Cloud Computing 101: Protect Yourself Online

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Cloud computing has certainly made life more convenient. The cloud allows you to back up photos and music in a Web vault, collaborate simultaneously on a document in Texas with a colleague in Tennessee, or buy something online with one click of the mouse.

Cloud computing has certainly made life more convenient. The cloud
allows you to back up photos and music in a Web vault, collaborate
simultaneously on a document in Texas with a colleague in Tennessee, or
buy something online with one click of the mouse.

But if you don’t take the proper precautions to protect yourself
online, what you gain in convenience from the cloud you may lose in
privacy. “People want to be able to access their applications not just
from their computer, but from their phones, tablets, etc. And if they’re
using the same user ID and password everywhere, they’re going to run
into trouble,” says Tom Packert, chief technology officer at CareCloud, a
company based in Miami, Fla., that implements cloud-based solutions for
medical professionals.

Easy-to-crack passwords are less of a problem thanks to sites like LastPass.com,
which make it easy to create virtually unhackable passwords you can
actually recall. Use the program to create one master password that
better protects all your unique passwords on any website you visit and
cloud-based service you use. The site also allows you to test your
current passwords to see how secure they really are.

But decodable passwords are only one of many security issues
cloud-based computing entails. Here, a look at the different types of
Web users that may live in your home, what breaches each is vulnerable
to, and the steps you can take to protect your family’s personal
information.

Family member: The Desktop Surfer
They use the cloud to:
Back up files, pay bills, shop online

Security risk: Malware, which includes viruses,
worms, spyware, adware and rootkits. “It’s everywhere,” says Packert,
“so you really shouldn’t be doing your banking on the same computer that
your entire family uses.”

Protection plan: Try OpenDNS ,
a superfast DNS service that acts as a low-budget firewall to block
malware and other harmful bugs from sneaking onto your computer. Webroot
also offers antispyware and antivirus protection that is specifically
designed to deal with vulnerabilities posed by cloud computing.
Meanwhile, Symantec is a software program you can install directly on your PC. Once you’ve selected your firewalls, install Secunia PSI ,
a free program that compares all of the software on your computer with
updates that are available online and downloads new versions when
necessary.

Family member: The Mobile Worker
They use the cloud to:
Share documents, videoconference, back up files

Security risks: Exposing company computers to
unsecure networks. “People plug their laptops into their unsecure
network at home, then go into the office and log on to the company
server,” says Packert. Also, since laptops are portable, they’re easy to
steal — along with the sensitive data they contain.

Protection plan: “Humans are easy to hack and
laptops are easy to steal, so every laptop user should install
encryption software,” recommends Packert. A program like TrueCrypt
will make your data unreadable, so if your machine does get stolen, the
thief will have the laptop — but not the information on it.

Family member: The Social Networker
They use the cloud to: Surf Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, foursquare and Flickr

Security risks: Since teens are often doing the most
social networking in your house, they’re also the ones inadvertently
giving away confidential information every time they play a game on
Facebook, create a user profile or update their status.

Protection plan: Have a talk with your kids about
the danger of revealing too much personal information on social
networking sites. “It’s not your page on Facebook; it’s Facebook’s page
about you,” says Packert. Also, make sure your antivirus software is
up-to-date.

Family member: The Smartphone Addict
They use the cloud for:
GPS tracking, social networking, sharing photos

Security risks:
GPS tracking, which many Web-based services now use, can leave you
widely vulnerable to security breaches — even if you did save 10
percent off your bill by “checking in” at your favorite restaurant.

Protection plan:
Anytime your phone or tablet asks to track your location, click “Don’t
Allow,” which disables the GPS tracking. Also, if your tablet has the
option to encrypt your drive (the Motorola Xoom does, for example), be
sure to choose that option. This way, if someone walks away with your
tablet, you’ll only be out a gadget — not most of your private
information.

Regardless of whether anyone in your family fits one of these
profiles, you should be aware of the available security tools to protect
yourself online if you use cloud-based computing. As technology gets
more sophisticated, so do the hackers and thieves messing with it. Says
Packert: “Security breaches can happen to anyone if you’re not careful.”

Richard JaramilloRichard “RJ” Jaramillo, is the Founder of SingleDad.com,
a website and social media resource dedicated to single parenting and specifically for the newly divorced, re-married, widowed and single Father with children.
RJ is self employed, entrepreneur living in San Diego and a father of three children. The mission of SingleDad is to help the community of Single Parents
“Make Life Happen…Again!”

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Richard “RJ” Jaramillo, is the Founder of SingleDad.com, a website and social media resource dedicated to single parenting and specifically for the newly divorced, re-married, widowed and single Father with children. RJ is self employed, entrepreneur living in San Diego and a father of three children. The mission of SingleDad is to help the community of Single Parents “Make Life Happen…Again!”