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Is That Your Check Book Driving Away
s Your Check Book On The are useful.
Curb
Identity Theft & Home Computer
This is an article about people Disposal
throwing away their home
computers with all their This morning my wife reminds me
financial and banking information that not only is it trash day, it
on them and easily accessible. A is bulk pickup day (And for some
very simple first step to people, possibly Identity Theft
financial and identity theft and day). So I take out the trash and
it happens all the time. Computer put out the other large items. As
Disposal and Identity Theft go I approach the curb, a truck full
hand in hand. of discarded goodies pulls around
the corner. He asks me if I am
Since Hurricane Wilma, our city throwing that stuff, and if so
has stepped up bulk trash pickup could he put it on his truck. I
to every month. Bulk pickup is said sure, and lifted it on to an
when you can put out pretty much already huge pile of discards.
anything; dressers, vacuum When he drove away, guess what I
cleaners, and of course saw on top of the pile, three
computers. Early in the morning desktop computers, and one
on each bulk pickup day people laptop. From the look of them,
come around with pickup trucks to they were a few years old. I
see what they can grab prior to wonder why they were put out on
the city trucks showing up. Some the curb? Where they inoperable,
are looking for throwaways that or did their owner just get tired
can be refurbished and re-soled, of how slow they were and bought
while others work for charities a new one? Even if they weren't
that are looking to provide less working quite right, I wonder how
fortunate people with items that much effort it would take to
repair them, probably not much. concerned about this. I wonder
how many of those discarded PC's
Throwing Away your Computer, on the truck this morning had
Money, and Identity owners that secured their
wireless Internet connection? I
Jackson Morgan, a contributing wonder how many of those
author for Defending The Net, computers had their hard drives
wrote an article called "Computer removed or destroyed. More
Disposal - Throwing Away Your importantly, I found myself
Computer, Money, and Identity" a wondering where those computers
few months ago. In this article, were going to end up?
he interviewed people at the dump
to see what was on their Someone Just Sold A Thief Your
discarded computers. And the Checking Account
results were quite surprising,
actually, to us they were not Let's think up a reasonable and
surprising. And now I am writing viable scenario. Let's say that
this article to give you my own this gentleman is working with a
personal experience / observation charity. This charity takes
discarded, yet useful items and
cleans them up and distributes
Do You Take Computer Security and them to people who are less
Identity Theft Seriously fortunate or down on their luck.
One of the PC's really had no
There are so many articles problems except that it was
written about wireless security, loaded with Spyware and Adware
Internet security, and computer and needed a thorough cleaning
security and how your identity inside and out. This was a great
and private information can be find, the Operating System is
stolen. Some people are really intact, and it's full of useful
applications. Applications like information and access to someone
Microsoft Office, and more else's financial information.
importantly, QuickBooks. The Maybe they don't do anything with
computer is given to someone who it directly, but there is someone
cannot afford such a convenience, they know who would be willing to
and all is well. Then about a pay for access to a bank account
week goes buy and something pops with $80,000 in it. Not to
up on the screen. What do we have mention the rest of the
here, a QuickBooks reminder and information that is most likely
notification of account balances. on the computer. Wouldn't be
And look at that, a checking ironic if your financial
account with $80,000 in it. I information fell into the hands
wonder what else this computer of a thief for $300? All because
contains. And were going to find someone else was trying to help
out because there is no password someone out.
to get into the application.
Conclusion
I don't know about you, and I am
sure several people are going to I find it quite strange that many
think I'm being harsh with my people are concerned about the
following statements, but this technical aspect of security yet
scenario scares the you know what overlook the most basic things.
out of me. This does not apply to Do yourself a favor, before
all those who are down on their putting a computer out on the
luck, but how many people in a curb, take out the hard drive and
situation like this would ignore label it "destroy" and take it to
the information or be tempted to local metal shop when you have a
further investigate it. What if chance. They can cut in into tiny
they already have little to lose? little pieces or melt it down for
What could they do with this you. Don't think because you have
just a home PC that you don't everything you have worked for
need to have a userID and over the last 10 to 20 years by
password to login to it. You do making just a tiny mistake your
need this, for many reasons. are quite mistaken.
Also, buy yourself an inexpensive
paper shredder and make sure to You may reprint or publish this
shred all your important, but no article free of charge as long as
longer needed paper documents. If the bylines are included.
you think you can't lose
About the Author: Darren Miller is an Information Security Consultant with over seventeen years experience. He has written many technology & security articles, some of which have been published in nationally circulated magazines & periodicals. If you would like to contact Darren you can e-mail him at Darren.Miller@defendingthenet http://www.defendingthenet.com/NewsLetters/IsThatYourCheckBookDrivingAway.htm
Source: www.isnare.com |
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