Boston, Mass. 7/17/2008 7:00:00 AM
Identity Theft Protection Expert and One You Security: Recent News Highlights Susceptibility of Data Exposed to Peer-to-Peer Networks
(SARASOTA, Fla. - July 16, 2008 - One You Security) Use of a file-sharing network by an employee at an investment firm in McLean, Va., last year exposed the private financial and identifying data of a U.S. Supreme Court Justice and others to the public, according to news reported last week. Peer-to-peer networks in fact contain a minefield of security pitfalls, said Robert Siciliano, widely televised and quoted identity theft protection expert and chief security analyst for One You Security, LLC (http://www.oneyou.com), who urged organizations to limit their computer users' access to file-sharing networks, also known as P2P or peer-to-peer networks. Siciliano further encouraged firms of all kinds to introduce employees to One You Security, a firm whose focus is to render Social Security numbers unusable to thieves who want to steal financial identities.
"Peer-to-peer networks, otherwise known as file-sharing networks, function by establishing fluid, generally unsecure connections between geographically dispersed computers," said Siciliano. "These networks are prime haunts for high-tech identity thieves, who will visit them in order to gain access to the databases behind computers logged in. This is one way that thieves obtain the Social Security numbers they need to commit all manner of financial identity fraud -- and why the solution is to turn to services such as One You's, which can make Social Security numbers useless to the thieves who would otherwise use them to steal financial identities."
Subscribers to One You Security receive newsletters and special alerts from Siciliano (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLylU5xflx8). Through these, they get the latest data on breaches and learn more about identity theft prevention. Chief security analyst for One You Security and a member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report's editorial board, Siciliano regularly discusses data security and consumer protection on CNBC, on NBC's "Today Show," FOX News Network, and elsewhere.
On July 8, The Washington Post and others reported that an employee at a Washington, D.C.-area investment firm who used the popular file-sharing (peer-to-peer) site LimeWire inadvertently released to the public the private financial and identifying information on many of the firm's clients, including U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer. Analysts quoted in a nextgov article covering the breach involving the Supreme Court Justice's data said peer-to-peer security holes are posing an increasing threat to data repositories of many kinds.
"P2P networks represent yet another access point that thieves have to consumers' treasured identifying information, namely Social Security numbers," said Chris Harris, president and CEO of One You Security. "These numbers are the keys to everything for identity thieves. But what if they keys didn't work? What if other people's Social Security numbers were of no use to the thieves who want to steal financial identities with them? That's what One You relentlessly strives to do -- make Social Security numbers of as little use as possible to thieves. Until Social Security numbers cease to be universal identifiers, someone will have to step into the vacuum and functionally strip Social Security numbers of their potency as a means to obtain financial identities."
Consumers who choose One You Security do so in part because the company strives to transform their Social Security numbers into meaningless strings of numbers of no use to thieves. The firm backs all its offerings with a 100 percent service guarantee.
YouTube video shows Siciliano on FOX News Network, where he explains how thieves were able to crack the computers of Hannaford Bros., a grocery chain that operates 165 stores in the Northeast, to obtain the credit card and debit card numbers of millions of customers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKoI07bj_H8
A collection of videos at VideoJug features Siciliano sharing advice on how consumers can protect themselves from identity theft and fraud:
http://www.videojug.com/search?keywords=siciliano
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About One You Security, LLC
Sarasota, Fla.-based One You Security's mission is to eliminate the threat and consequences of identity theft. For just $10 per month, anyone can sign up for One You Security's identity theft protection service, a proactive, preventative approach whereby the company activates and manages its customers' fraud alerts with major credit bureaus. Subscribers also receive full access to ongoing education from identity theft protection expert Robert Siciliano, chief security analyst for One You Security (http://www.OneYou.com), which backs up its promise to protect clients' financial identities with a 100 percent service guarantee. To sign up for One You Security, dial 1-800-434-2010.
About IDTheftSecurity.com
Identity theft affects us all, and Robert Siciliano, CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com (http://www.IDTheftSecurity.com), chief security analyst for One You Security, 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. Author of "The Safety Minute: 01" and 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." Numerous magazines, print news outlets, and wire services have turned to him, as well, for expert commentary on personal security and identity theft protection. These include Forbes, USA Today, 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://www.youtube.com/stungundotcom).
The media are encouraged to get in touch with any of the following individuals:
Chris Harris
President & CEO of One You Security
PHONE: 941-342-0500 (x231)
Chris@OneYou.com
http://www.oneyou.com
Robert Siciliano
Chief Security Analyst for One You Security
PHONE: 888-SICILIANO (742-4542)
FAX: 877-2-FAX-NOW (232-9669)
RobertSiciliano@OneYou.com
Brent Skinner
President & CEO of STETrevisions
PHONE: 617-875-4859
FAX: 866-663-6557
BrentSkinner@STETrevisions.com
http://www.STETrevisions.com
http://www.brentskinner.blogspot.com
