National Cybersecurity Awareness Month Kicks Off Today – We’re Proud to Be a Champion

By | October 1st, 2015|Company News, Industry News, Online Safety|

NCSAMOctober is National Cyber Security Awareness month (NSCAM), and we’re excited to be involved and show our support as an official champion!

While it’s important to keep cyber security top-of-mind throughout the year, NCSAM provides a dedicated time for companies and organizations to share tips, best practices, and collaborate on how to stay safe online.

President Barack Obama kicked things off, stressing the importance of cybersecurity with this official statement from the White House: “We now live in an era of the Internet – our children will never know a world without it. Our financial systems, our power grid, and our health systems run on it, and through widely helpful, this reliance reminds us of our need to remain aware, alert and attentive on this new frontier. By working together to prevent and disrupt threats to our digital infrastructure, America can continue pioneering new discoveries and expanding the boundaries of humanity’s reach.”

Looking for ways to get involved?

  • Show your support by registering to be an NSCAM “Champion”
  • Participate in upcoming #ChatSTC Twitter chats, occurring every Thursday throughout the month at 2 p.m. CT:
    • October 8: How to Create a Culture of Cybersecurity at Any Organization
    • October 15: Digital Parenting – Keeping Your Connected Family Safe
    • October 22: Cybersecurity and the Evolving Internet of Things
    • October 29: So You Want to Work in Cybersecurity?
  • Host a lunch and talk to coworkers about online safety on one or more of the weekly NCSAM themes.
  • Organize a volunteer day with local schools to teach young people about cybersecurity and online safety using StaySafeOnline.org’s ready-to-use teaching materials and lesson plans.

Stay tuned to the blog throughout October for cybersecurity tips and tricks from CSID experts. Have additional ways you’re celebrating NCSAM? Share them with us on Twitter and Facebook, and be sure to check out our Tumblr for the latest industry news stories.

cyberSAFE Webinar Series Recap: Looking for a Cure for Medical Identity Theft

By | October 21st, 2014|Uncategorized|

Medical ID Theft InfographicWhile stories about large-scale financial and retail breaches are making headlines on a regular basis, it is medical identity theft that should be taking center stage. Why? In 2013, the healthcare industry experienced more data breaches than ever before, accounting for 43% of all breaches that year.

In the most recent edition of our cyberSAFE webinar series, Ann Patterson of Medical Identity Fraud Association (MIFA) and Dr. Marie-Helen Maras of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, along with CSID’s own Bryan Hjelm, discussed the latest on this topic.

They addressed the trends in medical identity theft, implications for healthcare organizations and patients, and provided recommendations for how the industry – as well as consumers – can make secure changes moving forward. The panelists also took a look at CSID’s findings from our recent survey of healthcare organizations. Watch a recording of the webinar below and read our whitepaper for survey findings and analysis.

Our survey found that most small healthcare facilities are unprepared for data breach. While healthcare breaches are on the rise, most small healthcare facilities feel that their systems adequately limit the risk of a data breach – yet one in three facilities spends less than 10% of their IT budget on protecting patient data, and less than a third (28.6%) have a crisis plan in place in the event of a breach.To better protect patient data and secure their systems, healthcare facilities of all sizes should focus on the following:

  • Educate employees and partners
  • Install and maintain anti-virus software
  • Track, encrypt and password-protect mobile devices with access to patient data
  • Audit and vet third party vendors that will have access to patient data
  • Implement multi-factor authentication requirements across the organization

We encourage you to check out the corresponding infographic, watch the webinar recording below and read the whitepaper. If you have any questions or comments for us, you can always reach out to us via Twitter and Facebook. Find out more about CSID’s cyberSAFE webinar series and watch previous recordings.

 

Infographic: How to Stay Anonymous Online

By | October 10th, 2014|Uncategorized|

NeoMam InfographicToday’s digital generation has made it nearly impossible to keep your identity hidden online. Social networking and sharing has created a culture of transparency, which can be beneficial when used for good, but extremely dangerous in the hands of cyber criminals. In the spirit of celebrating National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM), we wanted to share an infographic from WhoIsHostingThis that includes a few ways you can keep your identity private online.

  1. Use proxy servers. This is an easy way to hide your IP address and circumvent firewalls. Beware of using bait proxies set up by cyber criminals to mine your data.
  2. Set up a Virtual Private Network (VPN). VPNs encrypt your data through a “point-to-point” tunnel. This allows you to hide the route of your data from other Internet users. Make sure to use an up-to-date VPN service and be prepared to possibly deal with slower download speeds.
  3. TOR is an option for identity privacy, but not security. TOR encrypts your data and sends it through a random route of computer around the world. The downside to using TOR is that while your identity remains protected, your data is not safe. We recommend using the first two options before choosing TOR.

