May Recap: ID360 Is a Wrap; Good News for Cybersecurity Higher Ed; S’more Fun at the Office

By | June 1st, 2015|Uncategorized|

Cyber SecurityIn May, we enjoyed participating in the annual ID360 conference and connecting with other attendees around this year’s topic – the “Identity Economy.” Also this month – the UT Center for Identity created a Master of Science degree in Identity Management and Security, CSID execs shared insight on identity management in the era of the Internet of Things, a major IRS breach made headlines, and CSID employees spent some time unwinding and satisfying their sweet tooth.

ID360 Comes to a Close
We were busy in early May ramping up for our sessions at the annual ID360 Conference, put on by our friends at the UT Center for Identity. Each year, the event brings together stakeholders and industry experts from the private sector, government and academia to discuss the latest research and most forward thinking ideas around identity management.

The theme this year was “The Identity Economy,” and our own Joe Ross and Adam Tyler weighed in on the following topics. For a full description of each of the sessions, check out our ID360 Sneak-Peek post.

  • Finding a Cure for Medical Identity Theft
  • Securing Digital Wallets Before Majority Adoption
  • Identity Crimes: Your Money or Your Life?

UT Center for Identity Launches a Cybersecurity University Program
We were excited to see major strides towards strengthening cybersecurity higher-education through the creation of the Master of Science in Identity Management and Security degree from the UT Center for Identity. Interested in learning more about the program requirements and opportunities for career paths? Take a look at the course overview.

CSID Execs Weigh In on Cybersecurity Topics
CSID’s Managing Director of Europe, Andrew Thomas, shared insight into how to mitigate risk in the hyper connected age of the Internet of Things. Check out his articles with Information Age and IT Security Guru.

IRS Breach Changes the Way Businesses and Consumers Think About PII
Last month’s major IRS breach, attributed to a syndicate in Russia, made headlines. Hackers successfully exploited 104,000 individuals and filed nearly $50 million in fraudulent tax funds. Be sure to check out our recap of the news.

Having S’More Fun at the Office
We took a small break to unwind – and indulge our sweet tooth – with some s’mores-making at the office mid-month. It was a great chance to mix and mingle and see who brought the best s’mores skills.

Check out what else we were up to in May on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn!

ID360 Conference Sneak-Peek

By | April 29th, 2015|Uncategorized|

ID360It’s hard to believe this year’s ID360 Conference is already around the corner (May 5-6). The event, put on annually by our friends at the UT Center for Identity, brings together stakeholders and industry experts from the private sector, government and academia to discuss the latest research and most forward thinking ideas around identity management.

We’re excited about the theme this year, “The Identity Economy,” and look forward to hearing how other speakers address approach the topic. From our end, here’s a sneak peek of what we’ll be talking about next week:

  • Finding a Cure for Medical Identity Theft: Did you know a medical identity has a $50 street value whereas a social security number in comparison only sells for $1? This is just one reason why we’re seeing more and more cases of medical identity theft. CSID President Joe Ross will dive in to why medical identity theft is on the rise, how it happens, why medical identities are seen as so lucrative from a cybercriminal’s perspective, and what steps healthcare organizations can take right now to protect themselves.
  • Securing Digital Wallets Before Majority Adoption: Digital wallet and mobile payment methods are gaining momentum among consumers and retailers. They’re also gaining the attention and enthusiasm of cybercriminals – who are looking to reap the rewards of mobile payments transactions. CSID’s CIO Adam Tyler will explore the major concerns around digital wallets security from both a consumer and business perspective and also offer solutions for how to make these digital wallets more secure.
  • Identity Crimes: Your Money or Your Life?: In addition to his solo talk on Digital Wallets, Adam will also be participating on this panel, which will explore the implications of how businesses, government and law enforcement officials perceive identity theft cases and how identity theft victims perceive the crime. The panel will explore how to find a middle ground between these two perspectives – one that brings more empathy to the victim while still allowing businesses, law enforcement and government to remain effective in addressing identity theft. He will be joined by Sean McCleskey, former Special Agent at the U.S. Secret Service Center for Identity; Dennis Desmond, Chief, Identity Management Branch at USSOCOM; and Deb Griffith, Director of Government Affairs at Lifelock..

