Tips to Protect Your Computer from Attacks
May 25, 2010
The internet is an amazing place, but it can also be a dangerous one, where bad people try to infiltrate your computer to steal your personal information. The wise thing to do is to educate yourself on what hackers are capable of, and then, find ways to protect your self. A recent article in the New York Times gives a great summary.
At one time, virus attacks were obvious to users, said Alan Paller, director of research at the SANS Institute, a training organization for computer security professionals. He explained that now, the attacks were more silent. “Now it’s much, much easier infecting trusted Web sites,” he said, “and getting your zombies that way.”
And there are myriad lures aimed at conning people into installing nefarious programs, buying fake antivirus software or turning over personal information that can be used in identity fraud.
“The Web opened up a lot more opportunities for attacking” computer users and making money, said Maxim Weinstein, executive director of StopBadware, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group that receives funding from Google, PayPal, Mozilla and others.
Google says its automated scans of the Internet recently turned up malware on roughly 300,000 Web sites, double the number it recorded two years ago. Each site can contain many infected pages. Meanwhile, Malware doubled last year, to 240 million unique attacks, according to Symantec, a maker of security software. And that does not count the scourge of fake antivirus software and other scams.
So it is more important than ever to protect yourself. Click here to read more and learn some basic tips for thwarting them.
Careful What You Copy – Hidden Security Threat
May 17, 2010
Be careful what you copy on that copy machine at work. Turns out every image is stored on the machine’s hard-drive and if those machines are ever sold, so too, is all your personal information. This little known fact was exposed in an investigative report by CBS’s Armen Keteyian. Click here for more.
Is It Safe To Use Plastics In Microwave Cooking?
May 12, 2010
By Terry Smiljanich:
Is it dangerous to use plastic containers or plastic wraps in microwave ovens? Are carcinogenic dioxins or other harmful chemicals released into your foods as a result? There are many frightening claims about this on the internet. The truth is some caution is advisable in certain circumstances, but all out panic is not necessary.
Microwave ovens heat up your foods by use of electromagnetic waves that heat up the atoms in your food. Heat from a conventional oven does the same thing. It’s just the wavelengths that are different, with microwaves penetrating deeper into the food, thus cooking the food more quickly and efficiently. Any plastics or plastic wraps used in a microwave will likewise heat up, but their particular atomic structures prevent them from heating up as quickly as foods or liquids.
Birth of a Legend
Back in 2002, a news report spread through the internet that a “Doctor Fujimoto from Castle Hospital” in Hawaii had warned of the dangers posed by dioxins in plastics that could cause cancers in people that used such plastics in their microwaves. Emails passed along this warning, and in 2004 information was added that Johns Hopkins Hospital and Walter Reed Army Medical Center were likewise advising of the dangers of dioxins in plastics. In 2007, a “Johns Hopkins Cancer Update” allegedly reiterated this health hazard.
As it turns out, “Dr. Fujimoto” was not a medical doctor or staff physician at Castle Hospital in Hawaii. He was a Ph.D. Director of the Center for Health Promotion at Castle Medical Center in Kailua, Hawaii. Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore did not warn of dioxins in plastics and issued no such “cancer update.” The simple fact is that plastics do not contain dioxins, but the truth can’t easily stop an urban legend from taking off, especially in our connected world.
Bisphenol A
Recently, new internet traffic has warned that plasticizers used in the manufacture of plastics and the presence of Bisphenol A (BPA), can cause cancer or nervous system disorders when used in preparing food. BPA is an industrial chemical used in the manufacture of hard plastic bottles and metal-based food and beverage cans.
The FDA and controlled scientific tests, however, have shown no such adverse effects from normal exposures to BPA. The FDA is continuing the study of BPA’s in foods meant for infants and children (e.g., baby bottles), and is looking for ways to reduce exposure of infants to BPA. In these cases, you would be best advised to stay away from plastic containers containing BPA where children are involved. Check the labeling.
Safe Use of Plastics in Microwaves
So what is the truth about using plastics in your microwave? Any dangers? Well, there are some steps you should take in deciding whether to use plastics in microwave cooking.
Plastics intended for food use must pass FDA safety standards before they are allowed on the market. Since foods may sometimes (but rarely) reach temperatures that melt certain plastics, certain plastic containers are labeled as safe for use in microwave ovens. The biggest danger posed by improper plastics containers is that touching them after heating could cause burns. Butter, for example, often comes in plastic tubs meant for cold storage. Due to its high fat content, butter gets extremely hot in a microwave and could partially melt the tub it is in. The same is true with foods having a high sugar content.