What are some other ways you can protect your identity online? Share your ideas with us on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn, and be sure to participate in the NCSAM conversations happening this month all over the world. Learn more about NCSAM and how you can get involved.

cyberSAFE Webinar Series: Looking for a Cure for Medical Identity Theft

By | September 17th, 2014|Uncategorized|

Small Biz WebinarOur cyberSAFE series is back with another free webinar: join us October 21, 2014 at 12 PM CT to discuss medical identity theft and the rapidly approaching Electronic Medical Records Mandate.

Register Now

Many consumers are unaware of medical identity theft and the harm it can cause – both to their wallet and their health – yet this is the fastest growing segment of identity theft in the United States. The Identity Theft Resource Center found that breaches of medical records with PII accounted for 43 percent of all PII breaches in 2013. In addition, Ponemon Research reported that 90 percent of healthcare organizations have exposed their patients’ data or had it stolen in 2012 and 2013, and the industry has seen more than 200 breach incidents in 2014 alone.

In our upcoming cyberSAFE webinar, medical fraud experts will address the growing problem of medical identity theft and related topics, including: Electronic Medical Records and the threats consumers and businesses face; how medical identity theft happens and what happens to an identity once it is stolen; the impact of medical identity theft on businesses and consumers; and what solutions businesses and consumers can implement to prevent and mitigate the impact of medical identity theft.

We have pulled together an excellent group of experts for the discussion, including Ann Patterson, SVP and Program Director of the Medical Identity Fraud Alliance, and Dr. Marie-Helen Maras, Associate Professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Additional panelists will be announced soon.

Join us for this free one-hour webinar on October 21 at 12 pm CT. If you are a business owner, healthcare professional, IT professional, or even someone who has ever been to the doctor – we encourage you to sign up, listen in and ask questions.

Register now – it is a great way to get involved with National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) this October! And as always, join conversations about the webinar on social media using the hashtag #cyberSAFE.

Plus, join us Monday, October 20 at 1 PM CT for a Twitter chat on the same topic – just use the hashtag #cyberSAFEchat.

November Recap: Holiday Tips, New Video and More

By | December 2nd, 2013|Uncategorized|

Now that holiday season is in full swing and 2013 is coming to a close, we’re spending these last few months reviewing our successes and being proactive – preparing for another great year ahead. And beyond that, we’re continuing to develop new technologies, share our expertise and get out in the community. Take a closer look at what we were up to in November, and see what we have in store for December.

Holiday Season Brings Increased Security Risks

We spent much of November educating individuals and businesses about the security risks that come during the holidays, especially when it comes to holiday travel and online holiday shopping. Does your business have an online store? Here are our top 6 tips to prepare your online shop for a busy – and secure – holiday season. Look for more holiday tips and discussions throughout the month of December.

Introducing: ETI

Over the course of the year we’ve been rolling out a new enterprise product, Enterprise Threat Intelligence (ETI). And this month, we’re excited to finally showcase ETI in a new animated video! Watch the short video to see what ETI is all about. What do you think?

November RecapTexas Conference for Women

We find that boosts of inspiration are valuable and motivating. A group from CSID’s Austin HQ got that boost at the Texas Conference for Women, where we were not only inspired, but also moved by all the support for women entrepreneurs and women in technology. We were honored to be in a room among such smart, creative and powerful minds.

More from Joe Ross in the Huffington Post

CSID President Joe Ross contributed another blog post to his column in the Huffington Post: “Understanding Identity Theft.” Follow Joe’s column and let us know if you have additional tips to share or questions you’d like him to answer.

CSID does Thanksgivukkuh

Each year our Austin office hosts a Thanksgiving potluck, and this year was no exception (with the addition of Hanukkah). From pumpkin pies to green bean casseroles, we are still recovering from the food coma.

What We’re Looking Forward to in December

December should be a good one. We’re expecting another proactive yet busy month, as we’ll be educating others about keeping security up during the holidays, reviewing our efforts in 2013 and preparing for a productive new year. Join us on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn for more updates.

October Recap: National Cyber Security Month and More

By | November 4th, 2013|Uncategorized|

Despite the ever-warm temperatures at our Austin headquarters, Fall has officially arrived. We welcomed the last few months of the year with a new partnership with the state of South Carolina and have been hard at work spreading the word about National Cyber Security Awareness Month, along with many companies and organizations across the nation. Take a closer look at what we did in October and what’s to come in November:

National Cyber Security Awareness Month

October was the 10th annual National Cyber Security Month (NCSAM) – a month dedicated to education and awareness about cyber security issues. To take part, we posted daily security tips on Twitter, engaged in conversations about NCSAM in the social media sphere, and even co-hosted a Twitter chat with fellow security industry experts. Check out our blog post about NCSAM for more on cyber security awareness.

