If you use the PlayStation Network, it's time to change your passwords everywhere

After days of outage, Sony is finally coming clean regarding exactly what the "external intruder" gained access to during their hack attack on the gaming giant. And the news is not good. Sony has essentially given up all information about their customers except their credit card numbers... they think.

As Seybold lays it out, the hacker — or “unauthorized person” to be specific — managed to obtain pretty much every bit of information you might’ve given the company, which I’m listing below:

- Name
- Address (city, state, zip)
- Country
- Email address
- Birthdate
- PSN / Qriocity password and login
- PSN online ID / handle
- Purchase history
- Billing address
- Password security answers

The biggest issue here is that most people use the same information to log into their game networks as they use to log into their banks and other financial companies. Thus, by simply reusing the usernames, personal info, and "personal security answers" here, the hacker may be able to steal money from many PSN users without having to touch Sony's network again.

If you're a PSN user, please change your username, password, and security answers at any financial services website that used the same info as Sony's system. Don't wait for the hackers to sell this info to criminals.

Watch for ATM Skimmers!

ATM Card Skimmers are devices attached to ATM and Point-of-Sale kiosks that either electronically read your card as you insert it, or use a video camera to gather information like card numbers and PIN. Tax time is prime-time for ATM card thieves, as people are hitting the bank more than usual to move money around or pull statement information. Be sure you know how to spot a skimmer and take measures to protect yourself from thieves. Using modern wireless technology, the thief may not even be within sight of the ATM when this happens.

And at the very least ALWAYS cover our PIN entry.

Japan's nuclear crisis may be even worse than we think

In the weeks since the tsunami, Japan has continued to battle adverse conditions at the Fukushima Daichi nuclear plant. But as the American attention span wanes, most news agencies are ready to move on. But it appears that the danger at the plant is not decreasing, and may actually be on the rise. A new NRC report paints a dire picture of plant perhaps only a few steps away from another major leak or meltdown risk.

The document also suggests that fragments or particles of nuclear fuel from spent fuel pools above the reactors were blown “up to one mile from the units,” and that pieces of highly radioactive material fell between two units and had to be “bulldozed over,” presumably to protect workers at the site. The ejection of nuclear material, which may have occurred during one of the earlier hydrogen explosions, may indicate more extensive damage to the extremely radioactive pools than previously disclosed...

The assessment provides graphic new detail on the conditions of the damaged cores in reactors 1, 2 and 3. Because slumping fuel and salt from seawater that had been used as a coolant is probably blocking circulation pathways, the water flow in No. 1 “is severely restricted and likely blocked.” Inside the core itself, “there is likely no water level,” the assessment says, adding that as a result, “it is difficult to determine how much cooling is getting to the fuel.” Similar problems exist in No. 2 and No. 3, although the blockage is probably less severe, the assessment says.

iStalkers coming to a computer near you

We've all heard the stories. People robbed by burglars watching their statuses on Facebook or Twitter. Objects stolen after being located on Flickr or Picassa. Checkins from Yelp or Foursquare telling thieves when it is safe to steal. We've all been warned. But most of us thought, "It takes so much work to use these tools, the odds of me being targeted are minimal."

But the odds just got a whole lot worse. Under the guise of "raising awareness", a student has invented "Creepy", a tool to aggregate geolocation data and pinpoint any target in space and time. It has been released for Windows and Linux, and is coming soon for Mac. It may be time to consider locking down your social networking accounts. Especially if you have children, or live alone.

"Everything is location aware these days. Your mobile phone has a GPS receiver, your social networking platforms want to know where you are," Kakavas warned. "There is the category of users who sacrifice their own privacy for exhibitionism. I don't agree with them but at least they do it consciously, and they have to bear the consequences. Then there are the people who share sporadically some of their information, thinking that it can't go wrong.

"The above two categories are the ones who need to be 'scared' and understand what someone with malicious intentions can do with their publicly-shared information, no matter how much they think they share. Lastly there is the category of people who might not know exactly what geo-tagging is, and clicked 'allow' in the 'Twitter app wants to use your current location' prompt without really paying attention. Those users need to be educated, warned about the potential risks and to become aware."

Kekavas admits that the release of the tool might prove unsettling, with many likely to view it as an invasion of privacy despite its use of publicly-available information. "They are right, it is unsettling," he confesses, "but they need to understand that what is unsettling is the fact that they give out that much private information, not the fact that services like Creepy can aggregate this information.

What are the #1 needs of the Tsunami survivors?

