Identity Theft Expert and Speaker on Personal Security Joins MyLaptopGPS in Challenging Organizations to Improve Laptop Computer Security
A widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert urged organizations to reconsider their lax laptop security policies and turn to MyLaptopGPS .


/Fraud - Identity Theft News Articles/ - BOSTON, MA, July 14, 2007 - (IDTheftSecurity.com) The Department of Homeland Security has found a major U.S. federal agency's laptop computers to be poorly secured. Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert, urged organizations to reconsider their lax laptop security policies and turn to MyLaptopGPS , an affordable Internet-based system for protecting mobile devices against otherwise costly loss and theft.

"Smart organizations understand that a well-secured fleet of laptop computers saves money," said Siciliano. "Any theft or loss of a laptop computer can be devastatingly costly, especially when sensitive data such as Social Security numbers go missing with the hardware. Customers or other constituents lose trust in the organization, attempts to recover unsecured machines are typically unsuccessful, and the negligence that often contributes to these incidents invites justifiable class action lawsuits."

CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com and a member of the Bank Fraud & IT Security Report's editorial board, Siciliano leads Fortune 500 companies and their clients in workshops that explore consumer education solutions for security issues. A longtime identity theft speaker and author of "The Safety Minute: 01," he has discussed data security and consumer protection on CNBC, on NBC's "Today Show," FOX News, and elsewhere.

Readers may view news footage of Siciliano using a recent Blackberry hacking incident related to Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign as backdrop to discuss the vulnerabilities of wireless, mobile computing devices:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ka5ZvPT7dgQ

As reported on July 3 by FCW.com, the Office of Inspector General (IG) at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has found that the security of laptop computers belonging to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is poor across a wide spectrum of criteria. A report from the DHS's IG (http://www.dhs.gov/xoig/assets/mgmtrpts/OIGr_07-50_Jun07.pdf) detailed a number of issues affecting the security of FEMA's laptops and other computers. Of particular concern was FEMA's inability to account for a significant number of mobile computers known to be in its inventory.

"For a long time, MyLaptopGPS has touted solutions to the issues DHS delineates in its report," said Dan Yost, chief technology officer at MyLaptopGPS. "Any government agency, company, or other type of large organization that relies on lax security for its fleets of laptop computers invites disaster and ought to stand up and take notice in response to wake-up calls like these."

For more information on MyLaptopGPS's recommendations for organizations wishing to secure their fleets of laptop computers, readers may click on the following link:

http://www.mylaptopgps.com/laptop_security.php

MyLaptopGPS's technology combines Internet-based GPS tracking -- which, for tracking and retrieving stolen laptops, is more effective than other forms of GPS -- with other functionalities that users can launch remotely to protect data even while the machine is in a criminal's hands. Once connected to the Internet, the software silently retrieves, and then deletes, files from machines as it tracks the stolen or missing hardware -- at once returning the data to its rightful owner and removing it from the lost computer.

Furthermore, SafeRegistry , an inventory management system built into MyLaptopGPS, allows for the secure storage, retrieval, and reporting of information that helps organizations like FEMA keep track of their laptop computers. This information includes, but is not limited to:

• Serial numbers

• Model numbers

• Purchase information

• Photographs

• SafeTag numbers

• Location

A downloadable demo (http://www.mylaptopgps.com/demo) of MyLaptopGPS is available. Recently, Yost delivered comments for a televised news report pertaining to the loss of laptop computers containing the Social Security numbers of numerous teachers at Chicago's public schools. Following is a link to YouTube video of the "NBC 7 Chicago" footage:

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=MylaptopGPSdotcom

To learn more about identity theft, a major concern for anyone who has been affected by the theft of a laptop computer, readers may go to video of Siciliano at VideoJug:

http://www.videojug.com/interview/identity-theft-computers-and-laptops

Further Related Resources:


Press Release Contact Information:

Robert Siciliano
IDTheftSecurity.com
CEO
P.O. Box 15145
Boston, MA
United States 02215
Voice: 888-742-4542
Fax: 877-232-9669
Website: Visit Our Website