Identity Theft Expert Protection Prevention Resource Blog

(SARASOTA, Fla. - Oct. 27, 2008 - One You Security) New research has revealed that nearly three of every four organizations in Australia have experienced some form of data breach in the past five years. Because data breaches afflict organizations worldwide, said Robert Siciliano, widely televised and quoted identity theft protection expert and chief security analyst for One You Security, LLC, problems with data security will not respond favorably to national solutions. Siciliano therefore encouraged consumers to seek protection of their own. One You Security, he noted, continually searches the Internet for illegal use of its subscribers’ identifying information and does everything it can to render their Social Security numbers useless to thieves who would otherwise use them to commit financial fraud.

"Consumers’ last line of defense is their best line of defense against financial fraudsters," said Siciliano. "Worldwide, data breaches embolden and empower thieves, who count on these events’ frequency numbing and lulling consumers into complacency. But consumers have an option, One You, which keeps a watchful eye on their financial identities for them even as their data goes missing from organization after organization on a nearly daily basis."

One You Security is a service that transforms Social Security numbers into something functionally useless to financial fraudsters. Additionally, One You PowerScan scours more than 150 million websites, 80 million blogs, 90,000 message boards and chat rooms, and billions of spam e-mails for potentially illegal use of its subscribers’ identifying information. These subscribers to One You Security also receive newsletters and special alerts from Siciliano. Through these, they get the latest information on data breaches and learn more about identity theft prevention. Chief security analyst for One You Security and a member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report’s editorial board, Siciliano regularly discusses data security and consumer protection on CNBC, on NBC’s "Today Show," FOX News Network and elsewhere.

Nearly 80 percent of 156 major Australian organizations had experienced some form of data breach during the five years immediately preceding Symantec’s survey of them. Additionally, just shy of 40 percent had experienced between six and 20 known data breaches during the same time period, according to the computer security provider’s Data Loss Prevention Survey. Customer records had gone missing at the highest rate (55 percent), followed by intellectual property (43 percent), credit card details (21 percent) and financial information (20 percent).

"There is no way for consumers to keep up with and protect themselves, by themselves, from the deluge of data breaches affecting organizations worldwide," said Chris Harris, president and CEO of One You Security. "Consumers need help to safeguard their financial data from financial fraudsters — they need a service to do this for them on a continual basis. Fortunately, One You does just that, in effect rendering their Social Security numbers useless to thieves."

Consumers who choose One You Security do so in part because the company strives to transform their Social Security numbers into meaningless strings of digits of no use to thieves. The firm backs all its offerings with a 100 percent service guarantee.

The YouTube video below shows Siciliano on FOX News Network, where he explains how the ubiquity of Social Security numbers as universal identifiers helps thieves online and off-line. A collection of videos at VideoJug features Siciliano sharing advice on how consumers can protect themselves from identity theft and fraud.

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About One You Security, LLC

Sarasota, Fla.-based One You Security’s mission is to eliminate the threat and consequences of identity theft. For just $10 per month, anyone can sign up for One You Security’s identity theft protection service, a proactive, preventative approach whereby the company activates and manages its customers’ fraud alerts with major credit bureaus. Subscribers also receive full access to ongoing education from identity theft protection expert Robert Siciliano, chief security analyst for One You Security, which backs up its promise to protect clients’ financial identities with a 100 percent service guarantee. To sign up for One You Security, dial 1-800-434-2010.

About IDTheftSecurity.com

Identity theft affects us all, and Robert Siciliano, CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com, chief security analyst for One You Security, and member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report’s editorial board, makes it his mission to educate Fortune 500 companies and their clients on the dangers of identity theft. Author of "The Safety Minute: 01" and leader of personal safety and security seminars nationwide, Siciliano has been featured on "The Today Show," CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, "FOX News," "The Suze Orman Show," "The Montel Williams Show," "Maury Povich," "Sally Jesse Raphael," "The Howard Stern Show," and "Inside Edition." Numerous magazines, print news outlets, and wire services have turned to him, as well, for expert commentary on personal security and identity theft protection. These include Forbes, USA Today, Entrepreneur, Woman’s Day, Mademoiselle, Good Housekeeping, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Times, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, United Press International, Reuters, and others. For more information, visit Siciliano’s Web site, blog, and YouTube page.

The media are encouraged to get in touch with any of the following individuals:

Chris Harris
President & CEO of One You Security
PHONE: 941-342-0500 (x231)
chris@oneyou.com
http://www.oneyou.com

Robert Siciliano
CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com
Chief Security Analyst for One You Security
PHONE: 888-SICILIANO (742-4542)
FAX: 877-2-FAX-NOW (232-9669)
Robert@IDTheftSecurity.com
http://www.idtheftsecurity.com

Brent W. Skinner
President & CEO of STETrevisions
PHONE: 617-875-4859
FAX: 866-663-6557
BrentSkinner@STETrevisions.com
http://www.STETrevisions.com
http://brentskinner.blogspot.com

(BOSTON, Mass. - Aug. 22, 2008 - IDTheftSecurity.com) In July, the theft of multiple laptop computers belonging to a Missouri-based cable provider left more than 9,000 of the firm’s current and former employees’ confidential data in the hands of thieves. The potential, crippling financial consequences of this and other laptop thefts, however, could easily be avoided, according to widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert Robert Siciliano, who directed firms to MyLaptopGPS, a laptop tracking and data recovery firm mentioned in the August 2008 issue of Inc. Magazine.

