Security

Has A Hacker Victimized You?

December 14, 2017 By Twila Van Leer

“Pwned.” Strange word that you won’t find in an English dictionary, but one that has affected people all over the world. It’s the coined word used to identify a person whose personal information has been breached when a corporate data base is hacked. Gamers recognize it as meaning “utterly defeated.”

We hear about it a lot these days. Large retailers and other companies have been attacked by hackers, compromising the data of millions of customers. Even Equifax, the credit rating company, was not immune. A breach of its data gave fraudsters millions of names to work with. The list of other well-known companies that have lost data has become long. The thieves have a hey day using the personal data for their own purposes.

Are you one of them and how can you find out?

An Australian named Troy Hunt may be able to tell you. He has accumulated some 4.8 billion pieces of hacked data and he uses it to help ordinary people determine if they have had their personal data lifted. His website, Have I Been Pwned?, has been in operation since 2013. It’s free.

Hunt has become a specialist regarding big breaches and has exposed some hack jobs before the victim companies have been aware themselves. He used to be a software architect at Pfizer, the pharmaceutical giant, but quit to work as an independent information security consultant and instructor.

The U.S. Congress recently availed itself of his expertise when he testified before that body, which has become increasingly concerned at the number of their constituents who have been victimized. He had to buy a new suit and tie (and visit a website to find out how to tie the tie.) His usual garb is beachwear or jeans — what the well-dressed Aussie wears while working on the beach.

The problem is serious. So much personal data has been breached that traditional methods for verifying identity, such as user names, passwords and/or knowledge-based questions, have become less reliable.

Hunt’s relentless search for hacked information has put him ahead of the game in several instances. He has made it harder for big companies that have been hacked to hide the fact. Uber, for instance, had failed to publicize a breach that put 57 million bits of information on passengers and drivers into the hands of fraudsters. On the other hand, when he advised Imgur, a photo-sharing corporation, that they had been hacked, they made the information public within a day.

People using his site to determine the status of their information can search Hunt’s website on their email address. Some 1.7 million people also have subscribed to alerts that sound when their data pops up in newly discovered breaches.

Add a Selfie To Your Credit Card Application

November 4, 2017 By Twila Van Leer

Add Selfie to Identification — Banks and other financial companies are likely to see the advantages of biometric identification and offer it as another safeguard for customers

The ubiquitous selfie may find yet another niche in the area of personal finances. Your bank may request one when approving a purchase or considering a credit card application.

Visa Inc., a payment processing giant, is launching a platform that will allow banks to use various forms of biometrics such as fingerprints, face recognition, voice, etc., that will provide positive identification.

In its simplest form, a bank may ask for a selfie and a picture of a current driver’s license or passport as backup. The technology will compare the photos for facial similarities and the validity of the supporting license or passport, all within seconds.

Selfies also could come into the picture with online shopping. Chipped credit and debit cards have made some inroads into fraud in retail shopping, but protecting online shoppers still is a concern. One in six potential transactions is declined because of suspicious activity.

Banks routinely autodial a customer when there is a question. The new technology would allow the customer to use Apple’s Touch ID or other fingerprint recognition technology or provide a selfie to verify the transaction.

Visa Inc. officials believe that soon customers can choose among a variety of authentication methods, whichever technology suits them.

The recent breach of data at Equifax, a huge credit bureau, with millions of bits of personal data stolen, has been impetus for more serious thinking about how such information can be protected.

It is harder to mimic a person’s face, fingerprint or voice, the innovators say. Passwords that have been common methods of protecting information have flaws that make them vulnerable because few people change them frequently enough or make them complex enough to avoid fraud. If they use the same password for more than one purpose, a breach at one site will put other locations at risk.

It is likely that the technology will be initially used in larger financial institutions. It took two years for chip technology to integrate itself into financial transactions. But ultimately, banks and other financial companies are likely to see the advantages of biometric identification and offer it as another safeguard for customers.

Equifax Fallout Begins

October 26, 2017 By Twila Van Leer

People who froze their credit to minimize financial damage in the wake of the hack of credit reporter Equifax are now realizing what that means.

The problem is massive. Equifax reported that 143 million Americans had their information, including Social Security numbers and other personal data, exposed in the hack. The company’s CEO resigned in the wake of the credit disaster and Congress is discussing how another such disaster might be avoided.

The aftermath is becoming apparent as people who reacted by freezing their credit try to buy things such as the new iPhone that is in high demand or other big-ticket items.

It is possible to unfreeze your credit if you are anticipating a large purchase and then freezing it again afterward. But that may take time and your credit is vulnerable during the interim.

