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Identity Theft Articles
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- Background Checks Don't Tell the Whole Story - by Submitted on Sep 14, 2018 from Robert SicilianoWhen it comes to background checks, the National Crime Information Center is the gold standard. It is only available to law enforcement agencies and is the most accurate and complete database tracking convictions and arrests in the US. That sounds pretty great, right? Unfortunately, it’s ...
Views: 24 - A "Credit Profile Number" is a fake SSN, and it Works - by Submitted on Sep 12, 2018 from Robert SicilianoCyber criminals are constantly trying to stay one step ahead of the good guys, and there is now another scam out there that you should know about: synthetic identity theft. Basically, the criminals take information from someone, and then make up the rest. They also often use fake Social Security ...
Views: 20 - How To Protect Your Entire Company From Phishing, Malware, Spam and Spoofing - by Submitted on Sep 09, 2018 from Misty JhonesThe competition among the numerous companies that make up the notch of every business endeavor calls for a mechanism that will protect the interests of the company from predators that are out to steal valuable information from their rivals. There should be as a matter of fact the availability of ...
Views: 38 - 2017 Was the Worst year for Data Breaches EVER! - by Submitted on Sep 07, 2018 from Robert SicilianoIt seems like 2017 broke records for all the wrong reasons…one of them being the worst year for data breaches in history. According to reports, hacking was the most common way to collect this data, but almost 70% of exposures occurred due to accidental leaks or human error. This came ...
Views: 25 - NIST Issues Guidance for Medical IoT Device Security - by Submitted on Sep 05, 2018 from Michael PetersThere are more connected devices than there are humans on Earth. Organizations have been as quick to embrace the Internet of Things as consumers have, and the healthcare industry is no exception. Medical IoT devices have exploded in popularity and grown in complexity. Smart medical devices allow ...
Views: 41 - 15 Year Old's Naked Photos Spread Like Wild Fire - by Submitted on Sep 05, 2018 from Robert SicilianoYou have probably heard the story before. Teenage girl takes some scantily clad photos and sends them to her latest boyfriend. “What could go wrong?,” she thinks. Well, a lot could go wrong, and an article on Vice.com really lays that out. You might think that the boyfriend is ...
Views: 86 - 10 Tips on Discussing a Screwed Up World with Kids - by Submitted on Aug 22, 2018 from Robert SicilianoDo you have children? How do you talk to them when something like a mass shooting happens? What about a robbery in your neighborhood? Do you talk about nuclear weapons? If you are like most parents, you don’t know where to start. Here’s 10 tips that you can use to talk to your kids ...
Views: 35 - The WPA3 WiFi Security Standard: What Your Enterprise Needs to Know - by Submitted on Aug 21, 2018 from Michael PetersAccording to the Wi-Fi Alliance, there are now more IoT devices than there are humans on Earth, and over 50% of internet traffic travels through wireless networks. As people’s dependence on connected devices has grown, free public WiFi has become insanely popular, but it’s also insanely ...
Views: 47 - Cyber Security Best Practices When Using Public WiFi Networks - by Submitted on Aug 17, 2018 from Michael PetersOnce a luxury item, free public WiFi has morphed into a standard service that consumers expect when patronizing everything from restaurants and retail stores to airports and hotels. Free WiFi users aren’t just checking Facebook or posting vacation photos to Instagram, either; all of us have sat ...
Views: 48 - Be aware of all these Confidence Crimes - by Submitted on Jul 27, 2018 from Robert SicilianoCriminals have a reliance on tricking victims to get access to account information, like passwords. This is known as social engineering, and is also called a “confidence crime.” These come in many forms: Do Not Take the Bait of These Phishermen A phishing email that targets a ...
Views: 47 - Top Cyber Threats Organizations Are Facing Right Now - by Submitted on Jul 26, 2018 from Michael PetersCyber security is a continuous game of Spy vs. Spy. Every time a new technology is introduced, the potential attack surface expands. The moment one vulnerability is patched, hackers find another way in. Keeping up can feel overwhelming, even for security professionals. In no particular order, ...
Views: 82 - 10 Huge Home Security Mistakes - by Submitted on Jul 25, 2018 from Robert SicilianoThough it would be nice to think that you can fix something if you make a mistake, there are some where there is just no going back. And in some cases, these mistakes can be tragic. Here are some of the biggest mistakes that people make with their home security: Leaving Doors Unlocked ...
