Wednesday, January 4, 2006

Cyber-Crime Up, Cyber-Crime-Fighting Down

Hackers have stolen hundreds of thousands of personal records over the past year, and many more thousands have been "lost or stolen." That's what happens when you fail to log backup tapes in your data center/server room/closet. Why not encrypt the backup tapes using the built-in software functions? There's a chance you might not be able to recover them as quickly. USA Today reported that the data of 55 million Americans have been exposed.


Last year could be the year that many more criminals discovered that hacking is profitable. Script kiddies and web site defacements are no longer a top threat. The people hacking into your network no longer want credit -- they want your money and records. And they will do their best to make sure you never know about the intrusion. Imagine the bullet list for a criminal mastermind PowerPoint presentation: hack into system, get data, erase logs, establish new credit, buy stuff.


Given the number of unemployed with education and the inability of law enforcement to track activity across borders quickly, international organized online crime will increase. Which do you fear more: a script kiddie going for web site defacement and shout-outs or a team of experienced, professional criminals targeting your data?


Our government will probably not be able to help. As cyber-crime grows increasingly sophisticated, the cyber-crime-fighting budget was cut. According to the USA Today story, cyber-crime now beats illegal drug sales in dollars, at $105 billion, although figures from the government on cyber-crime losses are generally exaggerated. Law enforcement can’t even do anything when someone steals your laptop and signs in to MSN Messenger as you.



Once again, you’re on your own to defend yourself and your data. The credit-reporting companies have responded by offering a pay-service to monitor your own data. And don’t leave your laptop unsecured anywhere ever. Those consumer-marketed biometric gadgets and USB keys may or may not protect your data, but the laptop is a commodity and even password-protected BIOSes can be rewritten.


What to do? Protect yourself and your data. No one is going to help you, except maybe an expensive computer security consulting firm.



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