"Databases of individuals’ identifying information stored on laptops are prime targets for identity thieves, who recognize the exceptional value of such records," said Siciliano. "Employment data is in fact tailor made for fraudsters. And every potential victim is also a potential plaintiff in a potential class action suit against any offending organization that leaves identifying information on its mobile computers. The alternative is simple: Equip mobile computing fleets with affordable laptop tracking capability and remote data retrieval and deletion technology."

CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com and a member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report’s editorial board, Siciliano leads Fortune 500 companies and their clients through consumer education workshops that explore security solutions for businesses and individuals. A longtime identity theft speaker and author of "The Safety Minute: 01," he has discussed data security and consumer protection on CNBC, NBC’s "Today Show," FOX News Network, and elsewhere.

On Aug. 13, The Associated Press reported on the theft of 12 laptop computers from the offices of Charter Communications Inc., a sizeable cable provider based in St. Louis, Mo. During the week prior to the AP’s report, about 9,000 former and current employees received notification from the firm that their Social Security numbers, associated names and birth dates were on the stolen machines. The St. Louis Business Journal later reported that just one of the laptops contained all this employee data. Additionally, Charter Communications had “no reason to believe that the information has been or will be used improperly,” according to a company spokesperson quoted in the AP’s news report.

"When a laptop computer storing confidential data on employees goes missing from a business office, the default assumption ought to be that the data is also at risk," said MyLaptopGPS’ chief technology officer, Dan Yost, who invited readers to visit the MyLaptopGPS blog and discuss the Charter Communications data breach. "The default practice for organizations, in fact, should be to raise the odds of sparing the data from this risk — by installing laptop tracking technology on their fleets of mobile computing equipment."

MyLaptopGPS maintains the Realtime Estimated Damage Index (REDI™), a running tally of highly publicized laptop and desktop computer thefts and losses. The REDI also assesses those losses’ associated costs by drawing on estimates from the FBI and other sources that reflect the likelihood that identity theft and other crimes will occur whenever a computer is misplaced or stolen.

On Aug. 21, the REDI indicated that these highly publicized events had accounted for 492 laptops having gone missing thus far in 2008. MyLaptopGPS keeps a log of these high-profile laptop thefts at its website. The REDI’s latest number translated to 2,546,917 data records and estimated financial damages of $500,230,549, a 40 percent increase in cost over the past three months alone.

"Our laptop fleet was certainly worth protecting," said Jim Sullivan, the network, systems and security administrator for FastForms, Inc. "We had procedures in place to help secure the machines, but we realized that we needed some key, additional layers of security, such as covert tracking and remote-controlled data recovery and destruction. MyLaptopGPS’ solution is very easy to use, and we are quite satisfied. We would recommend MyLaptopGPS to any business seeking a simple solution to secure their laptops and data."

Anti-laptop theft technology such as MyLaptopGPS’ combines Internet-based GPS tracking — more effective than other forms of GPS for tracking and retrieving stolen laptops — with other functionalities to secure mobile computing devices. A user launches MyLaptopGPS’ features remotely, protecting data even while the machine is in a criminal’s hands. Once connected to the Internet, the software silently retrieves, and then deletes, files from machines as it tracks the stolen or missing hardware — at once returning the data to its rightful owner and removing it from the lost computer.

Additionally, MyLaptopGPS offers SafeRegistry™, a comprehensive system for inventorying entire fleets of mobile computers, as well as a full line of highly renowned SafeTags™, which are police-traceable property tags designed to secure iPods™, cell phones, BlackBerry™ devices, and other mobile property.

Readers may download a demo of MyLaptopGPS. A white paper is also available.

The YouTube video below shows Siciliano on FOX News Network, where he discussed this year’s data security breach at Hannaford Bros. and provided consumers affected by the theft with the tips they needed to avoid paying for fraudulent charges to their bank accounts and credit accounts. To learn more about identity theft, a major concern for anyone who’s lost a laptop computer to thieves, readers may go to video of Siciliano at VideoJug.

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About MyLaptopGPS

Since 1984, Tri-8, Inc. (DBA MyLaptopGPS.com) has specialized in complete system integration. From real-time electronic payment processing software to renowned mid-market ERP implementations, the executive team at MyLaptopGPS has been serving leading enterprises and implementing world-class data systems that simply work. With MyLaptopGPS™, Tri-8, Inc. brings a level of expertise, dedication, knowledge and service that is unmatched. MyLaptopGPS™’s rock-solid performance, security, and reliability flow directly from the company’s commitment to top-notch software products and services for almost 25 years.