When cooking frozen foods in plastic containers meant to be microwaved, the containers have either been approved for use by the FDA or tested for compatibility with microwaves.
What About Those Flimsy Plastic Wraps?
Hard plastic containers are one thing, but what about flimsy plastic wraps like Glad Wrap or Saran Wrap? Do they pose a safety hazard in the microwave?
It appears they do not. Using plastic wraps over food helps retain moisture during cooking, thus promoting uniform cooking, and their use also eliminates splattering of food. Microwaves heat the food much more quickly than the wrap. Again, any melting of the wrap is caused by coming into contact with extremely hot food. This is why it is recommended that a small space be maintained between the wrap and the food, especially fatty foods that can get very hot.
Both Glad Wrap and Saran Wrap state that their products are safe for use in a microwave. Glad points out that wraps can tighten during microwaving, and recommends leaving a small vent to allow some steam to escape and prevent splitting of the wrap. Both companies also deny that their products contain BPA or plasticizers.
Postscript
After posting this article, Consumer Warning Network received an email from Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center thanking us for writing about the urban legend concerning supposed dioxins in plastic containers. Johns Hopkins still receives daily emails asking whether Johns Hopkins experts had authored such a report, and still encounters bloggers who continue to post the fake report as the truth. The Internet is obviously not always a good source for medical information.
Hidden Credit & Debit Card Fees Cost Consumers Big Time
April 22, 2010
Every time you use your charge card or your debit card, the business pays a fee. That may not be a big surprise, but just how much that business pays is more concerning. In the United States, businesses pay a transaction fee of approximately 2 percent every time you use your card. In other words, if you spend $100, the store gets $98 and the credit card company gets two dollars. That compares to other countries, like Australia, which only allow credit card companies to charge a 1/2 percent transaction fee.
Whom do you suppose the businesses pass those extra costs onto? Hmm. Could it be the consumer? A recent Government Accountability Office report to Congress reveals, in fact, it costs consumers more than $48 billion a year in added costs.
In this time of recession and shrinking pocket books for middle class America, perhaps it’s time to take a look at the level of those hidden fees. President of the American Antitrust Institute Albert A. Foer is calling on Congress to include new regulations on these fees as it works to pass financial reform legislation. Click here to read his editorial in the New York Times.
Flea & Tick Products Could Be Harmful To Fido
April 20, 2010
By John Newcomer:
The “spot on” product used to control fleas and ticks is a miracle for most pet owners. A once a month application to Fido and fleas and ticks are gone. No more dips, sprays, and frustrations.
One wee problem. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) noticed a significant increase in adverse incidents and launched an investigation. Yes, the EPA is responsible for assuring that pesticides do not cause unreasonable risk, and flea products are a pesticide. The adverse incidents ranged from mild skin irritation in pets to death.
More is Not Better
The EPA did not single out any one manufacturer, but rather lumped all “spot on” flea products together. The problem was not the product itself, but primarily a labeling and instruction issue.
The most affected dogs were the small breeds–Chihuahuas, Pomeranians, Shih Tzus,Dachshunds, and Bichon Frise. But all breeds were affected. Cats, in particular, had severe adverse reactions.
Careful Not to Mix Up Products
The problem is pet owners put too much product on Fido (more is not always better—sometimes it is fatal). This is why small dogs are more affected by the product. Also, be careful to use the product for your type of pet. “Spot on” flea control for dogs is not appropriate for cats! Whiskers will have a serious reaction to Fido’s flea product. You need to check the label. Cat and dog products are NOT inter-changeable.
Better Labeling Needed
The EPA will soon require improved labeling; clearer instructions to ensure proper dosage per pet weight; and clearer marking to differentiate between dog and cat products.
Bottom line – the miracle product that keeps Fido and your home free of fleas is safe. You just have to be careful, and read the instructions. Misuse of this product can and will make Fido and Whiskers very sick.
Ranking the NFL Draft Predictors – Who’s the Best?
April 12, 2010
With the 2010 NFL Draft around the corner, and everyone predicting that Florida phenom Tim Tebow will go low in the second round or lower as the third or fourth best quarterback available for picking, consumers of media services and sports fans in general are anxious to know – how good are these professional draft prognosticators? We decided to do a study of the 2009 draft predictions to see how the media sports gurus actually shaped up.
