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Safeguard Your Orkut Profile
By: Nikhil Singh   |   Jun 26, 2009

With the spread of social networking came a whole lot of security concerns, especially for those who're actively involved and have a good amount of their personal information stored online. Orkut, being a slightly older social network, has been known to have quite a bit of nefarious activity going on. If you wish to secure yourself and your online avatar on Orkut, here are a few tips to do so...

Secure your Password
The easiest way for someone to access all of your information is to gain your password. To ensure that this doesn't happen, never use Orkut or any other social networking software at a cybercafe you're not familiar with (or if possible, don't use it at ANY cybercafe). It's really easy to install malicious programs such as Key-Loggers that record your keystrokes and allow people to phish for your login details easily at such places. Needless to say, never enter your login details into a third party site and always look for the line https://www.google.com/accounts/ServiceLogin?... in your URL while logging in.

Orkut's known for spam from autobots and random "fraandsheep" requests. Be vigilant and don't accept friend requests from every Tom, Dickwinder and Hari that sends one your way.
Set your Privacy Settings
In Orkut's Privacy settings (which comes under 'My Settings') the last box allows you to set privileges or rights for what kind of content of yours is accessible to fellow social networkers. If you wish your scrap book, videos, testimonials or photos to be private, set them to allow "only friends"  or "only friends of friends" to view them. This ensures that not every troll out there has access to your profile. If you wish to take it a step further, you can set it up so that that only friends of friends, or only people who know your email address can send you friend requests.

Accept Friend Requests Cautiously
Orkut's known for spam from autobots and random "fraandsheep" requests. Be vigilant and don't accept friend requests from every Tom, Dickwinder and Hari that sends one your way. In fact, its a good idea to check someone's profile before you accept their request, to ensure they're not the social degenerate or sexually frustrated low-life that would creep you out.

Beware of Unofficial Mail

Every now and then you'll come across some fishy looking email in your inbox, telling you that you need to 'reconfirm' your details (i.e. password) in order to continue using Orkut. Ignore any such mail and block those that send it. There are loads of people out there who come with with legit looking mailers and/or websites that ask you for your login details, please beware of them and trust only the main site with your account details.

Downloading Files for Orkut = Bad!
A lot of unofficial sites offer supposedly "powerful applications" that are nothing but stacks of Trojans and key-loggers. Don't download anything but official Orkut applications to ensure that you don't get screwed over.


Ensure your Password's not easy

Last but not the least, please ensure that your password is everything but easy to crack. Keeping it a variation of your name and/or your last name is downright retarded; please refrain from doing so. Using a mix of alphabetical and numeric characters is a great idea. Most of the time we get lazy and decide to keep it something that's easy to remember, which, in most cases, is easy to crack too. Keep a difficult password and remember it! If your memory sucks as much as mine does, write it down in a diary you own, or any other place that's only accessible to you.

That's about it for this list. If you think we've missed out on something, or wish to add a few tips of your own, please share them with all of us via a comment!

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Post a Comment on “Safeguard Your Orkut Profile”
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What is new in this article sir, nothing special. where the technical guys are??
Sougata Das @ Feb 04, 2010
orkut is crap , gtalk is a gain..
ritupon @ Jan 23, 2010
I m unable to browse orkut & gmail on my system and its showing security certificate
khushboo agarwal @ Aug 18, 2009
thanx
Prashant Sharma @ Jul 26, 2009
thanks
Sarfaraz @ Jul 05, 2009
THANX .........................
REALLY ITS HELPFUL TO THE USER.

KEEP IT UP........... TECH2.COM.
ALSO ONE BAD NEWS LAST FEW DAYS WE CANT ACCES TECHGURU.
PLS. PLS........I LOVE IT.
PINTU @ Jul 01, 2009
thanksssssss..........thankssssssssss........for ur tips.......i love tech2......
ujjwal @ Jun 28, 2009
One should also be careful about the Snaps... Even if u cannot copy the snaps with just a right click....u can do it with the Print screen option..
Isha @ Jun 28, 2009
I want to know that, how can I make my profile invisible to those who are not my friends?
How can I make invisible my scrapbook to my friends?
Subhankar Bhanja @ Jun 28, 2009
Check techaddicts[dot]in

Here, there is a complete study of this subject :)
Techaddicts @ Jun 28, 2009
I love my friends
Sushil @ Jun 27, 2009
Keep a low profile.. ;)
x3qt0r @ Jun 27, 2009
what is so great about your tips? everyone knows it. what has happened to tech2? y such lame articles?????????
Sick of tech2 @ Jun 27, 2009
Orkut is like a 'Open-book' for others to see.What a Fuckin' piece of crap!.
Predator @ Jun 27, 2009
"..ensure they're not the social degenerate or sexually frustrated low-life that would creep you out."
I'm offended.
Zero @ Jun 26, 2009
man the hackers are way more forward my account was hacked inspite of all the precautions and super difficult password its your luck whether u get hacked or not anyways orkut is one hell off a timepass allowing u too peep into others life
mevrick @ Jun 26, 2009
orkut sucks big time at social media networkin..now a dayz..
it was good before
but wen facebook came it conquered
Saami Matloob @ Jun 26, 2009
thanks for the tips. some ppl really need those specially grls.
Arman @ Jun 26, 2009
Thanx for ur tips but i was knowing that and implemented also.so u are a little late on it
abc @ Jun 26, 2009
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