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Tired of unsolicited phone calls?

Sick and tired of the telemarketer phone calls you receive at home while trying to enjoy a quiet dinner with your family? I sure was. So on December 17^th 2008 I added my home phone number to Canada’s National Do Not Call Registry. After which telemarketers have 31 days to remove my home phone number from their call lists. I’m waiting to see the results.

It has been a few months now since Canada has implemented the National Do Not Call Registry. Implemented in September 2008, it was supposed to be the biggest privacy story of 2008 with the largest impact on Canadians. Whether it has, in fact, had an impact is subject to debate. Either way, having the option, in my opinion, is definitely a good thing. I’ve attached a few links below if you are interested in registering your phone number. Anyway, I’m interested to know your thoughts or opinions.

https://www.lnnte-dncl.gc.ca/index-eng

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Do_Not_Call_List

Privacy and Data Protection

Almost all organizations retain the personal identifiable information of current and former employees or clients. Identity thieves target this information, and legislation mandates action when it’s compromised – but what action? Where is the line drawn between ‘recommended’ and ‘required’? How does a breached company manage the experience and the exposure? While some companies have written policies around handling sensitive personal information, many still don’t.

On Thursday June 26, 2008 I will be hosting an information session on Privacy and Data Protection. The goals of the session include:

Privacy Regulations: – A review of the privacy laws, including the Canadian Standards Association Model Code.

Customer Expectations – Understanding data collection, use, disclosure, and retention.

Clarify the legislated mandates that affect an enterprise’s actions when a breach occurs.

Distinguish between mandates that are required and mandates that are “recommended”.

Examine how to respond to a data breach and minimize exposure.

Examine the value of an internal policy on handling personal information.

If this topic interests you, then join us on Thursday June 26, 2008 from 12:00pm – 1:00pm EST. Follow the attached link for registration details:

http://www.eosensa.com/cwhseminarseries/privacy-seminar.html

Trojan adware hiding in MP3s

I stumbled on an interesting article over at ComputerWorld. Adware companies are now flooding P2P networks with fake mp3 files.

…McAfee Inc. reported that it has seen a huge spike in fake MP3 files spreading on peer-to-peer networks. Although the files have names that make them look like audio recordings, they’re really Trojan horse programs that try to install a shoddy media player and adware on your computer…

See link for the full article:
http://tinyurl.com/4ycqdo

Where are your stolen credit cards ending up?

Credit card thieves have become increasingly bold and sophisticated in the black market of card numbers and other data like your CV2 information. The CV2 is a security code, usually the last 3 digits, that can be found on the reverse of most cards, usually on the signature line. Either way, the article I came across describes in detail about an online supermarket of stolen credit card information.

See link for the full article:

http://www.techworld.com/security/news/index.cfm?newsid=11808&pagtype=samechan

Time For Me To Open Up A Facebook? (Pt. 2)

After a day or so of contemplating whether to open a facebook account, I read this…

A security lapse made it possible for unwelcome strangers to peruse personal photos posted on Facebook Inc.’s popular online hangout, circumventing a recent upgrade to the website’s privacy controls.

The Associated Press verified the loophole Monday after receiving a tip from a Byron Ng, a Vancouver computer technician. Ng began looking for security weaknesses last week after Facebook unveiled more ways for 67 million members to restrict access to their personal profiles.

So much for additional privacy features announced last week.

Seven Deadly Sins – Security Rules Employees Love to Break

I came across an article highlighting 7 key security violations found in most organizations:

1. Copying confidential information onto a USB memory stick
2. Accessing web-based e-mail accounts from a workplace computer
3. Losing a portable data-bearing device
4. Downloading personal software onto a company computer
5. Sending workplace documents as an attachment in e-mail
6. Disabling security and firewall settings
7. Sharing passwords with co-workers

Time For Me To Open Up A Facebook?

My friends are on it. My family is on it. My colleagues are on it. They’re all connecting and having a great time. So why am I not on it? Well, I’d prefer to keep my friends, family life, and colleagues separate. Not to say I’m averse to social networking, but I question my true privacy on it. Plus my business colleagues don’t necessarily need to see what I did with my friends or family over the weekend. Or find me tagged in other peoples photos.

But it’s being reported that facebook has now added more privacy features.

Facebook said on Tuesday it is introducing new privacy controls that give users of the fast-growing social-network site the ability to preserve social distinctions between friends, family and co-workers online.

Facebook executives told reporters at the company’s Palo Alto, California headquarters of changes that will allow Facebook’s more than 67 million active users worldwide to control what their friends, and friends of their friends see.

Maybe it’s time for me to check it out – keep in touch with new and old friends…

Got PCI? Another credit card breach disclosed.

A US supermarket chain recently announced a credit card breach exposing over 4 million credit card numbers.

A security breach at an East Coast supermarket chain exposed more than 4 million card numbers and led to 1,800 cases of fraud, the Hannaford Bros. grocery chain announced Monday.

Hannaford said credit and debit card numbers were stolen during the card authorization process and about 4.2 million unique card numbers were exposed, placing the case among the largest data breaches ever.

PCI Compliance Webinar

I will be conducting a webinar on April 17th, 2008. The topic will be facing PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) challenges and automating the compliance process. I will be joined by Matt Alderman, CTO of ControlPath, Inc. ControlPath develops a PCI compliance automation software package.

What are some of your issues dealing with PCI compliance?

In the meantime feel free to sign up via the following link:
www.eosensa.com/pciwebinar