Tag Archives: Stuart Lawson

‘Instagram for Doctors’ app could risk your privacy

A social networking app called ‘Figure 1’ dubbed the ‘Instagram for doctors’, allows medical professionals to share photos and comments of interesting or baffling clinical cases with the goal of providing advice, education, and treatment options. But does it put patient privacy at risk?

Anyone can download the app and view the material posted on the platform, but only healthcare professionals can post images or make comments.

Any images posted to Figure 1 must have any physical details that could identify patients (faces, tattoos, piercings etc.) obscured or removed using the in-app tools. According to Figure 1, these images are then reviewed by moderators to verify that all identifying information has been properly removed.

However, while the in-app tools help maintain patient anonymity, there may be situations where a patient’s symptoms are so unique that, by virtue of the fact, they could be easily identified.

Figure 1 claims to take the issue of patient privacy extremely seriously, however, Dr Landy the creator of the app admitted that control of the patient consent process was out of their hands — it still remains the responsibility of the medical professional or institution.

Risks and concerns

The question of data security is all important in this particular case, because a data breach could be personally damaging for patients, and financially costly for medical practitioners and institutions alike.

As a patient, here are four questions you might like to ask your health care provider.

  • What assurances do you have that your data is being handled appropriately?
  • If your privacy is relying on any kind of human moderator, who’s watching the moderators?
  • How is your personally identifiable data securely disposed of, and when?
  • Does your provider have suitable data breach prevention policies, and are all their employees familiar with them?

Even though some companies and their employees may have the best intentions for their customers, not having proper measures in place can result in actions that have serious implications — as was the case with the 56 Dean Street clinic in London.

The Figure 1 app is an example of how technology can democratize knowledge to improve the speed and delivery of essential information that can make a real difference to people’s lives.

However, technologies that handle extremely confidential information must be tempered with the right controls to avoid privacy breaches at all costs.

 

What is a VPN and why should you use one?

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) encrypts and transmits data via a connection to remote servers over the Internet — this enables your data to remain secure and private while it travels from one place to the other.

It’s one of the simplest and most effective ways to help maintain your data security and privacy when online, but if that’s not enough, here are some other great reasons why should consider using one:

  1. Shop and bank online in safety
    Thanks to the encryption used on VPNs your data is secured against any unauthorised access from scammers and hackers, which means you can access financial services and shop online with peace of mind.
  2. Protect your privacy and data on unsecured networks
    If you’re regularly connecting to multiple wireless networks, especially free public Wi-Fi, then you’ll have no way of knowing who’s monitoring or logging the data that passes through it. A VPN will ensure that all your confidential data is kept as it should be — confidential.
  3. Access services in other geographic locations
    If you travel abroad, you might encounter regional restrictions to internet content or services that you would normally be able to access in your own country. A VPN masks your actual IP address, which would otherwise reveal your geographic location, and instead uses the VPN server IP address — especially useful if you rely on specific content and services for doing business or staying in touch with family while travelling.

If you’re not already using VPN and care about your data privacy and security as much as we do, download AVG Safe Surf.

6 Tips for safer online shopping this Christmas

It’s the end of the year and that means the festive season is almost here! Many of us will be buying gifts for our friends and loved ones, and many of us will being doing it online — it’s convenient, less hassle and there are some great deals to be found.

Scammers don’t take holidays. Unfortunately they’re especially busy during the holiday season targeting unsuspecting online shoppers who are eager to snap up Christmas bargains.

Here are a few things you can do to enjoy safer online shopping this season.

 

1. Buy from reputable and trusted stores or sellers

When shopping online you should try and purchase from trusted or well-established online stores or marketplaces, and ensure that sellers or merchants have a good reputation and track record.

Some scammers take the time to set up highly elaborate and genuine looking websites, so don’t be fooled by their good looks. If in doubt, do your research — read reliable online reviews, ask around in website forums, and maybe even go that extra mile and check a seller’s business credentials.

Some e-commerce sites give you the option of using a third party payment method. This can be useful if they offer features like Paypal’s buyer protection. It means that if something does go wrong you can recover some of your money.

