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Identity Theft Articles
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- The Password Reset Isn't How to Remember a Password - by Submitted on Oct 17, 2015 from Robert SicilianoConsider a keychain for a moment. For most of us, a keychain holds all of our necessities such as home keys, car keys, work keys and even forgotten keys, that we aren’t quite sure what to do with. Now, think about this. What if your keychain had keys that look identical, but each key only ...
Views: 963 - The Proverbial Identity Theft Bus Will Run You Over! - by Submitted on Jun 14, 2017 from Michael PetersThink about a time when you had a single credit card lost or stolen, and how much of a pain that experience was. Now imagine if your entire wallet was lost or stolen and the exponential magnitude of pain in the patootie that would be for you. Run Over by the Bus If you are a subscriber to ...
Views: 1164 - The Security Costs of being too Social - by Submitted on Feb 25, 2015 from Robert SicilianoOne of the arguments against being very virtually social is that nobody is SO important that everyone wants to know, for instance, that this person is going to be at the local sports bar watching the Super Bowl (or almost nobody; sad to say, some celebrities have half the world following ...
Views: 987 - The Serious Job of Protecting Client Information - by Submitted on Mar 28, 2019 from Susan Friesen6 Important Small Business Cyber Security Tips Chances are, you think twice before entering your credit card information online to buy something, watch out for malicious links in emails and keep your PC updated against viruses, spyware and hackers. However, how much thought do you put ...
Views: 1406 - The Six Worst Data Breaches of 2016 - by Submitted on Apr 18, 2017 from Michael PetersAs 2016 comes to an end, we look back at six of the year’s worst data breaches and what went wrong. It seems like not a day went by this year without reports of yet another major data breach, or two or three data breaches. From healthcare to fast food to adult entertainment, no industry was ...
Views: 1088 - The Smart Parent Guide to Digital Literacy - by Submitted on Nov 27, 2019 from Robert SicilianoIf you are the parent of a child or teen who uses the internet, here are some stats you need to know: Stats About Teens and the Internet Teens think that the internet is mostly private They also think that they can make the best decisions for their life online They believe they are safe ...
Views: 978 - The Switch to the Chip Card – One Year Later - by Submitted on Nov 02, 2016 from Robert SicilianoThe October anniversary of the liability shift has passed, and anniversaries are an excellent time to look back on progress…this is no exception. The U.S. EMV migration plan was set four years ago as a way to fight card fraud and to protect both consumers and merchants. Back in the ...
Views: 951 - The Term "Identity Theft Protection" is Often a Lie - by Submitted on Apr 05, 2018 from Robert SicilianoIf you are working for an IT security company, I have a message for you: the term “identity theft protection” is way overused and even abused as a marketing term. We know that this term is used to sell services and products, but does it really protect a user from being the victim of ...
Views: 840 - The Top 7 Things You Need in Your Survival Kit - by Submitted on Jan 09, 2018 from Robert SicilianoImagine that you are in the middle of nowhere for a few days, or that you are stuck in your home after a disaster, like a hurricane. What do you need to survive? Here are several things that you should have available. Remember, this is only a basic list; things that you might pack in a “go ...
Views: 924 - The Top Cyber Security Threats to Real Estate Companies - by Submitted on Feb 13, 2019 from Robert SicilianoGone are the days when hackers would only target retailers. These days, the bad guys an target businesses in any industry, especially those that aren’t quite up on cyber security. The real estate industry is one such group, and according to a recent survey, about half of businesses in ...
Views: 773 - The Top Five Misconceptions About Identity Fraud - by Submitted on Apr 02, 2012 from Daryl CampbellThe good news is identity theft over the past few years has decreased. But the fact of the matter is it still tops the list as the number one consumer complaint. There's plenty of information going around with regards to this crime which includes plenty of myths which if you are not careful ...
Views: 1754 - The TSA confiscated 2,653 Guns in 2015 - by Submitted on May 26, 2016 from Robert SicilianoHow dumb can air travelers be, trying to get guns past the TSA? Duhh, don’t they know that the X-ray equipment or pat-downs will detect them? Just last year, over 2,600 guns were detected. More than 80 percent of these guns were loaded. Talk about the world’s dumbest criminals. It ...