Views: 63 - 5 Digital Security Tips That You Should Always Beware Of - by Submitted on Jul 25, 2018 from Robert SicilianoHackers are out there, and they have their eyes on YOU! So, you are the first line of defense against them. Do you know how to make your smart phone or computer more difficult for hackers to access? Here’s five tips to help: Password Information You would think that these days, ...
Views: 55 - Business Email Compromise Losses Top $12 Billion Globally, Says FBI - by Submitted on Jul 20, 2018 from Michael PetersGlobal losses from business email compromise scams, a highly sophisticated form of phishing, grew by 136% between December 2016 and May 2018 and now exceed $12 billion, according to a public service announcement released by the FBI. What Is a Business Email Compromise Scam? A business ...
Views: 131 - Are You Taking Responsibility for Your Personal Safety? - by Submitted on Jul 18, 2018 from Robert SicilianoFor the most part, the local police department does not prevent most assaults or burglaries. That would require a cop to be everywhere all at once. Not happening. However, they do their best to capture and arrest those who commit these crimes. And, preventing crimes goes way beyond getting a ...
Views: 74 - Is the California Consumer Privacy Act the “American GDPR”? - by Submitted on Jul 12, 2018 from Michael PetersThe recent Exactis data leak, which could surpass Equifax in the sheer number and scope of records exposed, has data privacy advocates calling for an “American GDPR.” While it is unlikely that a federal data privacy law will come to pass anytime soon, some states have already taken matters into ...
Views: 148 - Nearly 340 Million Records Exposed in Exactis Data Leak - by Submitted on Jul 05, 2018 from Michael PetersLast week’s data leak at Exactis, a Florida-based marketing and data aggregation firm, has cyber security experts and data privacy advocates up in arms. WIRED reports: Earlier this month, security researcher Vinny Troia discovered that Exactis, a data broker based in Palm Coast, Florida, had ...
Views: 221 - 15 Tips to Ensure the Safety and Security of Your Home - by Submitted on May 23, 2018 from Robert SicilianoWhen is the last time you thought about the safety and security of your home? How about thinking about it right now? Do you do the following? If not, start, today: Do you have propane tanks for a gas grill? Or gasoline cans with gas in them? They aren’t supposed to be stored inside. ...
Views: 154 - Are Your Employees Putting Your Company at Risk? Here’s How to Find Out! - by Submitted on May 18, 2018 from Robert SicilianoEven if you have the best security on your computer network, you might have noticed that you still seem to get hacked…or worse. Ask Equifax. Why is this happening? It’s probably because a member of your staff has made it easy for cyber criminals to get inside. It’s really ...
Views: 111 - Creating a “Plan B” for Survival - by Submitted on May 09, 2018 from Robert SicilianoWhat do you do if you have a “Plan A” for survival, but you realize that it’s a bad plan. Do you have a “Plan B?” Forget about doing things like running to the grocery store right before the snow storm of the century hits. Everyone else in your town or city will ...
Views: 126 - Freezing Your Child's Credit: What You Need to Know - by Submitted on May 04, 2018 from Robert SicilianoYou might not think about this, but identity thieves really want your child’s Social Security number. If they get this number, they can do a lot, including buying a car, renting an apartment, opening a credit card account, or getting a mortgage. The Social Security numbers of children are ...
Views: 554 - 12 Ways to Keep Your Data & Identity Safe Online - by Submitted on May 03, 2018 from Susan FriesenHow to Boost Your Digital Security for Peace of Mind From the recent Facebook data breach to compromised customer data at huge companies like FedEx and Delta, personal security is more relevant than ever. In fact, it might even seem that our data is under attack! While you can’t ...
Views: 250(2 votes) - Many U.S. Companies Unaware that the GDPR Applies to Them - by Submitted on May 02, 2018 from Michael PetersWith just over three weeks to go until the May 25, 2018, deadline, many U.S. companies are woefully unprepared for the EU’s new General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR. In fact, quite a few of them don’t yet realize they have to achieve GDPR compliance. A new survey by CompTIA found that “A ...
Views: 238 - Protect Your Company with This Social Media Security Advice - by Submitted on May 02, 2018 from Robert SicilianoSocial media is an excellent tool for small businesses, yet, the use of social media by small business staff can definitely put the company in danger. Many small business owners and managers don’t realize this. Recently, I was talking to employees of a credit union about what to do in a ...
Views: 148 - Secret Self-Defense Weapons You Might Not Know About - by Submitted on May 02, 2018 from Robert SicilianoDo you have a secret self-defense weapon on hand that you don’t even know about? Here’s a few: Canes. Might seem obvious…but… Your first instinct would probably be to swing the cane like a baseball bat. However, this isn’t the best way. An attacker can easily ...