Interested in checking out the rest of the lineup this year? Check out the full agenda online.

Will we see you at ID360 next week? Tickets are still available for purchase. Also stay tuned to our Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn for live updates and pictures from the event!

March Recap: SXSW Comes to a Close, CSID Employees Give Back

By | April 8th, 2015|Uncategorized|

Cyber SecurityIt was a busy month for CSID! After months of prepping for SXSW, we were excited to see the fruits of our labor come together. Between all of the SX madness, we were also happy to spend some time unwinding and giving back to the community. Check out our March recap below.

Wellness Week: Unwinding and Recharging
We kicked off March with Wellness Week: an opportunity for our employees to participate in everything from meditation classes to presentations on sleep and boosting your health with music. We rounded out the week with Fun Friday, where employees battled it out to create the healthiest dishes at our potluck and showed their skills at Giant Jenga.

Another Successful SXSW For the Books
It’s hard to believe another SXSW has come and gone. We enjoyed participating this year, (joining 50,000 of our closest friends), and speaking on panels including “Wi-Fi Privacy: When Sniffing Becomes Snooping,” and “Hacker to InfoSec Pro: New Rock Star Generation.” We were also loco for Jomoco in our session, “Follow the Money: Cyber Crime and the Black Market.” CSID CIO Adam Tyler also participated in the Christian Science Monitor-organized event, “Steak, Eggs and Cybersecurity: A Passcode Conversation.”

For all the details on CSID at SXSW, check out this blog post.

CSID Talks Women in Tech
We were proud to be featured in the March issue of Velma magazine last month. Our own HR recruiters, Melissa Smith and Loren Zeid, shared insights with the magazine on how we hire and retain talented women in tech and what perks and benefits we offer as an organization to attract female talent, including our promotion of a strong work-life balance, regardless of gender. Be sure to check out the issue, where we are featured beginning on page 15.

In addition, our own CFO, Amanda Nevins, represented CSID in the Austin Business Journal’s Bizwomen Mentoring Monday event.

CSID’s Joel Lang Speaks at IAPP KnowledgeNet
CSID’s Joel Lang enjoyed participating in the IAPP KnowledgeNet event in Austin. Joel shared insights on the session, “Setting the Table: An Information Security Incident Response Demo,” alongside Christopher Field, CIPM, CIPP/US, Corporate Privacy Director, Harte-Hanks.

Digging In And Giving Back
At CSID, we believe in the importance of taking time to give back to the community. We closed out March by volunteering for the Sustainable Food Center’s Grow Local Program, which offers central Texas residents the knowledge and resources necessary to grow their own food. We had a blast getting our hands dirty and spending time together as a team outside of the office.

Check out what else we were up to in March on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

January Recap: Ramping Up For The New Year

By | February 6th, 2015|Uncategorized|

Cyber Security Took Center Stage in the State of the Union Address
On January 20, President Obama delivered his annual State of the Union Address and this year cyber security was a major focus. President Obama detailed his plans for increasing online security, electronic privacy and the prevention of identity theft for the American people. Check out our blog post on the topic.

Data Privacy Day
On January 28, companies and organizations around the world celebrated the eighth annual Data Privacy Day – an initiative to help spread best practices from the National Cyber Security Alliance and StaySafeOnline.org. The day was filled with engaging Twitter chats, webinars and live events that dove into the biggest trends and challenges in cyber security today, providing interesting online conversations throughout the entire week.

Identity Theft Awareness Week
The last week of January was a busy one with Identity Theft Awareness Week, sponsored by the FTC. During the week, we joined in on the #IDTheftChat, where users shared tips on how to safeguard their information from some of the most common forms of identity theft.

Countdown to SXSW Interactive
It’s hard to believe SXSW is just around the corner! And, we have been busy ramping up for our three sessions. Below you will find more information on where you can find each of CSID’s sessions at SXSW:

SXSWiHacker to InfoSec Pro: New Rock Star Generation
Sunday, March 15
11:00am – 12:00pm
JW Marriot
Salon 8
110 E 2nd St

Follow the Money: Cyber Crime and the Black Market
Tuesday, March 17
12:30pm – 1:30pm
JW Marriot
Salon 4
110 E 2nd St

Wi-Fi Privacy: When Sniffing Becomes Snooping
Friday, March 13
5:30pm – 5:45pm
Austin Convention Center
Ballroom C
500 E Cesar Chavez St.

