How Laptop Security Software Can Protect You From Computer Identity Theft

Computer identity theft is increasingly common.

Computer identity theft is what happens if someone gets access to your personal information, such as your social security number, credit card number, driver's license number and passports without your knowledge by accessing the information on your computer. Often this information is from your laptop computer that has been stolen.

How common is it for laptop computers to be stolen?

It is estimated that more than 500,000 laptops are stolen annually in the United States alone and the number continues to rise. This is a staggering amount of laptops that are on the streets and in the hands of people that may want to steal your personal information. Stolen laptop computers are a very common event which is why the police find it difficult to have the time to assist with the recovery of the laptop let alone deal with the criminal access of your personal information. Laptop security software is a common sense practical solution to prevent computer identity theft.

How secure is the information your laptop computer?

Your laptop is usually your link to the cyber world. It connects you to many business and social networking sites as well as allowing you to order items online. It is now normal to send private information across the internet. It has become a normal part of the world that we live in. What would happen if your laptop was stolen? You may not only lose personal and commercial information stored on your computer, but also the thief would have access to your personal identification details which could mean that the thief could steal your identity. Thieves use this information to carry out illegal transactions purporting to be made by you. Preventing this occurring can save you a lot of money, time and inconvenience.

Top 10 reasons for using laptop security software for protection from computer identity theft.

1. The number of laptops being stolen along is constantly increasing and the chance that your laptop computer will be stolen is constantly rising.

2. Laptop security software helps prevent you from being the victim of computer identity theft.

3. It helps you protect your personal information and keep it secure even in the event of computer theft as you can remotely retrieve files from your laptop and delete them.

4. When you remotely delete files they are deleted to a high forensic standard that prevents them being recovered by computer hackers thereby not only protecting your personal information, but also commercially sensitive information.

5. With one remote command you can render the stolen laptop unusable if you wish.

6. It allows you to access files on the stolen computer without the thief being aware that it is occurring. The laptop security software can record all activity that occurs thereby allowing you to backtrack any unauthorized activity that occurs.

7. Provided you purchase the best laptop security software it allows you to geo locate the stolen laptop to within 60 feet of its location to assist with recovery.

8. If you have valuable business information on your laptop computer laptop security software is a cheap method of insurance.

9. If you are a professional or business person your laptop computer may not only have business information in its files, but confidential personal information of your clients that could be accessed and misused.

10. Protecting yourself from being sued for negligence for not taking reasonable risk management steps to your protect clients' personal information from identity theft is a clear benefit.

What you want from laptop computer software:

The following features and benefits of laptop computer software are essential:

* Invisible internet access to your stolen laptop.

* The ability to remotely access your files on your stolen computer from another computer to delete the files or retrieve them and then delete them.

* To have a Geo locate feature which you can use to locate where your laptop is which allows you to alert the authorities to recover your stolen property.

* Monitor and record what the thief is doing because this not only helps law enforcement officials recover your stolen computer, but also allows you to undo any damage they may have already been done.

* To render your stolen laptop unusable remotely once you realize that it has been stolen.

Read the Resource Box to discover how to the find the recommended solution to help prevent computer identity theft.

Jack Taggerty is a freelance author who owns a number of websites and blogs and knows that the security of your personal information and that of clients is essential to prevent computer identity theft. Follow this link to read his recommendations to help prevent it: http://www.identity-theft-scout.com/laptop-security.html

Obama, Cyber Security, and Identity Theft Protection Starts at Home

Whether you realize it or not one of the biggest threats to your personal security is your computer. And the Obama administration is bringing to light the fact that they believe, and you should too, that one of the biggest security threats to national security is also your computer.

The message is "Think before you click. Know who's on the other side of that instant message. What you say or do in cyberspace stays in cyberspace - for many to see, steal and use against you or your government."

The Internet, and the power it has in contrast to the security it doesn't, is incredible. We have never seen something so powerful bring people together, educating, informing and making life easier but it's also used to hurt, scam and debilitate in so many ways.

As reported in the Associated Press, the Pentagon's computer systems are probed 360 million times a day, and one prominent power company has acknowledged that its networks see up to 70,000 scans a day.

