MyLaptopGPS and Identity Theft Expert: Massive Holes in Laptop Computer Security Can Cost Organizations Millions

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(BOSTON, Mass. – Jan. 24, 2008 – IDTheftSecurity.com) The theft of a laptop computer belonging to the British Ministry of Defense sheds doubt on mobile computer security worldwide, said Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert. He directed firms to MyLaptopGPS™, whose technology helps to prevent the massive data breaches associated with laptop computer theft.

“Those who specialize in the defense of nations should be leading the way in laptop computer security,” said Siciliano. “Instead, one of the world’s premiere defense departments has been shown to be unforgivably vulnerable to the loss of its mobile computers. Apparently, problems with security for laptop computers run deep worldwide.”

On Jan. 19 numerous news outlets reported the overnight theft, from a car, of a laptop computer belonging to the British Ministry of Defense. According to these reports, the lost mobile computer housed sensitive, identifying information on serving personnel and others that had come into contact with the military. Further reports then revealed that the British Ministry of Defense had lost hundreds of mobile computers over many years’ time and in fact was unsure of the exact number.

An unrelated article from the IDG News Service on Jan. 14 showed the potential amount of money that an organization might pay in the wake of losing even a single laptop. Tennessee’s Davidson County Election Commission, which lost a mobile computer containing the Social Security numbers of 337,000 registered voters in December, stood to spend $1 million on identity theft protection for the victims.

“Any organization, not just one whose focus is defense, can easily protect its fleets of laptop computers for less than pennies on the millions of dollars that bad security ultimately costs,” said Dan Yost, chief technology officer at MyLaptopGPS. “The alternative, to do nothing, is to court the possibility of financial disaster.”

MyLaptopGPS 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 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.

MyLaptopGPS also offers SafeRegistry™, a comprehensive system for inventorying entire fleets of mobile computers, as well as a full line of highly renowned SafeTags™, which are police-traceable property tags designed to secure iPods, cell phones, BlackBerry devices, and other mobile property. A downloadable demo of MyLaptopGPS is available.

The October 2007 issue of Bank Fraud & IT Security Report, a newsletter published only in hard copy, ran “The Seven Layers of Laptop Security,” an article by Siciliano and Yost. A white paper adaptation of that article is available from MyLaptopGPS.

Readers may view YouTube video below of “NBC 7 Chicago” footage featuring Yost delivering comments for a televised news report that covered the April 2007 theft of two laptops that stored 40,000 Chicago Public School teachers’ Social Security numbers.

According to USA Today, theft of personal data more than tripled in 2007. Readers may view video of Siciliano below discussing this news on the new “FOX Business” network. To learn more about identity theft, a major concern for anyone who’s lost a laptop computer to thieves, 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: Governments Must Set a Much-Needed Example of Responsible Laptop Computer Security

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(BOSTON, Mass. – Jan. 7, 2008 – IDTheftSecurity.com) Over the past month, laptop computers have gone missing from local, state, and national governments in alarming numbers. But the crisis presented an opportunity for government agencies to set a much-needed example of responsible mobile computer security, said Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert. Siciliano pointed to solutions such as MyLaptopGPS™’s, which couples Internet-based GPS tracking with remote delete-and-retrieve technology to protect lost machines and the data they hold.

“Imagine the good will that a well-publicized retrieval of data stored on a stolen government laptop computer would generate with public constituencies,” said Siciliano. “The alternative is ever-diminishing public trust in the competency of its government to secure the very information that citizens are required to provide.”

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.

