Identity Theft Expert and MyLaptopGPS: Stolen Laptop Computers Again Place Hundreds of Thousands of Unique Data Records in Peril

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(BOSTON, Mass. – June 12, 2008 – IDTheftSecurity.com) News in early June of another round of laptop thefts suggested that the personal data on at least 100,000 people possibly fell into the hands of thieves as a result: In some instances, the information was not encrypted, reports revealed. Laptop computers, an easy target for thieves, are also easy to secure, said Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert who pointed to affordable laptop tracking technology from MyLaptopGPS.

“Securing laptop computers against theft and loss is very easy and affordable,” said Siciliano. “Smart organizations understand this and do it. The alternative is to risk major financial loss, not to mention the damage to consumer or employee trust and loyalty, as well as a diminished brand reputation.”

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 through consumer education workshops that explore security solutions for businesses and individuals. 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 Newschannel, and elsewhere.

Reports surfaced in early June of laptop computers gone missing from three different organizations, posing significant potential ramifications for people whose personal data was stored on the machines:

  • On June 9, Consumer Affairs added its reporting to the news that a laptop computer belonging to AT&T and containing “names, Social Security numbers, and salary information for an undisclosed number of workers” had been stolen from an employee’s vehicle in May. The next day, SecurityProPortal.com reported that AT&T had failed to encrypt the lost laptop’s data.
  • Widely reported news that ran in the San Francisco Chronicle on June 8 revealed the details of a laptop theft from Stanford University affecting 72,000 university employees past and present. The laptop contained “names, birth dates, Social Security numbers, business titles, work and home phone numbers, home addresses, salaries, and Stanford e-mail addresses and employee identification numbers” of employees hired before Sept. 28, 2007.
  • On June 4, the Winnipeg Free Press reported that a laptop computer belonging to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (a government agency) and containing social insurance numbers, bank account numbers and other data on about 32,000 Canadian Canola Growers Association (CCGA) fell into thieves’ hands in March. The agency waited until late May to inform all those possibly affected, the article indicated.

“With the proper antitheft technology installed on laptop computers, laptop tracking is simple and affordable,” said MyLaptopGPS’ chief technology officer, Dan Yost, who directed readers to a log of high-profile laptop thefts that the company records at its website. “Furthermore, with MyLaptopGPS, encryption is less of a need because the rightful owners of the machines can retrieve and delete data from a remote location. Rather than wait months to inform constituencies that their information is in peril, an organization with laptop tracking technology just presses the button to deprive thieves of the data stored on that mobile device.”

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.

“Our laptop fleet was certainly worth protecting,” said Jim Sullivan, the network, systems and security administrator for FastForms, Inc. “We have procedures in place to help secure the machines, but we realized that we needed some key additional layers of security, such as covert tracking and remote-controlled data recovery and destruction. MyLaptopGPS’ solution is very easy to use, and we are quite satisfied. We would recommend MyLaptopGPS to any business seeking a simple solution to secure their laptops and data.”

Additionally, MyLaptopGPS 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.

Readers may download a demo of MyLaptopGPS. A white paper is also available.

The YouTube video below shows Siciliano on “FOX Newschannel,” where he discusses this year’s data security breach at Hannaford Bros. and provides affected consumers with the tips they need to avoid paying for fraudulent charges to their bank accounts and credit accounts. 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.” 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.com
http://www.STETrevisions.com
http://www.brentskinner.blogspot.com

Identity Theft Expert and MyLaptopGPS: Organizations Averse to Implementing Proactive Security Measures Need Affordable Laptop Tracking Technology

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(BOSTON, Mass. – May 29, 2008 – IDTheftSecurity.com) News reported in April reinforced the notion that companies across most industries are failing to proactively implement measures for mobile computing security and data security. But smart organizations understand that they stand a much better chance of retaining their hard-earned profits if they invest in preventative security technology rather than react to breaches and thefts after they happen, said Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert. He pointed to an affordable laptop tracking product from MyLaptopGPS as an example.

“If the goal of business is to maximize the generation and retention of profits,” said Siciliano, “the business case for laptop security is clear. For any organization, dealing with a laptop theft after it happens will cost money — lots of it. The far preferable approach is to incorporate far less expensive security technologies proactively to prevent laptop thefts and the data breaches that commonly follow.”