 

2. Avoid the ‘too good to be true’ offer

If you see deals or offers that are too good to be true, then they probably are — try and avoid them. Shoppers are often tempted into taking up unbelievable offers, and in doing so purchase a product that never arrives or they inadvertently divulge their private and financial details to scammers.

 

3. Pay securely 

When purchasing online always make sure you’re using a secure payment method at the checkout. This will ensure that the information being sent in the transaction is encrypted and can’t be intercepted. You can confirm that an online store’s checkout is encrypted by making sure there is a little lock icon visible in the address bar, followed by ‘https’ and not ‘http’.

 

4. Avoid upfront payments or fees

You might receive an unsolicited email saying that you’ve received a prize in a competition or a parcel that needs to be delivered, but to receive it you first need to pay an administrative fee or extra postage. Be very wary! Don’t give out any details or pay any fees upfront to claim a ‘free’ item from someone via an unsolicited email, message or phone call.

 

5. Watch out for phishing emails

Phishing emails often look legitimate and are from businesses that you would normally use — It could be a bank, online store or even a government agency.

The fake email might provide plausible reasons for you to click a link to visit a website and update your details, for example: a problem with your account that needs an update, or that you need to confirm an existing order with correct account credentials.

Be very careful. Don’t reply to the email or click any links, instead go directly to the business or organisation’s website in your browser and login into your account to verify everything is in order.

Also, remember to avoid opening any file attachments from unsolicited or unknown senders. If you do, you could be at risk of accidentally installing malware or trojans.

 

6. Install an antivirus solution and keep software up-to-date

You should keep all your software and the operating system on your devices up-to-date to avoid vulnerabilities that could be exploited by malicious software and hackers. If you don’t have one already, you should consider installing an effective antivirus solution to prevent viruses and malware.

AVG offers award winning antivirus protection — PC users can install AVG AntiVirus Free, and Mac users can download our free AVG AntiVirus for Mac. If you have a phone running Android, you can download AVG AntiVirus for Android from the Google Play Store, which is also free.

Happy holidays and stay safe out there.

 


 

If you or anybody you know has been affected by cybercrime fraud you can report it to:

US
Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internet Crime Complaints Center
http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx

UK
ActionFruad – National Fraud & Cyber Crime Reporting Centre
http://www.actionfraud.police.uk

AUS
Scamwatch
https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/report-a-scam

ACORN – Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network
https://report.acorn.gov.au

 

 

How to avoid auto-correct fails

Have you ever sent an SMS in haste only to find that your phone has incorrectly interpreted what it thinks you meant, resulting in a bizarre or non-sensical message?

It can be frustrating, amusing and in some cases embarrassing. But don’t worry, there is way you can disable the auto-correct feature regardless of whether you have and iOS or Android device.

Disable Auto-correction in iOS on your iPhone or iPad

  • Tapping ‘Settings
  • Scroll down and open ‘General
  • Scroll through the options and open ‘Keyboard
  • You should see the ‘Auto-correction’ option, tap to switch it off.

 

Disable Auto-correction/Auto-replace on Android

Some versions of Android may differ and your screen options might look a bit different, but in general the feature Auto-correction/Auto-replace feature can be found by:

  • Tapping ‘Settings
  • open ‘Language & input
  • Under the ‘Keyboard & input method‘ heading, select the current keyboard—it might be ‘Android Keyboard‘ or ‘Google Keyboard‘ depending on your device setup.
  • Scroll through the options and locate ‘Auto-correct’ or ‘Auto-replace’ then tap to uncheck.
  • If it’s the Google Keyboard you’ll be given a list of options for how aggressive you’d like the auto-correction to be. Select ‘Off‘.
  • You’re all done!

For more great tips on getting the most out of your PC, Mac and mobile devices, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Dridex malware crippled by the FBI

On Tuesday, October 13, The United States Department of Justice announced that they had taken down and seized multiple command-and-control (C&C) servers that were part of a network used by the Dridex trojan to upload stolen information and distribute malware.

U.S. Attorney Hickton said, “Through a technical disruption and criminal indictment we have struck a blow to one of the most pernicious malware threats in the world.”