Joe Ross’s column on Huffington Post
Massive point-of-sale breaches seemed to dominate the news in 2014. CSID’s president Joe Ross weighed in with his insights on what new EMV legislation may mean for the security of merchants and consumers in his latest article on the Huffington Post: “POS Breaches in 2015: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.”

With so many exciting initiatives this past month on increasing cyber security awareness and education, we look forward to what the rest of 2015 will bring. What do you think will be the biggest areas of focus this year? Share your answers with us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

December Recap: A Time to Celebrate

By | January 7th, 2015|Uncategorized|

Christmas SweaterThe end of 2014 called for a bit of holiday cheer at CSID – a time to celebrate the number of people we served and recognize the hard work our team gives day in and day out. We got into the holiday spirit while keeping the CSID train on track in December. Take a look at all the activities we did last month:

One more for SXSWi!
Earlier in the year, CSID had two panels accepted for next year’s South By Southwest Interactive conference – Hacker to InfoSec Pro: New Rock Star Generation and Follow the Money: Cyber Crime and the Black Market – we received word that our third session was accepted as well! In March, you’ll be able to catch CSID’s Chief Innovation Officer Adam Tyler’s Future15 session, Wi-Fi Privacy: When Sniffing becomes Snooping. Stay tuned for more details on when and where all of our SXSWi panels will be held. The conference takes place March 13 through 17 in Austin, Texas.

Joe Ross posts more on Huffington Post and Security Today
December proved to be a month of data breaches. CSID’s president Joe Ross put together a December Breach Round Up and posted it on his monthly Huffington Post column. Following our webinar on medical identity theft, Joe shared his two cents on how data breaches are affecting the healthcare industry in Security Today Magazine. Check out his latest article: The Healthcare Industry: 2014’s Biggest Data Breach Victim.

Reindeer Games
The CSID crew is always ready to celebrate the holidays. This year, each department got together to create snow globes and we held our very popular annual ugly Christmas sweater contest. Larry walked away with first place for the second year in a row! You can see pictures of his ugly Christmas sweater – as well as the runners-up – on Facebook.

Families in Need
In addition to volunteering at Austin Operation Blue Santa, CSID adopted two local families in need this holiday season. CSID team members pitched in by donating toys, clothing, bedding and grocery store gift cards. A huge thanks to our team members who wrapped and delivered gifts!

Looking Ahead to 2015
We know 2015 is going to be a memorable year, so let’s kick off January by making some smart security resolutions. We recommend signing up for a password manager, turning on two-factor authentication where possible and signing up for an identity monitoring service. Let us know what your New Year’s security resolutions are on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn and be sure to keep up with our Tumblr for up-to-date security new stories.

November Recap: Giving Thanks at CSID

By | December 2nd, 2014|Uncategorized|

November was a time to give thanks at CSID. We gathered our best secure shopping tips for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, prepped for SXSW 2015, attended The Texas Conference for Women and had a good, old-fashioned Thanksgiving feast at our office. Here’s a recap of what we were up to in November:

Prepping for SXSWi!
CSID had two panels accepted for next year’s South By Southwest Interactive conference. We are already prepping for our panels! Here’s a look at our accepted panels: Hacker to InfoSec Pro: New Rock Star Generation and Follow the Money: Cyber Crime and the Black Market. Stay tuned for more details on when and where our SXSWi panels will be held. The conference takes place March 13 through 17 in Austin, Texas.

Black Friday + Cyber Monday Tips
In light of last year’s retail breaches, we prepared a few key Cyber Monday shopping tips to help online buyers make smart, secure decisions. These tips can help keep you secure all the way through the holidays, so be sure to check them out.

