digital cameras are traceable

(This should be of no big surprise to anyone.)

Digital photos can be traced back to you...digital cameras leave a telltale fingerprint buried in the pixels of every image they capture. Forensic scientists can use this fingerprint to tell what camera model was used to take a shot...

Pure Networks Security Scan

I tried the Pure Networks Security Scan on one of my computers...some of my results are below. You must enable Active Scripting to run test...

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Pure Networks Security Scan

Redirected Websites
"...File and Printer Sharing settings...you might have problems due to the guest account being disabled. This can cause problems if you are trying to connect to shares on this computer from older Windows systems like Microsoft Windows 98 or Windows ME. It can also cause problems if you don't have exactly the same user names and passwords on all of your PCs."

Software Firewall
"The 'Microsoft Windows Firewall' firewall is enabled on your system...to get file and printer sharing working between computers, you need to open some ports in the software firewall...If you are interested in easily sharing files and printers on your network, download the free version of Network Magic - it takes care of everything for you. If you are having problems getting the most out of your network, download the free version of Network Magic. It will even show you a Network Map and tell you which PCs have a firewall installed and which ones don't."

[I DID NOT FIND A "FREE" VERSION ON THEIR WEBSITE...maybe they mean that there are some free features available in the trial version... - SLICK]

Antivirus Software
"No enabled antivirus software was found."

Windows Update Not Automatic
"Windows Update is not set to automatically download and install updates."

Internet Connection
"Not connected to the Internet."

Dynamic IP Address
"Your computer is configured to automatically receive an IP address...The IP address that this computer is using is..."

Router Present
"Found router (make, model, and IP address)...We found a hardware firewall inside the...router which is protecting your network."

Router Password
"Your router has the default password set. The password for your router is currently set to the well-known factory default. All routers from a given manufacturer ship with a well-known default password. Having a default password is a bad thing because hackers can then use this to access your router..."

[The router doesn't belong to me...I am not the subscriber of the internet service provider...it is a DSL router... - SLICK]

Multiple Router Check
"Your router is connected normally to the Internet. You are connected normally to the Internet through one router."

Router Firmware Version
"Firmware version...is possibly out of date."

Default Network Name (SSID)
"Your network name...has been changed from the factory default. Your wireless network name (SSID) has been changed from the router's factory default SSID. Excellent work. Having your SSID set to the factory default can be bad for two reasons: 1) if your network isn't encrypted, other users are more likely to connect to your network unexpectedly and 2) if you use your computer outside of your home, it is more likely to unexpectedly connect to other networks using that same default SSID."

Signal Strength
"Your wireless network signal strength is 'good'..."

Secure Wireless Connection
"You are connected to a secure, encrypted wireless network...using the 802.11 WEP standard. The wireless network you're connected to is using an encryption method called WEP."

Wireless Network Name (SSID) Conflict
"Your wireless network is the only one in range with the network name..."

Wireless Encryption
"You have 802.11 WEP enabled, but your router supports 802.11 WPA encryption which is stronger encryption. Your router is correctly configured to use an encryption method called WEP...Your router also supports the more secure WPA encryption method. WEP has a number of security flaws that make it easy for hackers to crack. We recommend you consult your router vendor's manual about configuring your wireless router to use WPA instead. (Note that there are some devices that support WEP but not WPA, so you should check all devices that connect wirelessly to your network to verify they support WPA.)

[See my statement below about my experience with modifying Qwest DSL modems... - SLICK]

Network Magic Wireless Protection Compatible
"Your router is fully compatible with Network Magic Wireless Protection. Your...router is on the list of routers that are fully supported by Network Magic Wireless Protection..."

MAC Address Filtering
"Your router is not using MAC address filtering...We recommend that you enable MAC address filtering..."

SSID Broadcast
"Your router is broadcasting its SSID."

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I've had trouble attempting to configure Qwest DSL modems: changes I made, that I consider to be simple, had disabled wireless internet access. So, I refuse to try to make any adjustments for this Qwest DSL subscriber unless: I have a full day to devote to it, and I have a Qwest technical support person on the phone with me.

WPA2 secure, but not completely

Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) was the latest version of encryption...more secure than that which came before it (Wired Equivalent Privacy/WEP). As has been, that which can be "locked" can be "broken into"; there are no absolutes in security. A presentation about this issue will be given at a conference in Japan: "Gone in 900 Seconds, Some Crypto Issues with WPA" - Erik Tews...

