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Wednesday, January 17, 2007
McAfee, Inc. Reports On Online Identity Theft Trends
McAfee, Inc., announced the availability of a paper from McAfee® Avert® Labs highlighting global identity theft trends, including a dramatic increase in online and computer-based identity theft. According to the report, the number of keyloggers—malicious software code that tracks typing activity to capture passwords and other private information—has increased by 250 percent between January 2004 and May 2006.
“Identity theft is a global phenomenon that threatens all of us, which means we all need to become more aware, more vigilant and less trusting to protect ourselves,” said Jeff Green, senior vice president of McAfee Avert Labs.
The white paper reviews identity theft techniques, from non-technical approaches like dumpster diving to sophisticated keyloggers that monitor computer keyboard keystrokes to steal online usernames and passwords. The McAfee Avert Labs white paper concludes with practical guidelines for preventing identity theft and minimising the risks of being victimised.