Data Loss Prevention Has Jumped the Shark
By Robert Siciliano, ID Theft Expert and Security Consultant to Intelius.com
The FTC sending a warning to 100 companies and agencies that their employees are leaking client and sensitive data on the web via Peer to Peer file sharing (P2P) is the single most pathetic and embarrassing communication to come across the desk of an IT professional. It’s over, Johnny IT’S OVER…
The Dismal State of Information Security
By Robert Siciliano, ID Theft Expert and Security Consultant to Intelius.com
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. We are fragmented and all over the place with an incredible array of interdependent technologies that are set up with convenience in mind and security second…
Banks Fail to Provide Effective Online Security
By Robert Siciliano, ID Theft Expert and Security Consultant to Intelius.com
So, if my PC is compromised because I don’t have adequate security and $800,000 goes missing from my account, whose fault is it? At first glance some may say the victims, others may say the banks. The fact that there are so many ways passwords can be compromised and accounts can be taken over, and banks know this, it should motivate banks to have redundant security in place. Hacks like this undermine people’s confidence in the system.
Targeted Sequel Injection Attacks on the Rise
By Robert Siciliano, ID Theft Expert and Security Consultant to Intelius.com
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. The bad guys are going after high-profile, high-volume websites, instead of going after the smaller websites, which are easier to inject code into…
Police Make Arrests In ATM Skimming Ring
By Robert Siciliano, ID Theft Expert and Security Consultant to Intelius.com
Police believe they may have uncovered an international ATM “skimming” ring responsible for stealing money from hundreds of local accounts. It was not too long ago that I bought an ATM north of Boston from a dude named Bob at a bar and rolled it through the streets of Boston nabbing unsuspecting users who entered their debit cards and PINS. I performed this crazy stunt to demonstrate how easy it is and how vulnerable we are.
Pet Lovers are Target of Latest Online Scams
By Robert Siciliano, ID Theft Expert and Security Consultant to Intelius.com
Scammers will say and do anything to get a person to part with their money. At first they had a sob story that sounded like a legitimate issue, new housing, can’t have a pet. When posted in a classified ad, it looks legitimate. Then they involved a “shipping company” that was a front for the scam. Once the victims were asked to send money via Western Union, that should have been a red-flag.
UN Crime & Justice Institute Fights Hackers
By Robert Siciliano, ID Theft Expert and Security Consultant to Intelius.com
We are observing an incredible rise in cybercrime. New profiles of attackers arrived in the so-called hacking underground, and the hacking world – sometimes – is meeting with organized crime and State-sponsored attacks. The world is changing and, basically, the keyword is the information. In today’s world Information is the Power that’s the sole reason why all of this is happening.
Enterprise Identity Theft Risks for 2010
By Robert Siciliano, ID Theft Expert and Security Consultant to Intelius.com
Advancements in technology over the past decade have created a tremendous amount of opportunity for the savvy businessperson. Whether it’s mobility, streamlined processes, marketing, or the ability to sell to a global market, there’s never been a better time to be in business. Like anything good, there is always a negative…
Social Networks Logging Into Wrong Account
By Robert Siciliano, ID Theft Expert and Security Consultant to Intelius.com
It came as a surprise to me when I went to log into my FriendFeed account to make an adjustment and I discovered I was logged into someone-else’s account. I had FULL access. I was able to access the full dashboard and change the picture, email associated and add or delete feeds. My first thoughts were that I have spyware and someone is able to remotely access my machine and use it as their own. I did a full system scan and there is nothing on my machine. There is no other strange activity going on so I’ve narrowed the issue down to this one account…
Imposters Employ Casual Social Engineering
By Robert Siciliano, ID Theft Expert and Security Consultant to Intelius.com
One recent example is a Massachusetts man who has been accused of posing as a Secret Service agent in order to enter the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, trespassing, and impersonating a public official after attempting to enter a U2 concert without a ticket by impersonating a police officer…