About IDTheftSecurity.com

Identity theft affects us all, and Robert Siciliano, CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com and member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report’s editorial board, makes it his mission to provide consumer education solutions on identity theft to Fortune 500 companies and their clients. A leader of personal safety and security seminars nationwide, Siciliano has been featured on "The Today Show," CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, "FOX News," "The Suze Orman Show," "The Montel Williams Show," "Maury Povich," "Sally Jesse Raphael," "The Howard Stern Show," and "Inside Edition." Numerous magazines, print news outlets, and wire services have turned to him, as well, for expert commentary on personal security and identity theft. These include Forbes, USA Today, Entrepreneur, Woman’s Day, Mademoiselle, Good Housekeeping, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Times, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, United Press International, Reuters, and others. For more information, visit Siciliano’s Web site, blog, and YouTube page.

The media are encouraged to get in touch with any of the following individuals:

John Dunivan
MyLaptopGPS Media Relations
PHONE: (405) 747-6654 (direct line)
jd@MyLaptopGPS.com
www.MyLaptopGPS.com

Robert Siciliano, Personal Security Expert
CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com
PHONE: 888-SICILIANO (742-4542)
FAX: 877-2-FAX-NOW (232-9669)
Robert@IDTheftSecurity.com
www.idtheftsecurity.com

Brent W. Skinner
President & CEO of STETrevisions
PHONE: 617-875-4859
FAX: 866-663-6557
BrentSkinner@STETrevisions.com
http://www.STETrevisions.com
http://www.brentskinner.blogspot.com

The press has recently taken issue with CEO of an identity theft prevention company who has given his SSN out for all the world to see. His identity theft protection service is designed to protect the consumer from identity theft.

Because he used the marketing gimmick to drive sales, it has resulted in a never ending battle where identity thieves and others are using his ID to prove a point, that giving out your SSN is never a good idea.

His identity was compromised financially early on and since has been compromised REPORTED 87-90 TIMES.

It is impossible not to give your SSN in a society that needs it for most accounts, insurances etc. Plastering it on a billboard is a great idea when you dont care if your identity is stolen in order to sell a product.

However for the rest of us I’d not recommend it.

The idea is to make the SSN useless by investing in a service that keeps you in-tune, on top of, what is happening regarding your identity by wrapping a security system around your identity.

Stay tuned. Updates on this issue to come.

(BOSTON, Mass. - May 1, 2008 - IDTheftSecurity.com) Reports of at least three-quarters of a million data records stolen from various organizations surfaced over the past two weeks. This latest round in the relentless march of data loss gave renewed consumers’ reasons to worry about the safety of their financial data in the hands of large institutions, said widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert Robert Siciliano.

"Consumers worldwide continue to lose confidence in institutions entrusted with individuals’ sensitive financial data," said Siciliano. "With every thousand data records lost, organizations lose the psychological bond of trust they’ve forged with the corresponding thousand customers and other stakeholders."

CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com and a member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report’s editorial board, Siciliano leads Fortune 500 companies and their clients in workshops that explore consumer education solutions for security issues. An experienced identity theft speaker and author of "The Safety Minute: 01," he has discussed data security and consumer protection on CNBC, on NBC’s "Today Show," on FOX News, and elsewhere.

Security breaches reported during the latter half of April and occurring at just three organizations led to the loss of more than three quarters of a million unique data records. Another breach resulted in the theft of an additional, undisclosed number of unique data records. The news lent validation, Siciliano observed, to research reported in a recent news release from Bankrate, Inc. indicating that 80 percent of Americans are concerned about identity theft.

• An April 28th update to an earlier report on RTÉ News indicated that the theft of laptop computers from the Bank of Ireland exposed to thieves 30,000 customers’ medical records, bank account details, names, addresses and dates of birth.

• Also on April 28, a vnunet.com reported that a back-up tape belonging to U.K.-based Boots Dental Plan had gone missing from Medisure, the administrating company, on April 3. The loss left the whereabouts of approximately 35,000 customers’ and employees’ data records in question, according to the report.

• On April 22, IDG News Service reported a security breach at LendingTree. The incident, according to the report, exposed customers’ data records to unscrupulous activities by employees of the online mortgage company who may have shared the information with other lenders. Reports as of April 28th indicated that LendingTree had yet to disclose the number of customers affected.

• On April 21, Dark Reading reported the theft of a server and PC computers from the offices of Indiana-based debt collections company Central Collections Bureau leaving the personal data of around 700,000 customers at risk of further foul play. The information lost included addresses, Social Security numbers, and some customers’ medical codes.

"These are only the largest of recent, reported breaches," said Siciliano. "The fact of the matter is that consumers are really in the dark when it comes to knowing just how many of their unique data records are falling prey to thieves. The real tally is likely even higher. Anyone with a credit history or medical history — in other words, everyone — is smart to be concerned."

