Comments on: Network Security Podcast, Episode 106 http://www.mckeay.net/2008/05/27/network-security-podcast-episode-106/ The views of one man on security, privacy and anything else that catches his attention Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:58:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: Eric http://www.mckeay.net/2008/05/27/network-security-podcast-episode-106/comment-page-1/#comment-2000 Eric Wed, 28 May 2008 15:44:02 +0000 http://www.mckeay.net/2008/05/27/network-security-podcast-episode-106/#comment-2000 Alright, for the sake of having an in-depth discussion, I'll play the devil's advocate. Nothing really bad did happen to him. The only money anyone was able to obtain was through a pay-day loan which legally would need to obtain more information than just a name and social to try and collect on the loan, or to affect his credit. We're really discussing two issues here: 1) If giving our your social security number and name a bad idea? 2) Is LifeLock a valid service that can help protect the consumer? My answer to number 1, is generally yes. A person would need to obtain even further information to fully commit identity theft. All a person could really do, is screw up his taxes when the IRS wonders where the 500 W-2's and 1099's went on his filing. Now it wouldn't take much more to fully steal his identity. A little social engineering could work up his driver's license, home address, and other useful information. Then he'd really be messed up. As far as #2 goes, I'd be more worried with LifeLock having my personal information than throwing it out over the air. Alright, for the sake of having an in-depth discussion, I’ll play the devil’s advocate. Nothing really bad did happen to him. The only money anyone was able to obtain was through a pay-day loan which legally would need to obtain more information than just a name and social to try and collect on the loan, or to affect his credit.

We’re really discussing two issues here:
1) If giving our your social security number and name a bad idea?

2) Is LifeLock a valid service that can help protect the consumer?

My answer to number 1, is generally yes. A person would need to obtain even further information to fully commit identity theft. All a person could really do, is screw up his taxes when the IRS wonders where the 500 W-2′s and 1099′s went on his filing. Now it wouldn’t take much more to fully steal his identity. A little social engineering could work up his driver’s license, home address, and other useful information. Then he’d really be messed up.

As far as #2 goes, I’d be more worried with LifeLock having my personal information than throwing it out over the air.

]]> By: Sam Van Ryder http://www.mckeay.net/2008/05/27/network-security-podcast-episode-106/comment-page-1/#comment-1999 Sam Van Ryder Wed, 28 May 2008 15:14:27 +0000 http://www.mckeay.net/2008/05/27/network-security-podcast-episode-106/#comment-1999 Thanks for calling out the Lifelock service and explaining it. It annoys the heck out of me about services like this one and others that aren't truly forthcoming on what they're actually doing (or what the real value is). They're almost borderline scams, IMHO. Thanks for calling out the Lifelock service and explaining it. It annoys the heck out of me about services like this one and others that aren’t truly forthcoming on what they’re actually doing (or what the real value is). They’re almost borderline scams, IMHO.

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