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 through consumer education workshops that explore security solutions for businesses and individuals. 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 Newschannel, and elsewhere.

In 2002, a Computer Security Institute/FBI Computer Crime & Security Survey calculated the actual financial loss of a laptop theft to be $89,000. A 2003 Annual Computer Crime and Security Survey placed the average loss even higher, at $250,000. These numbers reflect a combination of factors such as legal follow-up and identity theft, either of which can lead to financial catastrophe.

Yet, as recently as the third quarter of 2007, only one-quarter of businesses “employ[ed] some kind of data leak prevention system,” according to an April 3rd article in CNNMoney.com that cites data from Forrester Research, which polled a representative sample of organizations based mostly in North America and Europe. This includes ill-preparedness for laptop theft, notes the article, which further cites Forrester’s research: “Far more than half of companies polled…[have]…no specific plan to adopt technology for data loss prevention,” CNNMoney.com reported.

“Not a week goes by without a laptop theft affecting a business, government agency, nonprofit outfit or educational institution,” said MyLaptopGPS’ chief technology officer, Dan Yost, who directed readers to a log of high-profile laptop thefts that the company records at its website. “Any organization that’s felt the aftereffects of a breach of laptop security probably wishes it had invested in preventative measures beforehand. With the price of inaction dwarfing the cost of prevention, the choice to proactively protect data and the computing equipment storing it is clear.”

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.

“Our laptop fleet was certainly worth protecting,” said Jim Sullivan, the network, systems and security administrator for FastForms, Inc. “We have procedures in place to help secure the machines, but we realized that we needed some key additional layers of security, such as covert tracking and remote-controlled data recovery and destruction. MyLaptopGPS’ solution is very easy to use, and we are quite satisfied. We would recommend MyLaptopGPS to any business seeking a simple solution to secure their laptops and data.”

Additionally, MyLaptopGPS 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.

Readers may download a demo of MyLaptopGPS. A white paper is also available.

At its website, MyLaptopGPS also keeps a running tally of publicized laptop and desktop computer theft and losses. The Realtime Estimated Damage Index (REDI) also assesses those losses’ associated costs by drawing on estimates from the FBI and elsewhere reflecting the likelihood that identity theft and other crimes will occur whenever a laptop is misplaced or stolen. On May 29, the REDI had recorded a greater than 70 percent increase in cost since its launch in February of 2008.

The YouTube video below shows Siciliano on “FOX Newschannel,” where he discusses this year’s data security breach at Hannaford Bros. and provides affected consumers with the tips they need to avoid paying for fraudulent charges to their bank accounts and credit accounts. 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.” 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.com
http://www.STETrevisions.com
http://www.brentskinner.blogspot.com

Identity Theft Protection Expert and One You Security: Consumers Need Education and a Way to Make Their Information Useless to Identity Thieves

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(SARASOTA, Fla. – May 27, 2008 – One You Security) The ubiquity of Social Security numbers helps to fuel identity theft, as many reports have noted. Some experts have suggested that the solution is for consumers to keep their Social Security numbers secret, The Associated Press reported last week in an article exploring the limitations of some fraud-prevention services. But the days when consumers could keep their Social Security numbers private are in fact long gone, said Robert Siciliano, widely televised and quoted identity theft protection expert and chief security analyst for One You Security, LLC, a firm that helps to insulate its customers’ financial identities and backs this protection with a $1 million service guarantee.

“Privacy is an illusion,” said Siciliano. “To pursue privacy or secrecy as a solution to identity theft is to fundamentally misunderstand the problem. It is no longer possible for consumers to keep their Social Security numbers secret; for a long time, these have in fact been easily available to thieves, who obtain the all-important digits from hacked computer databases and even from loose documents in recycling bins. A better approach is to offer a service that not only prevents new financial accounts from being opened without clients’ consent, but also provides continual consumer education to help clients protect their own identities proactively.”

Chief security analyst for One You Security and a member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report‘s editorial board, Siciliano leads Fortune 500 companies and their clients through consumer education workshops that explore security solutions for business and individuals. A longtime identity theft protection speaker, he has discussed data security and consumer protection on CNBC, on NBC’s “Today Show,” FOX Newschannel, and elsewhere.

