signed letter from this lady repeating what she had said over the telephone; I still have the letter. A few weeks later a full page appeared at log on stating online security was being changed and it was changed in stages meaning now we have three hurdles to overcome in order to log on. My only thanks was to be talked down to. If I'm unhappy with anything at all I'll do something about it.

No one is fully safe online ricky101 not even whilst using a VPN but I'm not going to make it easy for hackers so look for as much protection as I can get other than not using a computer at all. I don't use a mobile phone and would never even consider using a mobile phone from a public wifi connection to bank online but I'm sure many do this.

Yes banks react badly to VPN's because as you say ricky101 the bank really needs a solid IP address; I'm currently in the UK with a different IP address to the IP address known to my ISP supplier; my bank/PayPal & eBay now phone me on our landline with a code I have to use to confirm it's actually me and not an hacker; it works very well; it does slow everything down but I accept this. It's not cheap paying for NordVPN or CyberScrub but I'd like hackers to find a softer target; we also have high end CCTV which can be accessed anywhere in the world.

I'm unsure if Firefox is owned by Google but I do use Firefox for general online but to be really private use Tor with DuckDuckgo. I've only recently taken a lot of time to look into online security and am alarmed by how intrusive Google is. I'm currently locked out of eBay because I think eBay is kicking regarding my online security but it doesn't bother me I now use eBay as a guest and if I get further blocked I can buy elsewhere online. I like web sites that use PayPal and recently I wanted some butyl tape the company requesting my debit card details; I was sent a proforma invoice which I paid directly by bank transfer.

I'm not trying to contradict or disagree with anyone over this I'm just stating the measures I've adopted; I'm still finding my way around; watching YouTube videos regarding online security though can be frightening.

There are many videos on YouTube and here is just an example;



Here's the Tor browser I use;



No history is saved either.

Just a few thoughts. Got to go dinner is ready.

Sorry ricky101; almost forgot; I used to have gmail but have been using OE Classic Pro for ages finding it very easy; the basic version I think is still free but I paid £25 for the Pro version; I use it a lot preferring email to any kind of phone.

OE Classic - Easy to use Outlook Express replacement

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Hi @Retired .. Welcome back Colin hope you and Bron are keeping well and survived OK through the recent testing times. x

Ps..hope your weather has improved!

 

Firefox is not owned by Google, but by Mozilla (a non profit organisation)
I've used Firefox for 15+ years with no issues I have it set for strict security.
I use Eraser to remove files.
I have used Duck Duck Go, but find it less good for technical searches than Google and if I'm honest I don't mind Google knowing my search history it makes searching for that Latin plant name or chemical compound easier.

assuming the hacker hasn't got your phone number.

So hackers can watch you from anywhere in the world?

 

Hi,

Thanks NigelJ for enlightening me regarding who owns Firefox; I was unsure after hearing a comment on one of the YouTube videos.

I've got to attempt to log onto our account adding passwords etc before the bank phones with the additional security code. Scammers do have our phone number and after many trouble free years of blocking these they started to get through about six months ago; the odd call but more recently two calls just after 8am; going to cut off our BT which we don't have; going to cut off our ISP or cut off our Amazon; we don't use Amazon. The first call I just hung up; the second call I pressed #1 and waited then when the guy who sounded to be from a call center in India said Hello; I replied Colin **** West Yorkshire Police how can I help you; Pardon; I replied with the same greeting; he replied how do you find it so easy to lie; I replied just as easy as you find it to scam people. We've only had one call since from a scammer and this scammer actually apologised when I said I was police; he said sorry I've dialled the wrong number; yes he had go scam someone else; we can't let our gaurd down at all.

Yes hackers can watch us from anywhere in the world assuming they not only have our phone number but log on details to the CCTV. I take security very seriously indeed.

I stress I'm not an expert in these matters and we all make our own choices; I'm merely replying to Mike Allen in Trust no one.

