Blog Tour Tens List & Giveaway: The Quantum Breach by Denver Acey

The Quantum Breach

by Denver Acey

Adult Suspense
Paperback, 256 Pages
June 10th 2014 by Cedar Fort Publishing & Media

Summary

Tanner Zane is a Mormon with a secret criminal past. Nobody suspects that, before his religious conversion, Tanner hacked into thousands of computer networks across the globe. He accumulated millions of dollars from his illegal activities until a sudden, life-changing event caused him to abandon hacking and give his fortune to charity. But Tanner’s guarded past is exposed when he is kidnapped by his mysterious neighbor and forced to hack into an impossible target – Los Alamos National Labs. Inside the government facility is a prototype quantum computer that is powerful enough to crack the digital safeguards of the Internet. When Tanner learns that cyber-terrorists will use the quantum computer to commit massive identify theft and corporate espionage around the world, he deliberately engages in an intellectual battle with his captors to prevent them from obtaining the device.

   

Ten Things to Do to Protect Yourself Online

Social media is a great tool for interaction, especially among the tech-savvy youth of today. Unfortunately, most people who use social media are unaware of the inherent risks of the Internet.  They assume that their personal information is always protected and secure.  They are wrong.  Computer hacking is a billion dollar business, and identify theft is no longer just a threat – it’s a reality.  Utilizing actual hacking concepts and scenarios I have witnessed in my career as a computer specialist, I wrote The Quantum Breach to entertain, yet illustrate how vulnerable we all are to cybercrime.  

So how does someone keep their personal information secure in Cyberspace?  Here are ten ways that I suggest to keep ahead of the hackers.

1. Use separate passwords for each of your social media accounts – This can be a pain, but it is extremely crucial to keep your data safe.  If you use the same password for every site, once a hacker gets one of your passwords, he’s got them all.
2. Use strong passwords – I recommend a minimum of ten characters, using a combination of upper/lowercase, numbers, and symbols.  Think of a special phrase and use the first letter of each word to make an easy to remember password.  For example: “I want to ski all day long!” could be a password like: Iw2Skiadayl!
3. Run an antivirus program on your computer, and keep it updated – This is a basic concept, yet so many people fail to do it.
4. If you use Windows, install the monthly security updates from Microsoft –Those monthly updates fix many of the security holes that hackers use to get into your system.
5. Use a password or PIN to secure your smartphone – You’re smartphone is a computer, and it contains all sorts of personal information.  Keep it locked.  Better yet, don’t store personal information like birthdates, Social Security numbers, or bank account information on your phone.
6. Avoid public Wi-Fi – Before you send personal information over a public wireless network, like those found in coffee shops, libraries, or airports, remember that the hackers also have access to the same wireless network.  They’ll be sniffing the network for your personal information, I guarantee it.
7. Keep your private life private – As tempting as it is to post a picture of your new driver’s license on Facebook, think about what an identity thief can do with that information.  Never post your full name, Social Security number, address, phone number, or account numbers on publicly accessible sites, even if think that only your ‘friends’ will see it.
8. Avoid phishing emails – Don’t open files, click on links, or download programs unless you know for sure the content of the email is secure.  It’s best to just delete a suspicious email.  Also, remember that no legitimate business will EVER send you an email, asking for personal account information.  If you get an email asking to verify your username or password, it’s a trap.
9. Be Alert to Impersonators – We call this social engineering in the computer security world, and it’s a huge problem.  Don’t give out your personal information on the phone, through the mail or over the Internet unless you’ve initiated the contact, or you know exactly who you’re dealing with. 
10. Use credit cards for all online purchases – Credit cards offer some protection against identity theft and can limit your financial exposure.  On the other hand, debit cards give an attacker immediate access to a bank account and all the available funds.

About the Author

Few people understand the terrifying, yet realistic threat of computer hacking like Denver Acey. Acey has spent his entire professional career in the information technology industry where he has witnessed and even thwarted actual cybercrime. From his top-secret job working for the US government to securing computer networks at Fortune 500 companies, Acey is personally familiar with hackers and their unscrupulous activities.

But over the years, Acey has become increasingly frustrated with Hollywood’s inaccurate portrayal of cybercrime. Hackers are more intelligent and more sophisticated than simple teenagers, who guzzle down Mountain Dew while playing video games. Cybercrime is a billion-dollar business that encompasses organized crime and foreign governments. For these elite hackers, the fruits of success are iconic trademarks, innovative patents, and government secrets.

Because of his unique background, Acey decided to write a book to dispel hacking myths while highlighting the tenacity of cybercriminals. Utilizing actual computer hacking concepts and scenarios that he has experienced firsthand, Acey illustrates — in a simple way for even the non-techie to understand — how vulnerable we all are to cybercrime.

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Giveaway

Ebook of The Quantum Breach
Ends June 12th

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