Co-Hosted #ChatSTC for NCSAM

As mentioned above, we were an honored co-host for an official NCSAM edition of #ChatSTC, a regular Twitter chat hosted by STOP. THINK. CONNECT. and the National Cyber Security Alliance. This chat was full of fellow industry experts, including folks from Visa Security, AT&T, FTC, Department of Homeland Security and ESET. Check out our discussion on cybercrime and how to protect against it as a business or individual.

South Carolina Identity Protection Partnership

This month we announced a partnership with the state of South Carolina. For the next year, we will be providing identity protection services to South Carolina taxpayers impacted by a statewide security breach. Those eligible can enroll for the identity protection program at www.scidprotection.com.

More from Joe Ross on Huffington Post

CSID President Joe Ross contributed three additional pieces to his column in the Huffington Post: “How to Start Creating Smart Online Habits,” “Tips for Creating Smart Online Habits,” and “Your Business’ Security Is Online as Strong As Your Employee’s Weakest Tweet.” Take a look and let us know if you have additional tips to share or questions from Joe.

UT Center for Identity Symposium

We always look forward to events hosted by The University of Texas Center for Identity, as they gather the best experts from all parts of the security industry. This month we mingled and learned from the best at another UT Center for Identity Symposium. Learn more about the center and their events.

mad med picCSID Does Halloween

Each year our Austin office hosts an exceptional Halloween costume contest – and this year was no let down. We saw some great get-ups, from Doc Brown to the crew from Anchorman to the gang from Mad Men. Congratulations to the winners! Check out all the photos on our Facebook page.

What We’re Looking Forward to in November – we’re looking forward to a proactive month, educating individuals and businesses about the security risks that come during the holidays and preparing for a productive new year. Join us on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn for more updates.

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month – And We’re Participating!

By | October 16th, 2013|Uncategorized|

National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) brings our industry together for a common cause– to build awareness about cyber security and provide people with the tools they need to protect themselves from risk. It is an important topic for businesses and consumers alike.

To honor NCSAM, we’re teaming up with STOP. THINK. CONNECT. and a number of other industry experts for an official NCSAM Twitter chat on cybercrime. Join us October 24 at 3 PM EST to talk about how online activities increase risk for identity theft, fraud and abuse by following and tweeting with the hashtag #ChatSTC. We will be sharing our expertise and listening to your questions, concerns and comments about cybercrime.

What: Cybercrime Twitter Chat for NCSAM

Hashtag: #ChatSTC

When: Thursday, October 24 at 2 PM CT/3 PM EST

Guests: CSID (@CSIdentity), ESET (@ESET), Visa (@VisaSecurity), AT&T (@ATTBusiness), Federal Trade Commission (@FTC), STOP. THINK. CONNECT. (@STOPTHNKCONNECT), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (@cyber), National Cyber Security Alliance (@StaySafeOnline)

More info: https://stopthinkconnect.org/get-involved/twitter-chats/

What are you—as a business or individual—doing to honor NCSAM? We’d be happy to get involved with your venture. Let us know on Facebook or Twitter, and be sure to join in NCSAM conversations on social media using the hashtag #NCSAM.

In addition to our participation in the Twitter chat, we’ve become an official NCSAM Champion and have been active with NCSAM conversations on social media, posting daily security tips, including:

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News Recap: National Cyber Security Awareness Month Begins

By | October 4th, 2013|Uncategorized|

awareness picOctober marks the beginning of National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM), a national effort to keep Americans aware of the tools and resources they need to stay secure online.

The Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance began NCSAM ten years ago, and it has since grown into an advocacy month in which major corporations, educational institutions and government entities participate, describes StaySafeOnline.org, a program powered by the National Cyber Security Alliance.

US News reporter Dan Shewan listed the different topics NCSAM will address, including general online security issues, securing mobile devices, earning technology degrees and cyber security education. Paul Ducklin at Naked Security encourages companies and individuals to “treat Cybersecurity Awareness Month as an incentive to change your digital lifestyle for the better, on a long term basis.”

You can take a look at the full NCSAM program schedule on the StaySafeOnline.org website and find out on the Department of Homeland Security’s website how your business can get involved.

We’ll be doing our part by giving daily cyber security tips on Twitter and co-hosting an official NCSAM Twitter chat with STOP. THINK. CONNECT. on 10/24 about cybercrime. Will your business be participating in NCSAM this year? Let us know! You can join the conversation on Twitter and Facebook, and check out our Tumblr for the latest industry news stories.

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