By Ondrej Krehel, Identity Theft 911
Thanks to modern technology, it’s getting easier to access precious data on databases. The loss of consumer information in high-profile data breaches underscores the need for safe practices.
I’ve identified some common unsafe practices that have led to a number of such data loss incidents. Take a look at these 15 major security flaws:
VeriSign Inc., the company responsible for assuring that more than half the world’s websites are authentic, was hacked multiple times in 2010, and the thieves succeeded in stealing information.
The company is one of the major pillars of the Internet, responsible for assuring the authenticity of all websites that end in .com, .gov and .net. VeriSign also processes up to 50 billion web queries a day, defends companies’ websites against cyber attacks, and tracks international hackers.
Maybe you think you can spot scam emails by the broken English, the pleas to wire money via Western Union and the references to Nigerian princes. Think again. The latest phishing attacks are so well-crafted, they look exactly like emails you might receive from major banks like Wells Fargo and Bank of America, says Ondrej Krehel, information security officer at Identity Theft 911, Credit.com’s sister company.
By Ondrej Krehel, Identity Theft 911
How do most corporate data breaches happen? Lost laptops and USB drives.
Now many businesses have some kind of security practice in place for lost corporate computers, whether it’s encrypted drives with remote wipe, or a call lost-and-reporting procedure. But how many have USB drive best practices on the books? Not many.
By Ondrej Krehel, Identity Theft 911
Back when the Internet was a baby, and I was taking my first steps in network security, hackers were a fairly homogeneous lot.
Sure, some were scamming businesses for personal gain, but most were simple graffiti artists – breaking into popular websites to splash around some MS Paint. It was a way to rebel and earn credibility within the computer community.
Have you ever considered how many websites house your personal information? If you haven’t here’s the list:
By Ondrej Krehel, Identity Theft 911
You can’t opt out of real life. Yet often that’s what a lot of cyber security advice sounds like. It’s true that social networks are a hotbed for malware, hackers and spam. But staying off Facebook — for some people in certain industries — could have real-world repercussions.
Signing up for an online service, participating in an Internet auction, enrolling in a rewards program: it’s almost like playing in a casino. Which is going to lose your data tomorrow? Picking online companies we do business with is almost like placing a bet.
By Ondrej Krehel, Identity Theft 911
In an earlier post we talked about how malware is built to morph or change to avoid detection. This time we’ll look at what security firms are doing about it.
The short answer is heuristics or self-educating computer programs.
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By Ondrej Krehel, Identity Theft 911
Call them digital ninjas.
Hackers have created a new cyber-superweapon designed to gather information that would enable a future attack, Symantec reports . The new computer virus, called Duqu (dyü-kyü), resembles code in Stuxnet, a highly sophisticated worm that was discovered last year.
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For National Cybersecurity Awareness Month we’ve flagged our top 10 don’ts for businesses that want to maintain network security. From password faux pas to lax login habits, stay away from these bad practices.
