Identity Theft Expert and Speaker on Personal Security: Young, Organized Criminal Hackers Can Hijack Unprotected Computers on a Grand Scale

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(BOSTON, Mass. – Dec. 5, 2007 – IDTheftSecurity.com) News reports indicated last week that law enforcement authorities recently arrested a New Zealand-based, 18-year-old alleged leader of a botnet. According to Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert, law enforcement activities that led to the apprehension of the teenager and others this year are critical in the fight against computer crime. But he also noted that computer users themselves can do a great deal to thwart criminal hackers’ activities.

“Robust law enforcement is a key approach to slowing criminal computer hackers,” said Siciliano. “These criminals need to know that somebody might be watching. But just as important is robust computer system security. Criminal hackers, including those who specialize in botnet activity, take the path of least resistance and often will be dissuaded by computers that have up-to-date antivirus software and hardy firewall protection installed.”

CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com and a member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report’s editorial board, Siciliano leads Fortune 500 companies and their clients in workshops that explore consumer education solutions for security issues. An experienced identity theft speaker and author of “The Safety Minute: 01,” he has discussed data security and consumer protection on CNBC, on NBC’s “Today Show,” FOX News, and elsewhere.

On Nov. 30, the Guardian Unlimited reported that law enforcement officials in New Zealand had apprehended an 18-year-old, alleged leader of a botnet hacking ring who went by the online identity of “Akill.” His ring, according to the article, was responsible for the remote control of about 1.3 million computers and the pilfering of $20 million. (Wikipedia defines a botnet as “a jargon term for a collection of software robots, or bots, [that] run autonomously and automatically…on groups of ‘zombie’ computers controlled remotely by hackers.”)

On the same day, Computerworld ran an article covering the events in New Zealand. Computerworld’s report further revealed that the arrest of the teenager was part of Operation Bot Roast, an FBI effort to crack zombie computer rings by working with law enforcement agencies worldwide.

“The FBI’s success in bringing criminal computer hackers to justice is to be applauded,” said Siciliano. “But the lack of attention to computer security on the part of individual users is making law enforcement’s job all the more challenging and urgent. Anyone with a personal computer must take antivirus and firewall security seriously.”

Siciliano added that criminal hackers use computers compromised by spyware and viruses, including those that facilitate botnet activity, to commit identity theft and fraud. Furthermore, he said the ubiquity of Social Security numbers as universal identifiers helps identity thieves both online and off-line. Earlier this year he appeared on “FOX News” to explain how (readers may view YouTube video of his comments below).

Anyone wishing to learn how to protect himself or herself against identity theft may view video of Siciliano at VideoJug.

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About IDTheftSecurity.com

Identity theft affects us all. Robert Siciliano, CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com and member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report’s editorial board, makes it his mission to provide consumer education solutions on identity theft to Fortune 500 companies and their clients.

A leader of personal safety and security seminars nationwide, Siciliano has been featured on “The Today Show,” CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, “FOX News,” “The Suze Orman Show,” “The Montel Williams Show,” “Maury Povich,” “Sally Jesse Raphael,” “The Howard Stern Show,” and “Inside Edition.” The Privacy Learning Institute features him on its Website. Numerous magazines, print news outlets, and wire services have turned to him, as well, for expert commentary on personal security and identity theft. These include Forbes, USA Today, Entrepreneur, Woman’s Day, Good Housekeeping, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Times, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, United Press International, Reuters, and others.

Visit Siciliano’s Web site, www.IDTheftSecurity.com; blog, www.realtysecurity.com/blog; and YouTube page, http://youtube.com/stungundotcom.