On May 22, The Associated Press reported on the various pending and existing lawsuits against LifeLock and its founder. Questions have surfaced around LifeLock’s effectiveness, the article reported, leading even the Experian credit bureau to file suit in California. “Security experts say complaints about the company reinforce the time-honored wisdom of keeping [the] Social Security number secret,” according to the AP‘s report.

But the advice is misguided, according to Siciliano, who noted that One You Security takes a multipronged approach to identity theft protection and concerns itself not with the impossible-to-attain secrecy of its customers’ easily obtainable Social Security numbers.

“Instead,” said Siciliano, “One You explores the very real possibilities of at once transforming those nine digits into something useless to thieves and educating consumers on the many dangers facing them. Any identity theft protection expert or service that either advises consumers to keep their Social Security numbers private or thinks the only barrier to identity theft is security around the Social Security number itself has little understanding of the dynamics at play.”

“No protection exists that is 100 percent effective against every type of identity theft,” said Chris Harris, president and CEO of One You Security. “The key is to manage the threat to greatly minimize it. What if an identity thief couldn’t use a stolen identity? One You strives to rob thieves of their ability to use Social Security numbers as a basis to steal consumers’ financial identities. Identity thieves have enjoyed a boon because of the usefulness of consumers’ Social Security numbers as universal identifiers. One You’s identity theft protection service works to render those digits useless to thieves.”

One You Security wraps a security system around the consumer’s identity, shielding it from thieves and greatly reducing wrongdoers’ lines of attack. The firm backs up its offering with a $1 million service guarantee. Subscribers to One You Security also benefit from identity theft education material such as newsletters and special alerts from Siciliano himself, all designed to help them avoid scams and practices that make the identity thief’s job easy and to inform them of the latest data breaches.

The YouTube video below shows Siciliano on “FOX Newschannel,” where he explains how the pervasive use of Social Security numbers as universal identifiers helps thieves online and off-line. Those wishing to learn how to protect themselves against identity theft may view video of Siciliano at VideoJug.

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About One You Security, LLC

Sarasota, Fla.-based One You Security‘s mission is to eliminate the threat and consequences of identity theft. For just $10 per month, anyone can sign up for One You Security’s identity theft protection service, a proactive, preventative approach whereby the company activates and manages its customers’ fraud alerts with major credit bureaus. Subscribers also receive full access to ongoing education from identity theft protection expert Robert Siciliano, chief security analyst for One You Security, which backs up its promise to protect clients’ financial identities with a $1 million service guarantee. To sign up for One You Security, dial 1-800-434-2010.

About IDTheftSecurity.com

Identity theft affects us all, and Robert Siciliano, CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com, chief security analyst for One You Security, 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. Author of The Safety Minute: 01 and 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.” Numerous magazines, print news outlets, and wire services have turned to him, as well, for expert commentary on personal security and identity theft protection. 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:

Chris Harris
President & CEO of One You Security
PHONE: 941-342-0500 (x231)
chris@oneyou.com
http://www.oneyou.com

Robert Siciliano
CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com
Chief Security Analyst for One You Security
PHONE: 888-SICILIANO (742-4542)
FAX: 877-2-FAX-NOW (232-9669)
Robert@IDTheftSecurity.com
http://www.idtheftsecurity.com

Brent W. Skinner
President & CEO of STETrevisions
PHONE: 617-875-4859
FAX: 866-663-6557
BrentSkinner@STETrevisions.com
http://www.STETrevisions.com
http://brentskinner.blogspot.com

Identity Theft Expert:MyLaptopGPS™ Helps Laptops for the Wounded by Equipping the Nonprofit’s Computers with Antitheft Security

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(BOSTON, Mass. – April 29, 2008 – IDTheftSecurity.com) Today, MyLaptopGPS™ announced its relationship with Laptops for the Wounded to equip the charitable organization’s laptop computers for injured U.S. soldiers with security technology that protects the machines from thieves. To date, MyLaptopGPS has equipped more than 80 mobile computers for Laptops for the Wounded with antitheft technology that allows users at once to delete and silently retrieve data stored on a lost or stolen machine.

