Your Data For Sale On The Dark Web And What You Can Do About It

As much as we love the convenience of our digital world, we know a hefty price tag can come with it. The world is full of bad actors whose goal is to get their hands on our sensitive, personally identifiable information, or PII. Should you find your PII is for sale on the dark web, it helps to know there are options for doing something about it, even if you think it’s too late. Just some of that hijacked PII can include passwords, email and physical addresses, Social Security numbers, financial accounts, and much more. READ FULL STORY

Credit Monitoring vs Credit Freeze

Have you been offered credit monitoring because of a data breach? Will credit monitoring alone safeguard you against identity theft? In a nutshell, the answer is a resounding "no." Credit monitoring and identity theft protection services both have their pros and cons. But if you are offered these services as a result of a data breach or other cyber incident, it’s important to know what they are and do…and what they are not and don’t and whether a credit freeze is really what you need. READ FULL STORY

Keeping Your Bank Account And Credit Cyber-Smart

Financial institutions and hacking go hand-in-hand. Hacking banks and their account holders is the most direct cash infusion a hacker can get…and they know it. According to Kaspersky Lab, attacks on ATMs alone hit an all-time high in 2017 with malware-as-a-service (MAAS) opportunities. With this service, even hacking “hacks” who have no cybercrime experience can watch an instructional “how to” video on how to target an ATM successfully. Guarding our finances with common sense protection is something we all need to do. READ FULL STORY

Should I, Could I Freeze My Credit Report?

Having your private information or identity stolen is no picnic. It takes quite a long time to make it right, so one of the best ways to help ensure that neither happens in the first place is to protect it as much as you can. In light of the recent Capital One data breach, many may be considering putting a freeze on their credit reports and that is a great idea. However, it's a good idea to be sure to know what that means before taking that action. READ FULL STORY

Children As Online Targets--What Every Parent Needs To Know

Adults should be well-aware of hacking and the risks involved when traversing online. But what many don’t know is the sad truth that children are also targets of online abuse. Sadly, this includes infants. The good news is that parents aren’t helpless when it comes to protecting their child’s online activities and real-world identities. Knowing the signs of child identity theft, other harmful vulnerabilities and how you can help prevent them is a great way to start. READ FULL STORY