The YouTube video below shows Siciliano on "FOX Newschannel," where he discusses the recent data security breach at Hannaford Bros. and provides affected consumers with the tips they need to avoid paying for fraudulent charges to their bank accounts and credit accounts. Those wishing to learn how to protect themselves against identity theft may view video of Siciliano at VideoJug.

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About IDTheftSecurity.com

Identity theft affects us all. Robert Siciliano, CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com and member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report’s editorial board, makes it his mission to provide consumer education solutions on identity theft to Fortune 500 companies and their clients.

A leader of personal safety and security seminars nationwide, Siciliano has been featured on "The Today Show," CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, "FOX News," "The Suze Orman Show," "The Montel Williams Show," "Maury Povich," "Sally Jesse Raphael," "The Howard Stern Show," and "Inside Edition." The Privacy Learning Institute features him on its Website. Numerous magazines, print news outlets, and wire services have turned to him, as well, for expert commentary on personal security and identity theft. These include Forbes, USA Today, Entrepreneur, Woman’s Day, Good Housekeeping, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Times, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, United Press International, Reuters, and others.

Visit Siciliano’s Web site, www.IDTheftSecurity.com; blog, www.realtysecurity.com/blog; and YouTube page, http://youtube.com/stungundotcom.

The media are encouraged to get in touch with Siciliano directly:

Robert Siciliano, Personal Security Expert
CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com
PHONE: 888-SICILIANO (742-4542)
FAX: 877-2-FAX-NOW (232-9669)
Robert@IDTheftSecurity.com
www.idtheftsecurity.com

(BOSTON, Mass. - Sept. 27, 2007 - IDTheftSecurity.com) The past two months alone saw hundreds of thousands of individuals’ sensitive information lost along with the laptop computers containing it. But Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert, said ongoing battle against data and hardware theft is in fact winnable. Encouraging IT departments everywhere to secure their mobile computers with Internet-based GPS and other data and hardware-protection technologies, he pointed to affordable solutions.

“To the industry observer reading the daily news,” said Siciliano, “the lack of security for data and mobile hardware must seem like an insurmountable problem, an intractable situation. But affordable solutions already exist that easily make laptop computers and the data on them highly secure. Smart organizations understand the value of protecting their own interests by protecting their constituents’, whether these are customers’ or employees’. An organization that protects its mobile computing devices and the data on them protects its own long-term viability.”

CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com and a member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report’s editorial board, Siciliano leads Fortune 500 companies and their clients in workshops that explore consumer education solutions for security issues. A longtime identity theft speaker and author of “The Safety Minute: 01,” he has discussed data security and consumer protection on CNBC, on NBC’s “Today Show,” FOX News, and elsewhere.

Recent months have seen sensitive information on hundreds of thousands of individuals go missing along with the lost mobile computers containing it:

•In August, the theft of a laptop computer from the car of a state employee’s vehicle included the loss of identifying information on information on 106,000 Connecticut taxpayers. According to an article from the Sept. 8th edition of the Boston Globe, state records in Connecticut point to the loss or theft of more than 24 laptops from government offices, classrooms, employees’ vehicles, and their homes since July 2006.

•On Sept. 7, The Mercury News reported on the theft of a laptop computer containing personal information, including numerous Social Security Numbers, on more than 4,000 students from a De Anza College. The laptop had been stolen from a professor’s home.

•Also on Sept. 7, InformationWeek reported that McKesson, a health-care services company, was alerting “thousands” of patients that they might be at risk of identity theft. The announcement came after the theft of two computers from one of the company’s offices.

•On Sept. 25, the Salt Lake Tribune reported that the Utah Department of Workforce Services had lost to thieves a laptop computer suspected to house information on thousands of service recipients. Social Security numbers were among the data at large.

Siciliano directed organizations to MyLaptopGPS™, a product that combines Internet-based GPS tracking — which, for tracking and retrieving stolen laptops, is more effective than other forms of GPS — with other functionalities to secure mobile computing devices.

Users can launch MyLaptopGPS’ features remotely, protecting data even while the machine is in a criminal’s hands. Once connected to the Internet, the software silently retrieves, and then deletes, files from machines as it tracks the stolen or missing hardware—at once returning the data to its rightful owner and removing it from the lost computer. A downloadable demo of MyLaptopGPS is available.

“In every example here of lost hardware,” said Dan Yost, chief technology officer at MyLaptopGPS, “simple, affordable technology would have greatly minimized the risk to those whose data was on these machines. MyLaptopGPS technology would have greatly increased these organizations’ chances not only of retrieving the lost computers, but also of keeping the sensitive information out of criminals’ hands.”

Earlier this year, the theft of two laptops from an auditing firm resulted in the loss of 40,000 Chicago Public School teachers’ Social Security numbers. Yost delivered comments for a televised news report pertaining to the loss. Readers may view YouTube video below of the “NBC 7 Chicago” footage. The April 2007 issue of Chicago Union Teacher, official publication of the Chicago Teachers Union, also ran an article by Yost (page four of linked PDF document), who advised readers on how to prevent laptop theft.

