Under Attack: Information

Remember when preventing theft was as simple as locking the front door? It's not so simple anymore. While burglars still rob homes, businesses, and individuals, the theft of information is on the rise and no one is immune. What's at stake? No, it's not cash nor is it jewelry. It's not a flat screen TV, either. Today's criminals know what's hot and its information.

Among the more attractive loot is personal information such as Social Security numbers and credit card numbers. Other hot commodities include user names and passwords. Armed with information, identity thieves and hackers can gain spend your money, rack up huge credit card bills, take out loans in your name, and wipe out bank accounts. No wonder information theft is so lucrative. Not only that, the thieves are finding the equivalent of an unlocked door or open window and walking right in! Best of all, for the thieves that is, they're in and out in a split second and nearly impossible to find.

At the individual level, phishing scams and malicious programs are common tools used to steal personal information. Individuals are learning the importance of protecting their personal information with zeal. Many now use computer security tools such as antivirus and antispyware programs and know better than to click links in unsolicited email messages. However, the threat is bigger than ever and even the most careful of individuals could have his information compromised.

For example, one of the biggest hacks occurred in May 2009 when hackers apparently broke into Virginia's Prescription Monitoring Program's website and allegedly stole over 8 million patient records and demanded a $10 million ransom for their safe return. Whether or not the information was really stolen remains to be seen. However, the break-in and ransom demand does illustrate the potential for massive security breaches that could affect millions of people.

It also illustrates that personal information is at risk no matter how carefully individuals guard it. A person may have the strongest computer security tools on his personal computer only to have his personal information hacked via a government agency with poor security measures in place. A person may not even own a computer, yet still become a victim of computer hacking.

Financial institutions have long grappled with security, and now as the health care industry moves toward electronic medical records, it too will face major security challenges. In addition to banking and health care, government agencies, such as the Virginia Prescription Monitoring Program, are responsible for securing huge databases filled with information. With thousands of agencies ranging from federal and state agencies to local water and school districts, identity thieves see opportunity everywhere. Are these agencies mindful of the threat and locking their doors?

About CBT Planet:

You can easily take a CBT training course that allows you to learn all of these new features and more on your own time and on your computer's desktop. CBT Planet offers a variety of courses for you to choose from, including various security training courses if you would like to master the older version before moving on to the new version. Our computer training courses are taught by certified instructors in the industry, thus providing you with a quality IT training, with each and every course that we offer.