Paper aims to provide an overview of the problems of identity theft and its impacts on society coupled iwth potential solutions for individuals, corprorations and government agencies to mitigate and solve the issue.
Corporate role in protecting consumers from the risk of identity theftIJCNCJournal
The Internet has made it possible for users to be robbed of their reputation, money and credit worthiness by
the click of a mouse. The impact of identity theft severely limits victims’ ability to participate in commerce,
education and normal societal functions. This paper evaluates resurgence in syndicated cyber attacks,
which includes but not limited to identity theft, corporate espionage and cyber warfare taking advantage of
the Internet as a medium of operations. The paper highlights the increase of cyber related attacks in the
past ten years due to lack of transatlantic international corporation between participating countries,
coherent information security policies, data aggregation and sound international laws to facilitate
prosecution of perpetrators. The cyber space coupled with availability of free hacking tools has contributed
to resurgence in syndicated identity theft, corporate espionage and identity theft by organized crime
elements taking advantage of the Internet as a medium of operations. This paper presents conclusive
solution that users, organizations and consumers can enact to protect themselves from the threat of cyber
attacks culminating into identity theft, financial loss or both.
The document summarizes the current and future state of identity theft. It discusses how identity theft currently costs billions annually in the US through various fraud types like credit card, tax return, medical, and child identity fraud. It also notes that small businesses are often vulnerable targets. The future state predicts that by 2017, identity theft will impact every aspect of life as criminals target organizations, mobile devices, social media, documents, bank accounts, and more to steal identities. Recommendations include increasing education, law enforcement resources, and privacy regulations to address the evolving crime.
company names mentioned herein are for identification and educational purposes only and are the property of, and may be trademarks of, their respective owners.
This document provides an overview of e-authentication and its privacy implications. It discusses how e-authentication is used for online government services like license renewals and benefit applications, and states must ensure they authenticate individuals correctly while protecting personal information. The document also notes tensions between authentication methods that require personal information and privacy concerns, and it provides recommendations for states to consider like limiting collected information and assessing privacy risks of different methods.
There are three main types of identity crimes: identity theft, identity fraud, and account takeover. Identity theft involves stealing someone's personal information. Identity fraud is using stolen or fake identities for ethical or unethical purposes. Account takeover occurs when a fraudster uses someone's identity information like an email to access unauthorized financial or personal accounts. Globalization and technology like hacking, phishing, and spyware have made identity crimes easier to commit from anywhere. Careless behavior and oversharing of information online and in documents discarded without shredding also contribute to identity losses, with a survey finding that every minute sees 19 new victims.
This was a presentation by Hewie Poplock on Tuesday, November 15th, 2016 in the Goodwill Manasota (FL) Ranch Lake Community Room, "How to Avoid Identity Theft".
A victim of identity theft himself, Hewie will provide examples of how ID theft can happen as well as suggestions and precautions on how to prevent you and your family from becoming victims of identity theft yourselves. Topics covered included:
• What is Identity Theft
• How ID Theft Happens
• How to Protect Yourself
• Phishing
• Data Breaches
• Facebook Spoofing
• Skimmers
• Security Freeze
• On Line Shopping Safety
• Credit Card Chips
• What to Do If You are a Victim
Hewie is a former teacher, college instructor, business owner and manager, IT Manager, and web designer. He is currently semi-retired, but is active in technology user groups and frequently speaks to and teaches groups who are mostly seniors. He holds a monthly Windows Special Interest Group for a group in Orlando and has several videos on YouTube. He is an active member of The Sarasota Technology User Group.
Corporate role in protecting consumers from the risk of identity theftIJCNCJournal
The Internet has made it possible for users to be robbed of their reputation, money and credit worthiness by
the click of a mouse. The impact of identity theft severely limits victims’ ability to participate in commerce,
education and normal societal functions. This paper evaluates resurgence in syndicated cyber attacks,
which includes but not limited to identity theft, corporate espionage and cyber warfare taking advantage of
the Internet as a medium of operations. The paper highlights the increase of cyber related attacks in the
past ten years due to lack of transatlantic international corporation between participating countries,
coherent information security policies, data aggregation and sound international laws to facilitate
prosecution of perpetrators. The cyber space coupled with availability of free hacking tools has contributed
to resurgence in syndicated identity theft, corporate espionage and identity theft by organized crime
elements taking advantage of the Internet as a medium of operations. This paper presents conclusive
solution that users, organizations and consumers can enact to protect themselves from the threat of cyber
attacks culminating into identity theft, financial loss or both.
The document summarizes the current and future state of identity theft. It discusses how identity theft currently costs billions annually in the US through various fraud types like credit card, tax return, medical, and child identity fraud. It also notes that small businesses are often vulnerable targets. The future state predicts that by 2017, identity theft will impact every aspect of life as criminals target organizations, mobile devices, social media, documents, bank accounts, and more to steal identities. Recommendations include increasing education, law enforcement resources, and privacy regulations to address the evolving crime.
company names mentioned herein are for identification and educational purposes only and are the property of, and may be trademarks of, their respective owners.
This document provides an overview of e-authentication and its privacy implications. It discusses how e-authentication is used for online government services like license renewals and benefit applications, and states must ensure they authenticate individuals correctly while protecting personal information. The document also notes tensions between authentication methods that require personal information and privacy concerns, and it provides recommendations for states to consider like limiting collected information and assessing privacy risks of different methods.
There are three main types of identity crimes: identity theft, identity fraud, and account takeover. Identity theft involves stealing someone's personal information. Identity fraud is using stolen or fake identities for ethical or unethical purposes. Account takeover occurs when a fraudster uses someone's identity information like an email to access unauthorized financial or personal accounts. Globalization and technology like hacking, phishing, and spyware have made identity crimes easier to commit from anywhere. Careless behavior and oversharing of information online and in documents discarded without shredding also contribute to identity losses, with a survey finding that every minute sees 19 new victims.
This was a presentation by Hewie Poplock on Tuesday, November 15th, 2016 in the Goodwill Manasota (FL) Ranch Lake Community Room, "How to Avoid Identity Theft".
A victim of identity theft himself, Hewie will provide examples of how ID theft can happen as well as suggestions and precautions on how to prevent you and your family from becoming victims of identity theft yourselves. Topics covered included:
• What is Identity Theft
• How ID Theft Happens
• How to Protect Yourself
• Phishing
• Data Breaches
• Facebook Spoofing
• Skimmers
• Security Freeze
• On Line Shopping Safety
• Credit Card Chips
• What to Do If You are a Victim
Hewie is a former teacher, college instructor, business owner and manager, IT Manager, and web designer. He is currently semi-retired, but is active in technology user groups and frequently speaks to and teaches groups who are mostly seniors. He holds a monthly Windows Special Interest Group for a group in Orlando and has several videos on YouTube. He is an active member of The Sarasota Technology User Group.
The document discusses identity theft and ways that thieves steal personal information. It begins with defining identity theft and the common types, including child identity theft, tax identity theft, medical identity theft, and senior identity theft. It then discusses how identity theft can occur through stealing wallets and mail, rummaging through trash, online methods like phishing and social media, and using stolen information to make purchases or apply for loans in the victim's name. The document provides tips on protecting yourself such as being wary of emails asking for personal information, not sharing sensitive data over email, and monitoring accounts regularly for unauthorized activity.
A summarized version of the 60 page Rule broken down by Kirk J. Nahra, a partner with Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP in Washington, D.C. He specializes in privacy and information security litigation and counseling for companies facing compliance obligations in these areas. He is the Chair of the firm’s Privacy Practice. He serves on the Board of Directors of the International Association of Privacy Professionals, and edits IAPP’s monthly newsletter, Privacy Officers Advisor. He is a Certified Information Privacy Professional, and is the Chair of the ABA Health Law Section’s Interest Group on eHealth, Privacy & Security.
This document discusses protecting personal identity in the age of increased information tracking. It outlines the risks of identity theft, how thieves steal identities, and statistics on identity theft victims. Key points include that identity theft costs the US economy an estimated $100 billion annually, 47% of victims in 2015 experienced tax or wage-related identity theft, and children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable targets. The document provides tips on reducing identity theft risks and resolving identity theft issues.
The document discusses various legal issues related to rights and obligations in cyberspace. It is authored by Dr. Tabrez Ahmad and covers topics like digital revolution and its effect on management of rights, rights and duties in cyberspace, cyber trespass, privacy in cyberspace, cyber libel, cyber stalking, spamming, cybersquatting, data protection and identity theft. It provides an overview of these topics, relevant cases, legislations and the challenges in governing cyberspace. The document also discusses two schools of thought on regulation of cyberspace and the relationship between law and social change.