The media are encouraged to get in touch with Siciliano directly:

Robert Siciliano, Personal Security Expert
CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com
PHONE: 888-SICILIANO (742-4542)
FAX: 877-2-FAX-NOW (232-9669)
Robert@IDTheftSecurity.com
www.idtheftsecurity.com

The media may also contact:

Brent W. Skinner
President & CEO of STETrevisions
PHONE: 617-875-4859
FAX: 866-663-6557
BrentSkinner@STETrevisions.biz
www.STETrevisions.biz

Identity Theft Expert and Speaker on Personal Security Urges Holiday Shoppers to Beware of Malicious, Continually Growing Online Threats to Computer Security

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(BOSTON, Mass. – Nov. 29, 2007 – IDTheftSecurity.com) Reports during November indicated that online threats such as spyware continue to increase in frequency and maliciousness. Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert, said that even though computer users may hear more about computer threats during the shopping season, they must always exercise caution online.

“As the holiday shopping season sets into full swing,” said Siciliano, “news of dangers to online consumers will increase. This is a good thing; everyone needs a constant reminder of the security threats that lurk on the Web. But the vigilance must also be constant, evident throughout the year, and not just between Thanksgiving and the New Year.”

CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com and a member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report’s editorial board, Siciliano leads Fortune 500 companies and their clients in workshops that explore consumer education solutions for security issues. An experienced identity theft speaker and author of “The Safety Minute: 01,” he has discussed data security and consumer protection on CNBC, on NBC’s “Today Show,” FOX News, and elsewhere.

As reported by darkREADING on Nov. 27, the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) surveyed 1,070 organizations and found that 55 percent had experienced an increase in spyware over the past year.

Also on Nov. 27, the SANS (short for “SysAdmin, Audit, Network, Security”) Institute, a self-described cooperative research and education organization, posted in a news release its picks for the “Top 20 Internet Security Risks of 2007.” One of the scenarios that SANS cited was a type of phishing attack known as spear phishing, which, by targeting specific individuals using company machines, infects those machines. This transforms the compromised machines to portals that give hackers access into organizations’ entire networks. (Keyloggers, zombies, and other threats with similarly exotic-sounding names also made SANS’ list.)

One new threat, reported in SC Magazine on Nov. 7, has masqueraded itself as a solution. According to the article, a banner ad prompts those who click on it to purchase putative anti-spyware software. But the landing page instead collects victims’ money and credit card information in exchange for a program that downloads a virus that collects the personal information from the infected computer over time.

Bogus sites with URLs similar to presidential campaigners’ have been reported as well. A Nov. 1st news release from Webroot Software, Inc. urged Internet users to use caution when searching online for information on presidential candidates. According to the release, the company has detected links to malicious software downloads from spoofed presidential candidate Websites.

Spoofed Websites, just as the term implies, are bogus. The same day of Webroot’s announcement, a ComputerWorld article speculated that hackers might use the fake sites to obtain a portion of campaign contributions, which increasingly take place online.

“Just as predicted, hackers are getting more and more sophisticated and clever,” said Siciliano. “Computer users can install all the antispyware, antivirus, and other software they want — and they should. But the ingredient really needed is common sense. Just because a computer has the latest, greatest protection installed doesn’t render it untouchable; a smart user does.”

Readers may view YouTube video below of Siciliano on “FOX News,” explaining how the ubiquity of Social Security numbers as universal identifiers helps thieves online and off-line. Those wishing to learn how to protect themselves against identity theft, a major concern for anyone who has fallen prey to online scammers, may view video of Siciliano at VideoJug.


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About IDTheftSecurity.com
Identity theft affects us all. Robert Siciliano, CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com and member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report’s editorial board, makes it his mission to provide consumer education solutions on identity theft to Fortune 500 companies and their clients.

A leader of personal safety and security seminars nationwide, Siciliano has been featured on “The Today Show,” CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, “FOX News,” “The Suze Orman Show,” “The Montel Williams Show,” “Maury Povich,” “Sally Jesse Raphael,” “The Howard Stern Show,” and “Inside Edition.” The Privacy Learning Institute features him on its Website. Numerous magazines, print news outlets, and wire services have turned to him, as well, for expert commentary on personal security and identity theft. These include Forbes, USA Today, Entrepreneur, Woman’s Day, Good Housekeeping, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Times, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, United Press International, Reuters, and others.

Visit Siciliano’s Web site, blog, and YouTube page.

