identity theft speaker: 10 Personal Safety and Security Tips
- 04/08/10 01:54 AM
Fundamentals: Body language is 55% of communications. That’s your walk, posture, facial expressions and eye contact. Awareness is being alert to your surroundings at all times. Intuition is when the hair on the back of your neck stands on end. Voice tone and pitch equal 35% of communications. The way a person communicates physically and verbally can determine whether or not a predator deems you a good target.
Prevent Abductions: When returning to a parked car, scan the area around your car, be alert to suspicious activity. Be aware of vans. Abductors and rapist open up the side doors and pull … (0 comments)
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identity theft speaker: ID Theft Ring Gleaned Socials From Medical Records
- 04/07/10 05:02 PM
Robert Siciliano Identity Theft Expert
Medical identity theft occurs when the perpetrator uses your name and in some cases other aspects of your identity, such as insurance information, to obtain medical treatment or medication or to make false claims for treatment or medication. As a result, erroneous or fraudulent entries wind up on your medical records, or sometimes entirely fictional medical records are created in your name. Financial identity theft as it relates to new account fraud is when an identity thief gets the victim’s Social Security number and opens new financial accounts under the victim’s name. There’s very little protection … (1 comments)
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identity theft speaker: Self-revelation Can Help Assemble a Social Security Number
- 04/07/10 05:36 AM
I am not done nor will I ever be done sounding that alarm, ringing that bell and informing you about how ridiculous social media is. I was asked in a radio interview today what it will take to get people to recognize they are sharing too much data. In a word, tragedy. When a home is broken into, they install a home security alarm. When someone is mugged, they take a self defense course. When planes fly into buildings, we get frisked. Being smart is understanding risk and being proactive.
Most people are smart enough to NOT give out … (0 comments)
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identity theft speaker: Using Facebook to Steal Company Data
- 04/06/10 06:50 PM
Robert Siciliano Identity Theft Expert
There is a reason why computer users are called “users.” Like crack addicts who are drug users, more is never enough. And when under the influence, people do stupid things. I find myself scanning the Dell catalog like it’s the latest (or any) Victoria Secrets catalog. I’m amazed at how many people I know are online all day long and digitally stoned. The bad guy knows you are obsessed and uses this against you. He sees that you are comfortably numb here. He understands that in the virtual world you’re delirious and more apt to respond … (4 comments)
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identity theft speaker: Dumb Criminals – The Best Way to Get Caught? Call 911!
- 04/04/10 03:56 PM
In Daytona Beach, Florida, the dumb criminal capital of America, two Florida teenagers are facing charges after breaking into cars. Apparently one teen’s phone was programmed to call 911 and the phone was smarter than the teens and called (maybe accidentally) 911 to inform law enforcement of the crimes taking place.
Dispatchers from the police department listened in at the duo discussing the cars they were breaking into and the stuff that was worth taking. Seems some info was given that directed law enforcement to the parking lot of a local nightclub where the teens were apprehended. Karma man karma. … (0 comments)
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identity theft speaker: Beware of Door to Door Conmen
- 04/04/10 02:55 PM
There are bazillion scammers using a bazillion ruses to get your money. The lowest of the low are the ones who scam the elderly. These same conmen often do it door to door and can be very dangerous.
Con men posing as city employees seem to be the most effective scam. In one incident 2 men posed as city workers who were trimming trees in a neighborhood. One man would knock on the door and schmooze the resident into allowing him into the home. He would then coax the person into the back area of the home while his partner … (1 comments)
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identity theft speaker: Is a Protection Dog Right for You?
- 03/18/10 06:18 PM
As mentioned in a previous post I’m a big believer in furry beasts as a layer of protection. My 60lb German shepherd last fall is now a 75lb GSD due to a lazy winter and a busy Daddy who hasn’t taken her out enough.
“Lola” the furriest of all beasts is all bark, love and very territorial. When anyone walks within 100 yards of the property she’s barking. If the door bell rings or someone knocks on the door forget it. All mayhem breaks out. If I or anyone enters through a door and she is even a little surprised … (1 comments)
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identity theft speaker: She Said WHAT? On Facebook?