Views: 926 - The Usage of Contactless Cards - by Submitted on Sep 14, 2012 from Jacob WatsonIC cards are used in all the industries and the common applications for the cards include access control, hotel locks, staff attendance and salary management, school campus access/ payment control and so on. These technologies are developed by the semi-conductor technologies and IT technologies. ...
Views: 1841 - The White Hat Hacker - by Submitted on Mar 14, 2015 from Robert SicilianoThese days, it is hard to pick up a newspaper or go online and not see a story about a recent data breach. No other example highlights the severity of these types of hacks than the Sony breach late last year. While a lot of information, including creative materials, financials and even full ...
Views: 1195 - The World's First Biometric Password Lockdown App is here - by Submitted on Nov 17, 2015 from Robert SicilianoIt’s about time: a biometric for your smartphone that will change the way you think about biometric security. This revolutionary biometric comes from Biometric Signature ID and it’s called BioTect-ID, and though it’s a biometric, it does not involve any so-called ...
Views: 1157 - The WPA3 WiFi Security Standard: What Your Enterprise Needs to Know - by Submitted on Aug 21, 2018 from Michael PetersAccording to the Wi-Fi Alliance, there are now more IoT devices than there are humans on Earth, and over 50% of internet traffic travels through wireless networks. As people’s dependence on connected devices has grown, free public WiFi has become insanely popular, but it’s also insanely ...
Views: 1056 - These are the Bigtime Hackers - by Submitted on Sep 07, 2015 from Robert SicilianoHackers with big skills and a big ego will be drawn to Facebook and Twitter as their targets. But they’ll also target dozens of other companies, reports an article on arstechnica.com. One group in particular stands out as the attackers, using zero-day exploits. They are known as Wild ...
Views: 1075 - These Real-Life Stories Will Show You the Importance of Door Security - by Submitted on Apr 03, 2017 from Robert SicilianoIf you are like most people, when you think of burglars, you think that it “won’t happen to me.” But, it very well could happen to you, because it happens each and every day across the country. I have taken some time to gather some recent real-life stories that will not only ...
Views: 813 - Thieves steal 30 Cars using Software - by Submitted on Dec 13, 2016 from Robert SicilianoWho needs a hanger to steal a car when you can use a laptop? Despite today’s vehicles having far more sophisticated security protection, thieves can still break in—like the two crooks who stole at least 30 Dodge and Jeep vehicles…with just a laptop computer. In Houston, ...
Views: 922 - Things to tell your Kids about Privacy Online - by Submitted on Jul 30, 2015 from Robert SicilianoThose were the days when all parents had to worry about was the creepy guy lurking near the playground. Now parents have to worry about creeps all over the world reaching their kids via computer. And there’s more to worry about. Here’s what to teach your kids: Screen names ...
Views: 1026 - Things You should and shouldn't do on Public Wi-Fi - by Submitted on May 20, 2015 from Robert SicilianoPublic Wi-Fi is the location where you can get online: airport, airplane, coffee house, hotel, motel and more. Many people don’t give this a second thought, unaware of how risky this really is. Public Wi-Fi is very non-secure, a goldmine for hackers who want to steal your identity and ...
Views: 1153 - Think Your Door can't get Kicked in, Think Again - by Submitted on Nov 02, 2015 from Robert SicilianoPart of my role as security guy is to keep tabs on the crime climate around the globe. Recently I kept seeing article after article about burglaries with one common theme: “door kicked in”. Don’t believe me? See below. But before you do, probably all of these could have been ...
Views: 1057 - This is what Passport Security looks like - by Submitted on Mar 08, 2015 from Robert SicilianoSixty different materials go into the printing of a U.S. passport. That little booklet of a thing contains up to 30 pieces of security—and you can’t see most of them. And good luck trying to get details on these security features. The author of an article on gizmodo.com points out ...
Views: 994 - This is what Spy Software looks like - by Submitted on Mar 11, 2015 from Robert SicilianoIf you’ve ever watched virtually any spy flick or James Bond movie you’re familiar with “bugs” – those little dime-sized metallic things that the bad guys would secretly stick under someone’s desk to record any conversation in the room—picked up by a ...
Views: 1050 - Three Quarters of a Billion Records breached - by Submitted on Apr 20, 2016 from Robert SicilianoLast year, says the security firm Gemalto, over 700 million records were breached. Or, to put it another way, this translates to two million stolen or lost records every day. 2015 Breach Level Report 1,673 hacking incidents 398 were triggered from the inside of the attacked company: ...
