September, 2011

The advances in technology and increasing digitization of information in communication technology have transformed more of the public and private activities to be conducted in the cyberspace. The new technologies that allow greater networking and sharing of information by governments, organizations, and individuals as well as greater productivity and efficiency also create new platform for malicious behaviors by hackers, criminals, and terrorists. However, there is no doubt that the advances in technology contributed to the high demand in the use of the Internet and other cyber information tools for company and personal activities. At the same time there is also increasing concern that hackers, criminals, and terrorists will build alliances and exploit security vulnerabilities and threaten the increasing global interconnection and economic worlds. Among the complex and fastest growing crimes in the United States of America is Identity theft. The act of Identity theft occurs when an unauthorized person steals another person’s personal information. About twenty-five percent of identity theft cases relates to the internet and telecommunications services. Consequently, organizations must know how to secure their clients personal information and consumers must know how to use the Internet technology to safely avoid being a victim to cyber scams.

Reference: Okoro, H. M. (September, 2011). Cyber Security Threats: How Safe is the Global Market? Presentations at “The Symposium on Global Mindset Development in Leadership and Management”, Vol 3, Num 2.