Readers may view YouTube video of Sicliano on NBC below , where he uses the example of a laptop stolen from Hotels.com to discuss the crime’s close relationship to identity theft. To learn more about identity theft, a major concern for anyone who has been affected by the theft of a laptop computer, readers may go to video of Siciliano at VideoJug.

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About MyLaptopGPS

Since 1984, Tri-8, Inc. (DBA MyLaptopGPS.com) has specialized in complete system integration. From real-time electronic payment processing software to renowned mid-market ERP implementations, the executive team at MyLaptopGPS has been serving leading enterprises and implementing world-class data systems that simply work. With MyLaptopGPS™, Tri-8, Inc. brings a level of expertise, dedication, knowledge and service that is unmatched. MyLaptopGPS™’s rock-solid performance, security, and reliability flow directly from the company’s commitment to top-notch software products and services for almost 25 years.

About IDTheftSecurity.com

Identity theft affects us all, and Robert Siciliano, CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com and member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report’s editorial board, makes it his mission to provide consumer education solutions on identity theft to Fortune 500 companies and their clients. A leader of personal safety and security seminars nationwide, Siciliano has been featured on “The Today Show,” CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, “FOX News,” “The Suze Orman Show,” “The Montel Williams Show,” “Maury Povich,” “Sally Jesse Raphael,” “The Howard Stern Show,” and “Inside Edition.” The Privacy Learning Institute features him on its Website. Numerous magazines, print news outlets, and wire services have turned to him, as well, for expert commentary on personal security and identity theft. These include Forbes, USA Today, Entrepreneur, Woman’s Day, Mademoiselle, Good Housekeeping, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Times, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, United Press International, Reuters, and others.

For more information, visit Siciliano’s Web site, blog, and YouTube page.

The media are encouraged to get in touch with any of the following individuals:

John Dunivan
MyLaptopGPS Media Relations
PHONE: (405) 747-6654 (direct line)
jd@MyLaptopGPS.com
www.MyLaptopGPS.com

Robert Siciliano, Personal Security Expert
CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com
PHONE: 888-SICILIANO (742-4542)
FAX: 877-2-FAX-NOW (232-9669)
Robert@IDTheftSecurity.com
www.idtheftsecurity.com

Brent W. Skinner
President & CEO of STETrevisions
PHONE: 617-875-4859
FAX: 866-663-6557
BrentSkinner@STETrevisions.biz
www.STETrevisions.biz

(BOSTON, Mass. - July 23, 2007 - IDTheftSecurity.com) Recent news has highlighted the security capabilities built into a popular handheld computing device. According to Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert, laptop computers need similar functionality. He urged organizations to close the gap by equipping their mobile computers with MyLaptopGPS™.

“Any mobile device poses a major security risk,” said Siciliano. “And yet the security functionality built into many handhelds is missing from laptop computers. Fortunately, a company called MyLaptopGPS makes it possible to equip a laptop with high-tech security that not only protects data, but, with Internet-based GPS, greatly increases the likelihood of locating a stolen or lost machine.”

CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com and a member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report’s editorial board, Siciliano leads Fortune 500 companies and their clients in workshops that explore consumer education solutions for security issues. A longtime identity theft speaker and author of “The Safety Minute: 01,” he has discussed data security and consumer protection on CNBC, on NBC’s “Today Show,” FOX News, and elsewhere.

Readers may view news footage below of Siciliano using a recent BlackBerry® hacking incident as backdrop to discuss the vulnerabilities of wireless, mobile computing devices. According to a July 2 report in Computerworld, the data on a lost BlackBerry can be deleted and retrieved remotely. Siciliano has long emphasized that laptops need similar capabilities, and has urged organizations and individuals alike to turn to MyLaptopGPS, which, at an affordable price, equips laptop computers with remote data deletion and retrieval functionality plus Internet-based GPS to locate lost machines.

MyLaptopGPS combines Internet-based GPS tracking — which, for tracking and retrieving stolen laptops, is more effective than other forms of GPS — with other functionalities that users can launch remotely to protect data even while the machine is in a criminal’s hands. Once connected to the Internet, the software silently retrieves, and then deletes, files from machines as it tracks the stolen or missing hardware — at once returning the data to its rightful owner and removing it from the lost computer.

“Anyone who has lost a laptop computer knows the feeling of wanting to ‘push the button’ that would retrieve and delete his personal data from the missing machine,” said Dan Yost, chief technology officer at MyLaptopGPS. “Many owners of handheld devices enjoy this capability, and there’s no reason laptop users shouldn’t, too. Our technology and service does just that, and more, giving owners of laptop computers the peace of mind any mobile device user deserves.”

A downloadable demo of MyLaptopGPS is available. Recently, Yost delivered comments for a televised news report pertaining to the loss of laptop computers containing the Social Security numbers of numerous teachers at Chicago’s public schools. Readers may view YouTube video of the “NBC 7 Chicago” footage below.