“My military service, patriotism and love of America were the motivation for my involvement with Laptops for the Wounded,” said Phil Drouin, vice president of Laptops for the Wounded and a member of its board. “My passion is helping my former brothers in arms who were wounded keeping America and her citizens free. MyLaptopGPS’ generous donation has closed out an early concern of mine, which was the theft of laptops from the hospitals we donate them to.” Drouin is also Information Technologies Project Manager for UnitedHealth Group.

Laptops for the Wounded is a charitable organization that provides hospitals for military personnel with free, webcam-equipped laptop computers. Soldiers wounded on the battlefield are then able to communicate with family as they recuperate far from home.

Last year, TheAssociated Press covered the organization’s donation of 10 mobile computers to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. In March of 2008, Laptops for the Wounded returned to Walter Reed with an additional 18 laptop computers, all equipped with MyLaptopGPS’ security technology.

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.

Readers may download a demo of MyLaptopGPS. A white paper is also available.

“The loss of personal data to thieves can devastate anyone’s finances,” said Dan Yost, chief technology officer at MyLaptopGPS. “For a soldier wounded on the battlefield and in a hospital thousands of miles from home, this devastation can be especially catastrophic. It’s the reason why MyLaptopGPS decided to donate laptop security technology to protect injured soldiers fortunate enough to have access to mobile computers from Laptops for the Wounded.”

“Those who protect our country deserve the very best protection themselves,” said Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert and CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com. “MyLaptopGPS’ generous contribution to a worthy cause promises to help spare countless military veterans from identity theft and other crimes.”

According to USA Today, theft of personal data more than tripled in 2007. Readers may view a video below of Siciliano 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’ 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 MyLaptopGPS: SafeTags™; and SafeRegistry™ Might Have Prevented Recently Reported Laptop Losses from Government Agencies

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(BOSTON, Mass. – April 17, 2008 – IDTheftSecurity.com) Late last month, reports revealed the loss of laptop computers from various U.S. and U.K. government agencies over years of time. Any organization with a sprawling inventory of mobile computing equipment must secure the gear with high-tech, said Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert. He pointed leaders in business and elsewhere to MyLaptopGPS™, whose technology not only tracks and retrieves stolen laptops, but also provides organizations with SafeRegistry™, a comprehensive system for inventorying fleets of computers, and affixes to each of them SafeTags™, police-traceable property tags.

“Laptop computers go missing all the time,” said Siciliano. “For large organizations, the losses can occur en masse or slowly, over time. Because of this, any organization must secure its fleets of mobile electronics with technology designed to prevent laptop loss and to minimize the fallout if those losses and thefts nevertheless occur.”

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.

News reports in late March indicated that government agencies in both the U.S. and the U.K. discovered the loss of entire fleets’ worth of laptop computers and other mobile electronics from their inventories:

  • Hundreds of laptop computers, mobile phones, and other portable electronics are missing from various government agencies in the U.K., including the nation’s Ministry of Defence, announced a March 30th news release that extensively quoted an SNP Westminster Consumer Affairs spokesperson on the matter. The items included “591 laptops, 416 phones, and 642 other pieces of computer equipment (such as discs and chips),” reported the Scotsman News the same day.
  • Over the past five years, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has lost 230 laptop computers reported The Washington Times on March 29th. For the vast majority of the missing machines, it was unclear to DEA, according to the report, how the equipment had gone missing and whether the computers’ hard drives contained sensitive data.

“The consequences of so many lost computers and data-storing electronics are far-reaching and potentially catastrophic,” said Dan Yost, chief technology officer at MyLaptopGPS. “Sensitive phone numbers, unique computer data records and other untold bits of private information, all the familiar casualties of the theft and loss of mobile electronics, can help thieves commit wide-scale fraud and steal identities. But simple and affordable safeguards can easily prevent these scenarios altogether.”

MyLaptopGPS 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.

Along with this, MyLaptopGPS also 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.

Readers may download a demo of MyLaptopGPS. A white paper is also available.

At its website, MyLaptopGPS keeps a running tally, the Realtime Estimated Damage Index (REDI), of publicized laptop and desktop computer theft and losses. The REDI also assesses those losses’ associated costs by drawing on estimates from the FBI and elsewhere reflecting the likelihood that identity theft and other crimes will occur whenever a laptop is misplaced or stolen. On April 16, that tally was 227, and cost associated with it $344,788,505, an amount suggesting that the year-over-year increase in the financial consequence of laptop thefts will exceed 100 percent.

