Identity Theft Expert and Speaker on Personal Security: Governments Must Set a Much-Needed Example of Responsible Laptop Computer Security

/in , , , , , , /by

(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: Potential Legal Costs of Laptop Theft Make Technology Designed to Combat it All the More Attractive

/in , , , , /by

(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

Identity Theft Expert and Speaker on Personal Security Offers Nine Tips to Help Holiday Travelers Reduce Their Risk of Falling Prey to Crime

/in , , , , , , /by

(BOSTON, Mass. – Nov. 16, 2007 – IDTheftSecurity.com) A number of reports have, as in years’ past, cited the sharp spike in travel expected over the holiday season, which is set to begin next week. Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert, offered advice for all travelers to follow, helping them to avoid falling prey to predators and other criminals while away from home.

“Criminals love it when we’re distracted,” said Robert Siciliano. “They’re best able to steal from us, or assault us, when we’re off guard, and travelers are often most likely to be so. Luckily, we can implement simple measures to reduce our risks.”

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, consumer protection, and personal security issues such as self-defense on numerous television outlets, including CNBC, on NBC’s “Today Show,” and FOX News.

On Nov. 14, CarJunky.com published an article on safe driving tips, and on the same day, the Monticello Herald Journal quoted law enforcement officials saying the day for Thanksgiving sees the most travel of the season. Siciliano shared nine tips designed to help holiday travelers stay safe during this time of year:

1. Securing your mobile computing equipment: Reports of laptop thefts have dominate the news. Those planning to bring work with them on their holiday travels should secure their mobile computing equipment with technology that guards and retrieves the data on these machines once in the hands of thieves. Once such product, MyLaptopGPS™, allows users, from a remote location, not only to retrieve and delete data from the lost machine, but also to track the device’s whereabouts with Internet-based GPS tracking.

2. Protecting your identity: It may seem old-fashioned, but consider paying with cash whenever possible; even better, try travelers’ checks. Plastic is susceptible to fraud. For instance, unscrupulous wait staff might use a wedge-type device to illegally swipe and capture patrons’ credit card information. A traveler should remember to be careful with credit cards and, also, to exercise caution when divulging a Social Security number. To learn more about identity theft, readers may watch video of Siciliano at VideoJug.

3. Understanding the fundamentals: Body language is 55 percent of communication. Strive to appear in control of yourself and your plans. Be alert to your surroundings. At all times, know what is going on 50 feet to 100 feet around the perimeter of your body. Voice tone and pitch equal 35 percent of communication. The way you communicate physically and verbally can determine whether a predator deems you a good target, so be confident and succinct.

4. Airport awareness: Airports are havens for criminals. Pay full attention to your belongings when airport security screens you. Fully cooperate with security personnel and be patient. Beware of strangers who are distracting or watching you.

5. Preventing abductions: Returning to a parked car, scan the area around it and watch for suspicious activity. Vans are telltale signs of foul play waiting to happen. Abductors and rapist will open the side door and pull their victims inside.

6. Pickpockets and thieves: Do not fight over material items. Carry currency in small amounts and denominations. Keep it in an easily accessible pocket. If someone tries to rob you, throw the “chump change” several feet away. This will distract the robber and give you time to escape.

7. Telephone basics: Protect your calling card number. Be wary of everyone around you as you enter this number. In airports, thieves could be videotaping a “going away” couple right behind you as you punch in your digits. The person standing at the phone next to you could be relaying your number to an accomplice.

8. Rental cars and transportation: Hide rental agreements, dead giveaways that you are traveling. Keep these off the dash. Don’t store valuables in the trunk, as many rental cars use a universal key to unlock everything. If you lose the ignition key, you may very well lose everything. Should you find yourself in a minor accident, stop only in a well-lit area. Carjackers provoke such “accidents” just to get travelers to stop. Do not stop on a deserted, dark street.

9. Staying at the hotel: Be suspicious of a call from the hotel desk just after check-in. The person on the other end of the phone may request verification of your credit card number “because the imprint was unreadable.” In reality, a thief may have watched you enter the hotel room and called from the guest phone in the lobby.

“On your way to visit family, make regular calls to loved ones and let them know where you are,” Siciliano concluded. “This ensures that they’ll have the most accurate idea possible of your whereabouts should a predator get the best of you.”

