Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) and personal devices, which consumers commonly refer to as a "cell phone," are hand held computers. Remember to use the same security precautions you use (or should use) with your laptop and desktop computer.
Be cautious with whom you share your email address and phone number. They are the connections into to your cell phone. If hacked, your cell could be misused and any sensitive information you have stored in it could be accessed by the hacker.
Articles and reminders are currently appearing to remind jobseekers to protect their identity during job hunting. Jobseekers must use extreme caution as to what information they provide on a paper or electronic resumes as well as interviews, especially telephone interviews, email exchanges, and other Internet based exchanges.
NEVER provide a Social Security number and birth date until you are offered a position in writing. Note "in writing" is not the same as over the phone!
Late last year, the Ponemon Institute published the results of a business survey on the relevance of paper records to privacy and information security. The results of the study confirmed my speculation that personally identifiable information is frequently compromised by lost, stolen and improperly disposed paper records and that breaches of paper records aren't reported.
Many people and organizations erroneously affiliate data breaches with computerized data. The term "Information Security," has come to be more narrowly interpreted than it is intended as
On May 1, 2009, over 10 million small businesses are expected to comply with the Red Flags Rule by having privacy and information security best practices program implemented that meets the regulatory requirements of the federal law.
The new regulations apply to all creditors and financial institutions, but don't scoff at these classifications because you may be surprised that your enterprise is defined as a creditor or financial institution! The law covers a wide variety of businesses and other enterprises of any size including:
Unless you been cave-ridden during the last 10 days, you have probably heard that Heartland Payment Systems has been the subject of what appears to be the largest hacker attack ever reported.
One consumer has already filed a lawsuit against Heartland. I predict more will follow including class actions. If your organization, large or small; public, private or volunteer; right or wrong, possesses
Many consumers tell me they use prefer paper account statements and paper transactions because they don't trust the security of online transactions. One person recently told me they don't want their information on computers so they process everything by paper! That remark got me thinking.
People do what they are most comfortable with. I have been doing online transactions ever since we could—
Today's economy is turning many organizations to consider staffing agencies, PEOs and contractors to meet their human resource needs.
Privacy and information security best practices require that all associates affiliated with the workplace be educated on related compliance. Also, train everyone on procedures who handle sensitive information.
A consumer contacted "Dr. Privacy" (www.AskDrPrivacy.com) with a question about a suspicious phone caller and the associated caller i.d. display. The caller i.d. displayed "Privacy Director."
A call from the "Privacy Director" of an organization implies a legitimate phone call. This particular call was allegedly from the
Can you insure that unauthorized people including thieves and hackers cannot access the sensitive information on your laptop? Any computer, storage device or personal mobile device that contains sensitive information can be protected with an easy-to-use and often free technology—encryption.
