LifeLock Presents: Secrets Identity Thieves Don’t Want You to Know
National Internet Safety Month Shines Spotlight on Digital Identity ThievesTempe, Ariz. — According to a 2012 Unisys Security Index Report, approximately half of Americans are concerned about viruses and the security of shopping or banking online. With June recognized as “National Internet Safety Month,” LifeLock, Inc., an industry leader in proactive identity theft protection, has identified a series of best practices to help consumers better protect their personally identifiable information when using the internet.
“To start, I want to be clear that by no means are we encouraging people to log off and avoid the internet altogether, that’s just not realistic,” said Todd Davis, Chairman and CEO of LifeLock. “The internet can be as safe as you make it and by taking smart steps – like removing file sharing networks from your computer – can dramatically reduce your vulnerability.”
File-sharing networks, commonly known as Peer-to-Peer or P2P, allow users the ability to download software that essentially opens the ‘back door’ of their computer into a network of other users looking to share information. File-sharing can provide access to a wealth of information, including music, games, and software but when used incorrectly, has the potential for long-term damage. Users of file-sharing networks can inadvertently expose the contents of entire hard drives, including tax returns, private documents and files containing passwords, account numbers or other personally identifiable information that can be quickly monetized by thieves.
“Oftentimes we hear that children or teenagers are downloading file-sharing programs on the family computer in attempt to download music files and avoid the charge that is required on legitimate websites,” said Davis. “By innocently downloading free P2P software, these young users are potentially indexing the entire hard drive of the family computer, most often unbeknownst to mom and dad.”
To determine if your computer has a file-sharing program downloaded, review the list of programs running along the bottom of your computer screen to confirm that you know what each is. If you find a program that you are unfamiliar with and want to remove it, be sure to engage your computer into “safe mode” and uninstall the program from that mode. This can help to reduce the chances of the same program being re-installed the next time the computer is turned on.
For more recommendations on how to protect yourself and your family from threats of identity theft, visit LifeLock.com and click on the tab marked Understanding Identity Theft.
About LifeLock
LifeLock, Inc. (NYSE: LOCK), is a leading provider of proactive identity theft protection services for consumers and identity risk assessment and fraud protection services for enterprises. Since 2005, LifeLock has been relentlessly protecting identities by providing consumers with the tools and confidence they need to help protect themselves from identity theft and manage their credit. In October 2012, Javelin Strategy & Research named LifeLock Ultimate™ a “Best in Class Overall” identity theft protection solution and also named it “Best in Detection”. In March 2012, LifeLock further demonstrated its commitment to combating identity fraud with the purchase of ID Analytics, Inc., a leader in enterprise identity risk management that provides visibility into identity risk and credit worthiness. ID Analytics, Inc. currently operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of LifeLock, Inc.