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How Computers Increase Identity Theft Identify theft is the illegal use of someone elses personal information. Actually, the identify theft cannot be called a novelty in a criminal world. However, the temptation to steal someone elses private information became more attractive with rapid growth of modern technologies. There are plenty of ways in which the identity theft can occur, such as bin raiding (retrieving financial documents that the person has thrown away), skimming (cloning of payment cards), and social engineering (revealing personal data through cold calling or lottery scams).
Alongside with traditional ways, computers and internet made identity theft easier. More than 10 million Americans became the victims of the identify theft. According to the Newsscan Computer Security Column, the average cost to a consumer whose identity is stolen is estimated to be more than $ 6, 000 with the potential impact of this scheme over $ 180 million (Computers Make Identity Theft Easier 2007). Identity theft is the most popular crime. Internet makes life easier, and, at the same time, it exposes to danger. The economic impact of identity theft is significant.
The LA County Sheriff's Department alone reports 2, 119 cases in 2000 compared to more than 6, 000 cases in 2006 (Computers Make Identity Theft Easier 2007). According to Computer Internet Security website, every 79 seconds an identity theft occurs. One out of 50 consumers has been a victim of identity theft in the past 12 months. There are many ways to commit an identity theft with the help of computers. Hackers develop new tricks and cheats faster than lawmakers develop new legislative rules concerning identity theft. So, how can they do it?
Phishing is one of the most popular ways to steal personal information with the usage of spoofed e-mails and fraudulent websites to force the user to divulge personal financial data (Phishing 2007). The user enters his personal data, being sure he is on a trusted web page (for example, making transactions via online bank or online shop). In fact, his information is sent to hackers. For example, the victim gets a mail identical to official letter of his bank or online sale. The letter contains a web link. The user clicks on the web link and enters the page identical to his bank.
He enters his personal information and hackers can use it at will. Parking is almost similar to phishing, however, has several differences. For example, a user types internet address of his bank. Hacker uses special program and redirects the inquiry to his own web page, which looks similar to the banks page. In result, the password, login, account number and other personal information becomes accessible to the hackers. Thirdly, the hackers can use RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology.
Certainly, RFID chips do not contain personal information, except of price and peculiarities of the commodity. However, the criminals, who can read RFDI chips, can identify the customer (e. g. in case the hacker cracks shop database, he can find out personal data, including bank account number, personal name, etc). The consequences can be dramatic. Hackers also use root kits (the utility programs created to hide hacker activity, such as installation of spy software, identify theft, etc).
Key logger is another kind of software created to gather personal data through logging the users activity. For example, key loggers are used when the user enters a certain web site (e. g. online banking service, etc). Trojans are also used to collect information, to send it to hackers computer, etc.
Sniffing is viewing of network sockets destined for another computer. Hackers use specially developed software called sniffer and net card working in promiscuous mode. In the vast majority of cases this attack is used to get the users logins and passwords. The users computer (e.
g. during the authorization) sends necessary personal data. Sniffer can catch it on the way and send it to hacker. Is it possible to prevent the identity theft? All things considered, the users should not be careless in relation to their personal information. Alongside with ciphering and antivirus software, the users should redouble their vigilance, because vigilance and good sense is the most efficient way to prevent the identity theft.
Works Cited Computer Internet Security. 7 May 2007 < web >. "Computers Make Identity Theft Easier. " Newsscan Computer Security Column. 7 May 2007 < web >. Phishing. 7 May 2007 < web >. SECURITY REPORT ONLINE IDENTITY THEFT. February 2006. 7 May 2007 < web >.
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