Dridex, also known as ‘Bugat’ and ‘Cridex’, is a malicious trojan used by criminals to steal bank login credentials from an infected PC, in order to gain access to a victim’s bank account—it’s been quite successful too, with losses in the UK estimated at £20 million and in the US at $10 million.

Dridex is commonly distributed in the form of a phishing email, and often contains an infected Word doc attachment. When a victim opens the Word document they unknowingly infect their PC, thereby allowing attackers to eavesdrop on their computer’s activity and automate the theft of data.

Head of Operations at the National Crime Agency’s National Cyber Crime Unit (NCCU), Mike Hulett, said: “This is a particularly virulent form of malware and we have been working with our international law enforcement partners, as well as key partners from industry, to mitigate the damage it causes. Our investigation is ongoing and we expect further arrests to be made.”

While the FBI and other international agencies continue their investigations, UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) is still warning UK internet users to be aware of and protect themselves against Dridex.

Even though the distribution network has been crippled, the actual malware still exists and can be used by other criminals.

Mike Hulett goes on to provide sound advice for everyone, “We urge all internet users to take action and update your operating system. Ensure you have up to date security software and think twice before clicking on links or attachments in unsolicited emails”.

If you don’t already have a suitable antivirus solution in place, we recommend you install one today. Download our award-winning AVG Protection for your PC to help prevent malware and viruses.

 


If you or anybody you know has been affected by cybercrime fraud you can report it to:

US
Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internet Crime Complaints Center
http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx

UK
ActionFruad – National Fraud & Cyber Crime Reporting Centre
http://www.actionfraud.police.uk

AUS
ACORN – Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network
https://report.acorn.gov.au

Protect sensitive documents and data with AVG’s Data Safe

If you need to protect sensitive files or documents on your PC, you’re going to want an extra layer of security. AVG’s Data Safe feature can help.

Data Safe encrypts and stores your valuable documents, pictures or any other files onto a password-protected virtual disk on your PC. You can move files into your Data Safe and open them just like any other disk.

The contents of your AVG Data Safe are protected using AES 256-bit encryption. Once the Data Safe is locked it needs a password to be opened, without the password it’s not possible to access the contents—so your documents will remain protected.

AVG Data Safe is available in:

How to create a Data Safe

 

  • Open AVG.
  • In the AVG interface, click the Computer tab
  • On the Data Safe tab, click Create Safe.
  • Create a name for the Safe
  • Fill in the Password twice—for verification. Make it strong and memorable.
  • Fill in the Password hint. Remember: If you forget your password you will not be able to access your files!
  • Click Next.
  • Select a Location and the Size of the vault, review the other options.
  • When you’re happy with your choices, click Create Safe.

Once the Safe has been created, click the Open Now button. If the safe isn’t already unlocked, fill in your password to unlock the safe for the first time. The safe will now be accessible via the selected drive letter in Windows Explorer.

How to lock your Data Safe

  • Open AVG.
  • In the AVG interface, click the Computer tab, and then click Manage your Safes.
  • Click the Unlocked slider next to the safe you want to lock. The status will change from unlocked to locked, and the Data Safe virtual drive will be disabled.

If you want to try AVG’s Data Safe feature for yourself, download a 30-day trial of AVG Internet Security. If you have multiple PCs and devices, you can protect and mange them all with AVG Protection PRO.

For more great tips on getting the most out of your PC, Mac and mobile devices, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

10 Tips to help make your smartphone battery last longer

As PC sales continue their downward trend, and mobile device usage continues to grow, we’re using and relying on our mobile devices more than ever these days – according to a study by comScore in the US, between 2013-2014 mobile usage accounted for 60% of our time spent using digital media.

Trends aside, you know how much you use your mobile device, surely you don’t want it to quit on you when you need it most, right?

