Boston, Mass. 1/16/2008 8:17:04 PM
Identity Theft Expert and Speaker on Personal Security: Frequency of Data Breaches to Increase before it Subsides
(IDTheftSecurity.com) The number of data records left unprotected last year because of security breaches was three times the number for 2006, reports have indicated. Additionally, some technology-intensive firms believe themselves to be less than ready for security threats in 2008, new research revealed. According to Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert, the frequency of data breaches will increase before it subsides.
"Organizations are caught in the cliché of a vicious circle," said Siciliano. "They have yet to learn the lesson that data breaches can happen to anyone. And until they do suddenly find themselves among the abstract 'everyone' because of a data breach, the majority of them will adopt an 'it-can't-happen-to-us' attitude, which will of course lead to more data breaches."
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. An experienced 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," on FOX News, and elsewhere.
Some industries have indeed grasped the enormity of the threat, yet still find themselves behind in preparedness despite their increased efforts to invest in security systems, a Jan. 10th news release from Deloitte on its latest research:
http://continuitycentral.com/news03700.htm
The majority of technology, media & telecommunications (TMT) businesses, according to the announcement, "find themselves 'treading water'…when it comes to security and privacy."
"The pace at which new security threats surface can be unnerving," said Siciliano. "It is not surprising to learn that some industries find themselves behind the curve even as they spend more and more money to solve the problem. But what they need to learn is that security investments are not one-time events; security must become a perennial activity with an annual budget and hired staff to carry out objectives."
Other reports suggested that TMTs' concerns were justified. Last year saw more than a tripling of data records falling prey to security breaches despite a decrease in the number of breaches, a Jan. 11th article on the CNET News blog reported—from 50 million records exposed in 2006 to 162 million in 2007.
Readers may view YouTube video of Siciliano on "FOX News":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqoHSACQ34U
The clip shows him explaining how the ubiquity of Social Security numbers as universal identifiers helps thieves who get a hold of loose data records. Those wishing to learn how to protect themselves against identity theft may view video of Siciliano at VideoJug:
http://www.videojug.com/search?keywords=siciliano
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About IDTheftSecurity.com
Identity theft affects us all. 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 "The Today Show," CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, "FOX News," "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 Forbes, USA Today, Entrepreneur, Woman's Day, Good Housekeeping, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Times, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, United Press International, Reuters, and others.
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 Siciliano directly:
Robert Siciliano
Personal Security Expert
CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com
PHONE: 888-SICILIANO (742-4542)
FAX: 877-2-FAX-NOW (232-9669)
Robert@IDTheftSecurity.com
www.idtheftsecurity.com
The media may also contact:
Brent W. Skinner
President & CEO of STETrevisions
PHONE: 617-875-4859
FAX: 866-663-6557
BrentSkinner@STETrevisions.biz
www.STETrevisions.biz
