September Security Newsletter
Identity Theft NewsletterLatest News On The #1 Crime In America & Tips On How To Keep Your ID Your Own!
Welcome to the September 2009 Identity Theft Newsletter!
Id Theft is the number one fastest growing crime in America yet most people people believe it will never happen to them.
It is my sincere hope that by helping to get the word out through these newsletters that some may be saved from the personal nightmare of having there identity stolen.Identity Theft Victim Meets Her Identity Thief Back in January, Michelle McCambridge found herself staring into the face of the woman who stole her identity.
Only a week earlier, she learned that someone had taken out credit cards in her name and racked up thousands in charges. A federal agent had shown her a surveillance photo. But the image didn't ring a bell.
Now the woman in thick-rimmed glasses was standing there at McCambridge's women's-casual counter at J.C. Penney at Southcenter, asking to open a credit account.McCambridge's heart lept.
She excused herself and secretly got the store's security crew to train their cameras on the woman.And in those few minutes, the 23-year-old retail clerk and college student set in motion a federal investigation that has brought down what authorities say is a prolific ring of ID thieves responsible for victimizing at least 39 people.http://www.ethiopianreview.com/articles/30514Identity theft growing, getting harder to stopMIAMI -
With a few keystrokes, computer security expert Esteban Farao can find all the wireless networks in use in a half-block radius from a Starbucks.One of them, it appears, is intended for guests at the Marriott.
Others are private networks for individual businesses.Farao, of Coral Gables-based Enterprise Risk Management, said the security of any of those networks could be compromised - a la Albert Gonzalez."It's a matter of time," Farao said, even for networks that are encrypted and password protected.Gonzalez, of Miami, pleaded guilty last month to 19 felony charges in a Massachusetts indictment for tapping into the computer networks of T.J. Maxx, OfficeMax and other stores, stealing customers' data and selling it overseas.
Federal prosecutors say he stole 40 million credit card numbers as a part of that scheme. He faces charges that he stole millions more from other companies.http://www.philly.com/philly/business/technology/091409_id_theft.htmlTJX hacker pleads guilty in major ID theft caseThe hacker involved in a massive data breach at TJX
Companies has pleaded guilty to identity theft and fraud for the theft of more than 40 million credit and debit card numbers from TJX and other retailers.Albert Gonzalez, 28, of Miami, pleaded guilty in Massachusetts to 19 charges related to the hacking of computer systems at TJX and retailers including Barnes & Noble.
He also pleaded guilty to a charge brought in the Eastern District of New York for hacking into the systems of the Dave & Buster's restaurant chain.http://www.mxlogic.com/securitynews/identity-theft/tjx-hacker-pleads-guilty-in-major-id-theft-case602.cfmIdentity Theft Facts:
The FBI receives close to 300,000 complaints of suspicious activity per month and only investigates around 6,000.73% of Identity Theft victims suffered due to the misappropriation of their credit card info.Identity Theives Targeting Small BusinessesBusinesses lose an estimated 57 billion dollars a year to identity theft.Small businesses are even more vulnerable for two reasons:1.)
They rely on local law enforcement to investigate but most local law enforcement agencies are not prepared to handle business identity theft.2.) As larger companies have taken on more sophisticated computer network protections, cyber criminals have adapted and gone after smaller businesses who do not have high-level security.
In other words, to identity thieves, small businesses are the low hanging fruit just ripe for the picking!Business Owners, are you complying with the Red Flags Rule?
The Red Flags Rule requires many businesses and organizations to implement a written Identity Theft Prevention Program designed to detect the warning signs - or "red flags" - of identity theft in their day-to-day operations.
The deadline is November 1, 2009.Are you covered by the Red Flags Rule?http://www.ftc.gov/redflagsruleOnline Red Flag TrainingRed Flag Rules training, is designed to familiarize public sector employees with terms, definitions, and requirements related to FTC
Government Red Flag Rules.It teaches the participants to detect, address, and respond appropriately to Red Flags.http://www.governmentresource.com/pages/online-red-flag-rules_home
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Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Social Networks New Cyber Crime Arena
Social networking websites such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace will soon become the most insidious places on the Internet, where users are most likely to face cyber attacks and digital annoyances, according to Web security firm Sophos
Web 2.0 websites will become the main battleground for malware authors, identity thieves and spammers," warns the report , published by Sophos in July.