Joe Ross shares more on Huffington Post and IAPP
After our recent medical identity theft webinar, Joe Ross shared additional insight on the topic in his latest articles. Check out his piece in The Huffington Post to find out how you can protect your personal medical identity. For the security professionals out there, be sure to check out Joe’s article on how you can best protect patient data on IAPP’s The Privacy Advisor.

Texas Conference for WomenTexas Conference for Women
Last year, a group of CSID team members attended The Texas Conference for Women, an event dedicated to sharing and inspiring women entrepreneurs and women in technology. The group found the conference to be extremely useful and inspiring in 2013, so CSID attended the conference again this year. To find out more about the conference, its speakers and topics, check out TXConferenceForWomen.Org.

Thanksgiving Feast at CSID
Prior to heading home for the holidays, we got together to give thanks with our work family. CSID had a Texas-style feast with la Barbecue and other Thanksgiving goodies at our Austin HQ.

Coming Up in December
We want to pause in December to reflect on 2014 and take a look forward at what’s to come in 2015. Stay tuned for security predictions to keep an eye on in the coming year!

How was your November? What are you looking forward to in December? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn and be sure to keep up with our Tumblr for up-to-date security news stories.

October Recap: Webinars, NCSAM and Costumes

By | November 5th, 2014|Uncategorized|

Despicable MeOctober was quite a busy month at CSID! We participated in a healthy mix of industry-related events – like National Cyber Security Awareness Month and our cyberSAFE webinar – and let loose at the end of the month with our annual Halloween costume contest. Take a look at what we were up to and what’s to come in November:

National Cyber Security Awareness Month
The National Cyber Security Alliance held its 11th annual National Cyber Security Awareness Month campaign this October. We participated in the weekly #ChatSTC Twitter chats and even co-hosted one about cyber security for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Looking for a Cure for Medical Identity Theft Webinar
We hosted our quarterly cyberSAFE webinar about medical identity theft with experts Ann Patterson from the Medical Identity Fraud Alliance and Dr. Marie-Helen Maras, professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. CSID surveyed healthcare facilities to better understand how they handle security practices. Missed the webinar? You can watch the webinar replay, and don’t forget to download our free whitepaper and check out our latest medical identity theft infographic.

Joe Ross shares more on Huffington Post
Joe Ross shared another new article in his column – “Payments 101: Consumer Tips for Safe Shopping.” Catch up on the column on the Huffington Post.

CSID’s Epic Halloween Costume Contest
We know you’ve been waiting all year to see what CSID employees and departments cooked up for our annual Halloween costume contest. Last year we saw Mad Men, Star Wars and Anchor Man costumes. This year, our marketing department took home the top prize with their Despicable Me costumes.

CSID Supports the University of Texas Center for Identity’s IDWise launch
We attended the University of Texas Center for Identity’s IDWise launch earlier this month. IDWise is a resource center for the public on identity theft, fraud and privacy. Congratulations to a great team at IDWise on a successful launch.

Coming Up in November
We’re looking forward to a season of giving back this November. Look out for some blog posts predicting 2015 security trends coming soon!

How was your October? What are you looking forward to in November? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn and be sure to keep up with our Tumblr for up-to-date security news stories.

 

September Recap: Cooling Down While Ramping Up

By | October 1st, 2014|Uncategorized|

Back to SchoolSeptember may mean cooler weather, changing seasons and goodbye to summer. But for us at CSID it also meant a ton of hot activities like curating a back-to-school guest blog series and ramping up for our upcoming webinar about medical identity theft. Here’s what we were up to last month:

Guest Blog Series: Back-To-School Tips
This August and September we curated a guest blog series from child identity theft, online safety advocates and other experts all about security and privacy for back-to-school time. As we mentioned last month, the posts were insightful, ranging from tips for parents to college students to businesses.

Joe Ross in the Huffington Post
Joe Ross shared a new article in his Huffington Post column – “WiFi Tracking: When Sniffing Becomes Snooping.” Be sure to catch up on his column for more industry related articles.

CSID’s Adam Tyler at (ISC)2
Our Chief Innovation Officer Adam Tyler spoke at the annual (ISC)2 conference this month. He discussed the “Mad World of Malware,” and covered malware from top to bottom, including an inside look at new malware strains to top tier case studies. Look out for a video recording of Adam in action, coming soon!