According to USA Today, theft of personal data more than tripled in 2007. Readers may view a 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 MyLaptopGPS: Frequency of Laptop Thefts Fueling Possible 100 Percent Year-Over-Year Increase in Cost of the Crime

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(BOSTON, Mass. – March 31, 2008 – IDTheftSecurity.com) Laptop thefts reported this week exposed more than 90,000 unique data records to thieves, further contributing to a fast-paced increase in the crime’s collective cost this year. But technology simple and affordable to use could have kept these data records from thieves’ eyes, said Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert.

“Laptop theft is at once insidious and preventable,” said Siciliano. “Many owners of laptops share the ‘it-can’t-happen-to-me’ mentality, an attitude that lulls them into a false sense of comfort that convinces them their machines need no theft prevention technology. And at organizations that own entire fleets of mobile computing equipment, the cost of prevention prevents them from securing their machines. But laptop computers are highly prone to theft and loss, and the cost of doing nothing in fact carries with it potentially catastrophic costs in the event of even just one laptop theft, whereas preventive measures can cost very little.”

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.

News outlets reported laptop thefts of comparable concern to security experts but of disproportionate immediate impact to consumers in March. Following are three examples:

  • On March 25th, Computerworld reported that a mobile computer stolen from the car of a third-party contractor to Santa Clara, Calif.–based Agilent Technologies Inc. The computer contained names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and investments-related financial data on current and former employees of Agilent, prompting the test and measurement equipment supplier, according to the Computerworld article, to send 51,000 letters of notification to past and existing employees possibly affected by the data breach.
  • Just days earlier, multiple news outlets reported the theft of a laptop computer belonging to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Stolen from the automobile of a researcher for the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (part of the NIH), the “computer contained information on about 2,500 patients enrolled in a cardiac magnetic resonance imaging study conducted… in Bethesda, Md.,” according to a spokesperson for the NHLBI quoted on March 24 in Government Executive.
  • The March 11thBuffalo News reported that HealthNow New York, Buffalo parent of Blue Cross Blue Shield in the western part of that state, had informed 40,000 members that they were at risk of identity theft; their private data, stored on a former employee’s laptop computer, had gone missing along with the machine, according to the article. Among the data lost were names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, addresses, employer group names, and health insurance identifier numbers, TheBuffalo News found.

In February, MyLaptopGPS™, provider of Internet-based GPS tracking software for stolen mobile computing equipment, launched the Realtime Estimated Damage Index (REDI) to keep a running tally of high-profile laptop and desktop computer thefts and losses and their associated costs. The REDI’s calculation draws on estimates from the FBI and elsewhere reflecting the likelihood that identity theft and other crimes will occur when a laptop is lost.

Visible at the company’s website, the REDI estimated the financial damage from computer losses since the beginning of this year alone to be $325,376,519 as of March 11th. Today’s REDI estimate of $344,296,005 represented a nearly 6 percent jump over just three weeks’ time, and an 11 percent jump since February. The $9.95 monthly subscription fee for MyLaptopGPS’s software paled in comparison.

“We predict that by this time in 2009 the total cost of computer theft will have roughly doubled,” said Dan Yost, chief technology officer at MyLaptopGPS. “Consistently tracking five to six percent increases every three or so weeks, the REDI estimates continue to support our expectations, portending a stratospheric year-over-year increase.”

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.

“My laptop is a crucial tool,” said Eddie Manning, proprietor of London Airport Transfer Service. “It contains vital business information, even if it doesn’t contain ‘thousands of social security numbers’ like the headline stolen ones do. There is no way I or my business can afford to have the data, nor the machine itself, just walk away. MyLaptopGPS is the answer.”

Readers may download a demo of MyLaptopGPS. A white paper is also available.

Additionally, MyLaptopGPS 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.

