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: Just Two Laptop Thefts Reported on Same Day Left as Many as 328,000 Unique Data Records in Jeopardy

/in , , , , /by

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


 

According to USA Today, theft of personal data has more than tripled this year. Readers may view video of Siciliano below discussing this news on the new “FOX Business” network. To learn more about identity theft, a major concern for anyone who has been affected by the theft of a laptop computer, readers may go to video of Siciliano at VideoJug.

###

About MyLaptopGPS

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

About IDTheftSecurity.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

Identity Theft Expert and Speaker on Personal Security 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

Identity Theft Expert and Speaker on Personal Security Says the Behavior and Attributes of Security-Enhanced Credit Cards Must Be Simple for Users

/in , , , , , /by

(BOSTON, Mass. – Aug. 7, 2007 – IDTheftSecurity.com) Last week researchers touted the characteristics of a hypothetical high-functioning “dream credit card” that would offer consumer tools to prevent and detect credit card fraud. Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert, commended the idea of such a card, but said simpler solutions already exist through technology that relies on credit cards’ existing attributes and relieves the consumer of the need to implement his or her own security measures.

“It’s a commendable idea to suggest the development of a highly functional credit card that dissuades fraudulent activity,” said Siciliano. “At the same time, the market continues to ignore technology already available that, if implemented en masse, would drastically reduce the incidence of credit card fraud and, by corollary, identity 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.

A press release from Javelin Strategy & Research, dated Aug. 1, detailed the security features of what the organization termed a dream credit card. Javelin researchers claimed that a hypothetical credit card with the functionality they announced not only held the promise of putting consumers in control of security measures against identity fraud, but also presented “a golden opportunity” for card issuers “to increase loyalty and retention, and strengthen relationships and their brand reputation,” according to Javelin President James Van Dyke, quoted in the release. The credit card proposed includes options for consumers to enhance their own cards’ security levels.

“The idea that security is a marketing tool is a solid one,” said Siciliano. “This is a concept that card issuers ought to embrace. But, too often, industry places too much hope in solutions touted as panaceas to the fundamental problem of securely authenticating the card user at the point of sale. And, with too many steps or choices, security of any type becomes too confusing for the typical consumer, who, prizing ease of use above all, isn’t sufficiently adept at setting options on limits, setting up instant messaging, or tooling around with security settings.”

Siciliano advised card issuers to consider simpler technologies that rely on existing credit card attributes—and very little on consumers’ attention to their credit cards’ security features beyond the proactive step of making the decision to get a card that’s more secure.

Every credit card, for instance, has a magnetic strip on the back, composed from the slurry that comprises billions of microscopic particles. Like DNA, no two credit cards’ magnetic strips are alike; each is unique. MagnePrint®, from the company of the same name, is a technology that assigns an identity to this uniqueness, a fingerprint unlike any other, at the credit card’s point of manufacture. As Siciliano mentioned in his article for the August 2007 edition of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report, complementing hardware known as MagTek® works in concert with MagnePrint at the point of sale (POS) to protect transactions from fraud.

“Card issuers might market their cards’ security features with great success,” Siciliano concluded. “But a game-changing, new breed of secure credit card must seem, to the consumer, exactly like the previous breed in terms of how to use it.”

Readers may view CNBC footage on YouTube, below, that features Siciliano discussing debit card and credit card scams. Readers may learn how to protect themselves against identity theft, a major concern for anyone whose electronic communication devices have been hacked, by viewing 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 CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, “FOX News,” NBC’s “Today Show,” “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 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, www.IDTheftSecurity.com; blog, www.realtysecurity.com/blog; and YouTube page, http://youtube.com/stungundotcom.

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

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

The media may also contact:

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

Identity Theft: Unmonitored Data May Be Online and Susceptible to Theft—Identity Theft Expert and Speaker on Personal Security

/in , , , /by

(BOSTON, Mass. – June 1, 2007 – IDTheftSecurity.com) Research has suggested that industry has not done enough to secure sensitive data that resides on enterprise networks. According to Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert, this and other news again raises question regarding how to protect unknown quantities of computerized information in an age of everyday online search.

“Identity thieves continue to have a vast treasure trove of data at their disposal,” said Siciliano. “We need a concerted effort to ferret out and secure the untold amounts of unsecured data that otherwise threaten to become thieves’ bounty after the next massive data breach.”

