For those using their real headshots for Avatars

[JBtheExplorer]

I've got my own photos on other sites, I'm not worried about it. Eventually they'll say not to type because hackers will pick up your typing habits. There's only so much I'm willing to worry about. The way I see it, if you use the internet, you should go into it expecting to get hacked at some point and use that to decide what you will and wont post.

 

[callingcolleen1]

what about the glasses?? My face is hard to see then??

 

[max384]

Hi folks,

I'm in IT, specifically data center security compliance manager which basically means I manage engineers designed to protect data and personal information including healthcare data. I see some folks on here using their real faces in their avatars. This place has been very good to me for advice so I thought I would share some info.

Hackers are now using facial recognition for items such as Google Glasses and similar devices. Before they were only copying avatars from Facebook and Linked in but now we've run across a few going to smaller sites like this one because people feel safer in a smaller community to share more personal info. Remember they dont need to copy and paste each avatar, they can run custom scripts to pull down all avatars from a website and since avatars are openly shared they don't need to hack the websites to do it.

If you are using your own picture here I would suggest you change your avatar to your pond or fish or anything but your face. No games, just wanted to keep folks secure.

Remember the Target hack a few months ago? It was far worse than the public knows. Be safe.

I'm having trouble figuring out how someone using facial recognition to get my avatar pic off of a garden pond forum is going to put me at risk for anything? Especially since I'm not using my real name for my username.

 

[texmaster]

I'm having trouble figuring out how someone using facial recognition to get my avatar pic off of a garden pond forum is going to put me at risk for anything? Especially since I'm not using my real name for my username.

It depends if they can link your picture with another online forum you use like facebook or linked in. Anything where your real name would be associated with your real face is what they are after. These scripts are becoming extremely sofisticated.

Say for example you use your real face but your online name. If you use that same online name for an account somewhere else where it is actually tied to your real name and they buy that information they have a reference point for your picture.

 

[texmaster]

what about the glasses?? My face is hard to see then??

those are big enough it should make it too difficult for the programs to capture your features.

Now this guy has the right idea

 

[DrCase]

It's got to be easy for the hackers too get into DMV it would be the whole package

 

[pecan]

Years ago, I worked a high risk job where you had to be very careful about your identity being "leaked".

This was before the internet, facebook etc. But the first thing we were told at that job is to contact the DMV and make your information private. Which you can do. DMV records (i.e. someone can contact the DMV with your license plate # and find out your name, address, etc) are available to the general public unless you ask that they be made private.

I would suggest everyone do that.

 

[callingcolleen1]

my glasses hide lots of my features, like the wrinkles around my eyes, ha ha ha! Besides, what are they going to steal from me?? my old house and flowers?? I like to post pictures of me, makes it more real, can't live all strangled and worried about what if, cause life is to short, and by they time they find me I will have spent all my money! ha ha ha...

 

[j.w]

Not sure I can take this yellow frog thing gawking at me every time I post. Might have to go back to me. My hands were hiding most of my face before like Colleen's glasses so wouldn't that be ok?

 

[callingcolleen1]

JW Iove your little jumping frog, it is so you!

Just in case, I put my fish up and hope they don,t recognize them from my facebook! ha ha ha

 

[BlueOrca]

Thanks for the heads up texmaster, knowledge is power.

 

[JohnHuff]

So I googled my name. I assure you guys, they are not me:

http://www.justmugshots.com/img/2007529/tn/john-michael-huff.jpg

http://www.justmugshots.com/img/12497323/tn/john-huff.jpg

http://www.justmugshots.com/img/8373639/tn/john-huff.jpg

http://mugshot-catalogs.com/offender-image/c38/Essex_County_New_Jersey_J201226353-JOHN-HUFF.jpg

 

[Dave 54]

Well thats ours changed over I'm having no truck with hackers hope you all like it its very Val and I

Dave

 

[j.w]

I think I gotta change mine again cuz looking at this one is awful day after day. See even the smilies here don't like it cuz they won't work now!

 

[JohnHuff]

Well thats ours changed over I'm having no truck with hackers hope you all like it its very Val and I

Dave

Sorry to hear that you lost your truck to the hackers. Hope you get it back soon.