Identity Theft: Unsecured Laptops Contribute to Consumer Confidence-Sapping Data Breaches -- Identity Theft Expert and Speaker on Personal Security

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

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

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

A new survey jointly conducted by Vontu, developer of data loss prevention technologies, and the Ponemon Institute, publisher of research into information and privacy management, has yielded startling and worrisome findings. The 2007 Consumer Survey on Data Security (http://pdftohtml.markoer.org/pdf2html.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ponemon.org%2Fpress%2F06-25-07-Ponemon_Consumer_Survey_FINAL.pdf) found that 62 percent of its 768 respondents have received word that their confidential data has been lost. The same percentage said that they would be more upset with a company that lost their information due to negligence than if that company lost their information as the result of theft, and respondents who have received notification are more cautious when sharing their credit card and debit card information.

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

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

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

A downloadable demo (http://mylaptopgps.com/demo) of MyLaptopGPS is available. Recently, Yost delivered comments for a televised news report pertaining to the loss of laptop computers containing the Social Security numbers of numerous teachers at Chicago's public schools. Following is a link to YouTube video of the "NBC 7 Chicago" footage:

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=MyLaptopGPSdotcom

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

http://www.videojug.com/interview/identity-theft-computers-and-laptops

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

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

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

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

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

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

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