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How prepared are you to deal with a Man-in-the-Middle Attack? Also known as web spoofing, this is a method of identity theft that makes victims of both a business and individuals. The thief is in the middle of a transaction between an individual and an organization's web site… and that organization could be yours if you're not up on how to protect yourself from web spoofing and other ID theft activities. The articles below cover some of the issues you should know more about to protect your organization and its members, clients or other individuals.

This article offers tips for business on creating and implementing a plan for safeguarding personal information. (Item #1) One of the easiest ways for identity thieves to operate is to steal a business's online identity by web spoofing. (Item #2) Email is currently the phishing vehicle of choice; how to end it? (Item #3)

The so-called "business bust-out" scam is one way sophisticated criminals steal business identities across the country. (Item #4) You can help your employees understand what they need to know to safeguard their personal information. (Item #5) Low-tech methods of ID theft are plentiful in most businesses… what can you do to cut down on this type of theft? (Item #6)

As always, we look forward to hearing about your concerns with regards to business continuity. If you have a topic you'd like to see covered, please email me at [email protected]

Best Regards,

Bob Mellinger
President
Attainium Corp

Quote of the Week

"Identity theft, in general, is the fastest growing crime in the United States."
- Natalie Forbort -

Articles

1. Protecting Personal Information: A Guide for Business
Most companies keep sensitive personal information in their files and on their computers-names, Social Security numbers, account data-that identifies customers or employees. You'll need information like that to fill orders, meet payroll, or perform other necessary business functions. But if sensitive data falls into the wrong hands, it can lead to fraud or identity theft.
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/menus/business/data.shtm

2. Online Identity Theft and Business: Web Spoofing
In today's electronic environment, one of the easiest ways for an identity thief to operate is to masquerade as a business by stealing its online identity. This is done through a technique known as web spoofing. With web spoofing, a company's website is reproduced under a similar domain name that is controlled by the identity thief.
http://www.nysscpa.org/cpajournal/2004/404/essentials/p50.htm

3. Put an end to spam and phishing by reforming email
A software exec shares his views on how to end these cyber-problems via a system of authentication.
http://www.newstarget.com/019384.html

4. Identity Theft: The 'Business Bust-Out'
The "bust-out" is just one of the schemes fraudsters use to steal your business identity, a crime that has gone largely unnoticed in a legal system focused on consumer ID theft.
http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/jul2007/sb20070723_261131.htm?chan=smallbiz_smallbiz+index+page_top+stories

5. Are the Businesses You Frequent or Work for Exposing You to an Identity Thief?
This checklist illustrates what businesses can do to prevent identity theft. Share this with your employees, and make sure you (and your vendors) have the right answers to the questions.
http://www.privacyrights.org/itrc-quiz2.htm

6. Defending Yourself from Low-tech Identity Theft
Passwords, personal information, purses/wallets… all are sources of low-tech identity theft in the workplace. Every organization should make the effort to include warnings to employees about low-tech ID theft along with the more high-tech methods.
http://identity-defense.net/low-tech-identity-theft.html