In the past few weeks, a number of government-owned laptop computers have gone missing, placing thousands of citizens’ sensitive data at risk of identity theft:

  • On Jan. 1, The Breach Blog reported that a laptop computer belonging to the United States Air Force (USAF) had gone missing from a USAF band member’s home on Nov. 19, 2007, at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, D.C. Data stored on the computer included sensitive information such as social security numbers, birth dates, addresses, and telephone numbers of active and retired Air Force members.
  • On Dec. 28, the Associated Press and others reported that Philadelphia, Penn.–based Promissor Corp. had lost a Minnesota Department of Commerce–owned laptop computer to thieves. Names, addresses, Social Security numbers and state license data on 219 Minnesotans were among the data, protected only by password, on the stolen machine. Promissor, a company that contracts with most states to handle licensing for the real estate, mortgage and debt collection industries, waited two weeks to notify Minnesota officials of the theft, according to the article.
  • Also on Dec. 28, the Associated Press reported the theft of several laptop computers belonging to Davidson County offices in Tennessee. The data breach affected Social Security numbers and other personal information on more than 337,000 registered voters in the county, officials quoted in the report believed.
  • Telegraph.co.uk reported on Dec. 17 that a laptop computer “containing details about the new security system protecting the British Parliament [had] disappeared from its security department.” The machine went missing from the home of a high-ranking member of the government body, the report said.

“It is clear that the mobility and convenience of laptop computers makes them popular for the storage of sensitive information such as Social Security numbers and birthdates,” said Dan Yost, chief technology officer at MyLaptopGPS. “This is precisely why mobile computers are popular among thieves also.”

MyLaptopGPS 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 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.

MyLaptopGPS also offers SafeRegistry™, a comprehensive system for inventorying entire fleets of mobile computers, as well as a full line of highly renowned SafeTags™, which are police-traceable property tags designed to secure iPods, cell phones, BlackBerry devices, and other mobile property. A downloadable demo of MyLaptopGPS is available.

The October 2007 issue of Bank Fraud & IT Security Report, a newsletter published only in hard copy, ran “The Seven Layers of Laptop Security,” an article by Siciliano and Yost. A white paper adaptation of that article is available from MyLaptopGPS.

Readers may view YouTube video below of “NBC 7 Chicago” footage featuring Yost delivering comments for a televised news report that covered the April 2007 theft of two laptops that stored 40,000 Chicago Public School teachers’ Social Security numbers.

According to USA Today, theft of personal data more than tripled in 2007. Readers may view video of Siciliano below discussing this news on the new “FOX Business” network. To learn more about identity theft, a major concern for anyone who’s lost a laptop computer to thieves, 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: Just Two Laptop Thefts Reported on Same Day Left as Many as 328,000 Unique Data Records in Jeopardy

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(BOSTON, Mass. – Dec. 13, 2007 – IDTheftSecurity.com) Reports on Dec. 7th of just two laptop computer thefts left as many as 328,000 unique data records in jeopardy of falling into the hands of identity thieves. According to Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert, laptop thefts are bound to occur, but affordable, robust solutions such as MyLaptopGPS™’s are available that couple Internet-based GPS tracking with remote delete-and-retrieve technology to protect lost machines and the data they hold.

“It’s a large number,” said Siciliano, “but, no matter the number, thefts like these would never make the news if stolen mobile equipment and the data housed on them were properly secured. Plenty of robust, affordable solutions exist, and smart organizations see the need for exhaustive laptop computer security.”

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.

Dec. 7th saw reports of two laptop thefts that together placed 328,000 data records in harm’s way:

The Guardian Unlimited reported the theft of a laptop belonging to the Belfast, U.K.-based bank Citizens Advice, a loss that included the “personal details of up to 60,000 people,” according to the article.

InfoWorld reported the theft of a laptop belonging to Memorial Blood Centers. According to the article, sensitive information on 268,000 Minnesota-based blood donors is housed in the missing machine.

Siciliano pointed organizations that need an affordable, simple solution for laptop security to MyLaptopGPS™.

“Clearly, organizations of all kinds are apt to store highly confidential, sensitive data on mobile computers,” said Dan Yost, chief technology officer at MyLaptopGPS. “The trick is to make sure that information, as well as the machine, is secure. MyLaptopGPS not only tracks the whereabouts of a lost laptop computer, but also allows an owner to control the fate of data on the machine even as it’s still in thieves’ hands.”

MyLaptopGPS 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 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.

MyLaptopGPS also offers SafeRegistry™, a comprehensive system for inventorying entire fleets of mobile computers, as well as a full line of highly renowned SafeTags™, which are police-traceable property tags designed to secure iPods, cell phones, BlackBerry devices, and other mobile property. A downloadable demo of MyLaptopGPS is available.