Your Employees at Risk: The New, Dangerous Realities of Identity TheftElizabeth Dimit
This document discusses the growing threat of identity theft and how employers can help protect employees. It notes that over 90% of passwords are hackable and criminals are increasingly organized in stealing and selling personal data online. Identity theft comes in many forms and can have serious financial and legal consequences for victims. As such, many employers are offering identity protection services as a benefit to help insulate employees from stress and costs associated with identity theft. The document recommends employers match the type of identity protection offered to the specific risks employees face, such as credit monitoring for financial data or healthcare monitoring for medical information. It then describes the features of one identity protection service called MyIDCare that provides comprehensive monitoring, concierge support services, and assistance recovering from
Data breaches reached record levels in 2014, with over 5,000 incidents compromising an estimated 675 million records. Healthcare organizations experienced the most breaches at 42.5% of the total. Major breaches impacted Sony, J.P. Morgan, Home Depot, and eBay, compromising millions of customer records. The costs of data breaches for US companies averaged $201 per compromised record, with total costs increasing 15% on average. Looking ahead, healthcare breaches and threats to corporate intellectual property and trade secrets are expected to remain significant risks.
This document discusses cybercrime in Iraq. It begins with definitions of cybercrime and various types of cybercrimes such as hacking, theft, cyber stalking, and identity theft. It then analyzes cybercrime statistics and cases in Iraq between 2006-2011, finding that cases increased by an average of 246.2% annually. Common cybercrime types in Iraq are discussed, with many cases involving social media sites like Facebook. The document also examines cybercrime legislation in Middle Eastern countries and discusses the emerging threat of cyber terrorism from ISIS and their online recruitment efforts.
This document provides information and tips about preventing identity theft. It begins by defining identity theft as a crime where someone wrongfully obtains and uses another person's personal data, typically for economic gain. It then shares some key statistics, such as nearly 10 million incidents of identity theft occurring in the US in 2004, costing consumers $5 billion. The document outlines common identity theft crimes and scams, such as stealing mail, lifting personal details from checks, or using someone's information without permission. It aims to educate readers on the threats and help them protect their personal data.
Preventing Nonprofit Banking Fraud and the Tools You Can Use!tomciolkosz
This document discusses preventing nonprofit banking fraud and tools organizations can use. It begins by highlighting recent headlines of fraud cases at nonprofits. It then discusses the fraud triangle and importance of internal controls. It provides tips for protecting the online environment such as using two-factor authentication and educating employees. The document also covers different types of banking fraud like check fraud, ACH fraud, and credit card fraud. It emphasizes the importance of controls like positive pay, bank reconciliation, and understanding responsibilities under Regulation E. Finally, it provides resources for further learning.
Presented at the 29th Annual FMA Conference
Topics:
> Raise awareness of the emerging trends in cybersecurity, such as the threats and the potential cost that a breach could have on your organization
> Establish an understanding of what your organization and board can do to reduce the likelihood and impact of a breach
> Identify key characteristics and aspects within an incident/breach response plan and how this plan will reduce the impact of the unfortunate event
This document provides an overview of common internet threats such as identity theft, fraud, viruses, and hacking. It discusses how personal information can be compromised through data breaches, malware, social engineering, and physical theft. Examples of major data breaches that exposed millions of records are provided. Methods of identity theft like credit card skimming are explained. Steps people can take to protect their computers and identities are recommended, such as using antivirus software, securing personal information, and monitoring credit reports.
Civil Liability on the Internet discusses the increasing harms caused by internet fraud, defective software, and failure to secure online data. It argues that traditional negligence principles can and should be applied to intermediaries like internet service providers and websites to allocate liability for cyber harms. However, successfully bringing a negligence claim is challenging due to issues like economic loss rules and safe harbors for intermediaries in laws like the Communications Decency Act. The common law will need to continue evolving to address unremedied online consumer injuries.
This document summarizes a white paper on cyber crime within the South African government. It discusses the growing problem of identity theft and hacking within government systems. It outlines the Cool Frog Cyber Project, which was authorized to target and disrupt international crime syndicates hijacking identities to enable financial crimes. The project profiled 4 linked syndicates, analyzed threats, and achieved several arrests and convictions. It discusses investigative methods like searches, hardware key loggers, and working with partners like law enforcement. The document recommends improving security measures, vetting, and training to better address cyber crimes within government.
Identity theft occurs when someone steals personal information like social security numbers or credit card numbers to commit fraud. It can cost victims time and money to repair the damage done to their credit and reputation. Thieves obtain personal details in various ways like dumpster diving, card skimming, phishing scams, and social engineering. To protect against identity theft, people should safeguard their social security number, passwords, wallet, mail, and dispose of documents securely. Organizations should also employ encryption, authentication, employee training, cyber insurance, and incident response plans to help prevent data breaches and contain damage if a breach occurs.
This document is a project report on cybercrime in the banking sector submitted by Praveen Singh Pokharia to the University of Lucknow. It contains an introduction that defines cybercrime and notes that cybercrime in banking involves crimes like ATM fraud, money laundering, and credit card fraud. It also provides an index of topics to be covered in the report such as the reasons for cybercrime, cybercriminals, cybercrime in the banking sector, case studies, and recent cases. The report aims to analyze cybercrime affecting the banking sector in India.
This document contains summaries of three articles about privacy breaches and data security issues:
1. The first article summarizes a privacy breach that exposed Social Security numbers and other private information of students and employees at several Florida colleges. Around 30,000 individuals were impacted.
2. The second article discusses how web tracking software has become more widespread and intrusive, with some sites installing over 100 tracking tools. This raises regulatory concerns about online privacy and surveillance.
3. The third article analyzes healthcare breaches under new privacy laws, estimating total costs to organizations of $800 million. The majority of breaches were due to lost or stolen devices like laptops and removable storage devices containing patient medical information. Proper
Cyber Crime can involve criminal activities, such as theft, fraud, forgery, defamation and mischief, all of which are subject to the IPC. The abuse of computers has also given birth to a gamut of new age crimes that are addressed by the Information Technology Act, 2000.
This presentation covers the FACTA Identity Theft Red Flags Rule and other legislation in the compliance for business in preventing and reducing Identity Theft in the workplace.
A Contextual Framework For Combating Identity TheftMartha Brown
Identity theft is a growing problem, with reported cases in the US rising 33% from 2002 to 2003. The framework proposes that there are four main stakeholders in combating identity theft: identity owners, identity issuers, identity checkers, and identity protectors. Each stakeholder plays a distinct role through prevention, detection, and legal prosecution activities, and they must collaborate for effective identity management. The framework provides a way to understand identity theft risks, develop solutions, and evaluate prevention and detection methods from multiple perspectives.
Government Access Cards: A key to fraud and identity theft reduction?Robert Bromwich
Conference paper developed and presented at the Records Management Association of Australasia's 25th International Convention organised in Sydney Australia during September 2008.
Paper aims to provide a history of three government-sponosored identity programs in the USA (Real-ID), Australia (Health and Welfare Access Card) and the United Kingdom (identity Card) and gives an analysis of claims by proponents that implementing a compulsory national identity programs reduces fraud against the public purse and cases of identity theft
The paper concludes by asking the question - is having such a program worthwhile?
A REVIEW OF CYBERSECURITY AS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR FIGHTING IDENTITY THEFT AC...IJCI JOURNAL
The study is focused on identity theft and cybersecurity in United States. Hence, the study is aimed at examining the impact of cybersecurity on identity theft in United States using a time series data which covers the period between 2001 and 2021. Trend analysis of complaints of identity theft and cybersecurity over the years was conducted; also, the nature of relationship between the two variables was established. Chi-Square analysis was used to examine the impact of cybersecurity on identity theft in United States. Line graphs were used to analyze the trend in the variable. Time series data was used in the study and the data was obtained from secondary sources; Statista.com, US Federal Trade Commission, Insurance Information Institute and Identitytheft.org. Result from the study revealed that consumers’ complaints on identity theft were on the increase every year. Total spending of the economy (both private and public
sector) on cybersecurity was on continuous increase over the years. More than 100% of spending in 2010 as incurred in 2018. The Chi-Square analysis revealed that cybersecurity does not have significant impact on identity theft. The study recommended that the government increase the level of public awareness to ensure that members of the public protect their personal and other information to ensure that they are not compromised for fraud or identity theft. Organizations also need to invest more in the security system and develop policies that will support the security system. At the country level, international treaties and collaboration should be encouraged to prosecute the fraudsters hiding behind national borders.
The document discusses identity theft and ways that thieves steal personal information. It begins with defining identity theft and the common types, including child identity theft, tax identity theft, medical identity theft, and senior identity theft. It then discusses how identity theft can occur through stealing wallets and mail, rummaging through trash, online methods like phishing and social media, and using stolen information to make purchases or apply for loans in the victim's name. The document provides tips on protecting yourself such as being wary of emails asking for personal information, not sharing sensitive data over email, and monitoring accounts regularly for unauthorized activity.
