Recently, a news story came out about the break-in rash at the Congress offices located in Washington, DC. Stolen items include computer equipment, private property, items that are left in maintenance and maybe confidential or personal data. The investigation is still ongoing. People may assume the government office is immune to theft or thieves given the high level of security deployed. However, this is not the problem.
At present many people enjoy the convenience of using their laptop or USB flash disk to accommodate and bring information. This device is small and easy to use. Basically their compact size, this device can be easily lost or stolen.
Sometimes companies allow employees to use their laptops or flash disks to bring company data that can be accessed outside the office to work on various projects in their spare time. This practice may look benign, but what happens if the flash disk or laptop is lost or stolen? Many companies install devices to track laptops if they are lost or stolen, but this device usually does not spread technology to protect the data stored on a laptop. The question becomes more important, laptops or data saved?
In the current era of complex information, protecting one’s information and privacy has never been more important. Someone will expect large companies to hold our data, such as license bureaus, health care companies and high-level government offices to protect our data, but this does not always occur. The accident does occur and sometimes personal, private or secret data theft can leave individuals or companies that are very vulnerable.
Biometric is a leading technology that utilizes the unique biological identity of individuals to provide accurate individual identification. Everyone has a unique iris and a fingerprint signature used by biometric technology to use a sophisticated algorithm to confirm a person’s identity.
Although, biometric technology is considered very high, the applications used are usually quite simple and involve a simple retinal eye scan to confirm identity or someone just swipe their finger on the scanner type device. In fact, biometric is not a general household name, the security provided by the use of biometric technology does not need to be questioned if compared to damaged potential which can be caused by not securing government offices, secret or private data.
Personal information stored on a USB flash disk, if stolen or lost, potentially compromise the legal owner. Hopefully “a good Samaritan” will find a disk that is missing and returns it to a legitimate owner. However, disks that are lost can also end in ownership of identity thieves who can use data that is not protected on a flash disk for its benefit. Given unlimited access to identity thief data can seriously compromise legitimate owners.
Not infrequently people to bring information about laptops or flash disks such as their names, address information about written letters, financial information about spread sheets, telephone numbers, email addresses, and even credit card numbers. This information is truly gold for identity thieves.
For example, if the identity thief succeeds in securing your social security number, they can use this information to get work, rent a house and even secure a bank account. Identification thieves can use stolen information to be given to the police during the arrest. If they do not appear for their court date, the arrest warrant can be issued in the name of the assumption. Thus the data owner actually consists. Sometimes damage can be erected, but this will take time and can cause personal shame.