The media are encouraged to get in touch with Siciliano directly:

Robert Siciliano, Personal Security Expert
CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com
PHONE: 888-SICILIANO (742-4542)
FAX: 877-2-FAX-NOW (232-9669)
Robert@IDTheftSecurity.com
www.idtheftsecurity.com

The media may also contact:

Brent W. Skinner
President & CEO of STETrevisions
PHONE: 617-875-4859
FAX: 866-663-6557
BrentSkinner@STETrevisions.biz
www.STETrevisions.biz

Identity Theft Expert and Speaker on Personal Security Encourages IT Departments to Secure Their Laptop Computer Fleets with Internet-based GPS

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(BOSTON, Mass. – Sept. 27, 2007 – IDTheftSecurity.com) The past two months alone saw hundreds of thousands of individuals’ sensitive information lost along with the laptop computers containing it. But Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert, said ongoing battle against data and hardware theft is in fact winnable. Encouraging IT departments everywhere to secure their mobile computers with Internet-based GPS and other data and hardware-protection technologies, he pointed to affordable solutions.

“To the industry observer reading the daily news,” said Siciliano, “the lack of security for data and mobile hardware must seem like an insurmountable problem, an intractable situation. But affordable solutions already exist that easily make laptop computers and the data on them highly secure. Smart organizations understand the value of protecting their own interests by protecting their constituents’, whether these are customers’ or employees’. An organization that protects its mobile computing devices and the data on them protects its own long-term viability.”

CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com and a member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report’s editorial board, Siciliano leads Fortune 500 companies and their clients in workshops that explore consumer education solutions for security issues. A longtime identity theft speaker and author of “The Safety Minute: 01,” he has discussed data security and consumer protection on CNBC, on NBC’s “Today Show,” FOX News, and elsewhere.

Recent months have seen sensitive information on hundreds of thousands of individuals go missing along with the lost mobile computers containing it:

    •In August, the theft of a laptop computer from the car of a state employee’s vehicle included the loss of identifying information on information on 106,000 Connecticut taxpayers. According to an article from the Sept. 8th edition of the Boston Globe, state records in Connecticut point to the loss or theft of more than 24 laptops from government offices, classrooms, employees’ vehicles, and their homes since July 2006.

    •On Sept. 7, The Mercury News reported on the theft of a laptop computer containing personal information, including numerous Social Security Numbers, on more than 4,000 students from a De Anza College. The laptop had been stolen from a professor’s home.

    •Also on Sept. 7, InformationWeek reported that McKesson, a health-care services company, was alerting “thousands” of patients that they might be at risk of identity theft. The announcement came after the theft of two computers from one of the company’s offices.

    •On Sept. 25, the Salt Lake Tribune reported that the Utah Department of Workforce Services had lost to thieves a laptop computer suspected to house information on thousands of service recipients. Social Security numbers were among the data at large.

Siciliano directed organizations to MyLaptopGPS™, a product that combines Internet-based GPS tracking — which, for tracking and retrieving stolen laptops, is more effective than other forms of GPS — with other functionalities to secure mobile computing devices.

Users can launch MyLaptopGPS’ features remotely, protecting data even while the machine is in a criminal’s hands. Once connected to the Internet, the software silently retrieves, and then deletes, files from machines as it tracks the stolen or missing hardware—at once returning the data to its rightful owner and removing it from the lost computer. A downloadable demo of MyLaptopGPS is available.

“In every example here of lost hardware,” said Dan Yost, chief technology officer at MyLaptopGPS, “simple, affordable technology would have greatly minimized the risk to those whose data was on these machines. MyLaptopGPS technology would have greatly increased these organizations’ chances not only of retrieving the lost computers, but also of keeping the sensitive information out of criminals’ hands.”

Earlier this year, the theft of two laptops from an auditing firm resulted in the loss of 40,000 Chicago Public School teachers’ Social Security numbers. Yost delivered comments for a televised news report pertaining to the loss. Readers may view YouTube video below of the “NBC 7 Chicago” footage. The April 2007 issue of Chicago Union Teacher, official publication of the Chicago Teachers Union, also ran an article by Yost (page four of linked PDF document), who advised readers on how to prevent laptop theft.