Thanks shiney; I believe wifi is easy to hack especially say in a restaurant or shopping mall; I don't use any electronic equipment away from home in fact my wife and I haven't had a single days holiday away from home during the last 44 years; we love our home and are content with our lives. Mike sure started an interesting conversation; nice one Mike.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Hi @Retired

Interesting comments

Re Firefox and Google this might clear things up, basically Mozilla needing more income to survive.
Mozilla and Google renew Firefox search agreement

Would never use wifi on a mobile to do any banking, though you can do it much safer by switching off BT and Wifi and using your Mobile Data , which is a direct link.

The Google ytube will be an eye opener to some, though its hard to overcome, we can at least try and minimise our exposure, while we still can in this country without being detained !!

Re the Tor browser, always assumed it was more to do with VPN and the darker side of the web, so its fine and safe to use like any other browser ?

While we have to use a bank account for everyday living, we do try and keep just the minimum money in there, it always surprises us how many folk keep vast savings with them which seems an easy target for the scammers/fraudsters.

It does seem harder to stay safe these days but always on the lookout for better measures.

 

Hi,

Thanks ricky101; I knew I'd seen/heard about Google and Firefox on YouTube but forgotten the exact details; it's worrying how invasive Google really is and as you rightly say it's very difficult to totally ignore Google because Google is everywhere and becoming too powerful at least I think so.

I like Tor browser for its privacy and no history record; I'm unsure even how safe Tor is but whilst using Tor I feel more at ease thinking big brother isn't watching me; I do use Tor as a normal browser like Chrome but it slows the computer down a bit and certain websites aren't available; Firefox too doesn't gather history but I find if I bookmark a website then these do appear which isn't a problem.

It's highly possible Tor is indeed used as the darker side of the web with drug dealers and terrorists etc who can hide their communications but then most things these days are abused by the criminals as there isn't any deterrent here in the UK and if Tor allowed access then what would be the point of private browsing. There's no easy answer but things are becoming worse where no one feels safe any longer even in their home where burglars break in whilst occupants are asleep to access keys to expensive cars on the driveway; often the police end up in a 150mph car chase and if apprehended the criminal gets a smart lawyer to plead that the criminal has had a poor childhood. Enough of this because I don't want to divert this thread too much but it all comes down to trust no one.

I'm a dinosaur who dislikes all the modern electronic gizmos; I do have a mobile phone it's an emergency phone costing I think £11 through eBay; the price has gone up a bit;



My last mobile phone cost £5 new about ten years ago and it broke my heart to put another £10 credit on it which most is still on it but now it's timed out through not being used for six months. I dislike phones in general.

I think Mike Allen isn't too far from the truth when he says don't trust anyone; my wife and I have extremely few friends whom we'd trust with our bungalow keys but over the last few years we've slowly got rid of so called friends who were only in it for what they could get from us; we certainly don't trust neighbours having done lots of work for a number of them over the years it being one sided; we've got two lots of new neighbours and I quickly made it clear I've stopped working for neighbours due to past experiences. I've got a very fully equipped workshop but it's now for our own use. I've just done six reglazing jobs to our bungalow struggling to lift heavy double glazing units because I find it hard to trust anyone.

I've just been to the top of our mountain where the lane adjoins it; whilst standing up there a big black Lamborghini followed by a Range Rover quietly passed by. When my wife and I moved here 34 years ago we were lucky to afford our Citroen 2CV; how times have changed.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Hi,

Thanks @Retired ,

Think a lot of what you have just said will resonate with a lot of folk in this forum, though in a way, its a sad reflection on todays society.

One thing that might help, was looking into the Tor browser after you mentioned it, seems like the new-ish browser Brave, with its focus on privacy, allows you to open a Tor page within Brave, so you can have a fast browser and Tor when needed.
Am about to download it and see how it runs.
Secure, Fast & Private Web Browser with Adblocker | Brave Browser

 

Hi,

Many thanks ricky101 for the link to Brave browser. I've not previously heard of this so it's interesting and I'll look into it later. I'm always wary of anything new but I'm keen to ensure online privacy.

Kind regards, Colin.