The security firm recommends companies and households to develop a proper understanding of how social networking websites work and to set up privacy protection when they use Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn or Twitter.
Risks emanating from these websites top the list of electronic dangers outlined by Sophos. Traditional phishing, email threats and attacks on new devices, such as BlackBerries and iPhones, come next in the ranking of annoyances for digital consumers.
Problems associated with the use of social networking are becoming widespread and, as a consequence, better known. Research conducted by Sophos reveals that 63% of employers worry that their employees share too much personal information via social networking sites.
Although a significant number of system administrators do not control access to such websites in the workplace (between 40% and 50%), another important percentage does apply restrictions, and it is expected to increase.
Data leakage via networking websites has been reported in many high-profile cases widely covered by the press. One of the most famous is the case of the incoming head of the British secret service, MI6, who was exposed by his wife on Facebook, and was thus forced to quit before assuming his post. Is Facebook Identity Theft Possible?
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http://www.leadsleap.com/?referid=fulghamkathleen
http://www.DesktopLightning.com/fulghamkathleen
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Web 2.0 websites will become the main battleground for malware authors, identity thieves and spammers," warns the report , published by Sophos in July.
The security firm recommends companies and households to develop a proper understanding of how social networking websites work and to set up privacy protection when they use Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn or Twitter.
Risks emanating from these websites top the list of electronic dangers outlined by Sophos. Traditional phishing, email threats and attacks on new devices, such as BlackBerries and iPhones, come next in the ranking of annoyances for digital consumers.
Problems associated with the use of social networking are becoming widespread and, as a consequence, better known. Research conducted by Sophos reveals that 63% of employers worry that their employees share too much personal information via social networking sites.
Although a significant number of system administrators do not control access to such websites in the workplace (between 40% and 50%), another important percentage does apply restrictions, and it is expected to increase.
Data leakage via networking websites has been reported in many high-profile cases widely covered by the press. One of the most famous is the case of the incoming head of the British secret service, MI6, who was exposed by his wife on Facebook, and was thus forced to quit before assuming his post. Is Facebook Identity Theft Possible?
http://www.kathy1313.com/
http://www.leadsleap.com/?referid=fulghamkathleen
http://www.DesktopLightning.com/fulghamkathleen
http://perfecttrafficstorm.com/aff/4163
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
US cybersecurity chief warns of 'market' in malware
For the first time since taking up the post in March, Philip Reitinger told AFP the spred of malware like botnets-software now constitutes an underground market economy.
More must be done to combat the lucrative trade in malicious software, which threatens sensitive government networks and personal data, the head of the US National Cybersecurity Center warned Tuesday.
Hackers now not only assemble botnets, they sell botnets. The underground market economy is behind that. That includes organized crime groups.
There have been risks to government capabilities from botnet attacks. They are threatening government networks and personal data, the head of the US National Cybersecurity Center says.
There are reports that the US electricity grid and F-35 fighter jet programs had been the target of attacks, amid murmurings about backing from foreign governments. "Everyone recognizes that we are in a national security moment."
The threats have been rising for some time and although our capabilities as a government and in fact internationally have been going up, it's I think clear that the status quo is no longer sufficient.
"Everyone thought of hackers as sort of curious kids that sat in their room and banged on the computer late into the night with their pizza boxes and, you know, they were just out there to make a name for themselves.
"Cracking is very different now, the threats have become much more sophisticated," he said.
Cyber attacks are thought to cost the US economy around eight billion dollars a year, although estimates including intellectual property theft put the figure at closer to one trillion dollars.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Government Acknowledges Cyber Crime
To All of My Fellow Computer Owners:
Now is the most important time to do something for yourself and your family. Computer security and Identity theft is more important than ever.
none of these 21st century challenges can be fully met, without America's digital infrastructure -- the backbone that underpins a prosperous economy and a strong military and an open and efficient government. Without that foundation we can't get the job done.