That’s why we have 10 easy tips to help make your smartphone (or tablet) battery last longer:

  • Keep your device fully charged and topped up: Older Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries needed to be fully drained before being recharged so that they lasted longer, but newer one’s like Lithium-ion don’t require you to do this anymore, in fact if possible, avoid full discharges and charge the battery more often between uses.
  • Turn it off: If it’s not essential for your device to be on, turn it off to save power for later use.
  • Disable live wallpapers: If your smartphone or device is capable of displaying animated wallpapers, disable them. If possible, use a flat dark background as your wallpaper for your login and home screens.
  • Reduce screen brightness and disable auto brightness: The dimmer your screen the better. Also, disable the automatic brightness feature. This will help reduce battery usage considerably.
  • Disable vibrate and reduce volume: Vibrating requires the battery to drive a rotating mechanism which requires a fair amount of energy. Turn it off, and while you’re about it reduce the ringtone volume too.
  • Turn off Auto-sync, Background Data or Background App Refresh:  This feature, known on Android devices as ‘Auto-sync’ or ‘Background Data’ and on iOS devices as ‘Background App Refresh’, allows your devices apps to refresh in the background, use location services, sync data or send you push notifications. Depending on how many apps you have that use this feature, it could use a lot of data and drain your battery. Switch it off.
  • Turn off Bluetooth: When enabled, Bluetooth regularly checks for devices it can connect to. If you are not using it, disable it and you should see a small amount of energy being saved.
  • Turn off GPS:  GPS communication with satellites is done regularly and for extended durations, which requires a lot of power and also prevents a mobile device from going into an energy saving mode. If you’re not using your smartphone’s GPS, disable it for considerable savings in battery consumption.
  • Keep out of the heat: Once your device’s battery is damaged by heat, its capacity can’t be restored. So always store your device in a cool place and never leave it exposed to direct sunlight for long periods of time.
  • Close overly active apps: Close processor hungry apps that are regularly performing background calculations, refreshing or syncing. Take a look at the AVG Android app performance report for Q1 2015 to see which apps are some of the biggest battery drainers.

If you want to go that extra step and save even more power to extend your device’s battery life, we recommend installing a power management app like AVG Cleaner for Android

For more great tips on getting the most out of your devices, visit us at www.now.avg.com and follow us on twitter or Facebook.

 

A London NHS clinic leaks 780 patients’ details.

The 56 Dean Street clinic in London accidentally released the names and email addresses of 780 patients who have attended HIV clinics.

In a statement released on their website, a spokesperson for Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust stated:

“We can confirm that due to an administrative error, a newsletter about services at 56 Dean Street was sent to an email group rather than individual recipients.

“We have immediately contacted all the email recipients to inform them of the error and apologise. Any concerned patients can call  020 3315 9555 and 020 3315 9594.”

In an interview with BBC Dr. Alan McOwan has said that, “Not everybody on the list is HIV positive.”

This data breach comes on the heels of a similar incident that occurred earlier last month to UK based holiday company Thomson. The 56 Dean Street clinic data breach, while unfortunate, again underscores the importance of having appropriate data security policies and procedures in place, as well as the need for employee training on the handling and protection of sensitive data.

The cost of a data breach can affect more than your bottom line, it can affect lives too. So if you’re in doubt about the security of your own IT infrastructure, download AVG’s Small Business IT Security Guide or take the AVG Small Business IT Security Health Check now to find out what you can do to help prevent security and data breaches.

If you need comprehensive protection against online threats for your business PCs, network and email, take a look at AVG Internet Security Business Edition.

Windows 10 not playing DVDs? Here’s why.

Microsoft has included the DVD Player software for free in Windows 10, but only if you’re upgrading from any of the following versions:

  • Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional or Ultimate
  • Windows 8 or 8.1 with Windows Media Center.

It’s free for a limited time, but Microsoft hasn’t given any indication as to how long that will be. So if you haven’t already upgraded and qualify for the free DVD software, you might want to consider upgrading soon.

It’s important to note that to receive the DVD Player app from Microsoft for free you must upgrade Windows 10 from your existing version of Windows.  A clean install of Windows, despite this being the preference for many people, won’t work.

What if you don’t want the Windows DVD Player app? No problem, there are free and open source alternatives available, such as VLC Media Player

While you’re at it, remember to keep all software on your PC up-to-date and install an antivirus solution like AVG AntiVirus Free to prevent infections against viruses and malware.

If you have any tips for Windows 10 you’d like to share, please let us know via Facebook or Twitter. Until next time, stay safe out there.