###

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

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

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

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

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

The media may also contact:

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

Identity Theft Expert and Speaker on Personal Security Points to Increasingly Brazen Laptop Thefts as Reason for Firms to Rethink Mobile Computer Security

/in , /by

(BOSTON, Mass. – Nov. 12, 2007 – IDTheftSecurity.com) Reports over just the past two weeks underscored the ease and brazenness with which thieves can steal laptop computers. Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert, said the unrelenting pace of laptop computer theft is a symptom of poor security choices. According to Siciliano, smart organizations have yet more reason to rethink the measures they take to secure mobile computing devices. He pointed to MyLaptopGPS™.

“At least seventy thousand personal data files have possibly fallen into the hands of criminals as the result of laptop computers reported stolen in just the past two-week timeframe,” said Siciliano. “But laptop computer security is in fact an affordable, feasible proposition. Those who store their customers’, employees, and other constituents’ sensitive data on mobile computing devices owe it to these people to avail themselves of security technologies from companies such as MyLaptopGPS, which tracks stolen laptops with Internet-based GPS and allows users from remote locations to delete files on stolen machines.”

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.

The St. Petersburg Times reported on Oct. 28 that one man stole 150 laptops from various corporations’ offices in five states during the time period of 2002 through the spring of this year. Arrested in April, the “Khaki Bandit,” according to reports, gained access to office buildings by closely shadowing security personnel’s entry. Once inside, he allegedly stole the machines in plain sight of nearby workers.

Reports continued to indicate that laptop theft is rampant. The following laptop thefts, all reported during the past two weeks, put more than 70,000 people at risk of becoming victims of identity thieves and other financial fraudsters:

  • The Nov.8th edition of The Charlotte Observer reported the loss of a laptop computer belonging to the Cabarrus County Emergency Medical Services. Names, addresses, phone numbers and Social Security numbers for about 28,000 who had received are at the healthcare facility were stored on the lost device, according to the article, which reported that Cabarrus County spent $17,676 just to print and mail letters of warning to those whose data may now be in the hands of criminals.
  • A Nov. 5th story in The Ticker, City University of New York’s campus newspaper, reported the theft from that learning institution of a laptop containing more than 23,000 financial aid–receiving students’ names and Social Security numbers. The article noted that the security of password protection varies widely.
  • On Oct. 30th, “WZZM 13 News” reported that up to 18,000 current and potential students of Big Rapids, Mich.–based Ferris State University were at risk of identity theft; a laptop computer stolen from an admissions recruiter’s car contained their names, addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, email addresses, academic information, and student identification numbers.
  • According to an Oct. 29th report from “KGMB9 News,” a laptop belonging to the U.S. Postal Service and stolen in August contained confidential data on nearly 3,000 postal employees in Oahu, Hawaii. The report indicated that authorities who waited to inform the affected employees did so because they hadn’t known of the file’s existence on the lost machine.

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.

“Robust security for laptop computers makes good business sense,” said Dan Yost, chief technology officer at MyLaptopGPS. “Financial and other contingencies that arise from the theft of even just one laptop computer can be prohibitive. The cost alone of informing those possibly affected can reach into the thousands of dollars. MyLaptopGPS is the logical alternative.”

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 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.

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
  http://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
  http://www.idtheftsecurity.com

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

Identity Theft Expert and Speaker on Personal Security Says Affordable and Simple Security Measures Make Consequences of Laptop Theft Unnecessary

/in , /by

(BOSTON, Mass. – Oct. 26, 2007 – IDTheftSecurity.com) Reports from just one day this month indicated that high-profile mobile computer thefts led to the loss of personal data on nearly 175,000 individuals. Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert, said the frenetic pace of data loss at the hands of laptop computer thieves is inexcusable and unnecessary. He urged organizations of all kinds to use technology such as Internet-based GPS to track their fleets of laptop computers.

“Some of the information lost this month may represent a national security risk,” said Siciliano. “Yet we wouldn’t have to face these types of consequences of laptop computer theft if only organizations would adopt and implement simple, affordable technology designed to track, retrieve, and protect the data stored on lost mobile computers.”

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

One day, Oct. 16, 2007, saw reports on laptop thefts that potentially exposed nearly 175,000 unique personal data records to thieves:

  • SC Magazine reported the theft of three laptop computers belonging to the Transportation Security Administration. Among those whose personal information was stored on the machines were commercial truck drivers who transport hazardous materials. Data included names, addresses, birthdays, commercial driver’s license numbers, and some Social Security numbers.
  • The Orlando-Sentinel reported the theft of a laptop computer from Administaff Inc., a temporary employment agency serving the Central Florida business community. According to the article, the company alerted 159,000 past and current workers that the loss might have compromised their personal data, which the machine had housed unencrypted.
  • TheBostonChannel.com reported that the theft in Massachusetts of a laptop computer belonging to Home Depot placed the personal data on 10,000 employees at risk.

