Tips & Advice

Ahhhh. Can you feel it? Summer is so close. Everything feels a little more buoyant, a little brighter. We’re in the home stretch of social distancing, a sense of normalcy is returning, and there’s a collective energy that’s ready to throw the screen door open, run outside, and pounce on summer. There’s no doubt you’ve

More and more social platforms are coming up with safer ways for younger kids to access their apps. The most recent announcement comes from Facebook who is reportedly creating a version of Instagram for kids 13 and under. It’s a family safety win to see so many companies (YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook have parental control channels) making changes. That’s because

Many people opt for encrypted messaging services because they like the additional layers of privacy they offer. They allow users to message their closest friends, family, and business partners without worrying about a stranger digitally eavesdropping on their conversation. The same people who message over encrypted services and apps are likely also diligent with securing

We’ve all heard about the Metaverse. And there’s no doubt it has certainly captured the attention of the world’s biggest companies: Facebook has changed its name to Meta, Hyundai has partnered up with Roblox to offer virtual test drives, Nike has bought a virtual shoe company and Coca-Cola is selling NFT’s there too. (Non-Fungible Tokens

The first day of school is right around the corner. The whole family is gearing up for a return to the routine: waking up to alarm clocks at dawn, rushed mornings, learning all day, and after-school activities and homework all night.  Even though everyone is in a frenzied state, now is a great time to

Our personal and professional lives are becoming increasingly intertwined with the online world. Regular internet usage has made us all prone to cyber-security risks. You leave a digital footprint every time you use the internet, which is a trace of all your online activities.   When you create new accounts or subscribe to different websites, you

Earlier this year, our global Connected Family Study revealed the online habits of parents and their children. What we found called for a closer look.  One finding that leaped out, in particular, is—cyberbullying occurs far more often than parents think. And in many cases, children are keeping it from their parents.   Now with our follow-on research,

Authored by Oliver Devane Technical Support Scams have been targeting computer users for many years. Their goal is to make victims believe they have issues needing to be fixed, and then charge exorbitant fees, which unfortunately some victims pay. This blog post covers a number of example actions, that scammers will go through when they

Let’s be honest – many of us parents aren’t big fans of gaming. In fact, some of us have probably even been known to roll our eyes or groan when we think about just how long our kids spend playing online games. But if there is one thing I’ve learned after 25 years of parenting,

Private tech companies gather tremendous amounts of user data. These companies can afford to let you use social media platforms free of charge because it’s paid for by your data, attention, and time.   Big tech derives most of its profits by selling your attention to advertisers — a well-known business model. Various documentaries (like Netflix’s

Your digital footprint grows with every internet account you make. While your old Tumblr account may be fun for reminiscing, dormant accounts are actually one of the most significant sources of user data on the internet. These accounts can be used by data brokers or third parties to access your personal information.   To improve your

Whether using the internet for play or work, you want to spend your time online enjoying the peace of mind that comes with having a secure network.  You don’t want to contend with someone taking your personal data — whether it’s credit card information, passwords, or bank account details — via malware or a data

A recent report by Javelin Strategy and Research found that identity theft cost Americans $56 billion in 2020, with imposter scams accounting for 20% of online fraud. While most internet platforms have stringent data security measures in place to curb cyber fraud, they aren’t always fool-proof.  Your user information is available online as a result

If you’re the parent of a tween or teen, chances are they’re not the only ones going back to school. Their smartphones are going back too. Our recent global research showed just how many tweens and teens use a smartphone. Plenty. Depending on the age band, that figure ranges anywhere from 76% to 93%, with

Authored by Dexter Shin McAfee’s Mobile Research Team has identified new malware on the Google Play Store. Most of them are disguising themselves as cleaner apps that delete junk files or help optimize their batteries for device management. However, this malware hides and continuously show advertisements to victims. In addition, they run malicious services automatically

We all love to spend time surfing the web — whether we’re shopping, paying bills, or reacting to funny memes. The internet has also allowed many of us to keep working from home even during the pandemic.   The internet is great, but the best way to keep enjoying it is to know where and how

Our How I Got Here series spotlights the stories of team members who have successfully grown their career here at McAfee. This journey features Gayatri who kicked off her second career at McAfee after leaving her role and returning to further education. My McAfee Career Journey McAfee truly kicked off my second career journey! I previously worked

Smartphones and personal computers have enhanced our lives in so many ways that it can be hard to even imagine a world without them. The internet is an awesome place with endless opportunities and possibilities, but it’s also home to some seedy characters that can expose us to certain risks, like malvertising.  Malvertising, which is

Ever hear of a crime called skimming? It may not be as dramatic a crime as assault or Ponzi schemes, but it can cause significant problems to you as your  savings account can be wiped out in a flash. Picture a scrawny nerd tampering with an automated teller machine (ATM)—the machine you use with your

Sextortion is something no parent wants to think could happen to their child, nor a topic most of us would ever imagine we’d need to discuss in our homes. However, according to the latest FBI reports, sextortion is a digital threat to children that, woefully, is on the rise. According to the FBI, there has

There’s no denying that the internet fills a big part of our days. Whether playing, working, or studying, we rely on staying connected. But just as there’s a lot of good that comes with the internet, it can also make us susceptible to cybercriminals.   This is especially true if you’re using your phone on public

Your mobile phone can do so many things, thanks to the wonders of technology. One of those things is having very accurate information about your location. In fact, some apps have to know your location to work.   Of course, you can’t expect Google Maps to function as it should without tracking your location. But you’re

So much of our personal and professional lives are online — from online banking to connecting with friends and family to unwinding after a long day with our favorite movies and shows. The internet is a pretty convenient place to be! Unfortunately, it can also be a convenient place for cybercriminals and identity theft.  One

A virtual private network (VPN) is a tool that hides your geolocation and protects your privacy while you’re online. It does this by creating an encrypted tunnel from your home network to a VPN provider’s server.   When you buy an internet plan, your internet service provider (ISP) gives your equipment (like your router and modem)

Our How I Got Here series spotlights the stories of team members who have successfully grown their careers here at McAfee. This journey features Jeremy whose passion for learning has seen him grow his career in our Technology Services Team. My McAfee career journey In 2015, I started as a contract worker to help manage network cabling

Your smartphone comes with built-in location services, which are useful if you lose it or if you use an app that needs to know your location. But what if you don’t want your phone to be tracked? Can the phone be located if you turn off location services? The answer is yes, it’s possible to

McAfee announces a partnership that will grant new and existing Telstra customers easy access to McAfee’s leading security solutions to deliver holistic security and privacy protection through its integrated suite of services including Antivirus, Parental Controls, Identity Protection, Secure VPN and more, to protect and secure multiple devices including mobiles, PCs and laptops. The partnership

In this digital age, communicating online and through our devices has become the norm. From sharing highlights of last night’s game to sending cute animal videos back and forth, so much of our connectedness happens virtually. It’s become so easy to chat with friends and loved ones through social media that we don’t even have

Fewer people carry cash these days, kids included. This growing paperless reality fast-forwards the parenting task of educating kids on financial responsibility. As of 2021, most cash apps allow kids 13 and up to open accounts (previously, the age was 18). Kids can also get a cash app debit card for retail purchases. But while

It’s a question we get a lot from parents: “How can I keep my kids safe when they are constantly hopping between so many different apps?” We get it, there’s a lot to stay on top and all of it changes constantly. Unfortunately, that question doesn’t have a simple answer. But there are some baseline