To learn more about identity theft, a major concern for anyone who has been affected by the theft of a laptop computer, readers may go to video of Siciliano at VideoJug.

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About MyLaptopGPS

Since 1984, Tri-8, Inc. (DBA MyLaptopGPS.com) has specialized in complete system integration. From real-time electronic payment processing software to renowned mid-market ERP implementations, the executive team at MyLaptopGPS has been serving leading enterprises and implementing world-class data systems that simply work. With MyLaptopGPS™, Tri-8, Inc. brings a level of expertise, dedication, knowledge and service that is unmatched. MyLaptopGPS™’s rock-solid performance, security, and reliability flow directly from the company’s commitment to top-notch software products and services for almost 25 years.

About IDTheftSecurity.com

Identity theft affects us all, and Robert Siciliano, CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com and member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report’s editorial board, makes it his mission to provide consumer education solutions on identity theft to Fortune 500 companies and their clients. A leader of personal safety and security seminars nationwide, Siciliano has been featured on CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, “FOX News,” NBC’s “Today Show,” “The Suze Orman Show,” “The Montel Williams Show,” “Maury Povich,” “Sally Jesse Raphael,” “The Howard Stern Show,” and “Inside Edition.” The Privacy Learning Institute features him on its Website. Numerous magazines, print news outlets, and wire services have turned to him, as well, for expert commentary on personal security and identity theft. These include Entrepreneur, Woman’s Day, Mademoiselle, Good Housekeeping, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Times, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, United Press International, Reuters, and others.

For more information, visit Siciliano’s Web site, www.IDTheftSecurity.com; blog, www.realtysecurity.com/blog; and YouTube page, http://youtube.com/stungundotcom.

The media are encouraged to get in touch with any of the following individuals:

John Dunivan
MyLaptopGPS Media Relations
PHONE: (405) 747-6654 (direct line)
jd@MyLaptopGPS.com
www.MyLaptopGPS.com

Robert Siciliano, Personal Security Expert
CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com
PHONE: 888-SICILIANO (742-4542)
FAX: 877-2-FAX-NOW (232-9669)
Robert@IDTheftSecurity.com
www.idtheftsecurity.com

Brent W. Skinner
President & CEO of STETrevisions
PHONE: 617-875-4859
FAX: 866-663-6557
BrentSkinner@STETrevisions.biz
www.STETrevisions.biz

(BOSTON, Mass. - June 26, 2007 - IDTheftSecurity.com) As research continued to show that data breaches severely undercut consumer confidence, Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert, urged organizations to secure their mobile computers with GPS tracking technology from MyLaptopGPS™.

“The unrelenting spate of data breaches that continually threatens the integrity of databases housing confidential information is taking its toll on consumer confidence,” said Siciliano. “Organizations that recognize the causal relationship between security and customer retention are ahead in the game, and one way for any organization to show its constituencies that security is job number one is to equip mobile computer fleets with GPS tracking technology.”

CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com and a member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report’s editorial board, Siciliano leads Fortune 500 companies and their clients in workshops that explore consumer education solutions for security issues. A longtime identity theft speaker and author of “The Safety Minute: 01,” he has discussed data security and consumer protection on CNBC, on NBC’s “Today Show,” FOX News, and elsewhere.

A new survey jointly conducted by Vontu, developer of data loss prevention technologies, and the Ponemon Institute, publisher of research into information and privacy management, has yielded startling and worrisome findings. The 2007 Consumer Survey on Data Security found that 62 percent of its 768 respondents have received word that their confidential data has been lost. The same percentage said that they would be more upset with a company that lost their information due to negligence than if that company lost their information as the result of theft, and respondents who have received notification are more cautious when sharing their credit card and debit card information.

“Findings like these justify the need for proactive strategies aimed at securing easily compromised data,” said Siciliano. “Some of the most easily purloined data resides on mobile computers. Smart organizations secure their laptop computers to spare themselves not only the immediate headaches associated with a stolen, irretrievable laptop, but also the ensuing headaches that come from consumer confidence irretrievably lost because of data security breaches.”

MyLaptopGPS combines Internet-based GPS tracking—which, for tracking and retrieving stolen laptops, is more effective than other forms of GPS—with other functionalities that users can launch remotely to protect data even while the machine is in a criminal’s hands. Once connected to the internet, the software silently retrieves, and then deletes, files from machines as it tracks the stolen or missing hardware—at once returning the data to its rightful owner and removing it from the lost computer.

“We have seen how widespread laptop theft has become,” said Dan Yost, chief technology officer at MyLaptopGPS. “The alternative to installing GPS tracking technology on laptop computers is almost certainly the grief of never retrieving a machine once one goes missing. Our product and service is a sensible solution whose affordability makes it attractive to organizations that might otherwise face financially prohibitive litigation and loss of revenue in the wake of any laptop security breach.”

A downloadable demo of MyLaptopGPS is available. Recently, Yost delivered comments for a televised news report pertaining to the loss of laptop computers containing the Social Security numbers of numerous teachers at Chicago’s public schools.