- 03/18/10 01:28 AM
Robert Siciliano Identity Theft Expert
I don’t know about you, but high school was a nightmare for me. I spent a lot of my time in the assistant principal’s office for fighting. My taste for GQ style clothing along with slicked back greasy hair made me a target. My forked tongue didn’t help me any either. Not much has changed.
In Melrose, Massachusetts a woman was run down by a pack of teenagers in a car because of a dispute that started amongst high school kids on Facebook. If there was Facebook when I was in high school I would … (3 comments)
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identity theft speaker: The $10,000 Fake ID
- 03/08/10 04:58 AM
When I was 17 my friend “Baldo” as he was known by all was the Fake ID Master. He also fixed TV’s and still does today. But he didn’t actually create “fake ID’s”, he altered real ones. The technology he used back then is still used today. It’s called Crayola Crayons. He would take a Massachusetts ID and heat the laminate over the stove and peel it back. Then he’d dab a premixed batch of liquid aqua green/blue crayon on the left side of an 8 and make it a 3. He’d’ bust out his heating iron and some wax paper … (0 comments)
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identity theft speaker: The State of Information Security Sucks
- 02/20/10 04:21 AM
Robert Siciliano Identity Theft Expert
The sheer volume of potential targets coupled with the vast amounts of money to be made has captured the attention of the global criminal hacking community.
Enterprise networks are becoming hardened and they are still vulnerable. Some are being penetrated directly while others are accessed through 3rd parities such as their clients or end users. Unprotected networks are being sniffed out and data breaches continue.
The organizations that track these breaches are bored, frustrated, hate the industry and offer no good news. Innovation isn’t happening fast enough and new laws and regulations aren’t effective in solving … (1 comments)
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identity theft speaker: Diploma Mills Facilitate Identity Theft
- 02/17/10 08:53 AM
Robert Siciliano Identity Theft Expert
Diploma mills were born along with elearning institutions who are actually legitimate and accredited bodies. Degrees and diplomas issued by diploma mills are frequently used for fraudulent purposes, such as obtaining employment, promotions, raises, or bonuses on false pretenses. They can also be used as a form of fake ID when posing as someone else to gain employment, impersonation of a licensed professional or used to assist as a breeder document leading to “real” fake ID’s.
A fake diploma is an effective social engineering tool used to gain access to your corporate networks.
From Wikipedia “A … (0 comments)
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identity theft speaker: mCrimes Morph Into mBotnets
- 02/16/10 12:03 PM
Robert Siciliano Identity Theft Expert
Botnets are robot networks of computers connected to the Internet that sit in our homes and offices. A botnet is generally banks of multiple PC’s from the 10’s to 10,000’s to millions. There are no hard numbers on botnets but last figure I saw was somewhere between 3-5 million. Another stat is 25 percent of all US based PC’s are on a botnet. That’s just insane. Botnets PC’s are called Zombies. Zombies all generally share a virus in common that allows for a remote control component. The criminal hacker controls the zombies on the botnet via … (1 comments)
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identity theft speaker: EFT Point of Sales Hackers Net $50 Million
- 02/13/10 12:26 PM
Robert Siciliano Identity Theft Expert
Readers of these posts are familiar with ATM skimming. ATM skimming is a billion dollar problem and growing. A relatively new scam over the past few years is electronic funds transfers at the point of sale (EFTPOS ) skimming. People commonly swipe both credit and debit cards through the in-store machines to pay for goods and services at these outlets. In Australia, Fast-food, convenience and specialist clothing stores are bearing the brunt of the crime. McDonald’s is among the outlets whose EFTPOS machines have been targeted.
Last year, legitimate EFTPOS devices at McDonald’s outlets across Perth … (0 comments)
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identity theft speaker: Citizens Need to be More Involved in Cybersecurity
- 02/13/10 05:42 AM
Robert Siciliano Identity Theft Expert
In the University of Cincinnati’s Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, the authors write “The general population must be engaged as active security providers, not simply beneficiaries of security policy, because their practices often create the threats to which government responds.” Somebody is saying to take personal responsibility and start doing things securely opposed to expecting it to all be done for you. What a revelation!
