The Risky World

As a consultant for several years after retiring from Federal Service, I now teach computer engineering and information security. I believe that we have the solution already, but it is slowly being implemented at all ends of the Internet and in systems processing personal ID and accounting information. It is not unique to the Internet, since it can be installed in many ways not involving electronic transfers. The it is "multilevel security," which comes in a verity of packages to match the level of security being sought - high to low - given the risk of information theft. When this methodology is implemented that possibility of hackers and identity thieves getting into accounts and stealing information is reduced from 2.5 percent (FTC study release) to less than 0.10 percent or 1:1,000 attempts. There are no fool-proof methods, because the people who have accounts are not fully award of the risk they are exposed. Lets say that if you know the day and hour that the thief was coming, you would be more proactive in taking measures to prevent their success. In real life you might know or see something around you while at the store or bank ATM. Then you would be more careful about what they see. On the Internet it is a different story. You just can't see it coming - it a stealth (blind) intruder who is stealing you personal account information using simple tricks, such as false long-ins, phony request for information by e-mail, or even phone calls from other than your account manager. Something simple like this will reduce the odds of becoming a victim to Identify theft.