Internet explorer
All the weird – and possibly paranoid – things you’ve ever wanted to ask a tech security expert
A tech expert answers all the security questions you’ve ever wanted to know.
IF YOUR FINGERPRINT IS SAVED IN YOUR PHONE, WHO CAN ACCESS IT?
Smart-phone makers try to secure your fingerprints. While some hackers have figured out how to extract your fingerprint data from your phone, it’s still easier for them to steal your fingerprints from something you touch.
WHAT HAPPENS WITH ALL THE INFORMATION THAT YOUR PHONE COLLECTS WHEN YOU ALLOW PUSH NOTIFICATIONS OR LOCATION TRACKING?
For apps, all that information might get shared back to the app creator. Be careful of what sort of permissions each app is asking for – some hackers may upload apps to the store that ask for all the permissions, giving them full control over your phone. Most phones will also collect data about where you are and send it back to the manufacturer – they’ll use that information for all sorts of reasons including alerting you when there is a traffic jam on your commute or to recommend nearby places for lunch. If you don’t want this to happen, turn off Location Services in your phone’s privacy settings.
SHOULD YOU PUT TAPE OVER YOUR LAPTOP CAMERA?
After seeing what some hackers get up to while we protect government networks at ASD, what’s a tiny bit of tape when it comes to peace of mind knowing that hackers can’t see you through the camera?
IS IT SAFE TO SIGN UP TO ONLINE NEWSLETTERS USING YOUR MAIN EMAIL?
For the most part, yes. But sometimes even the most reputable organisations may ask permission to share your contact details with third parties, so if you don’t want to get too much spam, look out for that checkbox or notification.
WHAT STEPS CAN YOU TAKE TO PREVENT EMAIL HACKING?
Hackers don’t use black magic to break into your email. Most of the time they just use a computer to guess your password or call up your email provider and trick the staff into resetting your password. If you make your password and security questions hard to guess, that goes a long way to securing your email account. And don’t forget to change your password every few months.
DOES USING A COMPLICATED PASSWORD MAKE THAT MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE?
Absolutely! If your password is only eight letters long, it takes a computer a matter of minutes to guess all the possible combinations. For every letter you add, you’re adding trillions of extra possibilities to guess. We recommend 13 characters if you only use letters or 10 characters if you include special characters like punctuation marks. If you follow ASD’S advice, it would take a computer the rest of your life for it to guess all the combinations.
IS IT A PROBLEM IF ALL YOUR PASSWORDS ARE THE SAME?
Sometimes websites can get hacked. If you use the same password on multiple sites, a hacker could hack one site, then log in to your account on another service. Some hackers also have automated tools scanning the internet for these hacked password dumps and try to log in to other websites with the same password. If you’re using the same password everywhere, you run a higher risk of losing all your accounts.
SHOULD YOU USE FAKE ANSWERS FOR SECURITY QUESTIONS?
I’ve seen cases where a hacker has looked up the user’s Facebook or Instagram to figure out their mum’s maiden name or their pet’s name. Fake answers add another layer of defence, but only if you don’t forget them!
DOES VIRUS SOFTWARE REALLY DO ANYTHING?
It’s good at protecting you against viruses the anti-virus makers know about – and it’s better than nothing. But there are millions of hackers trying to hide from the software, so there’s a lot it will miss. What’s more important is not clicking on email attachments from people you don’t recognise.