Readers may view YouTube video of Sicliano on NBC below , where he uses the example of a laptop stolen from Hotels.com to discuss the crime’s close relationship to identity theft. To learn more about identity theft, a major concern for anyone who has been affected by the theft of a laptop computer, readers may go to video of Siciliano at VideoJug.

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About MyLaptopGPS

Since 1984, Tri-8, Inc. (DBA MyLaptopGPS.com) has specialized in complete system integration. From real-time electronic payment processing software to renowned mid-market ERP implementations, the executive team at MyLaptopGPS has been serving leading enterprises and implementing world-class data systems that simply work. With MyLaptopGPS™, Tri-8, Inc. brings a level of expertise, dedication, knowledge and service that is unmatched. MyLaptopGPS™’s rock-solid performance, security, and reliability flow directly from the company’s commitment to top-notch software products and services for almost 25 years.

About IDTheftSecurity.com

Identity theft affects us all, and Robert Siciliano, CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com and member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report’s editorial board, makes it his mission to provide consumer education solutions on identity theft to Fortune 500 companies and their clients. A leader of personal safety and security seminars nationwide, Siciliano has been featured on “The Today Show,” CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, “FOX News,” “The Suze Orman Show,” “The Montel Williams Show,” “Maury Povich,” “Sally Jesse Raphael,” “The Howard Stern Show,” and “Inside Edition.” The Privacy Learning Institute features him on its Website. Numerous magazines, print news outlets, and wire services have turned to him, as well, for expert commentary on personal security and identity theft. These include Forbes, USA Today, Entrepreneur, Woman’s Day, Mademoiselle, Good Housekeeping, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Times, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, United Press International, Reuters, and others.

For more information, visit Siciliano’s Web site, blog, and YouTube page.

The media are encouraged to get in touch with any of the following individuals:

John Dunivan
MyLaptopGPS Media Relations
PHONE: (405) 747-6654 (direct line)
jd@MyLaptopGPS.com
www.MyLaptopGPS.com

Robert Siciliano, Personal Security Expert
CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com
PHONE: 888-SICILIANO (742-4542)
FAX: 877-2-FAX-NOW (232-9669)
Robert@IDTheftSecurity.com
www.idtheftsecurity.com

Brent W. Skinner
President & CEO of STETrevisions
PHONE: 617-875-4859
FAX: 866-663-6557
BrentSkinner@STETrevisions.biz
www.STETrevisions.biz

Identity Theft Expert and Speaker on Personal Security Says Recent News Underscores Implications of Research Linking P2P Networks to Data Breaches

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(BOSTON, Mass. – Sept. 14, 2007 – IDTheftSecurity.com) Earlier this month news outlets reported the arrest of a Seattle, Wash. man on suspicion that he committed identity theft after obtaining the needed information via peer-to-peer (P2P) networks. According to Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert, the development was not surprising in light of computer hackers’ ingenuity and these networks’ susceptibility to security breaches. He renewed his longtime warnings against the carefree usage of P2P networks and their associated software programs.

“Peer-to-peer networks can leave computer hard drives wide-open to foul play,” said Siciliano. “Imagine how many identity thieves have slipped under the radar to obtain data through unsecured peer-to-peer networks. Hackers can easily use the window of opportunity that a P2P connection affords them to lift information from unsuspecting victims’ computers.”

CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com and a member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report’s editorial board, Siciliano leads Fortune 500 companies and their clients in workshops that explore consumer education solutions for security issues. A longtime identity theft speaker and author of “The Safety Minute: 01,” he has discussed data security and consumer protection on CNBC, on NBC’s “Today Show,” FOX News, and elsewhere.

Earlier this month, Computerworld, PC World, and others ran articles detailing the arrest of a man in the Pacific Northwest on grounds that they suspected he had skimmed data from P2P networks as means to conduct identity theft-related crimes. At the time of the reports, authorities were investigating the possibility that the man had purchased more than $70,000 worth of goods under the auspices of stolen identities.