Joe Ross at ATC’s Big Data Conference
CSID president Joe Ross spoke at the Austin Technology Council’s Big Data Conference this month. He was among a number of fellow influential companies based in Central Texas, including our friends from the UT Center for ID.

Steering Wellness in the Workplace
Our Sr. Director of Human Resources, David Darrow, was on a steering committee for a wellness seminar this month, focusing on corporate wellness opportunities. He was even featured on the event website – take a look. Congrats and great job, David!

Ping Pong Tournament at CSID HQ
What better way to close out the summer than with a company-wide ping pong tournament! Congratulations to the winning team, Team 3. Check out all the photos on our Facebook page.

Sponsoring the Harvest Moon Festival
We love to get involved with the community, especially if there is music involved! This month we were a proud sponsor of LifeWorks Austin’s Harvest Moon Festival. We enjoyed some local tunes while raising money for LifeWorks’ Workforce Development Program. Take a look at some photos from the event!

Coming Up in October
October is a big month for us. We’re hosting our next edition of the cyberSAFE webinar series on October 21 at 12 PM CT. We’ll be discussing medical identity theft and health IT with experts from MIFA and John Jay College. Register and join us! We’re also co-hosting another #cyberSAFEchat about the same topic on October 20 at 1 PM CT, featuring co-hosts @UTCenterforID and @MedIDFraudAssoc. Look out for more info on that.

In addition, October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month! We’ll be taking part in conversations, events and will even be co-hosting an official #ChatSTC Twitter chat on October 23 with STOP. THINK. CONNECT. Save the date.

How was your September? What are you looking forward to in October? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn and be sure to keep up with our Tumblr for up-to-date security news stories.

Identity Management: From Cradle to Grave

By | April 16th, 2014|Uncategorized|

ID360 picLast week, CSID participated in the 3rd annual UT Center for Identity ID360 conference. The conference brought together some of the best and brightest minds in identity management to talk about problems, trends, and solutions related to protecting and securing PII.

A number of topics were discussed during this year’s conference but there were a few key themes that resonated through many of the presentations and panels.

There is no such thing as a free lunch, and there is no such thing as a free social media site.

This is one that we have been discussing lately at CSID. If you think you are getting social sites like Facebook and LinkedIn for free, you are not. If you click “like” on Facebook to get a coupon or enter a contest with a business – that exchange is not free. When post your job experience on LinkedIn, check in to an establishment on Four Square, or post a review on Yelp – all of these are costing you. You get to use social media sites in exchange for your personal information, including name, history, interests, etc. – and this personal information has value. Most social sites use this data to sell targeted advertising, but that may not always be the case. A complete identity profile for an individual can be sold for as much as $8,000 on the identity black market. Always remember that your personal data, no matter how innocuous you feel it is, has value, and be wary of what you share online.

Vital documents need a facelift.

One of the most engaging panels of the conference was on “The ‘State’ of Identity Records: Who owns, protects, and uses vital identity documents issued by the State.” Panelists talked about vital documents like birth certificates and Social Security numbers, and some of the efforts underway to better protect these documents. The state of vital records is a bit of a mess. Every state and every registrar within a state issues its own records. For example, there are more than 400 registrars in the state of Texas and only 254 counties. Each of these registrars issues their own birth certificates. That means there are more than 400 different designs of birth certificate you can get in Texas, which becomes difficult when it comes to identifying fraudulent records. There are efforts underway in this field to secure vital documents. In Texas, for example, there are efforts to get all registrars to use the same type of paper when issuing a vital document. This will make it a bit more difficult for forge records. In the future, it is very likely that vital documents we be digital. This will let states work together more easily to verify document authenticity and also reduce instances of forgery.

Don’t ignore the identity issue.

One key theme throughout the conference was the importance of taking control of your identity. Once an individual’s identity has been compromised, there are resources that can help restore and recuperate. However, it is always better to act defensively from the get-go. Be vigilant and practice the fundamentals like using secure passwords, locking your devices, and checking your accounts frequently for fraudulent activity. An identity protection service can help with some of the most time-consuming aspects of the fundamentals. As the conference’s “Cradle to Grave” theme implies, protecting your identity is a life-long endeavor.