To learn more about identity theft, a major concern for anyone who has been affected by the theft of a laptop computer, readers may go to video of Siciliano at VideoJug.

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About MyLaptopGPS
Since 1984, Tri-8, Inc. (DBA MyLaptopGPS.com) has specialized in complete system integration. From real-time electronic payment processing software to renowned mid-market ERP implementations, the executive team at MyLaptopGPS has been serving leading enterprises and implementing world-class data systems that simply work. With MyLaptopGPS™, Tri-8, Inc. brings a level of expertise, dedication, knowledge and service that is unmatched. MyLaptopGPS™’s rock-solid performance, security, and reliability flow directly from the company’s commitment to top-notch software products and services for almost 25 years.

About IDTheftSecurity.com
Identity theft affects us all, and Robert Siciliano, CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com and member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report’s editorial board, makes it his mission to provide consumer education solutions on identity theft to Fortune 500 companies and their clients. A leader of personal safety and security seminars nationwide, Siciliano has been featured on CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, “FOX News,” NBC’s “Today Show,” “The Suze Orman Show,” “The Montel Williams Show,” “Maury Povich,” “Sally Jesse Raphael,” “The Howard Stern Show,” and “Inside Edition.” The Privacy Learning Institute features him on its Website. Numerous magazines, print news outlets, and wire services have turned to him, as well, for expert commentary on personal security and identity theft. These include Entrepreneur, Woman’s Day, Mademoiselle, Good Housekeeping, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Times, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, United Press International, Reuters, and others.

For more information, visit Siciliano’s Web site, www.IDTheftSecurity.com; blog, www.realtysecurity.com/blog; and YouTube page, http://youtube.com/stungundotcom.

The media are encouraged to get in touch with any of the following individuals:

John Dunivan
MyLaptopGPS Media Relations
PHONE: (405) 747-6654 (direct line)
jd@MyLaptopGPS.com
www.MyLaptopGPS.com

Robert Siciliano, Personal Security Expert
CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com
PHONE: 888-SICILIANO (742-4542)
FAX: 877-2-FAX-NOW (232-9669)
Robert@IDTheftSecurity.com
www.idtheftsecurity.com

Brent W. Skinner
President & CEO of STETrevisions
PHONE: 617-875-4859
FAX: 866-663-6557
BrentSkinner@STETrevisions.biz
www.STETrevisions.biz

(BOSTON, Mass. - June 8, 2007 - IDTheftSecurity.com) News reports have indicated that a group of countries in the European Union made major strides in finalizing an alert system for business computer security. Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert, welcomed the development as he pointed to a London-based computer security company’s research, which revealed that mobile employees, especially, display risky behaviors in their computer use.

“It may be that those who take computer risks with their employers’ equipment adopt an ‘it-can’t-happen-to-me’ attitude,” said Siciliano. “Or, they may simply believe it isn’t their responsibility. And when computer security risks remain abstract, these attitudes are easy to have. The solution might be to add third-party alerts that drive home the notion of individual responsibility.”

CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com and a member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report’s editorial board, Siciliano leads Fortune 500 companies and their clients in workshops that explore consumer education solutions for security issues. A longtime identity theft speaker and author of “The Safety Minute: 01,” he has discussed data security and consumer protection on CNBC, on NBC’s “Today Show,” FOX News, and elsewhere.

As reported by InfoWorld on June 5, a group of 27 countries in the European Union have moved closer to forming a European Information Sharing and Alert System (EISAS). The EISAS will include means to notify small and medium-size businesses of IT security threats. According to the article, input from the countries’ delegates at the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA) conference this past week will become part of a related, final feasibility study to be published later in June.

“Computer security faces many hurdles,” said Siciliano. “One is the method by which computer users in business learn of threats. In many places, it seems like the news media function as the main channel for alerts—alerts that often come after much damage has already occurred. It’s a reactive system. Uniformity of response, like what the ENISA is working on, takes us a many steps closer to true, proactive response.”

Also on June 5, London-based SurfControl PLC, an Internet security company, posted a press release to announce findings of the firm’s new “Trust & Risk in the Workplace Study.” The report, which explored attitudes toward and behaviors surrounding computer security in the workplace, demonstrated that employees in all regions take security risks, and that mobile users take more risks than desktop users.

For instance, SurfControl’s study found that laptop users took more risks than their deskbound colleagues, and that some laptop users accessed the Internet through potentially insecure network. Risky activities included the use of USB keys and instant messaging, the downloading of music, and the sending of confidential information via email, and two thirds of the sample indicated that they would blame their employers if confidential data were stolen from their work computers.

“Even in business situations, with mobility comes the illusion of less need for security,” said Siciliano. “The exact opposite is the need. With a global alert system, a mobile employee who might otherwise feel free from needing the protection of his employer’s internal firewalls will receive those constant, third-party reminders that will prompt him remain vigilant and to exercise care.”

