It's likely that you don't even think about your web browser, the program that allows you to access the entire Internet. You probably just use it; after all, it's a transparent technology.

A smartphone can contain a lot of information that we’d rather keep private, such as text messages, photos, contact lists, phone numbers, and appointments. But is it really private?  If it’s lost or stolen, could someone read the information it holds?  Do your apps see more details about you than you realize?

Here’s what you need to know:

The Federal Trade Commission recently published this article by Lisa Lake, Consumer Education Specialist, titles “Make It a Scam-free Vacation”.  Since it has some good advice for this time of year, we’ve decided to share it here.

It’s almost summer! Right now, you probably have beaches on the brain or you’re thinking about that long-planned trip abroad. Before you head out, take steps to help keep your dream vacation from becoming a nightmare:

Do some research — and then carefully read the details on travel offers.

Perhaps your browsing speed seems to be slowing to a crawl or you can’t stream a video you’d really like to watch.  Maybe you work from home, so it’s vital to you that your connection to the Internet is strong and uninterrupted.  Maybe between your families’ tablets, wireless phones, gaming systems, TVs and computers, good Wi-Fi is essential to your household, but has become less than great.  There are many reasons why your connection may be less than ideal, but some of the most likely can be simple to fix, without costing you a dime.  Even if everything seems to be work

What is Blockchain Technology and How is It Changing Digital Security?

Blockchain is one of the most popular buzzwords in technology right now.  It was originally used with Bitcoin, a cryptocurrency that refers to a digital coin.  It’s a rather complicated to understand and explain, but knowing how the Blockchain works with bitcoin will help us translate how the technology can be used in many other real-world scenarios.

Nearly everyone who has an e-mail address they regularly use has run into at least a small problem with spam.  What is spam?  Spam is bulk, unsolicited e-mail—most often, it’s trying to sell you something, and sometimes it’s trying to convince you to relinquish your credit card information, bank account information, and any other personal information you’re willing to give.

Identity Theft is when someone steals your personal information and uses it without your permission.  It happens to more than 11 million Americans every year and can cause trouble with your finances, credit history and reputation.  It can also take time, money and extreme patience to resolve.

How common is identity theft? Even if you haven’t been victimized, when you hear news of another significant data breach or a friend tells you a story of ID theft woe, you may wonder if you’re next—or if it’s something you need to worry about at all.

Maybe you received one for Christmas.  Maybe you’ve seen the commercial or the comical video of the boy whose requests were misunderstood by the device.  One thing’s for sure, these latest voice-controlled smart appliances are quite impressive.  They can play music, control lights, and answer questions with nothing but your voice.  In fact, they can even be told to order groceries or a pizza. (Quite possibly, a busy mom’s dream.)

Every company has a product.  For home improvement stores, it’s building materials and tools.  Book stores sell books.  Coffee shops sell coffee.   PenTeleData’s product is the Internet.  Our partners’ products are phone, cable, Internet, and security systems.  All of these are pretty straight-forward.  What about Google, Facebook and other social media and content providers?  Their product is YOU!

Ring Ring! 

“Hello, how are you?  I am James and I am calling to tell you about a problem with your computer.  You are not receiving Microsoft updates.”

Or maybe: “Good morning, this is Mr. Doe with your telephone company (or electric, water, or any other service provider).  We’ve noticed a problem with your service and need to ask you a few questions to verify your identity so that we can resolve it.”

We all have them.  Whether it’s a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a tablet, a cellular phone or any other device, it’s important to know how to dispose of them properly when the time comes.  It’s more than just an environmental issue, because these electronics can also hold (and potentially disclose) sensitive information about us.  Computers, smartphones, gaming consoles, external hardware, digital media, and cameras allow you to keep a great deal of information at your fingertips, but when you dispose of, donate, or recycle a device you may inadvertently disclose sensi

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat…they’re all very popular.  After all, it’s sometimes fun to see everyone’s pictures, opinions, activities, and more.  It can even great for keeping in touch with extended family or old high school friends.  Still, it’s a double edged sword, so there are a few factors to keep in mind regarding privacy and safety.

Say Cheese!  Do Your Photos Jeopardize Your Privacy or Safety?

The convenience of posting photos with friends and family has become more fun and convenient than ever.  Social networking sites make it easy to share pictures with grandma and grandpa, your coworkers, your childhood friends, or anyone who has an interest.  Still, it is important to consider a few simple tips pertaining to copyright, privacy and safety issues.

A cyberattack is an attempt to damage, disrupt, or gain unauthorized access to a computer, computer system, or electronic communications network.

What is Data Usage?
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could pay one set price for all the heating oil (or wood pellets, electricity, kerosene, natural gas, etc.) we could use for a month or a season?  That way, no matter how brutal a winter, we wouldn’t have to worry about any additional costs to heat our homes.  It sounds like a perfect scenario, doesn’t it?