A summarized version of the 60 page Rule broken down by Kirk J. Nahra, a partner with Wiley Rein & Fielding LLP in Washington, D.C. He specializes in privacy and information security litigation and counseling for companies facing compliance obligations in these areas. He is the Chair of the firm’s Privacy Practice. He serves on the Board of Directors of the International Association of Privacy Professionals, and edits IAPP’s monthly newsletter, Privacy Officers Advisor. He is a Certified Information Privacy Professional, and is the Chair of the ABA Health Law Section’s Interest Group on eHealth, Privacy & Security.
This document discusses protecting personal identity in the age of increased information tracking. It outlines the risks of identity theft, how thieves steal identities, and statistics on identity theft victims. Key points include that identity theft costs the US economy an estimated $100 billion annually, 47% of victims in 2015 experienced tax or wage-related identity theft, and children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable targets. The document provides tips on reducing identity theft risks and resolving identity theft issues.
The document discusses various legal issues related to rights and obligations in cyberspace. It is authored by Dr. Tabrez Ahmad and covers topics like digital revolution and its effect on management of rights, rights and duties in cyberspace, cyber trespass, privacy in cyberspace, cyber libel, cyber stalking, spamming, cybersquatting, data protection and identity theft. It provides an overview of these topics, relevant cases, legislations and the challenges in governing cyberspace. The document also discusses two schools of thought on regulation of cyberspace and the relationship between law and social change.
Your Employees at Risk: The New, Dangerous Realities of Identity TheftElizabeth Dimit
This document discusses the growing threat of identity theft and how employers can help protect employees. It notes that over 90% of passwords are hackable and criminals are increasingly organized in stealing and selling personal data online. Identity theft comes in many forms and can have serious financial and legal consequences for victims. As such, many employers are offering identity protection services as a benefit to help insulate employees from stress and costs associated with identity theft. The document recommends employers match the type of identity protection offered to the specific risks employees face, such as credit monitoring for financial data or healthcare monitoring for medical information. It then describes the features of one identity protection service called MyIDCare that provides comprehensive monitoring, concierge support services, and assistance recovering from
Data breaches reached record levels in 2014, with over 5,000 incidents compromising an estimated 675 million records. Healthcare organizations experienced the most breaches at 42.5% of the total. Major breaches impacted Sony, J.P. Morgan, Home Depot, and eBay, compromising millions of customer records. The costs of data breaches for US companies averaged $201 per compromised record, with total costs increasing 15% on average. Looking ahead, healthcare breaches and threats to corporate intellectual property and trade secrets are expected to remain significant risks.
This document discusses cybercrime in Iraq. It begins with definitions of cybercrime and various types of cybercrimes such as hacking, theft, cyber stalking, and identity theft. It then analyzes cybercrime statistics and cases in Iraq between 2006-2011, finding that cases increased by an average of 246.2% annually. Common cybercrime types in Iraq are discussed, with many cases involving social media sites like Facebook. The document also examines cybercrime legislation in Middle Eastern countries and discusses the emerging threat of cyber terrorism from ISIS and their online recruitment efforts.
This document provides information and tips about preventing identity theft. It begins by defining identity theft as a crime where someone wrongfully obtains and uses another person's personal data, typically for economic gain. It then shares some key statistics, such as nearly 10 million incidents of identity theft occurring in the US in 2004, costing consumers $5 billion. The document outlines common identity theft crimes and scams, such as stealing mail, lifting personal details from checks, or using someone's information without permission. It aims to educate readers on the threats and help them protect their personal data.
Preventing Nonprofit Banking Fraud and the Tools You Can Use!tomciolkosz
This document discusses preventing nonprofit banking fraud and tools organizations can use. It begins by highlighting recent headlines of fraud cases at nonprofits. It then discusses the fraud triangle and importance of internal controls. It provides tips for protecting the online environment such as using two-factor authentication and educating employees. The document also covers different types of banking fraud like check fraud, ACH fraud, and credit card fraud. It emphasizes the importance of controls like positive pay, bank reconciliation, and understanding responsibilities under Regulation E. Finally, it provides resources for further learning.
Presented at the 29th Annual FMA Conference
Topics:
> Raise awareness of the emerging trends in cybersecurity, such as the threats and the potential cost that a breach could have on your organization
> Establish an understanding of what your organization and board can do to reduce the likelihood and impact of a breach
> Identify key characteristics and aspects within an incident/breach response plan and how this plan will reduce the impact of the unfortunate event
This document provides an overview of common internet threats such as identity theft, fraud, viruses, and hacking. It discusses how personal information can be compromised through data breaches, malware, social engineering, and physical theft. Examples of major data breaches that exposed millions of records are provided. Methods of identity theft like credit card skimming are explained. Steps people can take to protect their computers and identities are recommended, such as using antivirus software, securing personal information, and monitoring credit reports.
Civil Liability on the Internet discusses the increasing harms caused by internet fraud, defective software, and failure to secure online data. It argues that traditional negligence principles can and should be applied to intermediaries like internet service providers and websites to allocate liability for cyber harms. However, successfully bringing a negligence claim is challenging due to issues like economic loss rules and safe harbors for intermediaries in laws like the Communications Decency Act. The common law will need to continue evolving to address unremedied online consumer injuries.
This document summarizes a white paper on cyber crime within the South African government. It discusses the growing problem of identity theft and hacking within government systems. It outlines the Cool Frog Cyber Project, which was authorized to target and disrupt international crime syndicates hijacking identities to enable financial crimes. The project profiled 4 linked syndicates, analyzed threats, and achieved several arrests and convictions. It discusses investigative methods like searches, hardware key loggers, and working with partners like law enforcement. The document recommends improving security measures, vetting, and training to better address cyber crimes within government.
Identity theft occurs when someone steals personal information like social security numbers or credit card numbers to commit fraud. It can cost victims time and money to repair the damage done to their credit and reputation. Thieves obtain personal details in various ways like dumpster diving, card skimming, phishing scams, and social engineering. To protect against identity theft, people should safeguard their social security number, passwords, wallet, mail, and dispose of documents securely. Organizations should also employ encryption, authentication, employee training, cyber insurance, and incident response plans to help prevent data breaches and contain damage if a breach occurs.
This document is a project report on cybercrime in the banking sector submitted by Praveen Singh Pokharia to the University of Lucknow. It contains an introduction that defines cybercrime and notes that cybercrime in banking involves crimes like ATM fraud, money laundering, and credit card fraud. It also provides an index of topics to be covered in the report such as the reasons for cybercrime, cybercriminals, cybercrime in the banking sector, case studies, and recent cases. The report aims to analyze cybercrime affecting the banking sector in India.
This document contains summaries of three articles about privacy breaches and data security issues:
1. The first article summarizes a privacy breach that exposed Social Security numbers and other private information of students and employees at several Florida colleges. Around 30,000 individuals were impacted.
2. The second article discusses how web tracking software has become more widespread and intrusive, with some sites installing over 100 tracking tools. This raises regulatory concerns about online privacy and surveillance.
3. The third article analyzes healthcare breaches under new privacy laws, estimating total costs to organizations of $800 million. The majority of breaches were due to lost or stolen devices like laptops and removable storage devices containing patient medical information. Proper
Cyber Crime can involve criminal activities, such as theft, fraud, forgery, defamation and mischief, all of which are subject to the IPC. The abuse of computers has also given birth to a gamut of new age crimes that are addressed by the Information Technology Act, 2000.
This presentation covers the FACTA Identity Theft Red Flags Rule and other legislation in the compliance for business in preventing and reducing Identity Theft in the workplace.
A Contextual Framework For Combating Identity TheftMartha Brown
Identity theft is a growing problem, with reported cases in the US rising 33% from 2002 to 2003. The framework proposes that there are four main stakeholders in combating identity theft: identity owners, identity issuers, identity checkers, and identity protectors. Each stakeholder plays a distinct role through prevention, detection, and legal prosecution activities, and they must collaborate for effective identity management. The framework provides a way to understand identity theft risks, develop solutions, and evaluate prevention and detection methods from multiple perspectives.
Government Access Cards: A key to fraud and identity theft reduction?Robert Bromwich
Conference paper developed and presented at the Records Management Association of Australasia's 25th International Convention organised in Sydney Australia during September 2008.
Paper aims to provide a history of three government-sponosored identity programs in the USA (Real-ID), Australia (Health and Welfare Access Card) and the United Kingdom (identity Card) and gives an analysis of claims by proponents that implementing a compulsory national identity programs reduces fraud against the public purse and cases of identity theft
The paper concludes by asking the question - is having such a program worthwhile?