A lot of media web sites rely on Scout.com for their predictions. Scout.com, started in part by former NFL quarterback Bernie Kosar, has been doing this for ten years, and was recently purchased by Fox Interactive Media. Scout.com predicts that Tebow will be drafted in the second or third round, after quarterbacks Sam Bradford and Jevan Snead have already been picked ahead of him.
In 2009, Scout.com successfully predicted 84% of the final first round picks in the NFL draft. That would get you a solid “B” in most classes. Not bad.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper also makes yearly predictions of the NFL draft. In 2009, ESPN successfully predicted 81% of the final players selected in the first round, a “B-.”
Walter Football picked 27 out of 32 first round picks, for another score of 84%. Seems as though the big pickers all are about equal in their clairvoyance and expertise.
Another ranker, GCobb.com, scored 72% in our 2009 survey.
Did the prognosticators do well in predicting the top ten draft choices? Both Scout.com and ESPN got 7 out of 10, for a grade of 70%. Walter Football got 9 out of 10 for 90%.
It seems that the sports experts are pretty good at predicting the draft picks. Whether such players actually pan out in their careers is, of course, another matter. Witness Brett Favre, who went 33rd in the 1991 draft, behind such future non-stars as Dan McGwire and Todd Marinovich.
Or how about the biggest miss of all, Tom Brady, the future hall of famer and three time Super Bowl winner for the Patriots? He was selected in the 199th spot in the 2000 draft, behind household name quarterbacks like Giovanni Carmazzi (who never played a single down as an NFL quarterback), Chris Redman (still active in the NFL), Tee Martin, Spergon Wynn and Todd Husak (threw 2 passes in his career).
So there’s still hope for Tebow who, if the prognosticators maintain their average, will not be a first round pick but might still be a future star.
Student Loan Identity Theft
March 31, 2010
By Nicole Mayer:
More than three million students, already dealing with student loan debt, now have to worry about their identities being stolen due to a major security breach.
Sometime between March 20th and March 21st, a safe believed to have contained 3.3 million student loan borrowers’ personal data was stolen from the Minnesota office of Educational Credit Management Corporation, also known as “ECMC.”
ECMC’s web-site states that the theft involved portable media with personally identifiable information for the student loan borrowers. The data stolen consisted of social security numbers, names, addresses and dates of birth. Just enough information for someone to steal an identity.
Students at Risk of Identity Theft
In an attempt to rectify the situation, ECMC states in a letter sent to affected borrowers on March 31st, that it is offering its customers free credit protection services from Experian for 12 months.
One borrower whose information was stolen, Jackie Zaifert of Tampa, Florida, thinks ECMC should be doing more to protect her. Zaifert said, “Credit monitoring for 12 months frankly just doesn’t cut it. It is very likely that someone could use my information two or three years from now, and I think I should be protected against that.”
On March 31, 2010, ECMC sent a letter to the affected borrowers, suggesting that they consider placing a security freeze on their credit file. This would prevent anyone from accessing your credit file.
Despite this recommendation, ECMC is not paying for the security freeze. Zaifert’s take on this is “if they think it’s a good idea that we have a security freeze, and that we are safer with it, then they should pay for it. It’s the least they can do while all of us are worried sick about our private data being misused.”
Getting More Information
ECMC is not commenting publicly on whether the stolen data was encrypted.
Zaifert spoke with ECMC employee John Gargaro in an attempt to get some piece of mind. According to Zaifert, “when I asked whether the information was encrypted they said they could not give me that information. When I asked for the name of an investigator in charge of this they just said, ‘the FBI.’”
The Oakdale, Minnesota police report on the theft indicates that someone broke into the ECMC building betwen 5:00 p.m. on Saturday March 20th and 3:40 p.m on Sunday March 21st. The police report describes the stolen property as a “safe” believed to “contain computer back-up disc(s) containing clients’ personal information.”
A third degree felony of this nature is punishable by up to five years in prison and/or a fine of $10,000 in Minnesota.
Was Your Information Stolen?
ECMC guarantees student loans in a number of states. A spokesperson from ECMC told the Washington Post that the number of borrowers affected is 628,038 in Virginia; 76,939 628,038 in Maryland and 17,553 in the District.
ECMC is also the designated guarantee agency for the loans of borrowers who have filed for bankruptcy. Chances are, if you filed bankruptcy after recieving a federal student loan, your loan is guaranteed by ECMC.