Experts advise that you let the major credit bureau know several hours or at most several days before you apply for financing. The three bureaus are TransUnion, Experian and Equifax. You will likely be charged $3 to $10 for each action at each of the three bureaus.

Sellers, such as Apple and other wireless carriers, often asked for a credit report before they approve the sale of a new phone. The costs and the hassle of unfreezing and refreezing your credit information may make the acquisition of a new super-phone – or any other costly item – more trouble than it is worth to the consumer.

Citizens Financial Group of Providence, R.I., which runs the Apple financing program, has already announced that it will not new or existing customers who have frozen their credit, at least temporarily. Sprint, Verizon, 4:58 PM-Mobile and AT&T also run credit checks with the three credit agencies. Their policies vary, but it is one of the indications that the Equifax hack will affect the buying practices of many Americans.

Microchips Replacing ID Badges?

September 26, 2017 By Twila Van Leer

At some companies, the standard ID badge that identifies employees is moving over for a microchip injected into the individual’s hand. At the Swedish Epicenter plant, it’s still optional, but the trend is growing.

The microchips are the size of a grain of rice. They function as swipe cards to open doors, operate printers – or purchase fast food items.

Convenience is the argument the company uses for the identification method. Workers at the plant hold parties for those willing to have a chip implanted. It is not a requirement. Officials say it replaces a lot of other communications devices, such as credit cards and keys.

It’s the same technology that has been used for some time to identify pets. Some companies use embedded microchips to track shipments. But widespread use for employee identification is just beginning.

Security and privacy issues are part of the development. The chips are biologically safe, but some think they are too intrusive, recording data about what time an employee arrives at work and what he or she buys. Some employees who had qualms at the outset went ahead and now feel at home with the chips. The many sorts of implants that people have had in recent times helps alleviate some of the doubts. For instance, just about everyone knows someone with a pacemaker or a port for medications.

Epicenter has 100 companies and some 2,000 employees. It began implanting ID microchips in 2015 and now has some 150 workers implanted.

The microchips use Near Field Communication technology, the same that is used in contactless credit cards or mobile payments. When activated by a reader a few centimeters away, a small amount of data flows between the two devices via electromagnetic waves. The implants are passive, unable to read information themselves.

There are concerns that hackers could conceivably get a huge amount of information from the embedded microchips. As the sophistication level of the implants rises, the concerns could multiply. Questions about who, when and where should be subjected to implantation will get more sticky.

The devices are injected using pre-loaded syringes into the fleshy area of the hand next to the thumb. The process takes just a few seconds and there is little if any blood. At Epicenter, they make a party of it. Monthly, they meet and those who want to get “chipped” get it done.

The gradual move toward implants may be the wave of the future, and there is a growing number of employees who want to be part of the movement, but the potential problems re: confidentiality and the prospect of hackers ending up with an individual’s information should be addressed.

Political Campaigns Spawn Economic Fallout

May 22, 2016 By Twila Van Leer

Political uncertainty causing economic angst. — Political uncertainty causing stagnant economy.

The rancorous 2016 election campaigns are having a negative effect on the country’s economy, the experts are concluding.

Manufacturing

Manufacturing has taken a dip, with the smallest improvement in sales since 2009 and the companies are blaming the political uncertainties for the difficulties. The Markit Economics manufacturing index fell to 50.8 in April, the lowest it has been since September 2009.

American Households

American households also seem to be retrenching as consumer confidence slides to the lowest level since last September. The unusual and more confrontational nature of the debates, rampant dissatisfaction with the major parties and the uncertainty of where the country would head under pending leadership all are factors.

Business Spending And Investing

Some businesses are delaying spending and investment decisions until there is more clarity about what might be on the minds of the various candidates vis a vis business regulation. Policies that might make a difference in bottom lines are still pending.

Presidential Nominees Positions

Donald trump, likely Republican presidential nominee, has thrown out such possibilities as putting big tariffs on Chinese imports, while Democratic front runner Hillary Clinton has waffled on some of the positions she has championed in the past that were pro-business.

Other Indicators

This sort of flux in political positions has caused a lull of sorts in business activity, economic experts say. Among other indicators, orders for business equipment were down by almost 3 percent in February. The Federal Reserve also has noted signs of increasing unease about the political situation as it makes surveys for the Beige Book. Eight mentions of the campaign were made in the three reports that have been published by the central bank so far this year. In 2012, the last general election year, there were two such mentions. In 2008, there were none.

consumer Angst

The University of Michigan’s monthly confidence survey also indicates more consumer angst about the direction of the country’s politics. The economy may be stagnant as it waits the outcome of the November balloting.