A REVIEW OF CYBERSECURITY AS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR FIGHTING IDENTITY THEFT AC...IJCI JOURNAL
The study is focused on identity theft and cybersecurity in United States. Hence, the study is aimed at examining the impact of cybersecurity on identity theft in United States using a time series data which covers the period between 2001 and 2021. Trend analysis of complaints of identity theft and cybersecurity over the years was conducted; also, the nature of relationship between the two variables was established. Chi-Square analysis was used to examine the impact of cybersecurity on identity theft in United States. Line graphs were used to analyze the trend in the variable. Time series data was used in the study and the data was obtained from secondary sources; Statista.com, US Federal Trade Commission, Insurance Information Institute and Identitytheft.org. Result from the study revealed that consumers’ complaints on identity theft were on the increase every year. Total spending of the economy (both private and public
sector) on cybersecurity was on continuous increase over the years. More than 100% of spending in 2010 as incurred in 2018. The Chi-Square analysis revealed that cybersecurity does not have significant impact on identity theft. The study recommended that the government increase the level of public awareness to ensure that members of the public protect their personal and other information to ensure that they are not compromised for fraud or identity theft. Organizations also need to invest more in the security system and develop policies that will support the security system. At the country level, international treaties and collaboration should be encouraged to prosecute the fraudsters hiding behind national borders.
Globalization has made the use of computer to grow drastically over the years. More people from different parts of the world are coming closer to one another through computers. The World Wide Web has enabled this phenomenon to be possible, but also, it has led to the emergence of cyber crimes. Although law enforcement agencies have come up with security policies, the number of crimes related to computer theft and hacking is still alarming
An Exploratory Study On Causes Of Identity Document Theft In South AfricaTracy Morgan
This document summarizes an exploratory study on the causes of identity document theft in South Africa. Some key findings from the study include:
- Identity document theft has increased exponentially in recent years and is a major problem costing South Africa over R1 billion per year.
- Common causes of identity document theft identified include the ready availability of personal information from data breaches, as well as the use of technology which enables new ways to commit identity theft.
- Vulnerabilities from unsecured computers and identity infrastructures online have also contributed to the rise in identity document theft in South Africa.
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Sara E. Berg
University at Albany
Sara E. Berg is a doctoral student in the School of Criminal Justice at the University at Albany. She also
holds a BS and MS in information technology from the Rochester Institute of Technology and an MA in
criminal justice from the University at Albany. Her primary research interest is computer crime, specif-
ically examining the intersection between technology and crime as it relates to offending and victimiza-
tion. For the past 4 years, she has been carrying out identity theft victimization research, with a focus on
information protection and security.
Abstract
This study employs content analysis of 577 newspaper articles published between 1985 and
2003 to determine causes, correlates, and factors surrounding identity theft. Findings show
that identity theft is a complex sociotechnological problem that follows predictable patterns
of victimization and offending behaviors, which are modeled using network view diagrams
produced with Atlas.ti content analysis software. These diagrammatic models illustrate rela-
tionships between key variables and have important implications for fraud prevention policies
and practices beyond those addressed by existing legislation, regulations, and recommenda-
tions of the federal government, especially as the use and power of computing and Internet
technologies continue to grow.
INTRODUCTION AND LITERATURE REVIEW
Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States today, and its numbers
don’t seem to be diminishing. Also known as identity fraud, these two labels are relatively
interchangeable umbrella terms1 that refer to the commission of several fraud crimes in the
United States and in other nations, although naming conventions vary in crime statutes and in
practice vary throughout the world. Identity theft is committed by obtaining unique personal
information and then using that information to impersonate one or more victims, in one or
Chapter 12
Identity Theft Causes, Correlates,
and Factors: A Content Analysis
225
1Although both identity theft and identity fraud refer to the same incident type inside the United States, there
is often more differentiation internationally. Similarly, it has been proposed to break apart the term “identity
theft” and instead further distinguish each individual type (Cheney 2005).
M12_SCHM8860_01_SE_C12.QXD 2/4/08 7:16 PM Page 225
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226 Chapter 12 Identity Theft Causes, Correlates, and Factors
TABLE 12-1 Identity Theft Fraud-related Victimization
Credit card fraud 25%
Phone or utilities fraud 16%
Bank fraud 16%
Employment-related fraud 14%
Government document or benefits fraud 10%
Loan fraud 5%
Other assorted incidents 24%
Attempted identity theft 6%
Sou.
250 word agree or disagreeThis week we have been tasked with a.docxvickeryr87
250 word agree or disagree
This week we have been tasked with answering the following:
Please discuss organized crime both local, federally, and nationwide and what challenges does technology pose to law enforcement when investigating international organized crime. Please ensure that you make appropriate use, in-text citation, and reference to available source information to support your perspective (be sure to include why you consider these issues important).
Organized crime at the local, federal, national, and international levels affects everyone from the baby being born to the man who is working the Mom and Pop's shop to the elderly. That is because of the fact that criminals are taking advantage of the technology that currently exists and are employing it for their personal gain against their targets. "The council noted that international organized criminals have and may penetrate the energy and other strategic sectors of the economy; provide logistical and other support to terrorists, foreign intelligence services, and governments; smuggle/traffic people and contraband goods into the United States; exploit the United States and international financial system to move illicit funds; use cyberspace to target U.S. victims and infrastructure; manipulate securities exchanges and perpetrate sophisticated frauds; corrupt or seek to corrupt public officials in the United States and abroad; and use violence or the threat of violence as a basis for power" (Finklea, 2010). An example would be spam emails where the receiver would have to input his or her credit card number or Paypal information, etc in order to support a certain organization against animal cruelty, etc when in reality that money goes to a criminal's bank account(s) (Bjelopera & Finklea, 2012). Other means of employing technology for criminal activities include penetrating companies economic sectors, committing credit card fraud by
cloning
cards as well as stealing people's identities and applying for credit on their behalf (Bjelopera & Finklea, 2012). Recruitment for criminal networks also occur through cyberspace where individuals belonging to a certain criminal organizing attempt to recruit individuals through social media or by creating videos, blogs, or other online media in order to target ethnic diaspora and increase their numbers to further their criminal agendas (Bjelopera & Finklea, 2012). Corruption is another method that criminals employ through technology. Criminals can wire transfer funds to corrupt individuals in exchanges for warnings them about police checkpoints or police raids through email or phone calls or text messages or through a social media account (Bjelopera & Finklea, 2012). Law enforcement could face challenges to include certain laws concerning if and how law enforcement can access technology (i.e. Apple iPhones messages, and other content, or Android phones, etc.). An example was when the FBI attempted to break into an iPhone for an investigation .
Cybercrime refers to criminal conduct committed with the aid of a computer or other electronic equipment connected to the internet. Individuals or small groups of people with little technical knowledge and highly organized worldwide criminal groups with relatively talented developers and specialists can engage in cybercrime. Too know more visit here: https://nationalconsumerleague.blogspot.com/2023/02/what-is-cyber-fraud.html
The document discusses the history and rise of the World Wide Web and cybercrimes. It notes that while the World Wide Web provided practical benefits and economic growth starting in 1991, its expansion also led to the introduction and rise of cybercrimes that are difficult for law enforcement to address due to the ability of criminals to erase digital tracks and issues with jurisdiction. The document also summarizes rational choice theory and strain/anomie theories as explanations for criminal behavior, and provides examples of cybercrimes like 419 scams that arise from economic strains in countries like Nigeria.
The document discusses the history and rise of the World Wide Web and cybercrimes. It provides statistics on internet usage globally and discusses how the practical benefits of the internet also enabled new types of cybercrimes to emerge. Rational choice theory, strain/anomie theories, and self-control theory are introduced as frameworks for understanding why individuals engage in cybercrimes like software piracy, phishing, and digital copying of movies. Specific examples of cybercrimes in Nigeria are also examined in the context of economic strain and lack of law enforcement.
1. The document discusses various types of cyber crimes and frauds, providing definitions and examples. It covers topics like social engineering, phishing, cyber stalking, ransomware attacks, and viruses.
2. Types of fraud discussed include COVID-19 related scams, synthetic identity theft, and cyber warfare. Social engineering, phishing emails, SMS phishing ("smishing"), and phone phishing ("vishing") are described as common techniques used.
3. Details are given on how different cyber crimes are carried out, including stages of cyber attacks, how synthetic identities are created, and how viruses and trojans can infiltrate systems covertly. A wide range of attacks targeting individuals and organizations are outlined
Lesson iv on fraud awareness (cyber frauds)Kolluru N Rao
1. This document provides an overview of cyber crimes and fraud, defining key terms like fraud, cyber crimes, and social engineering.
2. It describes common types of cyber crimes such as phishing, smishing, vishing, and synthetic identity theft. Cyber stalking, hacking, viruses, and ransomware attacks are also outlined.
3. Safety tips are provided to help prevent people from becoming victims of cyber crimes, including using strong passwords, avoiding public WiFi for financial transactions, and reporting any suspected criminal activity to the police.
This seminar discusses cyberterrorism, defined as disruptive or threatening activities against computers and networks to cause harm or further social, political, or ideological objectives. It provides an overview of the topic, including background information on the development of public interest in cyberterrorism since the late 1980s. The document outlines forms of cyberterrorism like privacy violations, secret information theft, demolishing e-governance systems, and distributed denial of service attacks. It also examines who may carry out cyberterrorism and why, as well as its potential impacts.