What are you currently doing to protect your identity? Who owns, protects and uses your PII?  Let us know what you think on Twitter and Facebook, and be sure to check out our Tumblr for the latest industry news stories.

Join CSID: Talking Security at SXSWi 2014

By | February 20th, 2014|Uncategorized|

SXSWi_v2One of the perks of headquartering in Austin, Texas is our proximity to the ever-growing South By Southwest Interactive (SXSWi) festival. And beyond the renowned parties, food and celebrities, we are most excited to host three speaking panels.

Which one will you attend? While they all coincidentally overlap on the schedule, you can’t go wrong with whichever you pick – all three feature intriguing speakers and hot security topics. Here’s all the information you’ll need to know about CSID at SXSWi:

When Good Technology Goes Bad: Mobile Technology

Did you know that in less than 60 minutes you can turn a $20 router into an attack platform that is capable of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of data? Did you know that this can be done with very little technical expertise? It’s possible, and Adam Tyler, Chief Innovation Officer with security technology company CSID, is going to demo this process live, and show just how easy it is to turn an inexpensive, widely available technology into a device that can threaten individuals and businesses. While doing his demo, Adam will provide an inside look into the world of data theft and malware on mobile devices. He will discuss how inexpensive and powerful technologies have made it easier than ever to inject malware and steal data from laptops, smartphones and tablets. And with technology becoming evermore powerful, Adam will provide insight into what we can expect from future mobile threats and how we can proactively fight against them.

Presenter: CSID’s CIO Adam Tyler

Where: Austin Convention Center, Ballroom E

When: Sunday, March 9 from 5:15 – 5:30 PM

Hashtag: #SXTechHack #SXSW

Note: Adam’s presentation is a Future15 session, a succinct 15-minute solo talk and Q&A.

That Was the Old Me: Managing Online Reputation

91 percent of hiring managers now look at social media profiles when screening job applicants, and one in 10 young job applicants has been denied due to their online reputation. Companies are concerned with employees’ personal behavior more than ever, and brands are leveraging customer data for increased sales. Meanwhile, many of us are so caught up in being relevant, authentic and part of the conversation that we fail to realize the overall impression our digital identity presents, or the impact a few bad pictures or a drunk rant might have on our futures. In this dual panel, security expert Bryan Hjelm from CSID and Internet privacy lawyer and reputation management specialist Parry Aftab will debate the topic of online reputation, including reputation management techniques, privacy and legal implications, and use cases for businesses. No matter your perspective – as a consumer, professional, HR manager or CEO – this discussion directly impacts your life and is one you don’t want to miss.

Presenters: CSID’s VP of Product & Marketing, Bryan Hjelm, and Managing Director of WiredTrust, Parry Aftab

Where: Sheraton Austin Creekside

When: Sunday, March 9 from 5 – 6 PM

Hashtag: #SXSW #SXRep

Growing Up Unprotected: Child ID Theft

Children are 51 times more likely to have their identities stolen than adults. Now that children have a digital footprint at an early age, identity thieves have found an easier route to take advantage of children’s unused social security numbers to secure thousands of dollars in loans and credit – and go undetected for years. While most parents understand the dangers of online predators, nearly half of parents are unaware that child identity theft is a growing problem. Children with stolen identities can have difficulty applying to colleges, opening savings accounts or credit cards, and may have thousands of dollars of fraudulent debt associated with their name prior to turning 18. In this discussion, online child safety advocates Chris Crosby, CEO of Inflection Point Global and Managing Director of SociallyActive.com, and Clay Nichols from LookOut Social will explore today’s digital landscape of child identity as it relates to our social and professional lives.

Presenters: Chris Crosby, CEO of Inflection Point Global, and Clay Nichols, CEO of LookOut Social

Where: Sheraton Austin Capitol View North

When: Sunday, March 9 from 5 – 6 PM

Hashtag: #SXChildID #SXSW

Note: While CSID is not represented among the panelists, we did arrange and organize this panel and we are excited to support it.

Will we see you at SXSWi? What other security and technology panels would you recommend this year? As always, let us know on Twitter and Facebook.

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