The arrest underscored the implications of research from Dartmouth University’s Tuck School of Business. The findings, reported earlier this year, suggesting that corporate data breaches trace back to peer-to-peer (P2P) network usage by employees. According to the study, the number of P2P users, already at 4 million in 2003, had more than doubled at the time the report was published, May 2007. The researchers said efforts by officials to surveil, monitor, and dissuade the use of P2P networks in the workplace have failed to keep pace with these networks’ ever-evolving, decentralized nature.

“Organization that run computer networks need to know the risks associated with peer-to-peer programs,” said Siciliano. “Employees sharing files via peer-to-peer networks unwittingly expose their employers’ proprietary databases to peer-to-peer hackers. Databases home to sensitive information such as birth dates, credit card numbers, and Social Security numbers are prime targets.”

Readers may view YouTube video of Siciliano below that shows his April 2007 appearance on “FOX 25,” the network’s Boston, Mass. affiliate. On the program, Siciliano demonstrates how P2P networks allow criminals to obtain the information needed to commit identity theft. Those wishing to learn how to protect themselves against identity theft, a concern for anyone whose data have fallen into the hands of P2P hackers, may view video of Siciliano at VideoJug.

###

About IDTheftSecurity.com

Identity theft affects us all. Robert Siciliano, CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com and member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report’s editorial board, makes it his mission to provide consumer education solutions on identity theft to Fortune 500 companies and their clients.

A leader of personal safety and security seminars nationwide, Siciliano has been featured on “The Today Show,” CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, “FOX News,” “The Suze Orman Show,” “The Montel Williams Show,” “Maury Povich,” “Sally Jesse Raphael,” “The Howard Stern Show,” and “Inside Edition.” The Privacy Learning Institute features him on its Website. Numerous magazines, print news outlets, and wire services have turned to him, as well, for expert commentary on personal security and identity theft. These include Forbes, USA Today, Entrepreneur, Woman’s Day, Good Housekeeping, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Times, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, United Press International, Reuters, and others.

Visit Siciliano’s Web site, www.IDTheftSecurity.com; blog, www.realtysecurity.com/blog; and YouTube page, http://youtube.com/stungundotcom.

The media are encouraged to get in touch with Siciliano directly:

Robert Siciliano, Personal Security Expert
CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com
PHONE: 888-SICILIANO (742-4542)
FAX: 877-2-FAX-NOW (232-9669)
Robert@IDTheftSecurity.com
www.idtheftsecurity.com

Identity Theft Expert and Speaker on Personal Security Comments on Research into IT Security Professionals’ Attitudes about Security

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(BOSTON, Mass. – Sept. 10, 2007 – IDTheftSecurity.com) A study released last month has shown that a high percentage of corporations’ computer-related assets residing off the network are unsecured—and unsafe for data. According to Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert, organizations of all kinds can easily rectify this situation by turning to affordable technology that tracks and secures mobile devices. He pointed to MyLaptopGPS, a provider of such products and services.

“Off-network security is easier and more affordable than many organizations might think,” said Siciliano. “It’s also a must, as the alternative is to hemorrhage data and incur costs literally hundreds of times more prohibitive.”

CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com and a member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report’s editorial board, Siciliano leads Fortune 500 companies and their clients in workshops that explore consumer education solutions for security issues. A longtime identity theft speaker and author of “The Safety Minute: 01,” he has discussed data security and consumer protection on CNBC, on NBC’s “Today Show,” FOX News, and elsewhere.

“National Survey: The Insecurity of Off- Network Security,” a recent report developed jointly by the Ponemon Institute and Redemtech, Inc., revealed a large discrepancy between the security of corporations’ networks and the extent to which off-network computer devices are secure. The study also revealed a seeming disconnect between the actual susceptibility of data and IT professionals’ perceptions about that susceptibility.