Information or cyber warfare is computer related attacks which a.docxannettsparrow
Information or cyber warfare is computer related attacks which are guided towards information and information systems for the purposes of causing terror. Many of the cyber crimes are politically instigated and they are carried out by clandestine groups targeting non combatant groups. Enemies can collect information so as to have a competitive advantage over their foes, especially on matters of security (Van Niekerk & Maharaj, 2011). A good example of information warfare was the denial-of –service (DOS) attacks by Russia on
Estonia
in 2007 and on Georgia in 2008.
The greatest risk that any information warfare can pose is infrastructural risk. Countries all over the world are highly dependent on technology to carry out services such as communication, transport, electrical grid, and manufacturing facilities. For instance, Estonia is one of the most internet dependent countries in the provision of services to the citizens; this made the country highly vulnerable to Russian cyber attacks on their systems. The first area that was affected by these attacks was the government websites, where traffic was used to bombard the websites so people could be denied service. The other greatly affected areas in Estonia were the news publications as they could not convey information internationally because their systems were jammed. The banking system was greatly affected by the attacks, people could not access all the online services of banks, and the debit cards for banks, especially Hansbank, could not be used inside and outside the country. According to Lewis (2014) from a military strategic perspective, attacks that do not degrade national capabilities are not significant. This shows how information warfare can disrupt national services that are dependent on information systems. Other critical infrastructures that can be attacked are dams that can disrupt water supplies, and air traffic. https://homeworkharbour.info/have-instructions-attached-along-with-a-few-powerpoint-decks-also-included-a-su
Information warfare poses a security risk in any country. Cyberwarfare is not all about disruption and destroying of information but involves hacking information systems to obtain confidential information. This action can lead to personal, institutional and national security risk issues. Hackers can access the information about prominent people and use it against them for political or any other gain. Personal information that can be useful to hackers include photos, business document, bank documents etc. In an institutional level information can be obtained for the purposes of competition or tarnishing the image of the company. One of the most important information that can be stolen from an organizations database is the trade secrets which can be used by competitors to gain a competitive advantage. All the countries around the world are faced with security risks that are caused by cyber warfare. Currently the United States is more concerned by cyber warfare m.
Cybercrime involves illegal actions aimed at computers or conducted using computers. This document discusses different types of cybercriminals including hackers, organized hacking groups, and government-sponsored abusers. It also outlines typologies of cybercriminality such as social engineering techniques that target human flaws to gain access to computer systems. The document concludes by summarizing a study estimating that cybercrime costs the global economy nearly $500 billion annually through losses and job cuts.
Inside the following year, individuals will confront
new troubles to the ability to guarantee the insurance and
security of their own information. With these sorts of security
strategies being utilized, there is much weakness. Another
option is bio-metric confirmation. Biometrics are propelled ver-
ification systems; it prompts numerous protection and security
issues. Real security what’s more, security issues on Radio
Frequency Identification (RFID) chips were distinguished and
dissected. Likewise, Biometric security dangers that connected
to e-international ID have been dissected and a few proposals
were given which have been investigated for numerous years.
Cryptography innovation and a few conventions are utilized
to counter-measure the dangers and assaults. Nowadays, E-
passports permits are generally sent in the vast majority
of the created nations that stores the bio-metric data on a
modest RFID chip. So that’s why, Identity Theft has forced
incalculable hardships upon its casualties which is a major
challenge in this new era. In this paper, we investigate the
powerlessness of informal community clients to Identity Theft
when they share individual distinguishing proof data on the
web. Personality crooks abuse informal organization clients and
the shortcomings of interpersonal interaction destinations to
assemble the data expected to submit Identity Theft what’s
more, character misrepresentation utilizing this id data. A
trouble in having precaution components set up is that person
to person communication locales have a personal stake in
advancing as opposed to keeping the sharing of information.
Further, character wrong-doing is unavoidable which makes
the improvement of dangers troublesome. Taking everything
into account, endeavors have been made in this paper to
blueprint contentions that will help with settling the wrong-
doings given helplessness of informal organization clients to
Identity Theft.
This document summarizes a presentation on cyber crime within the South African government. It discusses the types of cyber crimes that occur, including identity theft, data interception, malware, and hacking. It outlines investigations conducted by the Directorate for Special Operations (DSO) into organized cyber crime syndicates operating across government departments and international borders. The presentation details the DSO's investigative methodology, including searches, undercover operations, and use of spyware. It also discusses prosecutions of arrested individuals under the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act and for racketeering offenses. The presentation emphasizes the need for cooperation across law enforcement agencies and private sectors to effectively combat organized cyber crime.
This document discusses several types of cyber crimes and ethical issues relating to digital media. It defines cybercrime as offenses committed against individuals or groups using modern telecommunication networks like the internet and mobile phones with criminal intent to harm the victim. Some common cybercrimes discussed include fraud, identity theft, and various internet scams. Cyberterrorism is defined as intimidating or coercing governments/organizations through computer-based attacks to further political or social objectives. Examples of cyberterrorism provided include propaganda promoting bomb threats and hacking directed at individuals to cause fear. The document instructs to describe 5 additional types of cyber crimes for homework.
Running head HOW TO AVOID INTERNET SCAMS AT THE WORKPLACE 1 .docxwlynn1
Running head: HOW TO AVOID INTERNET SCAMS AT THE WORKPLACE 1
How to avoid internet scams at the workplace
Christophe Bassono
CIST3000: Advanced Composition IS&T
Amanda L. Gutierrez, M.S. & M.A.
UNO-Fall 2018
HOW TO AVOID INTERNET SCAMS AT THE WORKPLACE 2
Online Fraud: How to Avoid Internet Scams in the Workplace
This section outlines how the researcher envisions presenting the report. The outline
demonstrates the different sections in which the report will be broken into and the
information that will be contained in each section
Introduction
Definition
Online fraud refers to deceitful schemes that are done using the internet. Online fraud may
come in the form of financial theft, identity theft or a combination of both.
History of Online Fraud
An influx of online fraud began to be experienced in the 1990s with the increased technology
use and e-commerce. In the beginning, online fraud was done by using the names of famous
celebrities of the time to commit internet crimes. Over time, more technical and sophisticated
plans were developed such as creating card-generator applications with real credit card
numbers, setting up dummy merchant websites and mass identity theft. Today, despite
attempts by various governments to regulate and mitigate online fraud, more sophisticated
online fraud schemes have been established ranging from credit card fraud to phishing,
hacking, and identity theft (Saeger & Probert, 2015).
In the recent past, computer fraud has evolved through a series of advancements outplaying
the traditional security defenses such as the two-factor authentication, antivirus, and SSL
encryption in the process. Zeus and SpyEye are the most common attack tools used by
hackers since they support the gathering of vast volumes of extremely sensitive
authentication data. It has been established that no single application is immune to attacks
and the malicious attackers are focusing more on online banking accounts because they offer
HOW TO AVOID INTERNET SCAMS AT THE WORKPLACE 3
most direct payoff. Online fraud is based on three core technologies: the botnet controllers
capable of handling hundreds of thousands of bots, highly effective data collection, and
sophisticated Trojans that are updateable.
Form grabbing for PCs running IE/Windows has been a simplified approach for fraud. The
technique helps attackers to extract data within browsers. The deployment of form grabbing
on compromised PCs allowed hackers to obtain numerous numbers of online bank account
IDs and passwords. The password-based authentication was termed no longer safe for online
banking prompting the introduction of two-factor authentication (Mellinger, 2011).
Nevertheless, criminals still found the loophole that helps them to challenge the security of
two-factor authentication through web injects. Malicious attackers that promote online fraud
have created various techniques.
This document discusses how digital forensics and data mining can help fight government benefit fraud. It outlines several strategies including implementing account change alerts, two-factor authentication, machine fingerprinting, collecting MAC IDs, multi-page login sequences, security questions, and IP geocoding. These strategies form a layered defense and allow network events to be captured and stored in a data warehouse. This stored data can then be analyzed using predictive modeling and fraud analytics to detect fraud and prevent future fraud. Implementing these strategies can increase fraud prevention and detection rates while also aiding investigators.
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1. Identity Theft and Society: How does it affect me?
IDENTITY THEFT AND SOCIETY:
HOW DOES IT AFFECT ME?
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION – WHAT IS IDENTITY THEFT?..................................................1
IDENTITY MANAGEMENT: WHAT IS IT TO ME?.................................................5
COSTS OF IDENTITY THEFT AND FRAUD..........................................................12
CONCULSION: PROTECTION.................................................................................14
AND SECURITY STRATEGIES................................................................................14
REFERENCE LIST......................................................................................................18
PAPER BACKGROUND
Identity theft and fraud against individuals, corporations and governments
across the industrialised world is measured in billions of dollars annually,
causing significant difficulties for those involved in monitoring and resolving
the effects. The development and expansion of electronic technologies have
allowed fraudsters to expedite such activities across multiple jurisdictions with
near anonymity whilst leaving those affected with months, perhaps years, of
hard toil to recover.