Readers may view a video of Siciliano at VideoJug, where he discusses identity theft and the security implications of laptop computer use in business.

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About IDTheftSecurity.com
Identity theft affects us all. Robert Siciliano, CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com and member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report’s editorial board, makes it his mission to provide consumer education solutions on identity theft to Fortune 500 companies and their clients.

A leader of personal safety and security seminars nationwide, Siciliano has been featured on CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, “FOX News,” NBC’s “Today Show,” “The Suze Orman Show,” “The Montel Williams Show,” “Maury Povich,” “Sally Jesse Raphael,” “The Howard Stern Show,” and “Inside Edition.” The Privacy Learning Institute features him on its Website. Numerous magazines, print news outlets, and wire services have turned to him, as well, for expert commentary on personal security and identity theft. These include Entrepreneur, Woman’s Day, Mademoiselle, Good Housekeeping, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Times, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, United Press International, Reuters, and others.

Visit Siciliano’s Web site, www.IDTheftSecurity.com; blog, www.realtysecurity.com/blog; and YouTube page, http://youtube.com/stungundotcom.

The media are encouraged to get in touch with Siciliano directly:

Robert Siciliano
Personal Security Expert
CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com
PHONE: 888-SICILIANO (742-4542)
FAX: 877-2-FAX-NOW (232-9669)
Robert@IDTheftSecurity.com
www.idtheftsecurity.com

The media may also contact:

Brent W. Skinner
President & CEO of STETrevisions
PHONE: 617-875-4859
FAX: 866-663-6557
BrentSkinner@STETrevisions.biz
www.STETrevisions.biz

(BOSTON, Mass. – April 6, 2007 - IDTheftSecurity.com) Last month a well-known computer security firm released a report showing how the incidence of computer threats and the complexity and sophistication of individuals perpetrating them are growing. According to Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert, the findings underscored the validity of other’ calls for strengthening IT security education and awareness programs.

“The response to ambitious hackers and the computer threats they engineer must be equally ambitious and scale to the ever-evolving dangers,” said Siciliano. “One major line of defense is IT security education. All companies should invest heavily in educating their workforces about IT security challenges.”

CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com, Siciliano leads Fortune 500 companies and their clients in workshops that explore consumer education solutions for security issues. On its Web site, the Privacy Learning Institute has featured Siciliano, a longtime identity theft speaker. Author of “The Safety Minute: 01,” He has discussed identity theft and data security on CNBC, on NBC’s “Today Show,” FOX News, and elsewhere.

A March 19th news release from Symantec Corporation of Cupertino, Calif., shared findings from the “Internet Security Threat Report Volume XI,” which looked at the incidence of various computer threats over the second half of 2006 vs. the first half:

Bot-infections (i.e., computers becoming “zombies” that operate, unbeknownst to their users, as malicious servers) increased by 29 percent.

Trojans constituted 45 percent of the top 50 malicious code samples—a 23 percent increase.

Zero-day vulnerabilities (undocumented threats to new software releases) increased twelve-fold.

According to Symantec’s report, these and other increases resulted in higher threats to personal, identifying information stored on computers. The research also revealed that hackers are expanding collaborative efforts on a massive scale.

Findings released a month earlier by Input, a Reston, VA–based market research firm, indicated that Department of Defense and Civilian Agencies will spend $690 million on IT security education and awareness programs over the next five years. The Feb. 20th news release noted: The Federal Information Security Management Act currently mandates that federal agencies provide security awareness and training to employees on an annual basis. But, the report suggested, successful education programs must require higher frequency and include random testing at a minimum of every few months.

“Hackers are becoming much more aggressive and vigorous in their antics,” concluded Siciliano. “We must respond in kind with training and education. Very little will completely halt a black hat hacker; they’re ants moving the rubber tree plant, but an equally technical person who knows how to put preventive systems in place has a fighting chance.”

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About IDTheftSecurity.com
Identity theft affects us all, which is why Robert Siciliano, CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com, makes it his mission to provide consumer education solutions on identity theft to Fortune 500 companies and their clients. A leader of personal safety and security seminars nationwide, Siciliano has been featured on CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, “The Suze Orman Show,” “ABC News with Sam Donaldson,” “The Montel Williams Show,” “Maury Povich,” “Sally Jesse Raphael,” and “The Howard Stern Show.”

Visit Siciliano’s Web site, www.IDTheftSecurity.com; blog, www.realtysecurity.com/blog; and YouTube page, http://youtube.com/stungundotcom.

The media are encouraged to get in touch with Siciliano directly:

Robert Siciliano
Personal Security Expert
PHONE: 888-SICILIANO (742-4542)
FAX: 877-2-FAX-NOW (232-9669)
Robert@IDTheftSecurity.com
www.idtheftsecurity.com

The media may also contact:

Brent W. Skinner, President
STETrevisions
PHONE: 617-875-4859
FAX: 866-663-6557
BrentSkinner@STETrevisions.biz
www.STETrevisions.biz