Ok, I stumbled upon this video a while ago and it's just too comical to pass up.



There are so many things wrong with the parent's assumptions about his son that I barely know where to start, but I'll take a crack at some of the more ludicrous points made in this video.

1. Does asking to change ISPs mean that your son is a computer hacker? Hardly, more likely your son is the only one in your family that realizes that using AOL was a crap way to connect to the internet when it was brand new (but I did love getting the free Frisbee CDs in the mail a few times a month)
2. Are you finding programs that you don't remember installing? OK, if all you are finding are mysterious new programs called "firefox" or "warcraft" I wouldn't worry about it. If you happen to stumble across a folder with two programs called Cain and Abel, then you are one of the few people who might have a legitimate concern! Cain and Abel has few legitimate uses and is more commonly the tool of people who perform man in the middle attacks on your wireless devices to steal personal info (I'll do an in-depth discussion of it at a later time).
3. Is your kid asking you for new hardware? Then they're most likely not hackers. The much more plausible explanation is that your family computer has a six year old processor that can barely run programs from FIVE years ago.
4. Does your son play Quake? No that does not make him a hacker, it makes him a nonconformist! (99.99% of his friends would play Halo or Call of Duty instead)
5. Finally my favorite. If you son is using "LUNIX" (Linux for the informed), chances are he is simply part of the wide-spread open source movement. Most of the time your kid is just using Ubuntu (or similar distributions) to stick it to Windows. DISCLAIMER: if the "lunix" he is using is a distribution called BackTrack, then the stars and sun have aligned and your son might actually be a legit hacker! Whereas BackTrack 4 is supposed to be a system penetration testing tool, it does work equally well in stealing your neighbor's wifi and compromising their computers if they're unpatched.

Now you can protect your Important Files with Minimal Effort!

Starting off, I'll be totally honest with you, in this modern age of information exchange, your personal information will never be 100% safe. Every ounce of computer prowess and common sense on the internet will not stop an elite hacker who has your IP address and REALLY wants what's on your computer, but we don't have to make it easy for the average script kiddy hacker who happens to live next door. So I present for your benefit, the following ways I use to thwart the typical hard drive heist!:


      1. Update your operating system (Windows, OSX, ubuntu) completely. Apple and Windows don't come out with these software upgrades because they're bored, they do it because over time they discover easily exploited holes in their program and plug them up! The added irony is that these companies post whatever weaknesses they fixed with each new service pack, so all a hacker needs to do is find an un-patched computer and go down the list that was so conveniently posted to the world!

      2. Make sure, if you use wireless, that it is well-encrypted. Click the network manager in the bottom right hand side of your task bar where it shows your signal strength and then mouse over the router to which you are currently connected. Does it say unsecured? DANGER! That means there is no password and literally ANYONE can connect to your computer through it! Does it say WEP? if so, then you are less protected than you could be. Most new Linksys routers come standard with WPA encryption and this is the good stuff. Now don't get me wrong, WPA passwords CAN be cracked with sufficient time and effort, but having WEP or no password at all is just inviting trouble.

     3.Encrypt your sensitive files with TrueCrypt. Lets say that the above steps haven't stopped a troublesome intruder, he got onto your wifi and exploited your computer so he has access to everything on your computer, would you be in serious trouble if he found that text file you use to remember you bank account password? How about some...compromising photographs that you took of your ex-girlfriend? Fear not, because even if someone gains 100% access to your hard drive, you can protect delicate info that only you ever need to see. TrueCrypt will take a certain part of your harddrive and encrypt it so well that the NSA will have a hard time looking at what's inside, particularly if your password is over 20 characters long. Bonus points if you keep the TrueCrypt password taped to the underside of your desk; one of the few places someone without physical access to your office will never be able to reach.

     4. MOST IMPORTANT: Use common sense. If a website has a banner promising you a brand new Ipod, ignore it, its probably just going to download a virus that will gradually slow down your computer or steal your personal information. When entering your credit card info anywhere, check the bottom right of your browser to make sure there's a padlock symbol. If there isn't that means the site is unsecured and any Joe Schmoe identity thief might intercept your info.




Link to the free open-source TrueCrypt, its very simple to use and after you install it will offer to run a tutorial
http://www.truecrypt.org/downloads