So cyberspace is real. And so are the risks that come with it.
It's the great irony of our Information Age -- the very technologies that empower us to create and to build also empower those who would disrupt and destroy. And this paradox -- seen and unseen -- is something that we experience every day.
It's about the privacy and the economic security of American families. We rely on the Internet to pay our bills, to bank, to shop, to file our taxes. But we've had to learn a whole new vocabulary just to stay ahead of the cyber criminals who would do us harm -- spyware and malware and spoofing and phishing and botnets.
Millions of Americans have been victimized, their privacy violated, their identities stolen, their lives upended, and their wallets emptied. According to one survey, in the past two years alone cyber crime has cost Americans more than $8 billion.
But every day we see waves of cyber thieves trolling for sensitive information -- the disgruntled employee on the inside, the lone hacker a thousand miles away, organized crime, the industrial spy and, increasingly, foreign intelligence services.
In one brazen act last year, thieves used stolen credit card information to steal millions of dollars from 130 ATM machines in 49 cities around the world -- and they did it in just 30 minutes. A single employee of an American company was convicted of stealing intellectual property reportedly worth $400 million. It's been estimated that last year alone cyber criminals stole intellectual property from businesses worldwide worth up to $1 trillion.
In short, America's economic prosperity in the 21st century will depend on cybersecurity.
And this is also a matter of public safety and national security. We count on computer networks to deliver our oil and gas, our power and our water. We rely on them for public transportation and air traffic control. Yet we know that cyber intruders have probed our electrical grid and that in other countries cyber attacks have plunged entire cities into darkness.
The Federal Government is putting computer security and Identity Theft on high priority, Don’t you think it is time for you to take the responsibility to get the best computer security for your computer and the best Identity Theft protection for you and your family?
Check out the best of both worlds in one place, click the link below and your on your way to getting computer security and identity theft protection.
Now is the most important time to do something for yourself and your family. Computer security and Identity theft is more important than ever.
none of these 21st century challenges can be fully met, without America's digital infrastructure -- the backbone that underpins a prosperous economy and a strong military and an open and efficient government. Without that foundation we can't get the job done.
So cyberspace is real. And so are the risks that come with it.
It's the great irony of our Information Age -- the very technologies that empower us to create and to build also empower those who would disrupt and destroy. And this paradox -- seen and unseen -- is something that we experience every day.
It's about the privacy and the economic security of American families. We rely on the Internet to pay our bills, to bank, to shop, to file our taxes. But we've had to learn a whole new vocabulary just to stay ahead of the cyber criminals who would do us harm -- spyware and malware and spoofing and phishing and botnets.
Millions of Americans have been victimized, their privacy violated, their identities stolen, their lives upended, and their wallets emptied. According to one survey, in the past two years alone cyber crime has cost Americans more than $8 billion.
But every day we see waves of cyber thieves trolling for sensitive information -- the disgruntled employee on the inside, the lone hacker a thousand miles away, organized crime, the industrial spy and, increasingly, foreign intelligence services.
In one brazen act last year, thieves used stolen credit card information to steal millions of dollars from 130 ATM machines in 49 cities around the world -- and they did it in just 30 minutes. A single employee of an American company was convicted of stealing intellectual property reportedly worth $400 million. It's been estimated that last year alone cyber criminals stole intellectual property from businesses worldwide worth up to $1 trillion.
In short, America's economic prosperity in the 21st century will depend on cybersecurity.
And this is also a matter of public safety and national security. We count on computer networks to deliver our oil and gas, our power and our water. We rely on them for public transportation and air traffic control. Yet we know that cyber intruders have probed our electrical grid and that in other countries cyber attacks have plunged entire cities into darkness.
The Federal Government is putting computer security and Identity Theft on high priority, Don’t you think it is time for you to take the responsibility to get the best computer security for your computer and the best Identity Theft protection for you and your family?
Check out the best of both worlds in one place, click the link below and your on your way to getting computer security and identity theft protection.
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