According to the 2015 Verizon’s Data Breach Investigations Report, the second most common attack pattern involves crimeware – 18.8% of confirmed data disclosures fall into this category. So what exactly is crimeware and how can it be prevented? Crimeware is a type of malware that is specifically designed to automate a cybercrime. Unlike other forms of malware, like spyware or adware, crimeware is created for the purpose of stealing an individual’s identity and/or accessing their financial … [Read more...]
10 Tips for Preventing Identity Theft
Identity theft not only happens online, but a lot of identity theft fraud is a result of offline activities. In fact, we were victims of identity theft because a mortgage broker mishandled the paper file that contained all of our personal financial information. Here are 10 tips, courtesy of the U.S. government, on how to prevent offline identity theft. Don’t carry your social security card on you. Not in your wallet. Don’t write it on your checks. Only give it out when absolutely … [Read more...]
5 Tips to Protect Personal Information Online
The Federal Trade Commission offers five tips to consumers to help protect their personal information online. Following these tips can help you keep your personal information private when you are online. Watch Out for Impersonators Don’t give out personal information over the phone, through the mail or online unless you know who you are dealing with. If you get an email from an organization that claims to have an account with you asking for personal information, don’t click through the … [Read more...]