If your information was among that stolen from ECMC, you should receive notification in the mail soon. You can also call ECMC at 1-877-449-3568 or register on ECMC’s website.
Job Opportunities That Ruin You
March 16, 2010
For the unemployed, for-profit colleges or trade schools, as they’re sometimes called, may seem like a way out, but look hard before you leap. These schools often make big promises for a bright future, but many students are finding they end up with just the opposite. High priced tuition and low graduation rates often leave them deep in debt and still unable to find a job.
CBS MoneyWatch business columnist Kathy Kristof has been following this issue for some time. She provides more of her helpful insight with her latest blog post “Job Opportunities That Ruin You.” The New York Times also recently did a piece shedding light on the how these schools lure students in to get their financial aid dollars, but often don’t deliver on the results they promise.
Ten Activities More Dangerous Than Air Travel
March 9, 2010
By Terry Smiljanich:
Just a few months into 2010, there have been 104 people killed in air crashes worldwide. The most serious was the January crash of an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 after taking off from Beirut, Lebanon, killing all 90 aboard. Consumer Warning Network has written about air safety and ranked the various air carriers, both domestic and international.
Most people are at least a little apprehensive when boarding an airplane, but just how concerned should we all be? What’s more dangerous than getting on an airplane?
According to the National Safety Council’s data on accidents, the lifetime odds of dying from an injury are 1 in 24. The suffering from accidental injury ranges from being bitten by a venomous spider (1 in 716,000) to suffocating in bed (1 in 11,000).
Here’s a list of ten activities that present a greater threat of death than traveling by air, based on lifetime odds. They are ranked starting with the most dangerous.
- Dying in a car crash (19 times more dangerous than traveling by air)
- Overdosing on narcotics (8 times more dangerous)
- Being killed while crossing a street (7.5 times more dangerous)
- Dying in a pickup truck or van crash (4.2 times more dangerous)
- Suffocating on an ingested non-food object (4 times more dangerous)
- Dying in a building fire (3.7 times more dangerous)
- Killed on a motorcycle (3.5 times more dangerous)
- Being poisoned (3.3 times more dangerous)
- Falling down a flight of stairs (1.7 times more dangerous)
- Drowning in natural water (1.5 times more dangerous than air travel)
We’ve all heard that the car trip to the airport is more dangerous than the plane trip, but how many realize it is almost 20 times more dangerous, or that crossing the street to the air terminal is almost 8 times more dangerous?
Grapefruit Juice and Medications Don’t Always Mix
February 18, 2010
By Terry Smiljanich:
Grapefruit juice is good for you. Packed with fiber and Vitamin C, it’s a great way to start your day. But wait! What medications are you on? You need to know that grapefruit juice doesn’t mix that well with some medicines.
The foods we consume can have a profound effect on the medicines we take. They can directly affect the ability of the body to absorb the medications. Some foods lower the ability of the body to absorb medicines, while others speed up the body’s ability to absorb them.
Lowering the absorption rate can obviously decrease the effectiveness of a medication. Milk, for example, slows down the ability of your body to absorb certain antibiotics (tetracycline). Vegetables with high Vitamin K content (e.g., spinach and Brussels sprouts) can reduce the effectiveness of blood thinners like Coumadin.
Increasing the body’s ability to absorb medicines can, however, be just as bad. If your body takes in the medicine too quickly, you can suffer what amounts to an “overdose” of the medicine, with dangerous results.
Quick Absorption
Grapefruit juice falls into the quick absorption category, and there is a wide range of medicine that can cause an adverse effect when taken in close conjunction with grapefruit juice. These drugs are:
- high blood pressure drugs like Plendil and Procardia;
- immunosuppressant drugs like cyclosporines;
- high cholesterol statin-type drugs like Lipitor or Zocor;
- insomnia or depression drugs like Valium, Versed or Sonata;
- antihistamine drugs such as Hismanal; and
- protease inhibitors such as Fortovase and Invirase.
If you take any of these medications, you should ask your doctor about any safeguards to follow regarding grapefruit juice. Better yet, if you take any medications, ask your doctor whether there are any potential problems associated with certain foods.
Other citrus juices, such as orange juice, do not have the same absorption problems posed by grapefruit juice. Fruit juices, including grapefruit, can be a part of a healthy diet. A little caution is all it takes.
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