Looking Back on 2017, Ahead To 2018
2017 was a record year for data breaches (the most common way personal information is stolen). According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, there were 1,339 breaches reported, compromising over 174 million records, about 21% higher than last year's record number. Half of these breaches were in the business sector, including the Equifax breach, accounting for 91% of the exposed records.
While the Equifax breach exposed very private data on 50% of the US population, not much of this has surfaced in fraud use. Why not? Likely because the theft was a foreign government that sponsored the theft, and they are still sifting through the data for the low-hanging fruit (members of Congress or Senate, famous people, etc.), but within a year, it will surface. Hey, people can't change their birthday or Social Security Number easily. That is why I've encouraged people to get professional help to monitor their personal data. By the time you discover it yourself, you are victimized; no early warning, no assistance with restoration. Very costly.
Other breaches that made headlines included the Uber breach, which exposed 57 million customers' data and 600,000 Uber drivers information. Uber says no data was used nefariously, because they paid the hackers $100,000 ransom. And we can trust the integrity of hackers, right?
Another lesser-known blunder was of a Republican data analysis company called Deep Root Analytics, which left a database online containing very personal information on 200 million Americans, such as names, birthdays, addresses, phone numbers, and likely stances on abortion, environmental issues, gun control, and 45 other categories.
Of course, a highly controversial issue being investigated is whether Russian hackers targeted election systems in 21 states during the 2016 presidential election. Supposedly no records were actually changed, the goal being to "undermine public confidence in electoral processes". OK. Mission accomplished.
So, will things calm down in 2018? I don't see anything that makes me believe it will. I expect another record year for breaches, in fact. The business sector just isn't focused on protecting data. I am at least encouraged, as an official senior citizen, that we will get new Medicare cards this year that won't have our Social Security Number emblazoned in bold print on it. This won't help for breaches of actual SS#'s, or breaches of medical facilities where our info is stored, but it makes it a bit more secure anyway.
My main concern is government-sponsored cybercrime, not only of personal information, but of our nation's infrastructure. Ransomware attacks like Wannacry can cripple thousands of computers. In April, all 156 emergency sirens in Dallas went off simultaneously, lasting 90 minutes before they could be turned off. Apparently hackers had penetrated the Dallas system. What other infrastructure elements are vulnerable?
Stay alert. Get professional protection. Don't wait to become a victim. Don't fall for a false sense of safety, because your data is already out there.
#idtheft
While the Equifax breach exposed very private data on 50% of the US population, not much of this has surfaced in fraud use. Why not? Likely because the theft was a foreign government that sponsored the theft, and they are still sifting through the data for the low-hanging fruit (members of Congress or Senate, famous people, etc.), but within a year, it will surface. Hey, people can't change their birthday or Social Security Number easily. That is why I've encouraged people to get professional help to monitor their personal data. By the time you discover it yourself, you are victimized; no early warning, no assistance with restoration. Very costly.
Other breaches that made headlines included the Uber breach, which exposed 57 million customers' data and 600,000 Uber drivers information. Uber says no data was used nefariously, because they paid the hackers $100,000 ransom. And we can trust the integrity of hackers, right?
Another lesser-known blunder was of a Republican data analysis company called Deep Root Analytics, which left a database online containing very personal information on 200 million Americans, such as names, birthdays, addresses, phone numbers, and likely stances on abortion, environmental issues, gun control, and 45 other categories.
Of course, a highly controversial issue being investigated is whether Russian hackers targeted election systems in 21 states during the 2016 presidential election. Supposedly no records were actually changed, the goal being to "undermine public confidence in electoral processes". OK. Mission accomplished.
So, will things calm down in 2018? I don't see anything that makes me believe it will. I expect another record year for breaches, in fact. The business sector just isn't focused on protecting data. I am at least encouraged, as an official senior citizen, that we will get new Medicare cards this year that won't have our Social Security Number emblazoned in bold print on it. This won't help for breaches of actual SS#'s, or breaches of medical facilities where our info is stored, but it makes it a bit more secure anyway.
My main concern is government-sponsored cybercrime, not only of personal information, but of our nation's infrastructure. Ransomware attacks like Wannacry can cripple thousands of computers. In April, all 156 emergency sirens in Dallas went off simultaneously, lasting 90 minutes before they could be turned off. Apparently hackers had penetrated the Dallas system. What other infrastructure elements are vulnerable?
Stay alert. Get professional protection. Don't wait to become a victim. Don't fall for a false sense of safety, because your data is already out there.
#idtheft
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