According to USA Today, theft of personal data more than tripled in 2007. Readers may view a video below of Siciliano 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: MyLaptopGPS Announces “Realtime Estimated Damage Index” (REDI) to Show Cost of Laptop Thefts in 2008 Surpassing $300 Million

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(BOSTON, Mass. – Feb. 21, 2008 – IDTheftSecurity.com) MyLaptopGPS™, provider of Internet-based GPS tracking software for stolen mobile computing equipment, today announced the Realtime Estimated Damage Index (REDI), visible at the company’s website. The REDI, a continually updating, cumulative total of high-profile laptop and desktop computer thefts and losses, has estimated the damage, or cost, of computer thefts in 2008 already to be $309,318,519. This number reflects the likelihood that identity theft and other crimes will occur when a laptop is lost, said widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert Robert Siciliano.

“The cost of laptop computer theft far exceeds the amount of money it takes to replace the lost hardware and software,” said Siciliano. “Many laptop computers store sensitive data that gives thieves who know what to do with it the ability to assume the computer owner’s identity and commit fraud in the victim’s name. This is where the real damage from laptop computer theft lies, and the cost is significant.”

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 2002, a Computer Security Institute/FBI Computer Crime & Security Survey calculated the actual financial loss of a laptop theft to be $89,000. A 2003 Annual Computer Crime and Security Survey placed the average loss even higher, at $250,000. These numbers reflect a combination of factors such as legal follow-up and identity theft, either of which can lead to financial catastrophe. Drawing on the more conservative of these baselines, the REDI’s damage estimation for just two months’ worth of laptop thefts in 2008 dwarfed the cost of the $9.95 monthly subscription to MyLaptopGPS’s software, which also retrieves and deletes sensitive data from machines while they’re missing.

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.

“Being a Resources Management Company with traveling employees,” said Eric Ruis of Proximity W.L.L., “we needed a rock solid system that didn’t merely protect our company assets and data, but could also recover our assets and data if necessary. We needed multiple layers of security for our laptops, and that brought us to MyLaptopGPS. Their service has bent over backward to meet our needs and now we rest comfortably, knowing we have six full layers of effective protection and the ability to monitor and protect our laptops — from anywhere.”

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.

“The theft rate of unsecured laptops is twelve and a half percent,” said Dan Yost, chief technology officer at MyLaptopGPS, “whereas the theft rate of a MyLaptopGPS-equipped mobile computing device is less than half a percentage point. The product not only acts as a strong deterrent; the prospects are also strong for finding a MyLaptopGPS-secured machine.”

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. Below, readers may view video of Siciliano 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: Recent Data Breaches Affect a Total of Nearly One Million Consumers as Industry Fights Legislation

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(BOSTON, Mass. – Feb. 14, 2007 – IDTheftSecurity.com) Data records lost or compromised as the result of just four security breaches reported last month left nearly one million consumers possibly at risk of identity theft and related crimes. The scope, scale, and consequences of these data losses throw into question large companies’ parallel efforts to blunt the strength of proposed data breach–notification legislation, said Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert.

"January wasn’t the only month that saw hundreds of thousands of consumers’ sensitive information go missing to thieves," said Siciliano. "And apparent carelessness and lack of concern on the part of businesses everywhere is a major factor leading to these kinds of breaches. Furthermore, with the exception of token yearlong access to free credit report monitoring, consumers end up with the bill. For industry then to fight legislation aimed at protecting these same consumers is unconscionable."

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," on FOX News, and elsewhere.

Already, data breaches have plagued numerous organizations in 2008, which has seen 28 incidents since the beginning of January, according to sources cited in a Jan. 30th article by InformationWeek. Just four of the many breaches in January saw a total of nearly one million consumers’ data records go missing:

  • A Jan. 18th article in InformationWeek reported that a backup data tape had gone missing at an Iron Mountain Inc. storage facility in October. The tape contains identifying data on 650,000 customers of retailers such as J.C. Penney and around 100 others, the article said, and belongs to GE Money USA, the company that processes credit card purchases for the various merchants involved. About 150,000 Social Security numbers are among the data on the tapes, the InformationWeek article and a Jan. 28th write-up in Computerworld both noted.
  • A Jan. 30th report from InformationWeek indicated that "sophisticated network intrusion" had compromised a computer database belonging to Davidson Companies. The breach affected data records on 226,000 current and past clients of the Montana-based financial services holding company, the article said.
  • As noted by Computerworld on Jan. 29, earlier that month T. Rowe Price had begun to inform a number of current and former customers that a data breach had occurred involving their sensitive data. A computer belonging to CBIZ Benefits and Insurance Services Inc., a third-party tax-preparer, had gone missing to thieves, according to the Computerworld report, which went on to say the machine housed about 35,000 T. Rowe Price customers’ Social Security numbers and corresponding names.
  • On Jan. 24, the Fort Worth, TX–based Star-Telegram reported that an "international gang of cyber criminals [had] hacked into" the computers of that city’s OmniAmerican Bank. Fewer than 100 accounts were directly affected, according to a bank spokesperson quoted in the article, but the Star-Telegram went on to note that OmniAmerican had issued new debit cards to about 40,000 customers.

