FRAMINGHAM, Ma – STAPLES Business Depot has noted that information security tops the list of modern-day threats and equates people’s risky behavior in the IT security arena to driving without a seat-belt or riding a bicycle without a helmet.

Common, everyday behaviors can lead to individuals and businesses to be at risk for security threats such identity theft and data loss.

These can easily occur when people do such things as throw personal information or financial documents carelessly away.

STAPLES noted that for business owners and individuals, having personal or financial data fall into the wrong hands can lead to thousands of dollars lost and days and weeks wasted trying to repair a good name. In fact, each year, businesses pay about $74 billion to handle identity theft and data loss crises. A way to prevent personal information from getting into the wrong hands, the office supply retailer suggested that people and companies invest in shredders to destroy documents that contain vital information.

Another risky behavior that is still out there is people opening attachments from unknown sources or clicking on links to unfamiliar websites, which can lead to viruses, phishing attacks or other unknown malware being launched on a person’s PC or a company’s network. Investing in good and up-to-date anti-virus software is a good first step to protect the security of an individual’s computer or a company’s computer system.

“What is amazing to me is how many of the incidents of identity theft and data loss from individuals and businesses can be avoided with simple common sense. When you look at the time and financial costs incurred by ignoring these safeguarding behaviors, it is staggering,” said Frank Abagnale, a world-renowned expert on identity theft and fraud.

He added that the average person is probably not fully aware that these behaviors can lead to problems.

Other risky behaviors that people do that undermine security include not regularly backing up their data, which can easily be done using storage solutions such as an external hard drive or a secure USB flash drive. This behavior is imperative for business owners who keep customer data and records on a computer. According to recent surveys, 70 per cent of business people have experienced data loss resulting in hours of loss productivity and dollars spent trying to recover the data.

Additionally, STAPLES suggests that people also guard their mail against theft as a full mailbox becomes a target for private information. As well, personal information shouldn’t be left lying around and people should check their credit history periodically to see if anything is amiss.

“With data becoming much more vulnerable to savvy thieves, these easy and quick behaviors will drastically reduce risks to business and individuals alike,” said Abagnale. “Today, more than ever, security threats exist in the most unexpected places, creating opportunities for identities to be stolen, important information to be lost from hard drives and computers to become susceptible to viruses and phishing scams.”

The best way to stop people from engaging from their risky behaviors is through education, Abagnale said. He added that investing in security services and products doesn’t hurt as well, but, “Unfortunately, most people change their behaviors after they have become victims. People have to become proactive and not reactive when it comes to securing their personal data.”

This column was written by Vanessa Ho of ConnecIT

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