The October 2007 issue of Bank Fraud & IT Security Report, a newsletter published only in hard copy, ran “The Seven Layers of Laptop Security,” an article by Siciliano and Yost. A white paper adaptation of that article is available from MyLaptopGPS.

Below, readers may view YouTube video of “NBC 7 Chicago” footage featuring Yost delivering comments for a televised news report that covered the April 2007 theft of two laptops that stored 40,000 Chicago Public School teachers’ Social Security numbers.


 

According to USA Today, theft of personal data has more than tripled this year. Readers may view video of Siciliano below discussing this news on the new “FOX Business” network. 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: Potential Legal Costs of Laptop Theft Make Technology Designed to Combat it All the More Attractive

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(BOSTON, Mass. – Nov. 30, 2007 – IDTheftSecurity.com) Reports have indicated that physicians and other health officials in the U.K. may be fined for losing laptop computers. Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert, said the development is unsurprising in light of the associated costs of mobile computer theft, but suggested that better responses to the growing, prohibitively costly crime exist. He pointed to MyLaptopGPS™, a high-tech foil to laptop thieves that tracks stolen machines via Internet-based GPS and enables organizations to retrieve and destroy important computer files even as the computers are in criminals’ hands.

“A large portion of the financial losses in the wake of laptop thefts is often attributable to legal fees,” said Siciliano. “This is especially true if sensitive data is on the stolen machine. And, for some reason, valuable data is often stored on mobile computing devices. It makes sense that governments are taking measures to dissuade the careless use of laptops.”

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.

According to a Nov. 15th article in Network World, “Doctors and health officials who lose laptops containing patient information could face prosecution under new rules being considered by the U.K. Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).”

Various estimates have underscored the frequency and high potential cost of laptop theft:

• Symantec has found that a laptop computer is stolen every 53 seconds, and that 97 percent of these machines lost to theft are never recovered.

• Research from Gartner Group has shown that the cost of laptop computer theft can exceed $6,000 for even just one machine.

• The Computer Science Institute/FBI Computer Crime & Security Survey has estimated the number to be an average of $89,000 per machine.

• The Annual Computer Crime and Security Survey estimated the average loss to be $250,000 in 2003.

• The Federal Bureau of Investigation has reported that total losses attributable to laptop theft equaled more than $6.7 million dollars in 2005.

Legal liabilities in the wake of data breaches have precedent. In early 2007, a data breach at TJX Companies Inc. affected more than 45 million past customers of the U.S. retailer. Articles that later ran in internetnews.com, the North Andover, Mass.–based Eagle Tribune, and other publications suggested that TJX fielded numerous lawsuits as a result.

“Smart organizations are avoiding the headaches of laptop thefts,” said Siciliano. “They’re equipping their laptop computers with technology that helps to ensure the retrieval of missing machines and the security of the data on them.”

Organizations that need an affordable, simple solution for laptop security may turn to MyLaptopGPS™. The product 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 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.

MyLaptopGPS also offers SafeRegistry™, a comprehensive system for inventorying entire fleets of mobile computers. A downloadable demo of MyLaptopGPS is available.

“It’s understandable why those in possession of laptops belonging to their employers might be subject to fines when the machines go missing,” said Dan Yost, chief technology officer at MyLaptopGPS. “Even so, thefts often happen despite users’ best attempts to secure machines because the computers are bereft of robust security technology. MyLaptopGPS takes much of the risk out of laptop theft. While tracking the stolen machine, it retrieves and deletes the hard drive’s contents before the criminal can even get to them.”

The October 2007 issue of Bank Fraud & IT Security Report, a newsletter published only in hard copy, ran “The Seven Layers of Laptop Security,” an article by Siciliano and Yost. A white paper adaptation of that article is available from MyLaptopGPS.

Readers may view YouTube video below of “NBC 7 Chicago” footage featuring Yost delivering comments for a televised news report that covered the April 2007 theft of two laptops that stored 40,000 Chicago Public School teachers’ Social Security numbers. 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.

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