Move over pen and paper. And stop storing sensitive passwords in the browser. LastPass can handle it all, affordably. I've used many methods to store login information. From standalone apps and encrypted spreadsheets, I've tried it all. Password managers are designed to help protect this secret data, but most of them out there are buggy or expensive. Note: Any password … [Read more...]
More Shareaholic Findings (WordPress Violations, TOS & More)
UPDATE: On October 1st, Shareaholic announced "Promoted Content". This swaps out Related Content with native advertising. The feature was launched ON and configured with a medium setting (in my tests this means if you're displaying 6 related blocks, it is 2 ads and 4 posts). Note: Since my original and this post went live, Shareaholic has made a few changes. Updates on those … [Read more...]
Did the Heartbleed Bug Finally Open Your Eyes?
The Heartbleed bug is the most serious internet bug uncovered to date. It's so serious that experts are now expecting the web to slow to a crawl over the next weeks while companies scramble to fix thousands upon thousands of web sites. In fact, the process could take a year. This bug leaves so much data at risk, and has gained so many headlines, that even the little guys are … [Read more...]
PeC (ED): The Case Against Developing in Open Source Software
This is my first article for Ecommerce Developer (part of Practical eCommerce). Developing an ecommerce site using open source software may be very attractive on the surface. Open source software can usually be uber-customized, allowing developers to implement features as they are needed. Open source software frequently advances more quickly, addressing growing needs in an … [Read more...]
Think Before Sharing via Social Apps & Tools
Last week Twitter announced suspension of two popular applications that violated the company’s policies. The news of the mobile app pulls hit Twitter quickly, and left the first page of our timelines in the same fashion. The apps—UberTwitter and Twitroyd (for Blackberry and Android, respectively)—were among hundreds of Twitter applications that are pulled each day. While … [Read more...]
Safety First: Storing Passwords
Via GoToMeeting, I work with many online store owners and designers in real time. It amazes me how lax many people are when it comes to creating and storing passwords. There have been thousands of articles published concerning the importance of using complex passwords and implementing security measures. Still, the process is often ignored. I'll start by saying this. If you … [Read more...]
Want Your Router Hacked?
If you missed step one of securing your network, you just may fall victim to a hack that's getting released into the wild next week. Seismic's Craig Heffner says he's got a way to hack into millions of routers and he's going to share it with the masses during the Black Hat 2010 conference July 28-29, 2010. What's that first step? Changing the default administrator password, of … [Read more...]
What is PA-DSS and Why Should I Care?
Now that it's a requirement, online store owners are finally starting to get the term PA-DSS drilled into their heads. I've spoken about this for some time, but it seems far too few merchant account providers took time to notify companies early and often. Some companies are already being charged monthly fees for not following the global security standard set forth by the … [Read more...]
Thinking About Working in the Cloud?
Cloud computing is all the rage these days. The storing of contacts, tasks and meeting dates is taking many by storm, especially in the mobile world. But is it right for everyone? If you use any of Google’s Applications (like Google Calendar or Google Docs) or any other company’s over-the-web creation and/or storage, then you’re already a cloud computing participant. Shared … [Read more...]