But the day was no exception; laptop theft continues unabated. A Sept. 28th news release reported that the personal data for approximately 800,000 people who applied online or by phone for store positions at one of Gap Inc.’s brands between July 2006 and June 2007 had gone missing. Their data, according to the release, had been stored on a laptop stolen from the offices of a third-party vendor tasked with managing the job applications.

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.

“The loss of a laptop computer to theft doesn’t have to spell doom for those whose personal data are stored on the lost device’s hard drive,” said Dan Yost, chief technology officer at MyLaptopGPS. “If only industry would use technology like MyLaptopGPS’s, such events would indeed be nonevents; from a remote location, officials would be able to safely retrieve and delete any sensitive information unbeknownst to the thief, and eventually recover the stolen machine.”

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 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.

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
  http://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
  http://www.idtheftsecurity.com

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

Identity Theft Expert and Speaker on Personal Security Cites Research in Call for Organizations of All Kinds to Improve Their Mobile Computing Security Measures

/in , , , , , , , /by

(BOSTON, Mass. – Oct. 10, 2007 – IDTheftSecurity.com) According to reports, researchers in the U.K. have found that security there is not a priority for those in charge of the many devices and business networks that enable computer users to be mobile. Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert, said the research, combined with news of recent thefts of laptop computers belonging to major U.S. universities’ professors, underscored the fact that organizations of kinds must take mobile computing security seriously.

“Whether in the U.S. or the U.K.,” said Siciliano, “the security surrounding laptop computers and the tools that enable their users to be mobile and connected is evidently still lacking. And yet technologies such as Internet-based GPS and electronic inventorying are easy to use and cost pennies to the thousands, even millions, of dollars that typify data security snafus.”

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.

So far this fall, laptop computers at two major U.S. universities have been stolen. Both computers were under professors’ custody when they went missing. One of the incidents occurred at the University of Iowa and, according to the report in the Oct. 8th DesMoines Register, placed 100 students’ Social Security numbers at risk. Students at Carnegie Mellon University faced similar concerns when two laptop computers containing Social Security numbers were stolen from a computer science professor’s office, according to an Oct. 8th report in the school’s paper, The Tartan.

Last month, vnunet.com reported on the Benchmark of IT Strategy 2007, a report produced by the Manchester, U.K.-based National Computing Centre. According to the Sept. 6th article in vnunet.com, although data from the report suggested that attention to laptop security is on the rise, findings from the report also revealed that “40 percent of respondents have either not secured, or only partially secured, their wireless networks” and that “only 11 percent have any kind of security system in place to govern” the use of portable storage devices.

“Wireless networks, portable storage devices, and the like are often used in conjunction with, and facilitate, mobile computing,” said Siciliano. “Any lack of attention to the security of these elements eventually affects the security of laptop computers themselves.”

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.

“Laptop computers, along with the ancillary devices and networks that make them truly mobile in functionality, are ripe targets for thieves,” said Dan Yost, chief technology officer at MyLaptopGPS. “Smart organizations acknowledge this and take actions to counter the threat, and MyLaptopGPS’s products give their actions teeth by providing intuitive, robust, and affordable mobile computing security, a major cornerstone of the effort to thwart high-tech criminals.”

The October 2007 issue of Bank Fraud & IT Security Report, a newsletter published only in hard copy, ran an article by Siciliano and Yost on the seven layers of laptop computer security. 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.

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 Encourages IT Departments to Secure Their Laptop Computer Fleets with Internet-based GPS

/in , , , , , , /by

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

###

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 Comments on Research into IT Security Professionals’ Attitudes about Security

/in , , , , , /by

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

###

About MyLaptopGPS

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

About IDTheftSecurity.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

Identity Theft Expert and Speaker on Personal Security Stresses the Likelihood That Laptop Computer Thieves Will Commit Identity Fraud and Other Crimes

/in , , , , , , /by

(BOSTON, Mass. – Aug. 23, 2007 – IDTheftSecurity.com) Recent news reports have tied laptop computer theft to identity fraud and related crimes. According to Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert, credit card fraud and other financial data–related offenses are clear and present dangers for anyone whose sensitive, personal information is on a stolen laptop computer. He said businesses and other organizations are especially susceptible to the high costs associated with these concerns, and directed them to technology that tracks and secures lost mobile computers.