Utilities, banks, retailers and just about every computer network are faced with attacks each day. Many of these hacks are insignificant. However many are with intent to commit crimes such as espionage, stealing financial data or destroying information.

The criminal hackers could be cyber terrorists trying to destroy the U.S. or its economy, malfeasance simply trying to wreak havoc for the sake of it, or opportunists looking to make a profit.

The US is a prime target for many reasons. The most obvious is we've made mistakes that have many in the world hating us. Then there is our financial system that's wide open and lends credit to anyone with a Social Security number instantly checking and approving credit. And of course credit card security is an oxymoron because anyone any time can use anyone's credit card present or non present. We have a bull's-eye on us and we put it there.

A growing concern is "Weapons of Mass Disruption". The US and many other countries are electrically/digitally dependent. Our critical infrastructures including drinking water, sewer systems, phone lines, banks, air traffic, and government systems, all depend on the electric grid. No electricity, no computers, no gasoline, no refrigeration, no clean water. After a major successful attack we'd be back to the dark ages instantly. Think about when the power goes out in your house for a few hours. We're stymied.

The Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security, are hiring thousands of computer experts to protect our networks. But the weakest link in the chain is not the government, but the citizens. Government has lots of work to do, but moms and pops are the most vulnerable. Enterprise networks have become hardened, while small business and the lowly consumer know enough about information security to get hacked. Awareness is key. You are either part of the problem or the solution.

Read this and every possible blog, article and report you have access to so you can stay on top of what is new and ahead of what is next in technology and the security necessary to keep it safe. Build your IT security vocabulary. Protect yourself and your business.

Those steps include:

Use antivirus software, spyware removal, parental controls and firewalls.

Back up your data locally and in the cloud.

Understand the risks associated with the wireless web especially when using unsecured public networks.

Protect your identity too. The most valuable resource you have is your good name. Allowing anyone to pose as you and let them damage your reputation is almost facilitating a crime. Nobody will protect you, except you.


Get a credit freeze. Go to ConsumersUnion.org and follow the steps for your particular state. This is an absolutely necessary tool to secure your credit. In most cases, it prevents new accounts from being opened in your name.
And invest in identity theft protection. Not all forms of identity theft protection can be prevented, but identity theft protection services can dramatically reduce your risk.

Robert Siciliano
http://IDTheftSecurity.com

A Glorious Week of Identity Theft

Dark reading reports Eight defendants were arraigned in a Brooklyn court for allegedly using the stolen identities of AT&T, T-Mobile, and Asurion customers to steal some $22 million worth of wireless equipment and services. An indictment was unsealed in Brooklyn federal court yesterday morning charging Courtney Beckford and seven other defendants. When identity theft defendants named Courtney, Gabe, Marsha, Saul and Ron are involved in a $22 million identity theft scheme, then you know it's just a matter of time until someone named Britney or Brad will get busted too! It's the identity theft apocalypse!

ABC News reports that a former informant for the Secret Service was one of three men charged with stealing credit and debit card information from 170 million accounts in the largest data breach in history. The former informant, Albert Gonzalez of Florida, A.K.A "Segvec", "SoupNazi," and "j4guar17," whose motto was "Get Rich or Die Tryin'" was alleged to have been the ringleader of the criminal hacking operation of a prolific network that spans over five years of serious criminal activity.

Information week reports in the first half of 2009, the number of computer users affected by malware engineered to steal personal information has risen by 600% compared to the January through June period in 2008, according to PandaLabs. In quantitative terms, Panda reports identifying 391,406 computers infected with identity-theft malware in the first six months of the year. Identity thieves are also seeking sensitive information through a more diverse set of targets. Where previously financial data thieves focused on spoofing online bank sites to dupe users into entering login information, they have recently been targeting a variety of services where payment account information may be stored or entered, like PayPal, Amazon, eBay, or charity sites.

Cnet reports Rogue Facebook apps steal log-in data, send spam. Security firm Trend Micro warned on Wednesday that a handful of rogue Facebook apps are stealing log-in credentials and spamming victims' friends. So far, six malicious applications have been identified: "Stream," "Posts," "Your Photos," "Birthday Invitations," "Inbox (1)," "Inbox (2)" according to a blog post by Trend Micro researcher Rik Ferguson. The activity started earlier in the week with a Facebook notification Ferguson says he got from an app called "sex sex sex and more sex!!!," which has more than 287,000 fans. The notification said that someone had commented on one of his posts. That app doesn't appear to be malicious and may have been compromised somehow to begin the distribution of the spam, he said.