Views: 864 - Three ways to beef up security when backing up to the cloud - by Submitted on Mar 21, 2016 from Robert SicilianoDisasters happen every day. Crashing hard drives, failing storage devices and even burglaries could have a significant negative impact on your business, especially if that data is lost forever. You can avoid these problems by backing up your data. Backing up means keeping copies of your ...
Views: 935 - Time to check your Facebook Privacy settings - by Submitted on May 14, 2015 from Robert SicilianoDid you know that, once again, Facebook has changed its privacy policies? At the top of the FB page is a lock icon. Click it for more privacy settings. What do visitors see? To view how visitors see your Facebook page, go to “Timeline and Tagging,” then hit “Review what ...
Views: 962 - Tips for backing up and protecting your data while traveling - by Submitted on Dec 21, 2015 from Robert SicilianoThe season of giving is now upon us — but don’t forget, it’s also the season of stealing — and no, I don’t mean your wallet or the gift package at your doorstep, but your Social Security number, credit card information, medical records and any other highly ...
Views: 933 - Tips to being anonymous Online - by Submitted on Jun 18, 2015 from Robert SicilianoOne of mankind’s greatest inventions (besides the wheel) is the Internet. Unfortunately, with this marvelous invention comes the drawback of privacy—or shall we say, lack of. The Internet is a wonderful tool, but users must fight to remain as anonymous as possible, because ...
Views: 1043 - Tips to destroy and shred - by Submitted on May 30, 2015 from Robert SicilianoYou can’t be too neurotic about shredding sensitive documents to smithereens. For example, some people make a career out of “dumpster diving,” digging through trash in search of bank account information, credit card preapprovals, medical bills, mortgage statements, etc., and ...
Views: 1078 - Tips to Home Security Lighting - by Submitted on Dec 21, 2014 from Robert Siciliano“Don’t be afraid of the dark” is a reassurance that burglars never need; they need to hear, “Be afraid of the lights.” A house that’s often dark sends a flare to burglars that nobody’s home, or, at least, that nobody will see the burglar doing what he ...
Views: 1104 - Tips to prepare for Power Outage - by Submitted on Dec 14, 2014 from Robert SicilianoDon’t wait to be in the dark to find out you’re in the dark. Are you equipped for a power outage? A power outage can even occur in perfect weather, thanks to a construction team “hitting a wire.” Batteries. Don’t have these scattered haphazardly in some drawer. ...
Views: 1142 - Tips to Stay Digitally Safe on Spring Break - by Submitted on Mar 29, 2015 from Robert SicilianoGive me a break! In the next month, students will get the week off for spring break—a much needed reward after months of hard work and, for some, gnarly winter weather. Spring break means free time, family vacations, trips with friends, and timeless memories. But, spring break can pose ...
Views: 1342 - Tips to Trademark your company - by Submitted on Nov 26, 2020 from Mohimenul IslamTrademarking your business is very essential for you to survive in the market. Without the trademark, it becomes tough to compete with your competitors when they all have their trademarks. However, when trademarking your business, you need to follow some tips and tricks that will make your ...
Views: 1053 - Tis the Season for Scams - by Submitted on Dec 29, 2011 from Lyn Prowse-BishopThe Silly Season is upon us but that doesn’t mean you have to be silly. The ACCC is warning that at this time of year scammers prey on people’s generosity and vulnerability. Their SCAMwatch site has revealed their “12 Scams of Christmas” which include scams around holiday accommodation, flight ...
Views: 2373 - Top 10 Preventative Security Measures for your Home - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2014 from Robert SicilianoHow safe do you really think your home is? Lock the doors. This no-brainer doesn’t just mean when you’re gone all evening. It means during the daytime when you’re home. There’s no reason for doors to be unlocked when you’re inside the house. Does your lock ...
Views: 1129 - Top 10 Signs of a Malware Infection on Your Computer - by Submitted on Feb 08, 2018 from Robert SicilianoNot all viruses that find their way onto your computer dramatically crash your machine. Instead, there are viruses that can run in the background without you even realizing it. As they creep around, they make messes, steal, and much worse. Malware today spies on your every move. It sees the ...
Views: 854 - Top 10 Tips for Securing Your Mobile Devices and Sensitive Client Data - by Submitted on Jan 11, 2018 from Robert SicilianoDo you have employees who bring mobile phones to work and use those devices on the corporate network? Do they store company data on these “Bring Your Own Devices (BYOD)”?? Does your company have a policy in place for this? First, the moment a person brings in their personal phone ...