Various state legislatures, including California’s, have regrouped their efforts to fight the hemorrhaging of data by proposing tougher laws that govern "how businesses and government agencies should notify consumers when…personal data is stolen or exposed," a Feb. 4th article in InformationWeek notes. At the same time, according to a Feb. 5th blog posting on CNET.com, large industry players such as Microsoft, Verizon, and AT&T are working to block similar legislation under consideration in the Indiana State Senate.

"One million is a very large number," said Siciliano. "And, at this very early date in 2008, the total number of lost or missing data records is actually much higher. A smart organization recognizes the value of looking out for its customers’ best interests and of nurturing the perception that it in fact does so. But nobody wins when industry fights good-faith legislative efforts that endeavor to help customers who have no say over how large companies handle and secure data."

Readers may view YouTube video below of Siciliano on "FOX News," where he explains 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.

###

###

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

MyLaptopGPS and Identity Theft Expert: Loss of Laptops Belonging to Health Insurers Have Placed Hundreds of Thousands at Risk of Medical Identity Theft

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(BOSTON, Mass. – Feb. 7, 2008 – IDTheftSecurity.com) News reports over the past month indicated that the loss of laptop computers from just three health insurance organizations placed hundreds of thousands of data records in the hands of thieves. All firms with fleets of mobile computing devices need technology like MyLaptopGPS™, which both tracks and deletes sensitive data from missing machines, said Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert.

“Thefts of laptop computers form health insurance organizations is nothing new,” said Siciliano. “Plenty of examples of this stretch back over the past several years. But familiarity should not breed complacency. If anything, medical information is among the worst types of data to be lost to thieves. For instance, a fraudulently obtained clean health record might help someone with pre-existing conditions get health insurance. The right kind of medical record might qualify other thieves for prescription drugs they should have no access to.”

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.

Laptop thefts from three health insurance companies made news over the past month:

  • The Associated Press reported on Jan. 30 that Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield had notified 10 percent of its New Jersey customer base of a laptop computer theft. The machine stored more than 300,000 records containing customers’ names, Social Security numbers, and other information. On the same day, InformationWeek noted that Horizon Blue Cross had invoked a security feature that, according to an unnamed spokesperson for the company, “destroys all the data on the stolen computer” (a functionality MyLaptopGPS shares).
  • A Jan. 25th article in the Boston Herald reported that a laptop computer containing information on Medicare information on nearly 30,000 customers of Fallon Community Health had gone missing to thieves. Names, dates of birth, some diagnostic information and medical ID numbers were on the machine, which belonged to a third-party contractor that manages Fallon’s medical claims. Medical ID numbers, a report from the previous day in Boston Business Journal said, are sometimes based on Social Security numbers.
  • On Jan. 22, the Connecticut Post Online reported the theft of a mobile computer from Health Net, Inc., a large, U.S.-based managed health care provider. The machine contained Social Security numbers and other identifying data on an undisclosed number of Health Net employees, the article noted, quoting a spokesperson saying the “problem… could affect several thousand people.” The report went on to quote another health insurance professional, who noted that physicians are “major targets for embezzlement and identity theft.”

“Effective technology for laptop computer security can be exceedingly inexpensive to purchase and easy to install,” said Dan Yost, chief technology officer at MyLaptopGPS. “Organizations that leave their highly vulnerable mobile computing devices bereft of security technology have little reason to do so. At an affordable price that dwarfs the potential cost of just one laptop theft, MyLaptopGPS secures an entire laptop computer fleet against theft.”

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

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.

###

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