“A lost laptop computer is a lost identity,” said Siciliano. “Left unsecured, a laptop easily becomes a useful tool for the criminal bent on committing identity theft and related crimes. Imagine this criminal’s elation to find a treasure trove of sensitive, identifying data on a stolen mobile computer. Any organization that uses laptop computers needs to secure these machines against theft. ”

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

The subject of an article from the Aug. 14th edition of the San Jose Mercury News provided insight into why laptop theft’s costs are high. Detailing the activities of a laptop-stealing, Alameda, Calif.–based boyfriend–girlfriend team, the article described how the two reportedly used stolen laptop computers to visit people-search Websites that yielded personal financial information enabling them to commit identity fraud, credit card fraud, and other, related crimes.

According to experts, under similar theft scenarios the owner’s data itself is also at risk. “To make best use of the owner’s personal financial data, a thief will, predictably, go onto the Internet with a stolen laptop computer,” said Dan Yost, chief technology officer at MyLaptopGPS, a company whose products and services secure laptops and the data stored on them. “This is where our product shines. Even as the thief attempts to gain access to the owner’s bank account and other financial repositories, MyLaptopGPS retrieves and deletes all important data from the machine.”

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

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

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

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

###

About MyLaptopGPS

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

About IDTheftSecurity.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

Identity Theft Expert and Speaker on Personal Security Says Any Laptop Computer Theft Must Also Be Treated as a Breach of Data

/in , , , , , /by

(BOSTON, Mass. – Aug. 13, 2007 – IDTheftSecurity.com) Last month’s theft of a laptop computer from a high-tech security products manufacturer has resulted in a data breach. According to Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert, the development at once underscored the danger posed by recent laptop thefts and revealed the need for better antitheft protection on mobile computing devices. He directed organizations to solutions from MyLaptopGPS™.

“Any laptop theft must be treated not only as a loss of hardware, but also of data,” said Siciliano. “Most criminals realize that a treasure trove of sensitive data resides on the typical laptop computer, and many steal them for this very reason.”

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

On Aug. 6, SC Magazine reported that VeriSign, Inc. suffered a data breach traced to the theft of a laptop computer that a now-former employee had stored in a vehicle. Social Security numbers, salary information, phone numbers, and other data were among the identifying information on the computer’s hard drive. SC Magazine’s article quoted VeriSign officials saying that they had “no reason to believe that the thief or thieves acted with the intent to extract and use this information.”

“Any company whose mobile computing devices fall prey to thieves must assume that criminals know exactly why they’re stealing the hardware — to pilfer the valuable data,” said Dan Yost, chief technology officer at MyLaptopGPS, a company whose products and services secure laptops and the data stored on them. “Some thieves may indeed be stealing laptop computers to resell them on the black market, but their hacker friends prize the machines for the Social Security numbers and other sensitive data.”

A July 7th article in The Kansas City Star detailed how the theft of a laptop from another security-related firm, Securitas Security Services USA Inc., prompted the company itself to warn those whose identifying data was on the machine of possible identity theft. Meanwhile, several laptop thefts and losses have occurred, throwing into question the safety of untold thousands of individuals’ identifying information:

      • The July 27th

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

      reported that the theft of a laptop computer belonging to American Education Services’ subcontractor Vista Financial Inc. compromised the identities of more than 5,000 student loan borrowers.

• On July 11, the University of Minnesota’s newspaper, The Minnesota Daily, reported the theft of a political science professor’s laptop computer containing information on students of her classes dating back to fall 2005. According to the article, the laptop was in a locked car at the time of burglary.

• On June 25, the Associated Press reported on the May 30th theft of a laptop computer belonging to the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. The machine, according to the article, contained identifying information on 439 injured workers.

Siciliano indicated that the answer is for organizations of all types to secure their mobile computing fleers with robust protection. One such system, MyLaptopGPS’s, combines Internet-based GPS tracking — which, for tracking and retrieving stolen laptops, is more effective than other forms of GPS — with other functionalities that users can launch remotely to protect data even while the machine is in a criminal’s hands. Once connected to the Internet, the software silently retrieves, and then deletes, files from machines as it tracks the stolen or missing hardware — at once returning the data to its rightful owner and removing it from the lost computer.

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

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

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

###

About MyLaptopGPS

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

About IDTheftSecurity.com

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

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

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

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

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

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