Just because everyone has access to the Internet, doesn’t mean they are using it securely. If a person decides to login, they should take some basic courses or read … (0 comments)
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identity theft speaker: Targeted Injection Attacks on the Rise
- 02/09/10 12:09 PM
Robert Siciliano Identity Theft Expert
In the latter half of 2009, criminal hackers went from mass SQL injection campaigns to targeted attacks. SQL is abbreviation of Structured Query Language. Pronounced ”Ess Que El” or ”Sequel”. The attackers shift in strategy focused on targeting high-profile websites, concluded Websense’s State of Internet Security report for the third and fourth quarter of 2009.
SQL injections have evolved in their purpose and sophistication. Originally meant as a tool to attack a merchant’s database and steal data. The attack was reconfigured last summer to install viruses on users’ computers that contain a remote control component.
Matt … (1 comments)
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identity theft speaker: Top 8 Worst Twitter Social Media Hacks
- 02/03/10 03:33 AM
Robert Siciliano Identity Theft Expert
In the past year our use of Twitter has increased dramatically. And so has the criminal hacker’s attention to the opportunity to use it for illicit gain.
Jacked Twitter Accounts: Numerous Twitter (and Facebook) accounts including those of President Obama, Britney Spears, Fox News and others were taken over and used to make fun of, ridicule, harass or commit fraud. Social Media Identity Theft: Hundreds of imposter accounts are set up every day. Sarah Palin, St Louis Cardinals Coach Tony LaRussa, Kanye West, Huffington Post and many others have had Twitter accounts opened in their … (1 comments)
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identity theft speaker: Beware Online Auction Fraud & Identity Theft
- 12/25/09 12:22 PM
Robert Siciliano Identity Theft Expert
Scammers often set up pages on auction sites during the holiday season. Consumers should be aware of deals that are obviously too good to be true. Most too good to be true online deals bite unsophisticated shoppers or “newbies” to the online auction world. The victim either gets goods that are inferior, counterfeit or they never get anything and still get charged.
My spouse needed some skin care products and went online to eBay to make a purchase. She’s a newbie at this and doesn’t have a lot of experience. She called me over to help … (2 comments)
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identity theft speaker: Once a Predator Always a Predator
- 11/02/09 03:00 PM
Robert Siciliano Personal Security Expert
A necessary diversion from my daily IT security/Identity theft rants.
So what happens when a convicted rapist lures a 21-year-old woman to his bedroom in 1989, then spends 15 years in jail and then gets a free pass in 2005? He does it again. Why? Because that’s normal. It’s not OK, but it’s normal. Its his nature. A psychologist said to me years ago, “You would be amazed at how many levels of normal there are”.
Officers went to this 50 year old guys home to arrest him for assault and rape and emanating from … (1 comments)
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identity theft speaker: Identity Theft Myths Part 3of3 During PYIW
- 10/25/09 10:29 AM
Identity Theft Expert Robert Siciliano
The National Foundation for Credit Counselors, which sponsors Protect Your Identity Week, has compiled a number of identity theft myths. To support their efforts, the Santa Fe Group Vendor Council Awareness and Education Subcommittee has helped to clarify some common misinformation with regards to this increasingly common crime. We’ve already discussed a few of these myths.
• I don’t use the Internet, so my personal information is not exposed online. Your personal information is in more places than you think, whether it’s your medical records, a job application, or a school emergency contact form. Many … (0 comments)
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identity theft speaker: I Want to Punch Passwords in The Face
- 10/07/09 01:15 PM
Robert Siciliano identity theft expert
Passwords and forms harass and mock me every day of my life. Everywhere I go there is a big burly bouncer who is the password gatekeeper and he needs a beating. He won’t let me in or by the velvet ropes unless I know the secret code. Most of the time I know what he wants, but because I have so many passwords to remember (last count is 456, but less than 200 active/weekly sites), I sometimes forget. Then I try 2-3 other passwords that I think will work before I get locked out. I can’t … (2 comments)
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Fundamentals: Body language is 55% of communications. That’s your walk, posture, facial expressions and eye contact. Awareness is being alert to your surroundings at all times. Intuition is when the hair on the back of your neck stands on end. Voice tone and pitch equal 35% of communications. The way a person communicates physically and verbally can determine whether or not a predator deems you a good target.
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