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

By Morgan Grevey| 2015-07-15T13:29:24-05:00 June 1st, 2015|Uncategorized|

Cyber Security In 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 Morgan Grevey| 2015-04-29T15:23:33-05:00 April 29th, 2015|Uncategorized|

ID360 It’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!

April Recap: Webinars, Workshops and Monster Trucks – Oh My!

By Morgan Grevey| 2014-06-03T15:36:14-05:00 May 1st, 2014|Uncategorized|

The first half of April sure was a busy one for us, with plenty of industry events, workshops and webinars. Then, we had a little more creative fun towards the end of the month. Let’s dive in.

We Hosted #cyberSAFEchat About Child ID Security and Privacy
On April 7^th we hosted a #cyberSAFEchat Twitter chat about child identity theft and privacy, featuring co-hosts Kids Privacy and LookOut Social. We had a great turnout and sparked some interesting discussions on Twitter – thanks again to all who joined!

Encore presentation of our cyberSAFE Webinar on Child ID Security and Privacy
The following day, April 8^th, we held an encore presentation of our child identity theft webinar featuring experts from Carnegie Mellon’s Cylab and uKnowKids. The original webinar is available on our site to watch at your leisure, and be sure to check out the accompanying white paper and infographic on the topic.

Speaking & Presenting at ID360 Conference
Later that week we attended UT Center for Identity’s annual ID360 Conference. Joe Ross and Bryan Hjelm were featured speakers at this year’s conference. In addition, Bryan, Adam Tyler and Joel Lang had posters and whitepapers on display. Check out our recap blog post for more on what we learned at the conference, including three key topics that are sure to drive the industry later this year.

SOS Leadership Workshop
We were pleased to host Amber Fogarty in our Austin office for her SOS Leadership “Lead Like You” workshop, which empowers women in business to refine and embrace their individual leadership skills. Visit our Facebook page for a few photos from the event.

Monster Truck Rally at HQ
Once the month settled down it was time for a little in-office fun. We hosted a monster truck rally at our Austin office complete with some 70’s glam. Take a look at the photos of the event on our Facebook page.

Joe Ross in the Huffington Post
Be sure to catch up on Joe Ross’ Huffington Post column. This month, he shared his key security takeaways from SXSW.

What’s Coming Up in May
We’re looking forward to joining conversations around National Small Business Week, May 12^th to 16^th. We’ll also be spending much of May preparing for another cyberSAFE webinar, in which we’ll discuss SMB security and reputation risks with some notable experts. This one will take place in early June, so keep an eye on the blog in early May for some updates!

Let us know what you’re most looking forward to this month on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn and be sure to keep up with our Tumblr for up-to-date security new stories.

Identity Management: From Cradle to Grave

By Morgan Grevey| 2014-04-16T12:42:43-05:00 April 16th, 2014|Uncategorized|

ID360 pic Last week, CSID participated in the 3^rd 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.

March Recap: SXSW Interactive and More

By Morgan Grevey| 2014-04-03T09:41:08-05:00 April 3rd, 2014|Uncategorized|

Phew! March has come to a close – and what a busy month it was. Let’s dive right in.

SXSW Interactive

We have another successful SXSW Interactive under our belts. This year we took part in everything from news interviews (President Joe Ross and CIO Adam Tyler both did TV interviews) to panel discussions (VP Bryan Hjelm and CIO Adam Tyler both spoke at SXSW) – and we even had some time to relax at our annual Protect Your Buzz happy hour. Catch our full SXSW recap, including key cyber security takeaways, in our blog post here. And be sure to tag yourself in any photos from our happy hour photo booth – find them all on Facebook.

Healthiest Employer in Central Texas

We were recently recognized as one of the Healthiest Employers of Central Texas by the Austin Business Journal. We placed 10^th in the “medium company” category and celebrated with a walk around Lady Bird Lake here in Austin. So proud of our team! Catch photos from the awards breakfast and our celebratory walk on our Facebook page.

Joe Ross and the Austin Chamber of Commerce

This month our president and co-founder Joe Ross spoke at the Austin Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Council. Joe shared identity theft risks small businesses in Austin – and everywhere – should take into consideration, including POS malware, social media risks and the Internet of Things.

Joe Ross in the Huffington Post and Security Today

Joe Ross also shared an update on “The Mad State of Malware” in his Huffington Post column. Catch up on more of Joe’s columns on the Huffington Post, including “The Ongoing Battle Against Breaches” and “A Look Forward: 2014 and Identity Theft.”

What’s coming up in April

The first half of April is sure to be a busy one! On April 7^th we are hosting a Twitter chat about child identity theft and privacy – join us and follow #cyberSAFEchat at 1 PM CDT with co-hosts Kids Privacy and LookOut Social. Then, at 12 PM CDT on April 8^th we will screen a re-run of our child identity theft webinar featuring experts from Carnegie Mellon’s Cylab and uKnowKids. Reserve your spot now.

Finally, on April 9^th and 10^th we will be at UT Center for Identity’s ID360 conference, where Joe Ross and Bryan Hjelm will both be featured speakers. We’re looking forward to catching up with industry experts from around the country. Hope to see you there!

Let us know what you’re most looking forward to this month on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn and be sure to keep up with our Tumblr for up-to-date security new stories.

Load More Posts

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

ID360 Conference Sneak-Peek

April Recap: Webinars, Workshops and Monster Trucks – Oh My!

Identity Management: From Cradle to Grave

March Recap: SXSW Interactive and More

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