PALM BEACH, FL - There is no shortage of security breaches and data leaks reported in the news this past year. As we all move into 2020, here are some simple tips to help keep you stay cyber safe, so you can worry less and have more to look forward to this year. Don't Shorten 2020 in Dates You shouldn’t shorten the year 2020 when signing things. Scammers can easily change the abbreviated date, for example from “3/30/20” to “3/30/2018”. Make sure to write out the … [Read more...]
“Cold Email,” Sold “Democracy.com” To Billionaire Owner of Mavericks, Mark Cuban
PALM BEACH, FL – Not that the name needed it, but when an auction for a web address is featured in the New York Times, you can rest assured that it is a pretty desirable name. That’s what happened last month when “Democracy.com” went up for sale in a “sealed auction” where none of the bidders would see the dollar amount of other participating bidders. The auction was originally to close on Oct. 25, 2019 but was then extended to November 7, 2019 based on what was said … [Read more...]
Malicious Web Code Added To Macy’s Website Leads to Critical Data Breach
PALM BEACH, FL - Right at the start of the year's busiest shopping season, retailer Macy's notified impacted customers (by letter) that an unauthorized third party was able to access sensitive customer payment information from the Macys.com checkout and wallet pages. Macy’s notified impacted customers (by letter); portion of letter. The following information may have been accessed if it was typed into the affected web-pages by a customer: Payment card … [Read more...]
Biden Staff Sends Email Blast for Feedback on Debate… [Before Debate Takes Place]
PALM BEACH, FL - Former Vice President Joe Biden and his staff are no newbies when it comes to technical blunders, mispronounced domain names, and faulty web strategies - yesterday came more of the same. According to Politico, Biden sent out a fundraising email asking for feedback on his debate performance more than six hours before the debate even began. The email blast, which went out at approximately 3:00 PM was titled: “Did I make you proud?” Unfortunately, for … [Read more...]
12 Years Ago CNET Networks, Acquired 10 Million Articles for Just $20 Million in Cash
PALM BEACH, FL – The day was Wednesday, November 7, 2007, when LookSmart, Ltd, had announced via Yahoo Finance and Business Wire, that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell the web site, domain and content associated with “FindArticles.com” to CNET Networks, Inc. in an all cash transaction valued at approximately $20.5 million. What a difference twelve years in technology can make. What was once seen as incredible opportunity by owning such vast … [Read more...]
Cryptocurrency Exchange BitMEX Called “Outrageously Incompetent” for Using “CC”
PALM BEACH, FL – BitMex, a peer-to-peer cryptocurrency exchange founded in 2014 has accidentally emailed its users with the CC (carbon copy) field rather than the “private” BCC (blind carbon copy) field leading to outrage by many of its users. In a tweet posted on Nov. 1, crypto-currency attorney Jake Chervinsky said the leak was done in the most “outrageously incompetent way imaginable.” https://twitter.com/jchervinsky/status/1190171229031936000 BitMEX … [Read more...]
Wild West Domains Must Still Be on List of Registrars Which Facilitate Email Spam
PALM BEACH, FL – Way, way, way back in 2009, Brian Krebs from Krebs on Security, a popular security website came up with a list of the top ten domain registrars (highlighted in a Washington Post article) which facilitate the majority of spam via email, and Wild West Domains, owned by GoDaddy held a spot on that list. Wild West Domains Powers Thousands Of Reseller Sites Across The Web Out of roughly 900 accredited domain name registrars at the time, spammers registered … [Read more...]
FTC Warns Consumers of Fake Equifax Data Breach Websites for Settlement Claims
PALM BEACH, FL – The Federal Trade Commission is warning Internet users, all 147 million people who were affected by the Equifax Data Breach in 2017, to beware of fake Equifax settlement websites which have been setup by thieves trying to steal consumers information when they attempt to file a claim online. Typically, users are sent an email that a class action lawsuit has resulted in a settlement making them eligible for credit monitoring services and/or a cash claim … [Read more...]
It’s National Cybersecurity Awareness Month; Stay Safe With Simple Online Tips
PALM BEACH, FL –The Attorney General of the State of Florida, Ashley Moody has issued a Consumer Alert in recognition of National Cyber-security Awareness Month. The video details some simple steps consumers can take to help avoid becoming a victim of various security threats and online scams such as those which target Internet users with tech support, malware, phishing and ransomware. Today more than ever, our daily lives are dependent on the internet. While advances … [Read more...]
Email Phishing Campaign Using Legitimate Top-Level Domain to Evade Spam Filters
PALM BEACH, FL – A sophisticated email phishing campaign is making the rounds while evading email filters by using a Google domain redirect. According to ThreatPost.com, a leading source of information about IT and business security, the campaign uses percentage-based URL encoding to deceive users. The campaign makes use of what’s called percentage-based URL encoding – a basic URL-encoding technique in which normal ASCII characters (i.e., “abc” and “123”) are converted … [Read more...]
NamesCon 2019 Domain Auction Returns from Explosive Year of $2.4 Million is Sales
PALM BEACH – What do you do when a live and online auction produces lackluster results? Why, you re-run it again a couple of months later (Just kidding - As soon as I saw the title of the email, Back by “Popular Demand”, I thought, yea right – but NUMBERS my friends, do not lie, and those numbers show that Domaining, is indeed very much alive and well; at least at NamesCon it is.) Yesterday, NameJet.com and RightOfTheDot.com announced via email and a formal press … [Read more...]
Top 10 Ways to Market Your Small Business Online; Do-It-Yourself Marketing Strategies
WEST PALM BEACH - Every once in a while I'll come out with a list of goodies for those who look for website owner tips. Below is a list of these including the top ten best and/or most popular ways (in my opinion) to market your small business on the Internet including both do-it-yourself strategies and for those which aren't, reasons why you might be better off hiring a fully managed solution provider or Internet marketing company to do it for you. Some of these ideas you … [Read more...]
One Less Way to Monetize Your Domains As Chitika Network Plans Shut Down April 30th
WEST PALM BEACH – A popular alternative to Google Adsense has announced it will be shutting its virtual doors on April 30th 2019. Chitika, an online advertising network that grew quickly in popularity after hitting the market in 2004 is shutting down. On Wednesday, April 17, the company sent all publishers an email announcing the pending shut-down: After 15+ years in business and millions of publisher relationships, Chitika is hereby shutting down and closing its business. … [Read more...]
FedEx Email Phishing Scam Attempt: Not That Clear What Actual Motive Is
NEW YORK, NY – From time to time I like to point out some phishing scams that are out there in hopes to help some people not fall for these email-traps; today is one of those day. This email stuck out not for its sophistication but for more of its non-sophistication, and recurring delivery. For instance, I’ve received these at least 4 times in the last couple of days. This scam pictured below is trying to capture FedEx users regarding the non-delivery of their package; a … [Read more...]
RegistrarStats.com to Shut Down Due to Dwindling Interest? What Say You?
NEW YORK, NY – I received an email the other day about RegistrarStats.com being shut down next month in February (the 19th) and I took special interest in that email notification as I had just used the site the day before to point out some gTLD stats. I never realized that the site was owned by Donuts Inc., but seeing the email notification, it’s pretty obvious. Donuts is a company that has applied for hundreds of new gTLDs and is somehow affording to pay-for and renew at … [Read more...]