First, I suggest you consider updating:
your operating system...
any software you use related to (wired and wireless) networking...
and your hardware (routers, network cards, etcetera).

The weak portion of WPA is the Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP), not the Advanced Encryption System (AES). If you can, in your wireless router, consider (only using AES and) disabling TKIP.

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Links to more information:

The Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2)/Wireless Provisioning Services Information Element (WPS IE) update for Windows XP with Service Pack 2

Battered, but not broken: understanding the WPA crack

free encryption software

TrueCrypt is encryption software: it can keep your files from being accessed unless the correct password/keyfile(s), or encryption keys, are used.

TrueCrypt will hide operating systems, also!

BEFORE USING THE SOFTWARE, I strongly recommend you at least browse through the TrueCrypt User’s Guide. It is included in the download, and available to you after you execute the file you downloaded. It is best that, before you use TrueCrypt, you become familiar with: some of the terms, what the software will do and how it will perform, and where you can refer to if you have a question. The Beginner's Tutorial chapter can be viewed at http://www.truecrypt.org/docs/tutorial.php

[One of those terms you will need to be familiar with: a TrueCrypt volume is also known as a "container", a file that contains the encrypted files.]

After you download the setup file (from http://www.truecrypt.org/downloads.php), and execute it, you are offered to: "install" it, or to "extract" it. If you choose "extract", you can save the files to a folder...and carry and use it on an external drive. This is a version of "traveler" mode (which can also be used if TrueCrypt is installed to an operating system).

The User's Guide states that there are two ways to run TrueCrypt in ‘traveler’ mode:
1) After you unpack the binary distribution archive (what you downloaded), you can directly run TrueCrypt.exe.
2) You can use the Traveler Disk Setup facility to prepare a special "traveler" disk, and launch TrueCrypt from there.

You will need to create a TrueCrypt file container on the USB flash drive (see the Beginner’s Tutorial), so...

Before you use TrueCrypt on a USB flash drive, know that:
1) If you encrypt the entire USB flash drive, you will not be able run TrueCrypt from the USB flash drive.
2) Before you choose the size for the TrueCrypt container on a USB drive, if you leave enough space on the USB flash drive for TrueCrypt (not IN the "container" file - along WITH the "container" file), you will be able to run TrueCrypt from the USB flash drive (see the Traveler Mode chapter in the User's Guide).

It is not difficult to use...do not fear trying it to see if it will work for your security needs.

erase it forever

We've discussed how to prepare hard disks before you:
sell your computer...
give it to someone...
or dispose of the hard drive.

Using software is the most cost effective way for most consumers to do it. But if you need to erase hard drives completely, and somewhat often, you may want to consider a degausser.

I found two that Fujitsu produce.

SEM has Magnetic Media Degaussers...one that caught my interest is the Mag EraSURE P3M for "hard disk drives and other magnetic media".

"...the SEM Model ME-P3M...is desgined to
degauss...Hard Drives and/or Magnetic tapes...The unit is operated by a
MANUAL HAND CRANK..."


The Mobile Mag EraSURE degausser is available, as well (and I'm unable to determine what the difference is between it and the P3M (other than style of the crank handle and the metal cover over where the media is placed).

Cost for mobile/portable versions of degaussers seem to be double and triple that over those not intended to be moved...as much as $40,000.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

computer bag that blocks radio waves

I was surfing around and stumbled across the Oakley Vertical Computer Bag 3.0:
"...If you have a Bluetooth-enabled PDA or mobile phone, the accessory pocket uses RF shielding to help prevent unwanted access by nosey jerks."

With so many cards (identification/access/etcetera) having RFID in them, also take a look at:
a RFID Blocking Passport Billfold...
and a RFID Blocking Wallet.

password manager

Wayne called and suggested KeePass (http://keepass.info/): "...a free/open-source password manager or safe which helps you to manage your passwords...You can put all your passwords in one database, which is locked with one master key or a key-disk. So you only have to remember one single master password or insert the key-disk to unlock the whole database..."

A lover of portable software (that which will run from a USB drive), I found KeePass Password Safe Portable (http://portableapps.com/apps/utilities/keepass_portable)

routers with firewalls

Charlie wanted suggestions for a router with firewall. I found a few models:
Netgear WGT624 108 Mbps Wireless Firewall Router
TRENDNet 54Mbps Wireless Firewall Router, 802.11g, b
Netgear ProSafe FVG318 Wireless Router/Firewall/VPN
and Linksys Etherfast Cable/DSL Firewall Router BEFSX41, 4-port, VPN, DMZ, SPI