An Aug. 22nd press release shared details from the study. Of the 735 senior IT security professionals surveyed, 73 percent indicated that their employers had experienced the loss or theft of a data-bearing asset in the last 24 months. Yet only 39 percent of respondents indicated that they view the management of off-network data bearing equipment a critical component to security

The motivation to secure mobile computing devices is clear. Laptop computer theft’s cost can exceed $6,000 for even just one machine, according to research from Gartner Group. The number is conservative compared to the numbers from the 2002 Computer Security Institute/FBI Computer Crime & Security Survey, which estimated the actual financial loss of a laptop theft to be $89,000. In 2003, the Annual Computer Crime and Security Survey estimated the average loss even higher, at $250,000.

Siciliano directed organizations to MyLaptopGPS™, a product that combines Internet-based GPS tracking—which, for tracking and retrieving stolen laptops, is more effective than other forms of GPS—with other functionalities to secure mobile computing devices. Users can launch MyLaptopGPS’ features remotely, protecting data even while the machine is in a criminal’s hands. Once connected to the Internet, the software silently retrieves, and then deletes, files from machines as it tracks the stolen or missing hardware—at once returning the data to its rightful owner and removing it from the lost computer.

“Immediately upon receiving word of the loss or theft of a mobile computer,” said Dan Yost, chief technology officer at MyLaptopGPS, “IT staff may call upon the features of this product to track down and retrieve not only the missing hardware, but the files residing on it—all while disallowing any unauthorized person from accessing sensitive data. Furthermore, additional features, such as SafeRegistry™, greatly streamline and bolster the process of inventorying a large fleet of laptop computers.”

A downloadable demo of MyLaptopGPS is available. Recently, Yost delivered comments for a televised news report pertaining to the loss of laptop computers containing the Social Security numbers of numerous teachers at Chicago’s public schools. Readers may view YouTube video of the “NBC 7 Chicago” footage below.

Earlier this year, the theft of two laptops from an auditing firm resulted in the loss of 40,000 Chicago Public School teachers’ Social Security numbers. The April 2007 issue of Chicago Union Teacher, official publication of the Chicago Teachers Union, ran an article by Yost (page four of linked PDF document) that advised readers on how to prevent laptop theft.

Readers may view YouTube video of Sicliano on NBC below , where he uses the example of a laptop stolen from Hotels.com to discuss the crime’s close relationship to identity theft. To learn more about identity theft, a major concern for anyone who has been affected by the theft of a laptop computer, readers may go to video of Siciliano at VideoJug.

###

About MyLaptopGPS

Since 1984, Tri-8, Inc. (DBA MyLaptopGPS.com) has specialized in complete system integration. From real-time electronic payment processing software to renowned mid-market ERP implementations, the executive team at MyLaptopGPS has been serving leading enterprises and implementing world-class data systems that simply work. With MyLaptopGPS™, Tri-8, Inc. brings a level of expertise, dedication, knowledge and service that is unmatched. MyLaptopGPS™’s rock-solid performance, security, and reliability flow directly from the company’s commitment to top-notch software products and services for almost 25 years.

About IDTheftSecurity.com

Identity theft affects us all, and Robert Siciliano, CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com and member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report’s editorial board, makes it his mission to provide consumer education solutions on identity theft to Fortune 500 companies and their clients. A leader of personal safety and security seminars nationwide, Siciliano has been featured on “The Today Show,” CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, “FOX News,” “The Suze Orman Show,” “The Montel Williams Show,” “Maury Povich,” “Sally Jesse Raphael,” “The Howard Stern Show,” and “Inside Edition.” The Privacy Learning Institute features him on its Website. Numerous magazines, print news outlets, and wire services have turned to him, as well, for expert commentary on personal security and identity theft. These include Forbes, USA Today, Entrepreneur, Woman’s Day, Mademoiselle, Good Housekeeping, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Times, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, United Press International, Reuters, and others.

For more information, visit Siciliano’s Web site, blog, and YouTube page.