Additionally individuals, corporations and governments have been
institutionally lackadaisical with securing critical information and systems,
allowing a back entrance to be left effectively unguarded for exploitation by
identity thieves and fraudsters. The 2007 U.K. Revenue and Customs data
breach, data losses by U.S. government agencies and educational institutions,
and the Australian Tax File Number system with millions of excess entries
demonstrate that an attitudinal and cultural overhaul – throughout the
industrial world – is desperately required.
The aims of the paper are to:
1. Outline the history of identity theft and fraud;
2. Illustrate what identity management means for individuals and groups
within the industrial world;
3. Quantify and explain the costs and impacts on individuals,
corporations and governments; and
4. Outline possible strategies on how to balance online security and
privacy with effective interaction on commercial, social and
governmental matters.
Table of Contents and Paper Background
2.
3. Identity Theft and Society: How does it affect me?
Introduction: What is Identity Theft?
INTRODUCTION – WHAT IS IDENTITY THEFT?
Identity theft – and the broader concept of identity crime – has become a
complex and challenging issue for individuals, corporations and government
agencies across the world during recent times. The advent of various online
technologies has facilitated the ability to gather personal identifying
information (PII) with minimal monetary outlay. In addition, lax standards
and security measures have indirectly assisted in providing PII to those who
wish to ghost or otherwise individuals or to commit some form of fraud.
A common definition of identity theft – and of identity crime – is by no means
established by authorities or the community at national or international forums
(OECD 2008, p. 3). Direct and indirect costs – financial and other – vary
according to how identity crime is defined (OECD 2008, p. 4) in each
jurisdiction. Statistics, where they are gathered, are collected differently
complicating effective cross-border comparisons (OECD 2008, p. 4)
To provide some scope of the concept of identity theft – one scenario occurs
when one person utilises personal identifiers of a second person to
fraudulently or otherwise illegally obtain or access goods, services or financial
benefits (Arata Jnr 2004, p. 5) or to otherwise impersonate that individual in a
legal context (Vacca 2003, p. 4). The OECD (OECD 2008, p. 2) defines
identity theft as when one party acquires, transfers, possesses or uses personal
information of a natural or legal person in an unauthorised manner with the
intent to commit, or in connection with, fraud or other crimes.
From an individual’s perspective, the advent of networking websites over the
past decade – whilst allowing increased social interaction globally has
facilitated the ability of swift collection and aggregation of personal
information, allowing an electronic ‘cloud’ of disparate information on
individuals to be collected with minimal input or reference from external
agencies.
Page 1
4. Identity Theft and Society: How does it affect me?
Introduction: What is Identity Theft?
The consequence of the proliferation of information availability on
individuals, government agencies and corporations, particularly in an
electronic context, is to assist in the facilitation of the collection of PII by
identity criminals in a surreptitious manner, enabling the criminals to conduct
nefarious activities with minimal physical interaction with the target, their
associates or government agencies.
Identity concerning individuals can be classified into three distinct
components (Mills 2007, pp. 14-18):
1. Biometric: Unique physical features distinguishable to the individual
at birth;
2. Attributed: Identity components acquired at birth – including the
name of child and parents, location and date of birth; and
3. Biographical: Identity components acquired over an individual’s
lifetime.
The U.S.-based Identity Theft Resource Centre (ITRC) categorises identity
theft into four major categories:
1. Financial: The use of personal identifiers to improperly obtain goods
or services;
2. Criminal: Posing as another person when apprehended for an alleged
crime;
3. Cloning: Utilising personal identifiers for daily living; and
4. Business and Commercial: The utilisation of corporate identifiers to
impersonate or target a specific organisation.
The Australian-based Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC
2006, p. 15) has further defined the broader issue of identity fraud – of which
identity theft is one component – as being:
1. The dishonest misrepresentation of any major aspect of identity,
whether or not supported by documentation;
2. The fraudulent use of business or corporate identifiers;
3. The misuse or theft of an individual’s username or password to
assume the individual’s identity on a computer system to procure
information or benefits; and
4. Public officials misusing their position to:
(a) Steal, alter or otherwise misuse paper or electronic records
pertaining to a third person held by the agency;
(b) Fraudulently create identity documents; or
(c) Create or assume false identities.
Page 2
5. Identity Theft and Society: How does it affect me?
Introduction: What is Identity Theft?
The growth of electronic networks, coupled with the availability of storage
facilities to corporate and government entities, places data integrity at risk of
being compromised or breached. A data breach event occurs when “an
organisation’s unauthorised or unintentional exposure, disclosure or loss of
sensitive personal information” (Peretti 2009, p. 377) to external entities.
Those wishing to illicitly gain access or to obtain PII, a number of
“traditional” methods can be utilised (OECD 2008, p. 3 Box 1; Vacca 2003,
pp. 8-9) to obtain such information:
1. Dumpster Diving;
2. Pre-texting;
3. Shoulder Surfing;
4. Record Theft;
5. Theft of mail, wallets, purses containing PII or bank cards;
6. Fraudulently obtain credit reports posing as a representative with
legitimate requirement for information;
7. Gather or purchase of personal information from “inside” sources; and
8. Completion of a change of address form to divert mail to another
destination.
Coupled with the strategies reviewed above, numerous online strategies for
gathering PII have been developed with the growth of the internet and
electronic networks worldwide. Such methods include (OECD 2008, p. 4):
1. Phishing: Where false identifiers of an organisation are utilised in an
attempt to lure clients into disclosing PII on the fraudulent website;
2. Pharming: The use of false identifiers (similar to those used in
phishing attacks) to redirect users from authentic to fraudulent sites;
3. SMiShing: Where text messaging is utilised to ‘alert’ customers to use
of services being charged at a certain dollar amount per day unless
service is cancelled; and
4. Spear Phishing: Originator impersonates other staff member to obtain
access codes with aim to access computer system under stolen codes.
The strategies outlined above allow identity criminals to collect PII and other
information in a surreptitious manner, usually without the organisation or
individual being aware of the intrusion until (sometimes well) after the event.
The ability to conduct a “successful” operation is to mimic the target site as
realistically as possible.
Page 3
6. Identity Theft and Society: How does it affect me?
Introduction: What is Identity Theft?
Particular tactics associated with the strategies include (OECD 2008, p. 3 Box
2; Vacca 2003, pp. 8-9; Warren & Streeter 2005, p. 164):
1. Malware;
2. Spam;
3. Phishing (described above);
4. Hacking;
5. Gathering of information that users share on the internet;
6. Gain access to corporate or governmental databases that contain
personal information – whether by direct hacking or through inside
contacts;
7. Harvesting published data though online searches or “Who’s Who”-
type publications;
8. Utilise technology to raid or hack the target’s computer to obtain the
required information; and
9. Utilise deception by impersonating someone in authority to deceive the
target into voluntary disclosure of information.
The most high profile data breach event occurred in the United Kingdom
during November 2007 when two CD-ROMs utilising minimal security
measures and containing information on 7.25 million families claiming family
tax benefits (comprising half of the total population) were lost via internal
mail. The CD-ROMs have yet to be recovered, posing a current and ongoing
threat to those families affected.
A 2006 study highlights three underlying factors facilitating the success of
phishing attacks (Dhamija 2006, pp. 582-583):
1. Lack of knowledge: Covering both computer systems and security
indicators. Users are unaware of how various online technological
aspects operate and how to distinguish between valid and forged
aspects (email headers, website URL) or processes (SSL locks and
placement on webpage, security certificates).
2. Visual Deception: Various attempts to mislead users via deceptive
text; images masking underlying text; images mimicking or masking
content or windows manipulation; and deceptive look and feel
requiring users to carefully view the site to ensure validity.
3. Bounded Attention: Even if users are familiar with strategies outlined
in Steps One and Two above, they can still be duped if they fail to
notice the presence (or absence) of security indicators associated with a
valid site.
Page 4
7. Identity Theft and Society: How does it affect me?
Identity Management: What is it to me?
IDENTITY MANAGEMENT: WHAT IS IT TO ME?
The issue of identity management for individuals, government agencies and
corporations has become particularly significant since alternative methods of
cash payments have been available to participants (Schreft 2007, p. 5). The
occurrence of large scale data breaches has become feasible recently with the
advent of electronic payment mechanisms, particularly those associated with
non-bank merchants, coupled with the rise of corporate and governmental
databases containing information suppliers, customers and citizens.
Research conducted by Standards Australia during 2003 indicated that identity
theft is becoming the most important fraud-related theft within the Australian
economy and that Australian organisations are ill-prepared to detect and
prevent it (QPS Major Fraud Investigative Group, p. 28).
