KBA – Computer Security Articles

MyEquifax.com Bypasses Credit Freeze PIN

March 8, 2019 admin A Little Sunshine, credit freeze PIN, Experian, freeze PIN bypass, KBA, Latest Warnings, myEquifax.com, Nancy Bistritz-Balkan, Security Tools, The Coming Storm, Trans Union

Credit to Author: BrianKrebs| Date: Fri, 08 Mar 2019 16:12:38 +0000

Most people who have frozen their credit files with Equifax have been issued a numeric Personal Identification Number (PIN) which is supposed to be required before a freeze can be lifted or thawed. Unfortunately, if you don’t already have an account at the credit bureau’s new myEquifax portal, it may be simple for identity thieves to lift an existing credit freeze at Equifax and bypass the PIN armed with little more than your, name, Social Security number and birthday.

Independent Krebs

USPS Finally Starts Notifying You by Mail If Someone is Scanning Your Snail Mail Online

February 26, 2018 admin A Little Sunshine, Equifax. Spokeo, Informed Delivery, KBA, knowledge-based authentication, LexisNexis, Security Tools, USPS, Zillow

Credit to Author: BrianKrebs| Date: Mon, 26 Feb 2018 19:28:41 +0000

In October 2017, KrebsOnSecurity warned that ne’er-do-wells could take advantage of a relatively new service offered by the U.S. Postal Service that provides scanned images of all incoming mail before it is slated to arrive at its destination address. We advised that stalkers or scammers could abuse this service by signing up as anyone in the household, because the USPS wasn’t at that point set up to use its own unique communication system — the U.S. mail — to alert residents when someone had signed up to receive these scanned images. The USPS recently told this publication that beginning Feb. 16 it started alerting all households by mail whenever anyone signs up to receive these scanned notifications of mail delivered to that address. The notification program, dubbed “Informed Delivery,” includes a scan of the front and back of each envelope or package destined for a specific address.

Independent Krebs

Simple Banking Security Tip: Verbal Passwords

November 6, 2017 admin Aite Group, Andy Greenberg, avivah litan, gartner, Julie Conroy, KBA, Other, verbal password, voice biometrics, wired

Credit to Author: BrianKrebs| Date: Mon, 06 Nov 2017 16:53:03 +0000

There was a time when I was content to let my bank authenticate me over the phone by asking for some personal identifiers (SSN/DOB) that are broadly for sale in the cybercrime underground. At some point, however, I decided this wasn’t acceptable for institutions that held significant chunks of our money, and I began taking our business away from those that wouldn’t let me add a simple verbal passphrase that needed to be uttered before any account details could be discussed over the phone.

Independent Krebs

USPS ‘Informed Delivery’ Is Stalker’s Dream

October 2, 2017 admin Alston & Bird, Equifax, georgia tech, Informed Delivery, KBA, knowledge-based authentication, Other, Peter Swire, U.S. Postal Service, USPS

Credit to Author: BrianKrebs| Date: Mon, 02 Oct 2017 16:32:33 +0000

A free new service from the U.S. Postal Service that provides scanned images of incoming mail days before it is slated to arrive at its destination address is raising eyebrows among security experts who worry about the service’s potential for misuse by private investigators, identity thieves, stalkers or abusive ex-partners. The USPS says it hopes to have changes in place by early next year that could help blunt some of those concerns.