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Hoping to grab the new Iphone coming out June 24th, but worried that because it is such a hot commodity, it may be lost or stolen?  Look no further!  Brought to you by Orbicule.com, they have an application called “Undercover.”  I would recommend it to any of the readers out there with an iphone.  This application also works for the Ipad. Check them out here:

With the Ipad being hacked this past week, Apple issued an apology to it’s loyal users.  Here are some tips to keep your Ipad secure:

1. Hold on to your Ipad. “Most simply put, the single most effective thing someone can do to protect their iPad from any security issues is just to hang on to it. Keeping the device under your physical control means you also have control over device and data access. If you can keep the iPad in your physical control, many other security concerns do not come into play,” Heimerl said.

2. Have a password on it. The passcode blocks unauthorized users from accessing your apps and information. However, the passcode only provides limited protection; it can be bypassed by users with long-term physical control of the device. “If someone has prolonged control over your iPad and access to a PC, they can connect to the iPad with a PC and remove the passcode, allowing them to log onto the device,” Heimerl said. “An attacker can also bypass encryption on the iPad the same way.” Even if they don’t get access to the data, the attacker can reset the device, destroying your data and converting the device to their own use.

Another limitation of passcodes: “The keypad you use to enter your passcode always appears in the same place on the screen,” Heimerl said. This may leave a tell-tale pattern of fingerprints on your screen where you enter your passcode. “Of course, if you never clean the screen and leave fingerprints everywhere this may not matter at all, but it is something to keep in mind in how you use the device,” Heimerl said. (Hear that, guy who never wipes down his iPad? You’re not a slob — you’re security conscious!)

3. Enable Automatic Data Erase. “You can configure the iPad to erase all user data on the device after 10 failed passcode attempts,” Heimerl said. “Whether this is good or bad depends on the quality of any data backups, and how likely you are (or your children are) to exceed the 10 failed passcode attempts.”

He added, “While the iPad does not really erase the data, it does erase the key to the data which is actually stored on the iPad encrypted. So, since you no longer have the key with which you can decrypt the data the end result is essentially the same.”

Restrict the capabilities of the iPad. “To add additional controls, the iPad allows the user to restrict certain functions on the device, Heimerl said. Users can restrict access to Safari, YouTube, installing applications, and explicit media content. “This function is also passcoded so it could be configured by a corporate administrator and not changed by the end user,” Heimerl said. Of course, it can also be configured by a parent for a child’s iPad.

Use a VPN: The iPad lets you encrypt all your Wi-Fi traffic using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service.

Get MobileMe. While a little bit pricey at $99 per year to start, Apple’s MobileMe service provides several tools for syncing, backing up and securing data, “including the ability to sound a tone and/or display a message on a lost iPad if you have temporarily misplaced it,” Heimerl said. “If your iPad is stolen or completely lost, you can access MobileMe from a computer and can display the location of the device on a map in order to help find it. You can also use MobileMe to keep information in sync across multiple devices, to share information through iDisk, and, when you get desperate, to initiate a remote wipe of the device, thus removing all information from the device, including all potentially sensitive information.

However, “If the remote iPad is not connected via cellular or [Wi-Fi] network, it will not receive the remote wipe commands, so a determined attacker would likely take the iPad off the network before they worked on the system.”

Heimerl added, “The iPad also supports Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync. The remote wipe can be triggered via ActiveSync. MS Exchange ActiveSync can also be used to enforce additional controls and extended password policies beyond what the iPad can support natively.”

Jailbreak with care. “Jailbreaking is hacking an iPad so you can install non-App store apps and have access beyond Apple control,” Heimerl explains. “[W]hile it does give the user more control over the end device, it also removes some of the controls that help make the iPad more secure than a PC. In any case, jailbreaking the iPad dramatically changes the controls in the device, so the best we can say about security on a jailbroken iPad is that your results will be unpredictable. Besides that, jailbreaking an iPad automatically voids any warranty.”

Don’t Share Your IPad. The iPad is “essentially a single user device,” Heimerl said. Unlike a Mac or PC, you can’t create multiple user accounts on the iPad and block access to information between accounts, everyone with access to the iPad has access to all the information on the device, including e-mail and browser and personal information. However, users can protect their privacy in some ways, by disabling the option to autofill browser fields, and regularly clearing browser history, cookies and cache, Heimerl said.

Install software updates. “[T]o make sure the system is current, it is necessary to regularly connect the system to iTunes on a computer,” Heimerl said. “If a remote system does not have iTunes available, or is not connected for some length of time, it is possible that the system would miss a critical update and therefore be exposed to a risk that had been patched. For long-term use of the device in a corporate environment, IT will need a means to manage appropriate updates.”

Let us know any other additional tips you have!

How to Detect Spyware in iPhone –
To read the full article, compliments of iphonespyware.com, visit: TOP FIVE WAYS TO DETECT IPHONE SPYWARE

1. If someone borrowed your phone recently.
2. If your cell bill data connection has had a significant increase.
3. If your battery is depleting quicker.
4. If your cell phone is not responding to shutting it down.
5. If your GPRS/3G icon is appearing more often.

On a blackberry, the signs are similar…Top 5 Ways to Detect Blackberry Spyware

1. If someone borrowed your phone recently.
2. If your cell bill text messaging has had a significant increase.
3. If your battery is depleting quicker.
4. Your blackberry may ‘light up’ for no reason, without ringing
5. You may hear strange clicks / noises on your phone.

If you are worried this has happened to you, either download software in an attempt to remove the application or call a private investigator for a free consultation today.

Not knowing what happened to someone you care can be very frustrating. Often people will marry and change their name, move to different states, change phone number, and disappear. Often using online searches will yield negative results. Hiring a Private Investigator to assist you in finding that person will more often than not disclose answers. Having a team of investigators to work solely on your case allows any and all leads to be followed. Internet searches search public sites searching for name matches. Imagine trying to find “Jane Smith” on Google. However, Private Investigators are able to connect dots from countless different locations to pinpoint the one “Jane Smith” the client is looking for.

North American Investigations have helped clients find missing children, lost loves, relatives and friends from upwards of fifty years ago. Sometimes clients with to reconnect with these individuals, and NAI has assisted them in doing this. Other times, clients are simply anxious to know what has become of the subject or if they are alive and well. We are always excited to facilitate these cases and bring the much needed answers to the clients.

If you are interested in locating someone from your past, please contact North American Investigations at (800) 724-8080 to see how we can help you put your curiosity, concern, or wonder to rest.

Follow North American Investigations tweets now! Would love to hear from our readers.

How To Hire Right Private Investigators - For a private investigation firm, the necessity for confidentiality between the investigator and the client is vital. Prior to hiring a private investigator, the client should always verify certain information with the company they are looking to hire so as to obtain the proper results. Ask yourself and the investigators to make sure that your case is in the right hands of confidential, discreet private investigators:

•Make sure the private investigator you are hiring specializes in the case you are looking to conduct. For instance, when hiring an investigator who works on homicide cases, make sure they are retired law enforcement from a homicide division with high success rates. If you are hiring a private investigator to conduct surveillance, ask for video samples. If you are looking to conduct a background check, make sure the firm does not query out of date resources and that the facts are current. Above all, make sure that you check references for the case you are looking to do, so you can see if the company you are hiring was confidential and discreet with previous clients cases.

•Ask the private investigation firm you are hiring for references. Also, ask if their firm maintains experts in specialized fields on staff. You want to make sure you hire a private detective with experience and proven results in your required field. Choosing who to pick is a matter of sensitivity of case and the set of skills or knowledge it may require from the private investigator. See what kind of experience the private investigator you might hire has, in order to decide if they best fit what you are looking for.

•Clarify with the private investigator what state the surveillance will be in. Make sure the private investigator is licensed and bonded in that state and able to conduct surveillance there.

• Verify that the only persons with access to your personal information will be those assigned to work on your case.

• Make sure they will never send anything in your file to be copied at a commercial copy service center.

•See if the company you are hiring has 24/7 accessibility. Are they able to accommodate case requests at unconventional hours? Do you receive reports in a timely fashion?

•Verify the private detective you are hiring is trained to only employ ethical and morally correct action.

•Above all, make sure the case is confidential and the company you hire has a strong privacy policy. Ask the company how they ensure their clients’ anonymity and the confidentiality of personal information. Always call a firm’s references.

No matter how famous the client, North American Investigations has never disclosed information to publications like Page Six, other newspapers, gossip columns, etc. We are 100% discreet and confidential, always putting our client first. Our clients matter and we have references and examples of our work for future clients. North American Investigations has been in business for over 40 years, has a B+ rating, and are licensed and bonded. Call 800-724-8080 for a free consultation today.

Employee background checks – Thinking about hiring new staff, however, worried about their past? Wondering how to go about conducting these types of checks, and what is legal to check and what is illegal? Don’t hire a company that searches free public records that are often out of date – hire North American Investigations today. Our employee background checks consist of an array of different checks tailored to each clients individual needs.  Some items queried consist of the following:

• Name Verification
• Address Verification
• Social Security Number Verification
• Driving Records
• Vehicle Registration
• Credit Records (If the employee signs a release)
• Criminal Records
• Education Records
• Court Records
• Workers Compensation
• Bankruptcy
• Character References
• Neighbor Interviews
• Medical Records
• Property Ownership
• Military Records
• State Licensing Records
• Drug Test Records
• Past Employers
• Personal References
• Incarceration Records
• Sex Offender Registry

Call North American Investigations today at 800-724-8080 for a free consultation to see if we can help your company.

Cell phone records – We receive numerous calls a day, from people in hopes of obtaining cell phone / text message records.  Please be aware that it is illegal to do so, and any private investigator practicing this technique to obtain information is doing something illegal, that will not help you in court.  Sen. Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, proposed legislation H.R. 4709: Law Enforcement and Phone Privacy Protection Act of 2006, and S. 2178: Consumer Telephone Records Protection Act of 2006, both passed committee. This law has made it no longer possible to legally purchase such information (cell phone bills).  Please be aware that unless you are the actual owner of the phone and you can prove it, cell phone bills are unattainable.

Using cell phone bill records to obtain crucial information in an investigation is also outdated, because many cheating spouses now use a “throw-away-phone.”  These disposable phones are cheap and can cost as low as $10 to purchase.  One can purchase minutes as they use the phone, and there is no billing information or accounts linked to the actual telephone number.

Please call North American Investigations at 800-724-8080 today to see more up to date techniques of how to catch a cheating spouse.  Each investigation is tailored to your individual needs, and a package will be created to help you determine if your spouse is cheating and ultimately, give you the peace of mind you are in hopes of.  We offer a free consultation 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Online Dating Background Checks -

This week, a 24 year old man was accused of impersonating Guess model “Bree Condon” on internet dating site, SeekingMillionaire.com.  The 24 year old was deceiving wealthy men by posting photos of the model in order to obtain money.  Model “Bree Condon” hired a private investigator to disclose who the suspect was, and found Justin Brown who was then indicted on a felony theft charge.

At a private investigation company, we see similar cases to this regularly.  Many men and women think they are dating the person of their dreams, and are left only to find that they have been humiliated and taken advantage of.  Here are some tips from licensed private investigators to help you avoid being heartbroken, scammed, and deceived on the internet:

Watch out for anyone who seems too good to be true. Start with chatting online and on the internet before immediately meeting in person.  See if there are any odd behaviors you notice, or any lies you begin to catch.  Remember to trust your instincts and if the story you are being told is too elaborated, chances are, it probably is.  

Common Sense:  Do not think you are ‘dating’ someone you have never met.  Is the person telling you they are having financial problems? Do they always have some sort of excuse when you try to meet with them? Are they saying they want to meet you but cannot afford the trip? Do not lend out money to strangers!   Are they lying? Internet lovers are said to lie about themselves more than half the time – do not believe anything without facts!

Request a Photo: See if the photo of the person is real.  Though this is not always possible, if the person 

Chat on the Phone: Make sure they don’t have you calling a 1-900 number or something in another country.  These numbers can bring your telephone bill up to hundreds of dollars.  Also, just because the person sounds legit on the telephone, this still does not verify the story they are telling you.

Meet in Public:  While this may seem like common sense, you would be suprised how many times people end up on the first date in a private place.  By meeting in public, you are able to leave at any time and it is always the safer option of the two.  

Verify their Information: A background check will help verify the persons name, where they live, their criminal record(s), date of birth, properties owned, vehicles owned, professional licenses, marital status, and much more.

Without conducting a background check to verify the facts, there is no way to determine if what your ‘dream date’ is saying is true.  Often times on dating sites, con artist will take on different identities and live a ‘double life’ – lying about their name, using a pre-paid telephone number, and never letting you know anything with factual substance about their life.

Background checks for online dating may seem like overkill, however, in the long run it can save you from being scammed and having your heart broken.