In addition, recent statistics published by various Australian security firms, the
United States, United Kingdom and Australia are the top three countries
susceptible to Phishing-related attacks (Bajkowski 2009, p. 34),
In 1997, David Shenk documented 13 Laws of Data Smog (p. 11) that
highlighted issues that concerned information overload – the “noxious muck
and druck of the information age” (Shenk 1997, p. 31). The 1997 laws are:
1. Information, once rare and cherished like caviar, is now plentiful and
taken for granted like potatoes;
2. Silicon chips evolve much more quickly than human genes;
3. Computers are neither human or humane;
4. Putting a computer in every classroom is like putting a power plant in
every home;
5. What they sell as information technology but information anxiety;
6. Too many experts spoil the clarity;
7. All high-stim roads lead to Times Square;
8. Birds of a feather flock virtually together;
9. The electronic Town Hall allows for speedy communication and bad
decision-making;
10. Equifax is watching;
11. Beware stories that dissolve all complexity;
12. On the information superhighway, most roads bypass journalists; and
13. Cyberspace breeds libertarianism.
Page 5
8. Identity Theft and Society: How does it affect me?
Identity Management: What is it to me?
In 2009, a vox-pop survey conducted by a Queensland-based regional
newspaper highlights the overall ignorance concerning identity theft across the
demographic divide.
Comments like “I lock my doors” (elderly male); “I have never been in that
situation” (middle aged female); “It doesn’t worry me” (twenty-something
male); “I don’t give details out ever” (primary school aged male); “I don’t use
the internet much” (primary school aged male) and “I live in a quiet area”
(elderly male) (Bundaberg News-Mail 2009, p. 5) serve to emphasize the
reactive nature of some segments of the population to the non-electronic
mechanics of identity theft.
The 2007 ITRC study illustrates the battle that individuals have when dealing
with identity crime. Even though the majority of discoveries have occurred
during the first year post-incident, over ten percent of cases are discovered
three years plus after the event – allowing substantial time for identity
criminals to establish a ghost identity of the victim. Even the three month
discovery statistics is disturbing with a five percent slippage from 2003 to
2007. The ability for individuals and law enforcement agencies to detect and
track identity criminals is predicated on timely and effective proactive
mechanisms from organisations and individuals themselves.
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9. Identity Theft and Society: How does it affect me?
Identity Management: What is it to me?
USA Identity Theft 2003 to 2007
Months elapsed between first incident and victim discovery
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
Victim Percentage
10%
0%
2007 2006 2005 2004 2003
0 to 3 42.0% 33.0% 46.0% 37.5% 47.7%
4 to 6 11.0% 16.0% 11.0% 10.9% 12.0%
7 to 12 11.0% 13.0% 7.0% 13.5% 12.6%
13 to 18 13.0% 5.0% 12.0% 4.2% 8.7%
19 to 23 4.0% 8.0% 6.0% 7.8% 4.6%
24 to 36 9.0% 8.0% 5.0% 8.3% 5.2%
37 plus 11.0% 17.0% 13.0% 17.7% 9.2%
Calendar Year
Figure 1 - Time elapsed (months) between first incident and victim response 2003 to 2007 (ITRC
2008, p. 16 Table 8)
Congressional testimony in the United States during 2000 demonstrates how
debilitating and long lasting identity crime can be (Privacy Rights
Clearinghouse 2000). The ability to assume someone else’s identity to fulfil a
fantasy, to ‘disappear’ from society or even to conduct criminal behaviour
impacts on the individual, corporations and government agencies in
administrative, financial, resource and social terms.
From a corporate and government agency perspective, attitudes towards
information security are just as muddled. A recent independent audit
conducted by the Queensland Audit Office (Passmore 2009) of eight
government agencies highlighted that six had no or minimal measures to
monitor network resources for unauthorised intrusions, facilitating the
unauthorised access to network resources and to gather PII to go unreported.
Despite the minister Robert Schwarten’s assurance that “under no
circumstances under which people’s private records have been accessed”, the
audit revealed that measures are not in place to ensure that PII – or broader
network security – are not compromised or reported when such events occur.
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10. Identity Theft and Society: How does it affect me?
Identity Management: What is it to me?
Several recent analyses have debunked the perception that identity crime is
principally – or solely – based online. A Pronemon Institute study indicates
that nine million Americans have their identity stolen annually; with some 200
million data breaches since 2005 – 85 million breaches during the first quarter
of 2008 alone (Prosch 2009, p. 58). In Australia, data breaches cost some $6.3
million during 2007, averaging $197 per record compromised (Prosch 2009, p.
58)
In addition, the multi-year Javelin Study on identity theft seems to supports
the Pronemon Institute study, though with differing methodology. The 2007
study highlights that the majority of identity fraud being conducted through
traditional mechanisms (Attorney General Department 2008, p. 10). The
Identity Theft Resource Centre’s Identity Theft: The Aftermath 2007 survey
(2008, p. 3) reports that the average time to resolve damage at 116 hours for
existing account theft and 157.87 hours for new account theft.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics published the first ever Personal Fraud
analysis during June 2008. It highlighted the direct personal impact of identity
theft. During the 12 months prior to the survey period (July to December
2007), the following was recorded:
• 124,400 persons were identified as victims of identity theft, with males
comprising 56% and females comprising 44% of victims;
• The 25 to 34 age group was the highest percentage victim group
(34,400 or 28%);
• 16% (20,100) persons reported a financial loss associated with most
recent incident
• 57% reported the incident to law enforcement, financial institution or
other formal entity and 43% reported the incident to some other
agency.
Recent media reports (Walker 2006, Anon 2005) have estimated the costs of
identity crime in Australia between AUD$1 billion and AUD$4 billion
annually. The United Kingdom suffers similar costs and the USA suffered a
record $56.6 billion against consumers (Anonymous 2009). Worldwide, the
costs are estimated at approximately US$2 trillion annually and are rising.
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11. Identity Theft and Society: How does it affect me?
Identity Management: What is it to me?
Despite the quantity of studies and analyses available, no common legal
definition of identity crime (and its components identity theft and fraud) have
been agreed upon for national – or international – purposes. Consequently,
effectively measuring the financial cost (both direct and indirect) to
consumers, governments and corporations from an independent perspective is
challenging, resulting in the confusion by the community as highlighted by the
Bundaberg News-Mail May 2009 Vox-Pop survey.
From a general corporate perspective, human resource departments are a high
value target for the misappropriation of PII for use in identity theft (Calvasina,
Calvasina & Calvasina 2006, p. 25).
Recent examples of high profile data breaches highlight the complex nature of
this – in the United States, companies suffering inadvertent or deliberate
breaches include Time Warner, Eastman Kodak, Bank of America, Boeing,
Ford and Equifax. The Time Warner breach involved approximately 600,000
PII of current and former employees being disclosed in an unauthorised
manner (Calvasina, Calvasina & Calvasina 2006, p. 25).
A burglary in May 2006 involving the theft of a laptop and external hard drive
at a US Department of Veterans Affairs employee residence netted PII of up to
6½ million veterans. Despite agency rules prohibiting such situations, the
computer equipment was at the employee’s residence (Calvasina, Calvasina &
Calvasina 2006, p. 25).
The current identity framework poses a risk not just to individuals, but to
organisations and the broader payment system as identity theft undermines the
agreed framework between participants (Schreft 2007, pp. 5-6), resulting in a
migration to less efficient payment mechanisms (Schreft 2007, p. 6) or the
abandonment of any form of payment mechanism.
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12. Identity Theft and Society: How does it affect me?
Identity Management: What is it to me?
Various countries have, over the past decade, enacted identity-crime related
statutes (sometimes at state, other times at national levels) in an attempt to
combat this type of crime. In Australia, the New South Wales Attorney
General John Hatzistergos proposed introducing identity fraud laws during
July 2009 (ZDNet 2009). In addition, an offence relating to identity crime has
been on the federal statute book since the mid-1990’s.
In the United States of America, the passage of the Identity Theft and
Assumption Deterrence Act (ITADA) of 1998 (Schreft 2007, p. 7) was one
element in an attempt, at the federal level, to combat identity theft. The scope
of identity theft under this act is defined as the “knowingly transfer,
possession or usage of any name or number that identifies another person with
the intent of committing or aiding and abetting a crime” (Schreft 2007: 7).
Advocates argue that the above definition is broad enough to encompass a
person’s unique identifiers including voice and finger prints. In addition,
other federal statutes that combat identity theft include (Roberson 2008,
pp.16-21):
• Drivers Privacy Protection Act of 1994;
• Customer Identification Program Rules;
• Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (Title V, 15 U.S. Code sections
6801-6809);
• Fair Credit Billing Act; and
• Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act.