While aftershocks are still likely, we can hope that the immediate effects of the earthquakes and tsunami in Japan are over. What comes next? IO9 has a list of the harsh realities facing the survivors, and what is likely to be the first relief they will need. Ironically, the #1 need after tsunami is WATER.

The first long-term problem facing tsunami survivors and disaster responders is procuring water. A huge amount of salt water has swept over the freshwater delivery system that modern society has installed. Furthermore, septic tanks and sewage systems have often burst open. Chemicals and pesticides can render water undrinkable and unsafe for any kind of contact. The initial deliver of bottled water and an ongoing system of scrupulous water testing is a must for the affected areas.

Please continue to pray for Japan. And consider giving whatever you can to the relief efforts.

"The Cloud" is convenient, but dangerous

The "Next Big Thing" in technology is "The Cloud". The idea is to keep your data on the internet - rather than on your PC, cell phone, etc. - so that you can access any information anywhere with a connected device. You're probably already in "the cloud" - NetFlix streaming, Hulu, Flickr photo sharing, even GMail are examples of "Cloud Technologies" - and if the major media companies have their way, you'll be spending more and more of your life there. After all, who wouldn't want access to every book, song, movie or TV show ever made, whenever they want it?

But it is time for us all to take note of Egypt and Libya, and to realize that putting our lives in the cloud really means putting our lives in the control of others. In these cases, hostile governments were able to eliminate "The Cloud" by flicking a switch. In other cases, companies have been able to suppress or eliminate speech by pulling media from "The Cloud". Perhaps the best example of a "Cloud Nightmare" was the T-Mobile Sidekick - a phone that stored everything "in the cloud" - whose users were horrified when a simple server migration error destroyed every photo, every e-mail, every text message, every address book in one horrible moment. It took weeks of work to bring some of that data back. And if the Sidekick had been owned a company with pockets less deep than Microsoft, who knows if it would ever have been done.

It is time to reevaluate our "cloudy" future, and consider making it a policy to return to hard copies for our most important data. Local backups are key to preserving our history, and ensuring we do not reach a point where one bad actor can deny us access to the things we need.

Beware: Facebook can cost you more than your privacy

Always remember, anything you post online eventually be seen by anyone. And often it will be the person you least want to see it. Be wise, be careful, and pretend every private post will be trumpeted from the rooftops.

In anticipation of being laid off, she updated her status on Facebook and wrote:
''I speak for myself when I say WoOOOOooooOooooHOoooOooOoo' it was pretty damn obvious something like this was coming. I'm neither stupid nor naive ... and quite honestly it is the best news ever as far as I am concerned!''
'It was not unexpected. I've just hung on by my fingertips to stick around long enough for a nice payout when they could've had me out long ago without a penny! More fool them! Haha! Xx.''
A work colleague saw the posts and told the bank.
The bank responded by ordering her to take part in a disciplinary hearing, where her bosses decided "to sack Furlong without a penny of the money she was expecting," as the Parents Lounge, a UK website, puts it.

We're watching you

From here. My feelings exactly.

Congrats, and a Reality Check

Congratulations to the Republican Party (and Tea Party) on winning back the House in a historic sweep not seen in 70 years. Congratulations to the Democratic Party for holding onto the Senate, if only by a seat or two.

As all parties settle down to the business of governing, let's remember a few basic facts that will be all-too-tempting to ignore:

1. This was a HOUSECLEANING, because the People believe Congress has been ignoring their will and best interests.

2. This was NOT a mandate for every Republican idea in the hopper. It was specifically a mandate to FIX THE ECONOMY. Let's not get sidetracked onto other issues, at least until people are going back to work.

3. This was a warning to all career politicians - Left and Right - that if the major parties don't get their act together, voters are ready to embrace a Third Party (in this case the Tea Party) who offers solutions and vents their anger. We see no benefit to hanging onto historical party structures "just because".

So, please govern humbly, and be focused on the task at hand. Or else 2012 will look a lot like 2010, but without a happy ending for Republicans.

Caution: iPad reading may disrupt your sleep cycle

When it comes to sleeping, the human brain is a finely tuned machine. It is designed to allow us the 8 hours of sleep we need each night, without putting us at risk for attack from predators or missing out on meals. Sometimes, without intending to, we can short circuit these built-in protections and disrupt our own sleep pattens. It is a good reminder that light-emitting devices like the Apple iPad can lead to a worse night's sleep, if misused.

Light-emitting devices, including cellphones and yep, the iPad, tell the brain to stay alert. Because users hold those devices so close to their face, staring directly into the light, the effect is amplified compared with, say, a TV across the room or a bedside lamp, said Frisca Yan-Go, director of the UCLA Sleep Disorders Center in Santa Monica.