USA Today reports Hackers harness Twitter to do their dirty work. A cyber gang has begun experimenting with setting up free Twitter accounts, then sending out Tweets from the popular micro-blogging service that are really coded instructions to botted PCs to carry out criminal activities. Anti-virus maker Symantec has isolated several samples of infected PCs carrying a unique new infection, dubbed "Sninfs."

The PCs most likely got infected when their users unwittingly clicked to a tainted web page or on a corrupted link carried in an email or social network message, says Marc Fossi research and development manager at Symantec Security Response.

Robert Siciliano http://IDTheftSecurity.com

Why Children Are a Prime Target for Identity Theft

As parents we most often carefully monitor our child's websites, emails, cell phone and text messages because we are concerned. Many times it is a concern for our child's safety. We worry about them being approached inappropriately online. We are concerned about sexual predators. But have we considered that our children may also be in a different kind of danger --the danger of identity theft?

Children are the perfect target for identity theft. They have a spotless credit record and because they are not using their credit it may go undetected for several years. They grow up and suddenly there discover their credit records are blemished. Can the information that we share about our children, whether it is online, to a school or medical professional allow the opportunity for identity theft? In 2005 the Federal Trade Commission reported that over half a million children were victims of identity theft. These cases include: the use of a child's Social Security Number being used illegally for income tax purposes and obtaining credit in a child's name. It's easy enough to do; just the other day one of my own children received a credit card offer in the mail. What if that fell into the wrong hands?

How can you protect your child from identity theft? The National Cyber Security Alliance calls social networking sites "billboards in cyberspace." Would you post on a billboard your child's personal information, such a social security number? To protect your child from identity theft you can take the following steps:

Limit access to your profile, photographs, blogs and other online sources. Limit access to your child's social security number. You can refuse to provide it to schools and medical providers. Educational or health benefits can not be denied based on keeping your information private. Keep a safe spot in your home for important documents. This can be a lock box or file cabinet with a lock on it.

When someone request your child's SSN know the reason for doing so. Ask for copies of the bank account statement or other verifying documents if they claim that they are setting up a savings account or other investment opportunity for your child. Note, in the event a family member or friend wants to create an investment or savings fund for your child establish the account yourself and note that deposits can be made by specific individuals on the account. This keeps your child's social security number private.

Do not carry important documents in your purse.

Do not provide your children with their SSN or Birth Certificate until they are older.

Destroy and/or shred any and all documents of a personal nature including credit card offers, medical claim forms (after paid) and any other document you do not need to keep. Invest in a scanner and scan the documents into your computer, save it to a disc and keep it under lock and key. Be sure to use your computer's parental controls, including spyware and anti virus software, not only for to protect your child's information but yours also.

Ask questions and distrust any website or telephone call that asks for your child's social security number. Make sure that any request for your child's SSN is valid, relevant and necessary before providing it.

Thoroughness and vigilance are absolutely necessary to protect your child from identity theft. In most cases, identity theft to children is committed by friends or family members, however more and more instances occur as a result of information posted on the internet; whether by yourself or your child. Don't worry about what people will think of you. Those that understand will see you as a concerned parent who is being very aware of the real world and its dangers, and one not only protects their child's future financial well being, but also sets the example to other parents by teaching them how to protect their children from identity theft.

Lisa Carey is a contributing author for Identity Theft Secrets: prevention and protection. You can get tips on Identity theft protection, software, and monitoring your credit as well as learn more about the secrets used by identity thieves at the Identity Theft Secrets blog.

Teach Your Children About Cyber Identity Theft

The web is a powerful tool, in the old days a person would have to visit a library to do most research or locate information about a specific topic. With a computer and the net now in homes that information is now just a click away.

The internet can also be a dangerous place. Viruses can be mass produced and spread around the globe, especially to countries with low computer security. It can be used to gain access to banking knowledge taking money from the owner. It can be a source of activity that is not appropriate for young people such as lewd acts, pornography, crime and cursing.