Views: 821 - Top 12 Scams Happening NOW - by Submitted on Jun 17, 2015 from Robert SicilianoScamerama is here to stay! Scams are as old as time, and evolve as inventions and technology evolve. Top scams, according to a report on FraudAvengers.com, are as follows: Scammer “accidentally” overpays you for an item you sold online; you cash the crook’s phony check and ...
Views: 1006 - Top 12 Tips to Destroy Your Sensitive Data - by Submitted on May 18, 2017 from Robert SicilianoBelieve it or not, you just can’t shred too much. If you aren’t destroying your sensitive data, my best advice is for you to start now. There are people out there who make a living diving into dumpsters in search of credit card info, bank account number, mortgage statements, and ...
Views: 992 - Top 3 Social Engineering Scams - by Submitted on Jan 12, 2017 from Robert SicilianoThink about hackers breaking into accounts. If you think they need top-notch computer skills, you would be wrong. These days, instead of requiring skills behind a keyboard, hackers generally rely on strategy…specifically a strategy called social engineering. This means that hackers ...
Views: 981 - Top 7 Tips for Online Security - by Submitted on Mar 22, 2017 from Karen ColeThe smallest of tasks in our daily lives are continuously depending on the internet; from switching on our lights, closing and opening our gates and doors, or even switching on your cooker to start the process of cooking a meal before you get home from work. Those are the simple things, not ...
Views: 1674 - Top Cyber Security Changes Will Be Seen Post Covid-19 - by Submitted on Sep 12, 2020 from Bruno MarcouxThe Covid-19 pandemic is still ongoing, and in these months, the cybersecurity spheres have experienced a lot of cyber attacks owing to the massive opportunity that the pandemic has provided. Various companies have undergone massive data breaches worth millions and even included phishing or ...
Views: 1043 - Top Cyber Threats Organizations Are Facing Right Now - by Submitted on Jul 26, 2018 from Michael PetersCyber security is a continuous game of Spy vs. Spy. Every time a new technology is introduced, the potential attack surface expands. The moment one vulnerability is patched, hackers find another way in. Keeping up can feel overwhelming, even for security professionals. In no particular order, ...
Views: 977 - Town sees Big Spike in Burglaries - by Submitted on Apr 24, 2015 from Robert SicilianoWhy are so many burglaries hounding the town of Los Altos in California? There were 79 reported in 2013, but 118 for 2014. This past January and February there were 36. At that rate, by Christmas 2015, it’s unthinkable what the total number of burglaries will be. In a report on ...
Views: 1008 - Trolls get Dose of Reality - by Submitted on Apr 28, 2015 from Robert SicilianoWell, you know that old saying: The viciousness of an online bully’s attack is inversely proportional to the size of his (you fill in the blank), I was thinking ego. Many online bullies are female, but in the case of former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling’s daughter, the trolls are ...
Views: 1017 - Trolls: How to deal - by Submitted on Sep 22, 2015 from Robert SicilianoCartoonist Ben Garrison posted something “about the Fed” online, says an article at www.vice.com, and this created a firestorm, leading to his billing as the “most trolled cartoonist in the world.” You see, his other cartoons were altered in an offensive way, fooling ...
Views: 1104 - Trusting too much brings Trouble - by Submitted on May 26, 2015 from Robert SicilianoThere will always be the person who lives on the Equator to whom you can sell an electric heater. As they say, there is a sucker born every minute. This is why cyber criminals will always have a field day, like the crook who posed as a tax man who got an elderly couple to send $100,000 to an ...
Views: 960 - Twitters ups its Security Game - by Submitted on Sep 29, 2015 from Robert SicilianoTwitter recently announced its new tool to help with management and monitoring of its users’ accounts: the Twitter data dashboard. An article on lifehacker.com details what this new tool will offer. For instance, you will not need to use your real name on Twitter—and I have to ...
Views: 1154 - Two Common Government Employee Impersonation Scams: What to Watch For - by Submitted on Aug 27, 2019 from Robert SicilianoOne of the biggest threats that taxpayers are facing these days is an aggressive scam where criminals call victims and pretend to be IRS agents. The goal? To steal money. All year but especially during tax filing season, the IRS will see a big surge in the number of scam calls, which tell ...
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