Majority of security chiefs express belief taking the right precautions will protect the average consumer from becoming a victim of identity theft. About 58 percent of the respondents say identity theft can be prevented, 28 percent believe identity theft is inevitable regardless of the precautions taken by consumers, while 15 percent are simply unsure. Of those who believe precautionary steps will help, respondents, comprising the nation's leading security executives, recommend 10 tips in safeguarding against identity theft. They are do not share passwords or PIN numbers with anyone (95%); do not reply to, or click on links within, emails or pop-up messages that ask for personal or financial information (92%); update virus protection software regularly (91%); update security patches for web browsers and operating systems regularly (90%); protect your social security number at all costs i.e., do not give it out unless it is mandatory (90%); shred, or otherwise destroy, all documents with personal information prior to disposal (90%); monitor personal credit reports and statements from financial accounts regularly (89%); install firewall software (88%); before transmitting personal information online, verify that the connection is secure i.e., check for an "s" after "http" in the URL, as well as a lock symbol in the lower right-hand corner of the screen, which indicates the transmission is encrypted (84%); and do not email personal or financial information (71%). Only 2% of respondents recommend staying offline altogether as a precautionary measure. Majority, or 74 percent, of the respondents believe the theft of an average consumer's identity is the fault of both consumers and organizations failing to implement security precautions. Only 16% believe theft is more likely as a result of organization's failure to protect personal information, while 8% believe lack of security precautions among consumers is more likely to lead to identity theft. "Cybersecurity really requires cooperation of individuals, companies and government, as these results indicate. The good news is that the steps CSOs recommend for consumers are pretty straightforward. You don't have to be a computer expert to greatly reduce your risk of identity theft," says Derek Salter, CSO magazine editor. Meanwhile, 45 percent of respondents anticipate a "digital Pearl Harbor" i.e, a situation where a dedicated group of cyber-terrorists or malicious hackers plunge America into chaos by using computer-technology and the Internet to attack national critical infrastructure in the future, with 32% anticipating an attack to occur in more than one year and 10% anticipating it to occur within 7-12 months. Although almost half of security executives responding to the survey anticipate digital Pearl Harbor, 59 percent of the respondents are not confident in the U.S. government's ability to successfully secure the U.S. information infrastructure and respond to cyber emergencies. When asked how government could better safeguard cyberspace for its citizens, the top answer from respondents is a tie between establishing better communication with and among the private sector (71%) and educating more people about cyber security roles and capabilities (71%). Other high-scoring recommendations include: make cyber security a greater priority (70%), educate the nation's critical infrastructure on cyber security risks and how to respond to cyber emergencies (68%), and develop national cyber threat and vulnerability evaluations and cyber security contingency strategies (64%). Of note, 49% of respondents believe consumers, the private sector and the U.S. government are equally responsible for securing cyberspace. CSOs are also facing cyber security threats on the home front. Survey findings reveal the majority of respondents (and/or someone in their household) experience spyware/adware (75%), virus or other malicious code (71%) and phishing attacks (59%) at home. One in four (24%) respondents cites exposure of private or sensitive information by a third party as something someone in their household personally experienced. Only fourteen percent (14%) of security executives and/or their household members have personally experienced identity theft. Of those respondents who have experienced identity theft in their household, the average dollar amount loss is $1,558. Read more about
This refers to criminal identity theft. When a thief steals, not possessions, but a person's identity itself, the crime is called criminal identity theft. Understanding just how thieves go about stealing someone's identity and what tactics they use is very important. Doing so will help you keep yourself from becoming a victim of criminal identity theft.
What is Criminal Identity Theft?
Criminal identity theft is the action of a criminal assuming a different person's identity so that they may act as if they were them. The individuals who have their identities stolen and thereby become victims of criminal identity theft have to face serious consequences.
That negative toll can be in the area of legal matters, finances, credit ratings, employment interviews, etc. In fact, whatever the thief does in a negative or positive manner is a direct reflection upon the identity that has been stolen from another individual.
To make matters worse, unless the thief involved does something illegal beyond simply assuming someone else's identity, criminal identity theft is not usually noticed by the victim. Since criminals could be using credit cards and taking part in other financial activities, their actions can bring negative results to the clueless victim if and when the criminal uses the stolen identity and later defaults on financial agreements that were made.
The worst case scenario is if any of these negative events transpire the extensive involvement required for the person with the true identity to clear their good name is a legal nightmare.
Protective Steps
There are several steps that can and should be taken in order to lessen the potential risk of being victimized by criminal identity theft. Above all else, it is essential that you carry neither your social security card nor your social security number on your person.
Besides that, report any loss of a wallet or purse that contains identification of any sort to law enforcement officials. Alert the Department of Motor Vehicles in your area if your driver's license is lost.
Also, it would be wise to check your credit report at least every year, if not more often. You can also sign up for a fraud alert service if you are concerned that losing sensitive information could make you vulnerable to criminal identity theft. Such services tell you immediately when your identity is used to open new credit accounts or is otherwise involved in financial activities.
Both Linda Klitcher & Paul Wilcox are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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