Your mileage may vary, as the brain is also a very flexible, adaptable machine. But if you find yourself losing sleep after picking up a Netbook or iPad as a portable bedtime reader, it may be time to rethink your investment. Or switch over to paper for your bedtime story.

Cola Addicts Experience Weakness

During my weight-loss journey, one of the first things I did to cut calorie consumption was to cut out soda altogether. I like water and juices, so it has been easy to switch and it automatically has made every trip to a restaurant healthier by reducing the sugar intake. But a new study is showing that the only danger in cola is not sugar, but also a combination of problems which can lead to muscle weakness.

The first, a 21 year-old woman, was consuming up to three litres of cola a day and complained of fatigue, appetite loss and persistent vomiting. An electrocardiagram also revealed she had a heart blockage, while blood tests showed she had low potassium levels.
The second also had low potassium levels and was suffering from increasing muscular weakness. It turned out she had been drinking up to seven litres of cola a day for the last 10 months.
In a commentary on the paper, Dr Clifford Packer from the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Centre in Ohio relates the strange case of the ostrich farmer who returned from the Australian outback with muscle weakness. He had been drinking four litres of cola a day for the last three years and drank up to 10 litres a day when he was in the outback, causing a rapid reduction in his potassium levels.

I know several people who have switched from coffee to cola for their daily caffeine fix, because of the perception that it is healthier. I wonder how many of them are suffering from muscle weakness and have no idea that the cause is the fizzy drink in their hands.

Reminder: Conficker goes off TOMORROW

If you are a PC user, remember that the Conficker worm/computer virus is set to activate tonight at midnight.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.9849350f816804a357829631f0fd7a21.51&show_article=1

Be sure to update your virus scanner, install security updates, and confirm that you are not infected. If you are, this worm could take control of your computer and use it to do any number of illegal things, including capturing your credit card numbers during shopping online.

If you are a Mac or Linux user, you are safe.

If you have kids who wear "crocs" keep them off the escalator!!!

I am not a parent, so normally the many panics involving children (Don't let them eat anything red! Don't let them near cell phones! Avoid nature at all costs!) roll off of me like water off a duck's back. But a recent problem has really caught my attention. Apparently, "crocs" - a kind of waterproof show/sandal - hybrid are very popular with kids right now. Problem is these things have very soft soles, and when they get hot and are pressed against the wrong kind of thing, they can stick tight. And when the "wrong kind of thing" is an escalator it can mean the kids are being dragged to their deaths.

If you are a parent or even temporary guardian for kids, now is the time to set the rule. No Crocs if you are going to the Mall or anywhere with escalators. Feel free to use them on the Boardwalk or the beach, but nowhere where getting stuck might mean threat of bodily injury. Please note, this is NOT an urban legend.

New Phone Phishing Scam

Most of us probably bring he same skepticism to our home phone that we do to our e-mail inboxes. But some do not, and scammers are taking advantage of it.

"We know as a general public that there's a lot of fraudulent activity on credit cards and debit cards, so when we start hearing ... your financial institution calling you ask you for specific information and providing information that nobody else should know, it brings down our wariness," said McCormick, who is with the organized fraud section.

He said investigators are seeing a steep increase in reports of a scam in which a caller names an unusual big-ticket item and asks if the customer has recently purchased it.

When the customer says no, the caller says the company involved has been cropping up in a lot of suspicious transactions.

The caller provides a reference number for the customer's file and give the customer a 1-800 number to call.

He or she also asks the customer to confirm that they still have the card by providing the three-digit security code marked on the back.

Remember, if your bank or credit card company EVER asks for your card number when THEY call YOU, then chances are it is fraud.

DO NOT buy a Blu-Ray player yet

I know a lot of our Mod-Blog readers personally, and know that now now HD-DVD is "officially" dead I suspect a lot of us are looking for the excuse to upgrade to Blu-Ray now. But Gizmondo notes that now is NOT a good time to make the jump.

The place to be is spec 2.0, referred to as "full profile." Suddenly, it's Sony who is looking the best here, with not only the amazingly upgradeable PS3 but two new players announced this week, the BDP-S350 and S550. For $400 and $500 respectively, they are set to deliver all of the features promised in the Blu-ray palette, including both picture-in-picture and BD-Live internet connectivity (with USB storage for downloaded content). Nobody else, with the possible exception of Daewoo, has even muttered about a 2.0 spec player.

The only player that makes sense to buy now is the Playstation 3, because Sony is already committed to make it fully software-upgradeable to the new Spec 2.0 Otherwise, any player you buy today may be incompatible with disks released 6 months from now.