Posted by ReneeK_MI on 5/18/11 6:51pm
Msg #383612

Why I have never taken a D/L photo w/ phone ...

Just another day, just another news article about security breaches with smartphones ...

"Google on Wednesday began fixing a security flaw that affects some 97% of Android smartphones.

The fix, which addresses a hole allowing hackers to access the contacts, calendars and photos on an Android phone connected to an open Wi-Fi network, will take a few days to cover every phone, a Google spokesman said."

When/if the *stuff* ever hits the fan on this, it won't have my name attached to it.

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 5/18/11 7:24pm
Msg #383620

Agreed... I've always felt that this was an inappropriate practice by some notaries, and I won't do it, either. Now, I *have* scanned copies using a portable scanner to my computer to an encrypted folder on my laptop (accessible only by both a password and a biometric reading) which I then made sure was removed when I was done with it.... but I don't do that anymore. I carry a portable copier with me that doesn't have a memory.

Reply by Notarysigner on 5/18/11 7:41pm
Msg #383621

I have a "scanner" APP on my IPHONE that I have use for certain Docs but never for a photo....I will NOT take a photo of anything other then for Art. Not comfortable with doing that otherwise!

Reply by JanelWI on 5/18/11 7:49pm
Msg #383624

I use a smart phone and I do not use the open Wifi network, you can turn that off or at least I can with my iPhone. I would never consider using the open Wifi since I use my phone for business, and most everything I do is for business. Emails etc...I can respond quickly to requests from my phone, so that is why I use a smart phone. I use a digital camera for id copies if I need to take copies and print that back at my office. All ID's are deleted immediately after printing. It is rare I have to use a camera. Most of the time the borrowers have the copies or have a copier. It is not really an issue, at least for now, for me. I just make sure I have the camera as a back up.

Reply by LKT/CA on 5/18/11 7:49pm
Msg #383626

Agreed!! I paid 40 bucks for a lightweight copier that has MORE than paid for itself. I just make a photocopy of the ID and if the borrower needs other copies of paperwork, I can take care of that myself.

The copier is in my custody so there's nothing to "hack"......when I retire it, I will be sure to destroy it's internal "brain".

Reply by MW/VA on 5/19/11 12:41pm
Msg #383700

Ditto. n/m

Reply by SouthernOK on 5/18/11 7:52pm
Msg #383627

Droid is an open OS

All smart phones are not created equally. I have an iPhone which is not run with an open OS, droid is so it can be hacked, loaded with viruses and lots of other nasty things.

Reply by JanelWI on 5/18/11 8:04pm
Msg #383630

Re: Droid is an open OS

I agree. I use an Apple computer as well and run dual operating systems. Much more secure and headache free!

Reply by Glenn Strickler on 5/18/11 9:38pm
Msg #383632

False sense of security

Apple users should not be lulled into a false sense of security. There have been many breaches of all these devices, You still need to take care when using any devices capable of accessing the Internet. Pay attention to the Apple forums.

http://gizmo.do/bZcJxV

Reply by BrendaTx on 5/19/11 5:57am
Msg #383645

Re: False sense of security, Righto Glenn.

I just finished I-Woz. Wozniak said that Apple was definitely hackable and that people were in a false sense of security over it. (Great book for geeks, by the way! You will totally relate.)

Reply by JanelWI on 5/19/11 10:03am
Msg #383671

Re: False sense of security

Good advice Glenn, I certainly do not have false sense of security. I am well aware, and even though they say Apple is secure, I still do run virus protection and a firewall for both operating systems that I run on my Mac. They run in the background constantly. I do find the Apple system much less problematic in terms of cookies, temp internet files, malware and viruses that plague the windows operating systems. Once a month I do "house keeping" on all my computers; the Mac, the Toshiba, and the Dell to make sure my system is not bogged down, they run efficiently and are free from the malicious crap that can leave a system vulnerable.

Owning a computer, in my opinion, is a responsibility to the investment we make when we buy them. I make a point to know everything I can about the systems I am running and what I can do to keep my information and my business information safe. I do not open email from unknown senders. I do not shop or browse with my business computer. I do not go to youtube, download music or "fun" applications. I do not fall for the fun icons, cursors, or "personalization" crap that can bog down a computer. I do not allow permissions when downloading needed software for peripherals such as Google Earth or Weather Bug crap that can contain malicious content. I run an iomega external back up hard drive, just in case, and while firefox has been a bit buggy lately, I do also run scriptblocker or NoScript as well to prevent unwanted or potentially malicious scripts; only allowing it from sites I trust. I do not use Internet Explorer. I use the IE Tab on firefox if I indeed must open a page on my windows system when downloading docs. I do not use Safari. Finally, I do read the forums, I have fixed many a "blue screen of death" on my daughter's laptop from forums. They can be a great tool.

I do the best I can to keep my info safe on my business computer. If someone is that intent on hacking in, there is not much any of us can do. It is a battle waged everyday we turn our machines on. What is completely obvious to me in the media and everywhere else they entice people to "get connected" is that the trend or the push is for the opposite of privacy. There is a great complacency among the "masses" that want that next cool gadget and just buy it before they really understand how it works. Complacency on the companies part for issuing a product for profit before it is ready. The media is pushing social media more than ever, and no one hears about the woes of information security or privacy violation until it is too late. Once gone, you can't get it back. In my humble opinion, real privacy on many levels has been long gone for a long time.

I jump through the supposed hoops they say we should all jump through to keep our information private. However, I still feel no safer because there are too many people out there working in businesses and otherwise complacent to the real need for privacy security or think it can't happen to them, or feel they are doing enough. When in truth; enough today may not be enough tomorrow. While I may try to be vigilant, that does not mean the person at the doctors office, dentist, bank, real estate office, social security administration, insurance company, credit card company and so on will be as vigilant as I 24/7.

Reply by ReneeK_MI on 5/19/11 5:09am
Msg #383644

Agree - false sense of security, here's iPhone in the news

The iPhone was specifically mentioned in this story (below). While this is all about the ACLU filing against the MI police for possible illegal use of a cellphone scanner - the real mind-blower is that this scanner EXISTS, and if it exists ...who is to say who is and is not using it?
--------------------
A US Department of Justice test of the CelleBrite UFED used by Michigan police found the device could grab all of the photos and video off of an iPhone within one-and-a-half minutes. The device works with 3000 different phone models and can even defeat password protections.

“Complete extraction of existing, hidden, and deleted phone data, including call history, text messages, contacts, images, and geotags,” a CelleBrite brochure explains regarding the device’s capabilities. “The Physical Analyzer allows visualization of both existing and deleted locations on Google Earth. In addition, location information from GPS devices and image geotags can be mapped on Google Maps.”

http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/34/3458.asp