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.

Research suggests that confidential information remains largely unprotected online at most organizations. A report by Enterprise Strategy Group and based on a survey of 227 Information Security professionals at North American public and private organizations has found one-fourth of respondents rating their organizations as “fair” or “poor” with regards to procedures and policies for confidential data.

On May 29, Computer Technology Review (CTR) reported that unmonitored and, perhaps, undocumented records in the form of Word and Excel or with file extensions such as .PST and .PDF comprise about 70 percent to 80 percent of organizations’ data.

Much of this data-at-rest, according to the article in CTR, resides on individual computers’ hard drives, susceptible to theft. Sometimes this data is posted online, and, in a tangentially related development, according to an April 30 article in The Money Times, multiple state governments have made moves to make documents previously unsearchable available to Google users.

“We are dancing on a fine line,” said Siciliano. “The needs of the Freedom of Information Act must be facilitated, but the need to protect information unsuitable, from a security standpoint, for online search is also a priority.”

Readers may view a CNBC video clip, which features Siciliano discussing the perils of data security, here:

###
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 CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, “FOX News,” NBC’s “Today Show,” “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 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, 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
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
STETrevisions
PHONE: 617-875-4859
FAX: 866-663-6557
BrentSkinner@STETrevisions.biz

www.STETrevisions.biz

Identity Theft: Increasing Incidence of Online Threats Demands Increase in Security Education—Identity Theft Expert and Speaker on Personal Security

/in , , , /by

(BOSTON, Mass. – April 6, 2007 – IDTheftSecurity.com) Last month a well-known computer security firm released a report showing how the incidence of computer threats and the complexity and sophistication of individuals perpetrating them are growing. According to Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert, the findings underscored the validity of other’ calls for strengthening IT security education and awareness programs.

“The response to ambitious hackers and the computer threats they engineer must be equally ambitious and scale to the ever-evolving dangers,” said Siciliano. “One major line of defense is IT security education. All companies should invest heavily in educating their workforces about IT security challenges.”

CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com, Siciliano leads Fortune 500 companies and their clients in workshops that explore consumer education solutions for security issues. On its Web site, the Privacy Learning Institute has featured Siciliano, a longtime identity theft speaker. Author of “The Safety Minute: 01,” He has discussed identity theft and data security on CNBC, on NBC’s “Today Show,” FOX News, and elsewhere.

A March 19th news release from Symantec Corporation of Cupertino, Calif., shared findings from the “Internet Security Threat Report Volume XI,” which looked at the incidence of various computer threats over the second half of 2006 vs. the first half:

Bot-infections (i.e., computers becoming “zombies” that operate, unbeknownst to their users, as malicious servers) increased by 29 percent.

Trojans constituted 45 percent of the top 50 malicious code samples—a 23 percent increase.

Zero-day vulnerabilities (undocumented threats to new software releases) increased twelve-fold.

According to Symantec’s report, these and other increases resulted in higher threats to personal, identifying information stored on computers. The research also revealed that hackers are expanding collaborative efforts on a massive scale.

Findings released a month earlier by Input, a Reston, VA–based market research firm, indicated that Department of Defense and Civilian Agencies will spend $690 million on IT security education and awareness programs over the next five years. The Feb. 20th news release noted: The Federal Information Security Management Act currently mandates that federal agencies provide security awareness and training to employees on an annual basis. But, the report suggested, successful education programs must require higher frequency and include random testing at a minimum of every few months.

“Hackers are becoming much more aggressive and vigorous in their antics,” concluded Siciliano. “We must respond in kind with training and education. Very little will completely halt a black hat hacker; they’re ants moving the rubber tree plant, but an equally technical person who knows how to put preventive systems in place has a fighting chance.”

###

About IDTheftSecurity.com
Identity theft affects us all, which is why Robert Siciliano, CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com, 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 CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, “The Suze Orman Show,” “ABC News with Sam Donaldson,” “The Montel Williams Show,” “Maury Povich,” “Sally Jesse Raphael,” and “The Howard Stern Show.”

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
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
STETrevisions
PHONE: 617-875-4859
FAX: 866-663-6557
BrentSkinner@STETrevisions.biz
www.STETrevisions.biz