Entries by Robert Siciliano

Your Government Can’t Protect You From Identity Theft

I’ve always marveled at the law enforcement motto, “To Serve and Protect.” While honorable, it’s essentially a slogan that presents our government representatives’ best intentions because in reality they can’t proactively 100 percent protect us the way we believe or expect them to do so. “Where’s a cop when you need one?” people say. But…

Caller ID Spoofing Effective in Identity Theft

Caller ID spoofing is when a telephone’s caller ID displays a number that does not belong to the person calling. The telephone network is tricked into displaying this spoofed number as a result of flaws in caller ID technology. Caller ID spoofing can look like the call is coming from any phone number. People inherently trust…

Will Obamacare Lead to Identity Theft?

The fear mongers and Obamacare haters make a scary point and want you to know that as soon as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act goes live, your identity will be at risk and, more than likely, stolen. Forbes reports in regard to what’s called the Obamacare-mandated “data hub” in which personal records are…

10 Ways to Protect Your Twitter Account From Getting Hacked

Recent news of Twitter accounts being hacked has slowed a bit, partly due to Twitter implementing two-factor authentication. When you sign in to Twitter.com, there’s an option in “Settings” under “Account security” for a second check to require a verification code to make sure it’s really you. You’ll be asked to register a verified phone number and…

Getting Cybersmart and Staying Dutifully Employed

Knowing what I know today, if a 15-year-old asked me what she should be when she grows up, I’d say cybersecurity professional. The unfortunate fact is that bad guys are everywhere—and if you are in the security industry, bad guys are good for business. There are many ways and resources for people, especially young adults,…

How Likely Am I to Be a Victim of Mobile Crime or Data Theft?

Imagine your body being targeted by 100 million viruses. That is exactly what’s happening to your networked digital devices. Laptops, desktops, netbooks, Macs, iPads, iPhones, BlackBerrys, Androids and Symbian mobile phones are all at risk. Research from McAfee Labs™ reveals a variety of threats: Mobile: Android has become the most popular platform for mobile malware.…

Children Heading Back to School Face Identity Theft Risk

This isn’t rocket science. We have millions of children registering for schools in person, online, over the phone, via email and through the mail. All of these transactions involve personal identifying information including names, addresses and Social Security numbers. All of these exchanges of data can be breached in some way by those on the…

4 Tactics Cybercriminals Are Using to Steal From Us

Today McAfee Labs™ released the McAfee Threats Report: Second Quarter 2013, which reported that the cybercriminal community is using four main tactics to steal our identities, and our money. As consumers, it’s critical that we are aware of the ways the hackers are trying to attack us and here’s the four main ways: 1. Malicious apps…

5 ways to Protect Privacy on Mobile Devices

Privacy advocates are working to prevent the worst and most extreme outcomes of personal data collection. They know that without checks and balances—without consumers knowing their rights and actively protecting their own privacy and personal data—that data could be used unethically. Privacy is your right. But in our digital, interconnected world, privacy only really consists…

Making a Case for Mobile Payment

Mobile payment can transform your shopping experience, making it more convenient and easy—and it’s secure, too! Forbes reports, “Shopping has become very impersonal. Few people have a relationship with a salesperson who knows their style and preferences and can direct them to the right items at the right prices as soon as they walk in…