[Dave]

Possibly a bit late in the day due to Inland Revenue loss of data, but worth reminding ourselves of following :-


The Ten-Point Plan to Prevent Identity Theft

The ten-point guide has been put together by BT in association with CPP, LloydsTSB, the Met Police and Yahoo, as well as the Get Safe Online initiative.

1. Keep your wits about you at all times
Understand the risks and operate on the Internet as you do in the offline world, with caution and appropriate scepticism.

2. Question why a Website is asking for information about you
Think about whether it is somewhere or someone you want to give your details to.

3. Never give any online security details to anyone unless it is completely necessary
Be particularly cautious if you share your accommodation with other people. Consider password-protecting your computer to avoid unnecessary access.

4. Look after your password
Change your passwords regularly and avoid standard passwords. Do not use the same password for every secure site you are registered with.

5. Never click on links in emails
Always type the Website address for banks, financial institutions and retail sites into the browser.

6. Keep up-to-date
Keep your security software, operating system and applications up-to-date at all times.

7. Remove the spies
Check all files on every computer that is connected to the Internet at least once a week using anti-spyware and adware applications.

8. Keep your connection secure
Make sure everyone who uses the computer understands the precautions they need to take when online. Do not leave your broadband connection switched on if you are not using it and if you use a wireless modem ensure you set it to use at least 128-bit encryption if you are registered for online banking.

9. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is
Don't open emails or go to sites that claim you have won a prize, unless you've entered a specific competition.

10. Know where to go for help should you be a victim of online identity theft
There are wide range of organisations and groups that people can turn to for advice including the police, industry bodies and suppliers of online services.


Alternatively just buy the 2 IR CDs here :- Didn't take long did it......

[_MB_]

I guess this is all sound advice but it doesn't stop some drongo giving 2 CDs to a stranger in a bike helmet

[orangepeel]

All of which is completely undermined and irrelevant when the organisation which your FORCED to give your personal details to leaks them.

What we need is these database holders to be required to pay cleanup costs in the event that they leak peoples private information.

My details where stolen as part of the hack against Monster. They are under no compunction to clean up my identity should it be used as part of a crime. For me to do it is EXTREMELY expensive. Both in time and money. It's taken some poor victims years and £1000's to get their identities back.

This is a stupid state of affairs. They lost my details, they should be responsible for getting me cleaned up.

I'm sure corporations would take the security of individuals information a bit more seriously if there was proper teeth in the legistlation.


Seriously people... NO2ID:stop ID cards and the database state

[stupot]

Originally Posted by Dave

Possibly a bit late in the day due to Inland Revenue loss of data, but worth reminding ourselves of following :-

8. Keep your connection secure
Make sure everyone who uses the computer understands the precautions they need to take when online. Do not leave your broadband connection switched on if you are not using it and if you use a wireless modem ensure you set it to use at least 128-bit encryption if you are registered for online banking.

This still really amazes me on how many people still use an unencrypted wireless network. If i do a search from my house TWO of my neighbours have unsecured networks!! I really isn't hard to encrypt them you've already done the 'hard' part by getting your wireless network up and running. all that's need is to select the same type of encryption on both PC and router, WPA2, WPA or WEP (always select WPA2 or WPA if you have them) and have the same key/pass-phrase for both devices. As for pass-phrases sites like this secure site https://www.grc.com/passwords.htm will generate a long string of characters, then just change a few digits around for extra security.

Only the other day i was using my laptop and my network was playing silly buggers and i couldn't connect to it! but unbeknown to me my laptop connected to the next network on this list, my neighbours unsecured network so there i was happily surfing using there connection, Thanks neighbour Now I'm not overly concerned about this but they should be! it was only some of their bandwidth i inadvertently stole but someone with a little bit of know how could easy see what info their sending to and from there PC.

I once saw 'The Real Hustle' on UK TV and if you haven't seen it they set up all sorts of modern day scams but instead of actually robbing people they show the duped just what they have just done. It a facinating program who once set up outside peoples houses and tapped into peoples unsecured or poorly secured (WEP in this case) networks and gained all sorts of info. One guy had just bought a holiday so they had his name, card details and the dates on when his house would be vacant!!! Shocking whats even more disturbing is all the info and equipment required to do this is freely available online and electronics stores!!

[Markulous]

Originally Posted by stupot

This still really amazes me on how many people still use an unencrypted wireless network.

Reminds me of the two businessmen who met for lunch and one showed the other his latest wireless toy which not only detected the prescence but also the content of the wireless signal. Took them a little while before they realised the stream was from an unencrypted wireless credit card swipe - they were seeing all the "confidential" credit card data!

But then I also know someone who used to have races as part of their Maths degree to break the encryption on wireless signals. Taking more than 10 minutes was deemed slow! Wait for the next generation of wireless encryption before relaxing a little, was his advice

[GainfulShrimp]

If there is any kind of silver lining to this debacle, it should be that ID Cards are finally assigned to that special category of government initiative: 'in the long grass', which is code for 'if we pursued this it would be political suicide'.