Despite various legislative efforts since the mid-1990s, the complexity of the
USA’s government-sponsored document issuance systems is immense. As of
2003, a total of 240 different driver licence formats were in circulation and
approximagtely 10,000 agencies were authorised to issue birth certificates
(Sullivan 2004, p. 129). The complexity of these systems is highlighted by the
United States Postal Inspection Service – between October 2002 and June
2003, a total of 2,264 arrests were made deriving from mail theft
investigations (Sullivan 2004, p. 162).
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13. Identity Theft and Society: How does it affect me?
Identity Management: What is it to me?
Other industrialised countries deal with the criminality aspect of identity
crime, particularly against individuals, in various manners – however, the
measures mentioned above are probably the vanguard of efforts (at national or
international levels) in dealing with identity crime.
One recent effort undertaken by three countries – the USA, United Kingdom
and Australia – has been the promotion and development of some form of
electronic-based identity or access card system ostensibly to combat identity
crime and fraud against the public purse. Ignoring the rushed nature and
under-funding associated with each of the systems, the continual shifting
technical requirements and other technological issues involved in systems
rollout and maintenance, each system (if fully implemented) would provide a
“honey pot tree” for identity crime thieves to collect and collate PII from a
single source, rather than from multiple sources as currently occurs.
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14. Identity Theft and Society: How does it affect me?
Costs of Identity Theft and Fraud
COSTS OF IDENTITY THEFT AND FRAUD
Calculating accurate figures relating to identity theft and fraud is challenging.
A lack of accurate data, coupled with differing definitions of what constitutes
an identity crime, impairs effective independent analysis of identity theft
(OECD 2008, p. 3; Newman & McNally 2005, p.30; Schreft 2007, p. 13;
Attorney General Department 2008, p. 9). In addition, incidents of
organisational and government data breaches are occurring on an almost a
daily basis (Schreft 2007, p. 14).
The impact of identity crime impact in various ways on victims, including
(Attorney General’s Department 2008, pp. 4-5):
1. Financial: both direct (loss of funds, costs associated with
investigation and prevention of future events) and indirect (reputational
loss, restoration of credit history, opportunity cost from benefit-
generating activity);
2. Psychological: Trauma, stress and reduced societal interaction;
3. National Security: Crime groups utilising identity crime for people
smuggling or other illicit activities; and
4. Other: Obtaining products and services not entitled to.
A review of available sources indicates estimates that conservative annual
costs associated with identity crime are in the tens billions of dollars (Newman
& McNally 2005, p. 30). Such estimates are made additionally difficult by the
differing statistical and definitional measures utilised by national (and sub
national) jurisdictions in calculating the figures used (OECD 2008).
Examples of individual nation-state costs include:
• A 2002 UK study calculated that identity theft cost the UK economy
£1.3 billion (HM Cabinet Office 2002, p. 13, Box 2.1) during
2001-2002, out of a total fraud related loss of £18.3 billion;
• In Australia, it is estimated that identity fraud costs between AUD$1
billion and AUD $3 billion annually (Walker 2006, p. 88);
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15. Identity Theft and Society: How does it affect me?
Costs of Identity Theft and Fraud
The United Kingdom’s Credit Industry Fraud Avoidance System (CIFAS)
attributes that identity theft and fraud amounts to £10 million per day, whilst
the Association for Payment Clearing Services calculates that credit card
crime has grown from £95 million (1998) to £504 million (2005) and benefits
fraud costs approximately £3 billion yearly (Mills 2007, pp. 8-9).
Impacts of identity crime are not just measured in financial or economic terms.
Confidence in the payments system that underpins economic activity, trust in
the payment instruments that facilitate online transactions coupled with
downstream costs in dealing with fraudulent activity all influence how
individuals and organisations interact in the marketplace – whether in the
electronic or physical environments.
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16. Identity Theft and Society: How does it affect me?
Possible Protection and Security Strategies
CONCULSION: PROTECTION
AND SECURITY STRATEGIES
Individuals, corporations and government agencies all have a vested interest in
ensuring identity crime is eliminated. Lost profitability, decreased taxation
revenue, increased costs for consumers and amplified distrust for electronic
commerce and payments platforms result from the upsurge of identity crime
related incidents. Substantive proactive measures are required from all three
groups to combat this issue before such distrust becomes endemic.
Shenk’s 13 Laws of Data Smog (mentioned earlier in this paper) do have an
influence in this environment. A Ten-Point Laws of Identity Smog can be
derived to assist in the awareness of identity management for individuals,
corporations and government agencies:
1. Personal information, once rare and cherished like diamonds, is now
plentiful and taken for granted like sand;
2. Silicon chips evolve and adapt much more quickly than public service
guidelines;
3. Placing a credit (or debit) card in every wallet is like putting a tracking
device on every person;
4. What politicians sell as information security but information anxiety;
5. All high-stim roads leave lasting digital footpints;
6. The Electronic Town Hall allows for speedy communication and a wealth
of data points;
7. The Prime Minister’s (or President’s) office is watching;
8. On the identity information superhighway, most roads pass through
corporate databases;
9. Databases, like elephants, never forget anything; and
10. Security is as powerful as the weakest link.
A range of strategies have been identified by a number of authors (Abagnale
Jnr 2007, pp. 102-132; Vacca 2003, pp. 19-21; Hastings & Marcus 2006, pp.
319-323; Mitnick & Simon 2002, 2006) that would enable some form of
protection for individuals in both electronic and physical attacks, including:
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17. Identity Theft and Society: How does it affect me?
Possible Protection and Security Strategies
1. Check credit reports regularly;
2. Keep track of billing cycles;
3. Closely examine financial statements;
4. Protect computer – physically and electronically;
5. Guard physical mail from theft;
6. Practice safe shopping – physical and electronic;
7. Invest in a shredder;
8. Be vigilant at Automated Tellers;
9. Monitor access to online banking;
10. Secure home and office environments.
Many of the strategies are low cost and all are proactive, yet require constant
maintenance to avoid potential slippage or misappropriation of personal
information to undesirable entities or individuals.
For corporations and government agencies, the challenge to safeguard PII in a
highly electronic and networked environment is a more complex and intensive
task from technological and personnel perspectives. Policy development
covering data security; social engineering penetrations; network (both wireless
and cable) security; personnel and finance form a core element of any
effective deployment combating identity crime.
Two of the core elements that underpin business and governmental
(particularly involving the payments system) interaction with the community
are trust and confidence – without these elements economic activity and
interaction is impaired and becomes withdrawn, profitability slides and
distrust climbs.
Specific strategies for corporations and government agencies to combat
identity crime are based on those for individuals, with additional focus on
physical and data security, personnel selection, access rights and document
security to ensure protection against possible intrusions or other inappropriate
activity. One aspect of gaining intrusion in a traditional context, social
engineering, has been described as “information security’s greatest weakness”
(Mitnick & Simon 2006, p. 244).
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18. Identity Theft and Society: How does it affect me?
Possible Protection and Security Strategies
Despite the funds allocated to physical infrastructure aimed at preventing
intrusions, minimal effort has been directed towards the preventing the human
element of intrusions (Mitnick & Simon 2006, p. 244).
The UK Customs and Revenue data loss in November 2007 of two minimally
encrypted compact discs containing personal identifiers of half the population
brought substantive ridicule and embarrassment for the relevant minister and
the agency concerned. As demonstrated in Figure 1, a small yet significant
percentage of identity theft is discovered after the three year, making vigilance
all the more importance.
From a personnel management perspective, corporations and government
agencies need to examine in detail what information is required and how it is
collected and managed to discharge legal and other responsibilities to staff,
clients and regulatory agencies. In addition, systemic and regular reviews of
policy and practice to ensure that privacy, storage and access to sensitive
information is granted only those authorised to handle such information
(Calvasina, Calvasina & Calvasina 2006, p. 27).
Another consideration pertains to the development of a risk management
framework, particularly for organisations that operate in finance-type sector
and those organisations that handle substantive quantities of personal
information. The potential for reputational loss resulting from a sustained
wave of identity crime could undermine confidence in the organisation and the
broader payment system (Bielski 2005, p. 55).
From the broader societal perspective requires a proactive, coordinated and
sustained effort between government agencies, corporations, advocacy groups
and individuals is needed to ensure that identity crime is contained and
(ideally) eliminated. This involves a range of proactive measures from all
three sectors to safeguard PII against misappropriation and inappropriate
access.
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19. Identity Theft and Society: How does it affect me?
Possible Protection and Security Strategies
Some efforts are occurring at multilateral forums – particularly at the OECD
and the United Nations – in combating identity crime across international
borders. Without some form of common understanding of what constitutes
identity crime (in legal and common understanding contexts), the ability for
the community to effectively and proactively participate in protecting their
identity in an interconnected, online environment is impaired.
One entity Australia currently lacks is an independent analysis and research
agency dedicated to monitoring developments and to serve as an independent
information clearinghouse and on identity theft. Currently there are a host of
federal and state agencies (mainly policing and fair trading) offering distinct
and sometimes apparent contradictory messages to the community.
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