Views: 143 - Mobile Phone Numbers Are as Sensitive as Your Social Security Number - by Submitted on Apr 19, 2018 from Robert SicilianoAll of us have cell phones these days, and if you are like the vast majority of the population, you access everything from social media to banking information right from your mobile phone. However, if you do this, which everyone does, you are putting yourself in the position to get hacked. With ...
Views: 178(1 vote) - Tapping Into the Lost Art of Privacy in the Noisy 21st Century - by Submitted on Apr 16, 2018 from Jessica McMohenHow many internet-connected devices do you have in your home? Do some of them have cameras? How many different computers, phones, and smart devices can track your location? Which social media websites have recorded your personal information? How many of your followers know where you ...
Views: 199 - Self-Defense Options You Might Not Know About - by Submitted on Apr 10, 2018 from Robert SicilianoIf you are like most people, you probably haven’t done a lot of thinking about what you would do in a situation involving physical assault. Why would you? I mean, it’s unpleasant and scary. Further, depending on your physical makeup, you may think you’d probably lose anyway. ...
Views: 166 - The Term "Identity Theft Protection" is Often a Lie - by Submitted on Apr 05, 2018 from Robert SicilianoIf you are working for an IT security company, I have a message for you: the term “identity theft protection” is way overused and even abused as a marketing term. We know that this term is used to sell services and products, but does it really protect a user from being the victim of ...
Views: 187 - Cyber Security Lesson Brief from the Under Armour Breach - by Submitted on Apr 04, 2018 from Michael PetersLast week, athletic apparel manufacturer Under Armour announced that its popular MyFitnessPal weight loss and fitness tracking app had been hacked, compromising 150 million accounts. The Under Armour breach is the largest data breach so far this year and ranks among the top five to date. It also ...
Views: 261 - Do You Know How to Use a Knife for Survival? - by Submitted on Apr 04, 2018 from Robert SicilianoUsing a knife in a survival situation is a skill that can mean the difference between life and death. But, you have to know how to use the knife. Here is some information: Knife Safety: Carry a fixed-blade knife if you are going outdoors. It is less likely to get broken Always keep a ...
Views: 186 - Don't Overlook Basement Security - by Submitted on Mar 29, 2018 from Robert SicilianoIf you are like most of us, you probably don’t think much about the security of your basement. However, you might want to start doing that. Why? Because burglars love to get into homes by crawling into the basement. They know that most people don’t put a lot of security there, so it ...
Views: 170 - 45 Home Security Tips That Help to Keep Burglars Away - by Submitted on Mar 20, 2018 from Robert SicilianoIf you have a home, you should be worried about burglars. Here are 44 home security tips that you can use to keep the burglars away: Keep your doors locked all of the time. Use a deadbolt on every door. Don’t leave ladders outside. Teach young kids NOT to answer the door. Make ...
Views: 186 - Use a Password Manager Or You WILL Get Hacked - by Submitted on Mar 19, 2018 from Robert SicilianoDo you ever use the same password over and over again for different accounts? If so, you are not alone. However, this is quite dangerous. It’s best to use a different, unique password for each account, and to make it easier, you should use a password manager. According to surveys, ...
Views: 171 - Employees Are Biggest Threat to Healthcare Data Security - by Submitted on Mar 15, 2018 from Michael PetersHealthcare data security is under attack from the inside. While insider threats — due to employee error, carelessness, or malicious intent — are a problem in every industry, they are a particular pox on healthcare data security. Two recent reports illustrate the gravity of the ...
Views: 324 - Is Your Bugout Bag Ready to Go? - by Submitted on Mar 14, 2018 from Robert SicilianoIt seems like there have been a number of natural disasters hitting the US over the past couple of years…hurricanes, wild fires, floods…the list goes on. If you are caught in the face of a survival emergency, do you have supplies? Consider a bugout bag. These are sacks that you can ...
Views: 180 - Protecting Yourself from a Data Breach requires Two Step Authentication - by Submitted on Mar 08, 2018 from Robert SicilianoHave you ever thought about how a data breach could affect you personally? What about your business? Either way, it can be devastating. Fortunately, there are ways that you can protect your personal or business data, and it’s easier than you think. Don’t assume that protecting ...