The media are encouraged to get in touch with any of the following individuals:

John Dunivan
MyLaptopGPS Media Relations
PHONE: (405) 747-6654 (direct line)
jd@MyLaptopGPS.com
www.MyLaptopGPS.com

Robert Siciliano, Personal Security Expert
CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com
PHONE: 888-SICILIANO (742-4542)
FAX: 877-2-FAX-NOW (232-9669)
Robert@IDTheftSecurity.com
www.idtheftsecurity.com

Brent W. Skinner
President & CEO of STETrevisions
PHONE: 617-875-4859
FAX: 866-663-6557
BrentSkinner@STETrevisions.biz
www.STETrevisions.biz

Identity Theft Expert and Speaker on Personal Security Reacts to Data Breaches That Have Left More Than 10 million Records Lost in Just One Month

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(BOSTON, Mass. – Aug. 29, 2007 – IDTheftSecurity.com) Recent news has chronicled a destructive computer hack into a popular job board and the pilfering of many millions of people’s identifying information from this and other organizations’ databases. Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert, said these and other reports made research that says more than 159 million records have fallen prey to data breaches since 2005 all the more believable.

“When reports indicate that data breaches in just this past month have placed the identifying information on more than 10 million Americans in jeopardy,” said Siciliano, “it’s not too difficult to imagine how nearly 160 million might go missing in 24 months.”

CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com and a member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report’s editorial board, Siciliano leads Fortune 500 companies and their clients in workshops that explore consumer education solutions for security issues. A longtime identity theft speaker and author of “The Safety Minute: 01,” he has discussed data security and consumer protection on CNBC, on NBC’s “Today Show,” FOX News, and elsewhere.

On Aug. 22, “ABC News” and other outlets reported that computer hackers had somehow used log-on and password information to obtain the e-mail addresses of 1.6 million members of Monster.com. Authorities remarked that the bounty from Monster.com represented a bonanza for spammers and phishing rings. An unrelated breach of data at Fidelity National Information Services’ subsidiary, Certegy, put 8.5 million consumer records in the hands of thieves, According to an Aug. 9th report in DM News.

Against the backdrop of other recent and massive data breaches, a column that posted to Ars Technica on Aug. 20 cited Privacy Rights Clearinghouse numbers that say more than 159 million records have gone missing since 2005 due to various lapses in security. The column reported that, despite much proposed legislation, ” no major data breach legislation has been passed.”

“Government and industry must join forces in meaningful ways, and immediately, to protect consumer data,” said Siciliano. “The number of records lost since 2005 equals more than half the U.S. population. This scale of hemorrhaging, which has only continued in the last month, essentially proves that few organizations take data security as seriously as they ought.”

Readers may view YouTube video of Siciliano on CNBC, below, discussing the ramifications of a data breach that took place earlier this year at a high-end vacation resort. Those wishing to learn how to protect themselves against identity theft, a major concern for anyone whose electronic communication devices have been hacked, may view video of Siciliano at VideoJug.

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About IDTheftSecurity.com
Identity theft affects us all. Robert Siciliano, CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com and member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report’s editorial board, makes it his mission to provide consumer education solutions on identity theft to Fortune 500 companies and their clients.

A leader of personal safety and security seminars nationwide, Siciliano has been featured on “The Today Show,” CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, “FOX News,” “The Suze Orman Show,” “The Montel Williams Show,” “Maury Povich,” “Sally Jesse Raphael,” “The Howard Stern Show,” and “Inside Edition.” The Privacy Learning Institute features him on its Website. Numerous magazines, print news outlets, and wire services have turned to him, as well, for expert commentary on personal security and identity theft. These include Forbes, USA Today, Entrepreneur, Woman’s Day, Good Housekeeping, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Times, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, United Press International, Reuters, and others.

Visit Siciliano’s Web site, www.IDTheftSecurity.com; blog, www.realtysecurity.com/blog; and YouTube page, http://youtube.com/stungundotcom.

The media are encouraged to get in touch with Siciliano directly:

Robert Siciliano, Personal Security Expert
CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com
PHONE: 888-SICILIANO (742-4542)
FAX: 877-2-FAX-NOW (232-9669)
Robert@IDTheftSecurity.com
www.idtheftsecurity.com