The internet is not a good place for children to be snooping around in. It is a good idea for parents to teach their children about the dangers of the internet. A child that happens upon a website that is not appropriate may have their life's changed forever.

By teaching children properly you are ensuring the safety of the entire family as well as their own. Any information that a child shares over the internet can endanger the entire family. Teach your children never to give out personal information, even it is just a name, a location, or even a phone number.

Teach your children never to give out passwords to anyone, even close friends. Having a password makes it much easier for criminals to get what they want without the risk of getting caught. A close friend might have a slip of the tongue and give out the password to the wrong person.

Cursing and other rude behavior should not be tolerated over the internet. Obviously anything that is put out on the internet is out there forever. You never know if the person that the ill feelings are directed at may be a computer whiz, and you may become the object of ill will which could endanger your data and computer.

Allow your children to have fun at the same time restricting them. Allowing them to have total freedom on the internet will usually result in trouble as they are mostly innocent and unsuspecting of those who seek to prey on children.

Place security restrictions on the internet browser. The computer should be placed in a common area, not in the child's private room. You will need to check in on the child from time to time, for their own protection.

S W Allen

Cyber Identity Theft

http://cyberidentitytheft.info/

Why Children Are a Prime Target for Identity Theft

As parents we most often carefully monitor our child's websites, emails, cell phone and text messages because we are concerned. Many times it is a concern for our child's safety. We worry about them being approached inappropriately online. We are concerned about sexual predators. But have we considered that our children may also be in a different kind of danger --the danger of identity theft?

Children are the perfect target for identity theft. They have a spotless credit record and because they are not using their credit it may go undetected for several years. They grow up and suddenly there discover their credit records are blemished. Can the information that we share about our children, whether it is online, to a school or medical professional allow the opportunity for identity theft? In 2005 the Federal Trade Commission reported that over half a million children were victims of identity theft. These cases include: the use of a child's Social Security Number being used illegally for income tax purposes and obtaining credit in a child's name. It's easy enough to do; just the other day one of my own children received a credit card offer in the mail. What if that fell into the wrong hands?

How can you protect your child from identity theft? The National Cyber Security Alliance calls social networking sites "billboards in cyberspace." Would you post on a billboard your child's personal information, such a social security number? To protect your child from identity theft you can take the following steps:

Limit access to your profile, photographs, blogs and other online sources. Limit access to your child's social security number. You can refuse to provide it to schools and medical providers. Educational or health benefits can not be denied based on keeping your information private. Keep a safe spot in your home for important documents. This can be a lock box or file cabinet with a lock on it.

When someone request your child's SSN know the reason for doing so. Ask for copies of the bank account statement or other verifying documents if they claim that they are setting up a savings account or other investment opportunity for your child. Note, in the event a family member or friend wants to create an investment or savings fund for your child establish the account yourself and note that deposits can be made by specific individuals on the account. This keeps your child's social security number private.

Do not carry important documents in your purse.

Do not provide your children with their SSN or Birth Certificate until they are older.

Destroy and/or shred any and all documents of a personal nature including credit card offers, medical claim forms (after paid) and any other document you do not need to keep. Invest in a scanner and scan the documents into your computer, save it to a disc and keep it under lock and key. Be sure to use your computer's parental controls, including spyware and anti virus software, not only for to protect your child's information but yours also.

Ask questions and distrust any website or telephone call that asks for your child's social security number. Make sure that any request for your child's SSN is valid, relevant and necessary before providing it.

Thoroughness and vigilance are absolutely necessary to protect your child from identity theft. In most cases, identity theft to children is committed by friends or family members, however more and more instances occur as a result of information posted on the internet; whether by yourself or your child. Don't worry about what people will think of you. Those that understand will see you as a concerned parent who is being very aware of the real world and its dangers, and one not only protects their child's future financial well being, but also sets the example to other parents by teaching them how to protect their children from identity theft.

Lisa Carey is a contributing author for Identity Theft Secrets: prevention and protection. You can get tips on Identity theft protection, software, and monitoring your credit as well as learn more about the secrets used by identity thieves at the Identity Theft Secrets blog.