Views: 194 - Tax Phishing Scams Are Back: Here Are 3 to Watch Out For - by Submitted on Mar 07, 2018 from Michael PetersTax season is stressful enough without having to worry about becoming the victim of a cyber crime. Here are three different tax phishing scams targeting employers, individuals, and even tax preparers that are currently making the rounds. Employers: W-2 Phishing Emails The W-2 phishing ...
Views: 287 - Should You Fight or Take a Flight When Being Attacked? - by Submitted on Mar 06, 2018 from Robert SicilianoI am a big believer that people should run away from an attacker. If a bad guy gets into your home and he often wants to cause you pain, RUN as quickly as you can to the nearest door. If you are in a corner or you have to protect a loved one, you might have to fight him. Most of us are taught ...
Views: 166 - 14 Social Media Disasters Ready to Strike - by Submitted on Mar 02, 2018 from Robert SicilianoThere are many ways that you or a small business could get caught up in a social media disaster. Can you think of any off the top of your head? If you are like most of us, probably not. Here are 14 ways that you could be in danger: A Terrible Online Reputation – Do you keep a watchful ...
Views: 203 - Understanding and Stopping Criminal Identity Theft - by Submitted on Feb 23, 2018 from Robert SicilianoThe definition of criminal identity theft is a crime where the criminal impersonates the victim in order to protect their innocence. This can lead to victims getting fines or even getting arrested and charged for crimes they did not commit. How Does This Happen? There are a number of ways ...
Views: 170 - Storing Water for Survival - by Submitted on Feb 13, 2018 from Robert SicilianoDo you think you know all there is to know about water storage? Most people think they have a good grasp on it, but they are in for a bit surprise. Below, there is a lot of information about storing water that might contradict what you think you know: Storing Barrels – You can keep ...
Views: 196 - Top 10 Signs of a Malware Infection on Your Computer - by Submitted on Feb 08, 2018 from Robert SicilianoNot all viruses that find their way onto your computer dramatically crash your machine. Instead, there are viruses that can run in the background without you even realizing it. As they creep around, they make messes, steal, and much worse. Malware today spies on your every move. It sees the ...
Views: 182 - The Natural Predatory Nature of Humans - by Submitted on Feb 06, 2018 from Robert SicilianoA study published in Nature shows us that both evolution and genetics have made a big impact on the behavior of humans…including in the case of murder. However, as we have become more civilized, these instincts have been muted. Scientists have looked at the rate of homicide in more ...
Views: 200 - Get a Credit Freeze NOW Before it's Too Late! - by Submitted on Feb 01, 2018 from Robert SicilianoWhat is a credit freeze? It’s an action you take to lock down your credit report. A lender can’t see your score, which means your Social Security number and credit rating is useless to them. In other words, they can’t tell if you are risky or not. When an identity thief can ...
Views: 587 - FINRA: Cyber Security Still a Major Threat to Broker-Dealers - by Submitted on Jan 26, 2018 from Michael PetersLatest FINRA Examination Findings Reveal That Firms Have Made Progress with Cyber Security, but Problems Remain Cyber security remains “one of the principal operational risks facing broker-dealers,” according to FINRA’s 2017 Examination Findings Report, and while progress has been made, many ...
Views: 198 - Protecting Your Parents from Identity Theft - by Submitted on Jan 25, 2018 from Robert SicilianoAccording to statistics, those who are 50-years old and older, like 65-85, are often targets of identity thieves. The bad guys have no issue taking advantage of your parents. They violate their trust, and understand that they are often naïve about the internet and scammy phone callls. Cyber ...
Views: 166 - 40 Practical Tips to Keep You Home Safe and Secure - by Submitted on Jan 24, 2018 from Robert SicilianoYou have undoubtedly seen tips for protecting your home, but you might not have seen them all. In no particular order, here are 40 tips that you can use today to keep professional burglars from targeting your home and keep safe from hazards: Install a peephole. Keep your doors locked ...
Views: 203 - 10 Surefire Staff Security Awareness Techniques - by Submitted on Jan 18, 2018 from Robert SicilianoThink about how great this would be: Imagine that all of your company data is safe from hackers. Your hardware is totally safe and secure. You have IT specialists at your disposal at all times and have a constant flow of cash to pay them. Unfortunately, this is a fantasy for most of us. No ...
Views: 194 - Take the Extra Step: 12 Ways to Protect Your Home from Burglars - by Submitted on Jan 16, 2018 from Robert SicilianoThough you cannot totally protect your home from getting burgled, you would probably be surprised to know that there are no burglars that are as sophisticated as someone like Ethan Hunt from the Mission Impossible movies. However, when you have the right plan in place, you can almost make your ...
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