The days of thinking that only your PC needs virus protection are over. According to a recent CNET article by Dara Kerr, threats against our computers, laptops and smartphones by worms, viruses, botnets, Trojans, spam, and many other types of Malware, are rapidly increasing in number and sophistication, leading Kerr to conclude that “every single device that connects to the Internet is in danger.”

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Editor’s note:  Verizon today (April 19, 2011) published the "Verizon 2011 Data Breach Investigations Report," an annual study about cybercrime.

 

Wade Baker, Verizon director of Risk Intelligence and principal author of the report, answers questions about its findings and recommends five steps that consumers can take to protect their data online.

 

Q:  For those that aren’t familiar with the report, what is it?

 

A:  It is an annual study into the world of cybercrime that analyzes computer forensics to uncover how sensitive data is stolen from organizations, who’s doing it, why they’re doing it, and, of course, what might be done to prevent it.

 

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I’ve got some good news, and I’ve got some bad news.  Unfortunately, it’s all wrapped up in the same troubling reminder that identity theft continues to be a multi-billion-dollar industry in America.

 

According to a new report from Javelin Strategy & Research, the number of identity-fraud victims decreased 28 percent in 2010, when compared with to 2009.  Unfortunately, the amount of loss suffered by the identity-theft victims increased 63 percent over the previous year.  That means, while there were fewer victims, those who did get hit lost more in the way of stolen assets and costs paid to clear their names.

 

Debit-card fraud is also on the rise, as compared to credit cards, according to the report.  This is a troubling trend in that consumers stand to lose more in debit card theft than they do with the theft of credit cards.

 

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Today’s guest blogger is Tracy Mooney, McAfee’s Chief Cyber Security Mom.  A mother of three, Tracy shares her insights about keeping families safe online.

 

I love music and movies. I would venture to say that it is one of the things that brings my family together. But no matter how much I love Johnny Depp, Muse or even Lady Gaga, I just don’t search for them or their music or movies online very often.

 

So when McAfee released their 2010 Digital Music and Movies Report: The True Cost of Free Entertainment, I didn’t think it affected me. I mean, I don’t go actively searching for free music or free movies.

 

Then it hit me! I may not search for music and movies, but my kids might. They certainly have more time on their hands than I do. They also may be more likely to type “free” before whatever they are searching for, which can result in a 300 percent increase of landing on a website that could infect your computer, according to the report.

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Most parents of teens or tweens will tell you it’s no secret their children spend a lot – A LOT – of time online, and many may be spending too much time online. It’s a generation that’s growing up online. It has become an important social networking tool for young people, as well as an educational resource.

But, as is also the case with adults, there are pitfalls for all this time spent on the Internet. To help parents understand their teens’ relationship with the Web, Verizon’s online security software partner McAfee commissioned and posted a study based on the Internet activity of youths in the U.S. Some of the findings may surprise you, while others may reinforce many of the things you already suspected. Read more...

Verizon Business just released its 2010 Data Breach Investigations Report that looks at more than 900 data breaches of the IT systems of banks, retail and hospitality business, among others.

The report (.pdf), which is based on a first-of-its-kind collaboration with the U.S. Secret Service, concludes that organized crime is behind many of these data thefts. It’s a strong reminder not only to businesses but also to consumers that protecting financial and personal information is a never-ending exercise. Read more...

Firewall: The term conjures up images of medieval battlements hardened to withstand assault from hordes of pyrotechnic-wielding raiders.

In today’s online world, a firewall serves much the same purpose for personal computers, with pyrotechnics taking the form of viruses, spyware, and worms (the cyber kind) that are the tools of identity thieves and other online raiders. Like ancient castle fortifications, computer firewalls are the first line of defense and, if you don’t have one, you are leaving yourself open to attack and devastating consequences. Read more...

It’s your mother’s maiden name, or the name of your hometown or a combination of your pets’ names.

Some people can get imaginative with the words or names they use to make up their passwords for online accounts, whether it’s your bank, email or wireless router. Others, like in this bit from the Marx Brothers, may make it too easy for the passwords to be stolen. But, even if your passwords are so complicated you have to write them down to remember them, they’re not failsafe. As illustrated by Groucho and Chico. Read more...