Maybe you recently planned to purchase a new computer or plan to do so in the near future.  Congratulations!  It’s an important purchase.  Even if you were able to hook it up and use it right out of the box, that doesn’t mean that you should.  In fact, there are a few steps you should take to protect your identity and your purchase.

It’s no secret: Cybercriminals continue to be a threat to information that was once considered private.  Whether the threat is from a group or within an organization, breaches are no longer a matter of “if”, but rather “when”.

According to the Trustwave® 2013 Global Security Report, here is what cybercriminals targeted most in 2013:

Customer Records (Payment Card Data, Personally Identifiable Information, E-Mail Addresses) – 96%

Confidential Information & Intellectual Property– 2%

Electronic Protected Health Information – 1%

The United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team, a part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, offers the follow tips on their website at

www.us-cert.gov/ncas/tips/ST04-010

Why can e-mail attachments be dangerous?

Some of the characteristics that make e-mail attachments convenient and popular are also the ones that make them a common tool for attackers:

Even if you don’t already use Bluetooth technology, chances are good that you’ve heard or seen someone who does.  One example is that person in the grocery store who appears to be talking to himself, that is, until you notice the small earpiece attached to the side of his head. 

Terms and Conditions

It is advisable to be familiar with PenTeleData 's billing rules in order to prevent billing disputes. The sooner a billing dispute is brought to our attention, the easier it will be to resolve to everyone's satisfaction. We are unaware of a problem unless it is brought to our attention by either calling the Billing Department at 1-800-281-3564 or emailing to billingd@corp.ptd.net

Age Limitation: A customer must be a minimum of 18 years of age in order to subscribe to PenTeleData service.

PenTeleData Internet Access Acceptable Usage Policy

PenTeleData provides dial-up services for residential customers and powers high speed broadband cable modem and DSL services for our partners. This Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) applies to both services and which are collectively referred to in this document as "PenTeleData." All Users of PenTeleData, hereby agree to the following terms of this AUP. If you are not in agreement with these terms, please immediately contact PenTeleData via email at custserv@corp.ptd.net.

So you already have up-to date virus protection and a firewall on your computer, locks on your home or business's windows and doors, and maybe you even have a security system with all the important alarms and alerts. No one has unauthorized access to your information, right? Not necessarily. Social engineering is on the increase, so it's important to understand what it is and how to avoid becoming a victim.

Internet and data connections have become mission critical for many homes and businesses. At PenTeleData, we've been proactively planning for outages for many years now. We've instituted a rigorous schedule of preventative maintenances, during which time all generators are load tested, batteries in UPSs and DC plants are tested and environmental controls are inspected. It's a constant work in progress, but please be assured that the reliability of your service is our top priority.

Online shopping can be much easier than dealing with crowds and traffic, but there are some important security tips to keep in mind.

These simple steps can help ensure that you are shopping on a safe and trustworthy website:

Hopefully you've never been the owner of a compromised email account. If you have, then you already know how frustrating it can be.

Google's Chrome, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera, and others – they're all trying their best to earn your desktop. Perhaps you've never even given it any thought, and just use whatever browser was on your computer when it was purchased. So how should you choose?

Removing malware can be difficult. Preventing it from happening is much easier.

Malware, short for malicious software, is used to describe any software that was created with bad-natured intent. Some malware is intrusive and cause serious problems with your computer. Other malware can secretly steal information and send it to the designer.

There are many types of malware. Some of these include viruses, network worms, Trojans, spyware and rootkits.

How does malware spread?

Whether you're banking or shopping online, doing research or social networking, you need account passwords. Unfortunately, the more details you share, the easier it is for cybercriminals to use your information. One way to help keep your personal details safe is to choose strong passwords.

Here's how:

Do not use personal information in your password.

Have you used a grocery store card or savings card today? Have you used a key word to search for something on the Internet? If so, then your data is probably being used by someone for tracking or marketing purposes.

When was the last time you watched a DVD? Purchased a CD? Whether it was music or video, it probably contained an FBI warning. Copyright protects the value of creative work, and any unauthorized reproduction or distribution is breaking the law.

When you receive an email that appears to be from your bank, Internet provider or any other service provider, it may be phishing. Phishing allows criminals to use your personal information for their own benefit or profit. That’s why it’s important to look for clues to identify whether the message is legitimate or a scam.

Look out for these details:

Recently published reports have uncovered critical security vulnerabilities that could be exploited and lead to unauthorized remote control of wireless routers. Basically, if the router becomes compromised, the hacker can gain access to the firewall along with the ability to retrieve credit card numbers, confidential documents, passwords, photos and more.

There are three well-known types of attacks: