Intersections’ Consumer Security Adviser, Neal O’Farrell shares his thoughts on keeping yourself safe at work.

While most of the advice we offer on the Daily Shield focuses on protecting your personal space and finances, it’s easy to forget that some of the greatest security vulnerabilities can be found in a place you may spend much of your life – the workplace.

And with an endless stream of data and security breaches being traced back to bad decisions in the workplace, it could help you and your job if you pay a little more attention to workplace security and privacy.

With that in mind, here are a few simple ideas that can protect you and your co-workers in the year to come:

• Know the rules and follow the policies. Security policies sound like a pain, and in some workplaces they’re so long and complex they read like a text book for a law degree. But policies are there for a reason, and even if they’re poorly written or overly complex, you still need to pay attention to them. If properly implemented, they protect data, protect your workplace, and even protect your job.

• Be careful what you bring to work. One of the biggest threats in 2012 is BYOD – Bring Your Own Device. In spite of policies against them, many employees still bring their own smartphones, laptops, and tablets to work. Thumb drives are a particular source of security problems. If you use those devices to store work information or access corporate networks or systems, you risk exposing your workplace to all kinds of threats. If your employer doesn’t know what kinds of devices you’re using, and what kind of security precautions you’re taking, they’re almost defenseless against the risks your devices might pose.

• Keep your personal information hidden or out of the office. A study as far back as 2005 by the University of Michigan found that close to 70% of all identity thefts in the United States might originate in the workplace. Even if the report is only half right, that’s reason enough for you to guard any personal information you bring to the workplace. So hide any personal financial documentation, wallet, purse, personal devices and anything else a co-worker might grab an opportunity to snoop on.

• Be careful with social media. Many workplaces still don’t have clear rules about the use of social media in the workplace, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore the risks. And apart from getting into trouble for checking your Facebook page too often at work, some of the biggest risks when using social networks at work include saying things that could get you or your employer into trouble, giving away corporate secrets or insider knowledge, or clicking on a malicious link that introduces malware into your workplace.

To avoid these dangers (1) stay off Facebook at work as much as possible, (2) if you do use Facebook or Twitter, mind what you say – about yourself, your workplace, your colleagues, and your job, (3) be very careful what you click on.

• Protect your passwords. If your workplace has guidelines or policies on the proper use of passwords, follow them. The rules are there because they work. If your workplace doesn’t have any clear rules, then use common sense. Use long and complex passwords, change passwords often, don’t share them with others, and be wary of calls or emails claiming to be from a colleague and requesting your password.

• Challenge strangers. One of the most common attacks on the workplace is the walk-in, where a complete stranger will simply walk into the business, perhaps posing as a customer, repair technician, or even a janitor, and steal information. If you come across a stranger in your office, don’t simply ignore them. Offer to help them, ask them who are and what they’re looking for, and if they seem suspicious, notify security or your colleagues.

• Think privacy. The root of good security is a respect for privacy. As a consumer you value your privacy and expect it to be respected and protected. So why not expect that for others. If you come across the personal information of others, give it the respect it deserves. Good security flows from a respect and passion for privacy, and if it’s second nature, security breaches are less likely to happen.

• Be an advocate. If you truly believe in security and privacy, and believe that it makes a difference, then speak up. Become a privacy advocate in your workplace. Encourage co-workers to take security and privacy seriously, and if there are no security guidelines or policies in place already, offer to work with your employer to create share, and apply them.

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In today’ post, Intersections’ Consumer Security Adviser Neal O’Farrell reminds us that “low-tech” methods used by identity thieves and criminals are sometimes the most effective.

As the busiest season for identity thieves approaches, one of the greatest vulnerabilities for all consumers will be their incoming mail. Mail is a magnet for identity thieves because it usually contains all the ingredients to commit anything from simple fraud to full-out identity theft. And all that priceless information is usually left right at the side of the road for any thief to simply pluck from your mail box.

When an identity thief looks down a street, he or she sees no one watching or protecting the stacks of personal information lining both sides of the streets. Hardly surprising that mail theft is one of the most lucrative forms of identity theft and the most popular for low level or novice identity thieves.

And these thieves know that the Holidays always bring with them a treasure-trove of personal information, and especially financial statements. Mail theft has become so lucrative it’s almost an organized crime with professional mail gangs actively roaming neighborhoods looking for unattended mail that they can grab, run, and sell to other thieves. And we’re already beginning to see a seasonal spike in this kind of crime. Just recently, police in the Northern California city of Chico discovered that mail thieves had ransacked more than twenty seven mail boxes in one spree. And stories like that are now cropping up all around the country.

But it wasn’t on some dark street in an isolated neighborhood under the cover of night. The brazen attack was actually at a Post Office, in plain sight where thieves crashed through a plate glass window, emptied all the mail boxes and sorted out the valuable from the valueless right there on the post office floor.

And some thieves will stop at nothing to get their hands on your mail. One thief was recently charged with hiring two women to attack a postal employee so they could steal the master key he used to open mail boxes. In a vicious assault the thieves actually tazed the postal worker.

So what can you do to protect yourself?

• Collect your mail every day as soon as it arrives.

• Never leave mail out in your mail box to be collected. That’s quite literally a red flag for thieves.

• Consider switching to online banking and bill paying. Most experts believes that online banking is much safer than traditional banking, and by going paperless with your bills and statements you can dramatically reduce the amount of information thieves can steal from you.

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It’s that time of the year again – tax season. Once again, Intersections Inc. has compiled a list of our top 13 recommendations and tips to keep you safe during tax season and keep the bad guys from stealing your personal information.

According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), more than 140 million individual tax returns will be received this year with the majority of those refunds being submitted electronically. With all of your personal information floating around out there during this time of year, criminals will use all sorts of scams and schemes to either forcibly gain access to this information or con taxpayers into willingly and unknowingly handing it over.

“Tax season scams are nothing new and the ones we’ve seen so far this year are a predictable rehash of previous years,” said Intersections Inc.’s Consumer Security Adviser, Neal O’Farrell. “What consumers will really need to watch out for are more clever variations of these scams that are more likely to catch them off guard such as the IRS informing consumers they can expedite their refunds if they submit bank account and routing information. Most of the scams will come in the form of email or phone messages but consumers should remain vigilant that some scams can still come in the form of snail mail.”

The IRS has been warning the public and is forcibly cracking down on scammers this season. However, the best defense is for you to be extremely vigilant and safeguard your personal information.

Here are our 13 tips for staying safe during this tax season.

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