Staples Talks About Security and How to Easily Prevent Identity Theft

Here at Chip Chick we constantly talk about Laptop cases and iPod accessories. Because we could never let our readers down on what next to dress their Nano in or USB that has the latest design on it. However when it comes to security many seem to be a little too lax. Sure some of us are savvy enough to buy firewalls and anti-virus programs for their computers (don’ t forget to update the definitions), while others go about never expecting to have their entire identity and credit stolen right under their nose. We were lucky enough to attend an event sponsored by Staples that focused on security in your home, work, and in public. Bill Stanton or better known as”Wild Bill” is a Security Consultant for NBC and a regular on the Today show, was the guest speaker at the event and he gave us all helpful tips that are not only technology related but just common sense. Bill goes by the 3 Ss - Shredding, Software, and Storage.

*Shredding is obvious - Staples had on display their newer 10 - Sheet Micro Cut Shredder which not only slices and dices your papers into dust but shreds Credit Cards, CDs, and DVDs as well.

*Software is your Anti-Virus/Firewall/Spyware programs that prevent those nasty trojans and intruders from coming into your computer.

*Storage means back-up, back-up, back-up your precious files on your computer as well as storing important documents away in a vault or lock-box.

Bill brought up how all the supermarket and drugstore coupon cards collect your personal information as well as track what you buy. That information is then sold to marketing firms to solicit you with junk. I always knew that those stores kept track of all the doritos I buy! His suggestion was that if you ever need to get one of those cards, it’s best to use an alias and fill out fake telephone numbers. He also suggested that pay stubs and bills shouldn’t be left around in the open at work for nightly cleaning services etc.. to get a hold of. He also emphasized how important a good shredder is. He showed us a Today Show segment where he went through people’s garbages and found startling amounts of personal information - checking account numbers, credit card numbers - and more than enough to steal someone’s identity. Overall, he provided a lot of great tips that can protect anyone from getting their identity stolen and having peace of mind. He emphasized that we shouldn’t live our life being paranoid, but we should take these extra steps to protect ourselves.

Staples also had on display various tech items to help fight back and be secure. The Sheet Micro Cut Shredder was on display, as we mentioned earlier. There was also the Maxtor OneTouch 4 External hard drives, including the very portable OneTouch Mini 4 that we did a review on last year, to encourage storage and back-up of important files. They also showed off the Targus Defcon CL Combo Cable laptop lock for those who don’t want to see their lappy gone in 60 seconds. There was also the privacy filter from 3M that blocks any one looking over your shoulder trying to sneak a peek. Then there was the SanDisk Cruzer Cruzer Titanium Plus that not only is a simple way to shlep around files it also provides AES hardware encryption, the BomerangIt Lost and found service, the ability to restore accidentally deleted files, and it also provides an online backup services. Last but not least, their other recommended security product is the most obvious - Norton’s Internet Security 2008. If you don’t have this then I guess you won’t be reading this story much longer since your computer is likely to start to freeze as nasty pop-ups litter the screen. Both ourselves and Bill highly recommend Norton Internet Security 2008. It’s an excellent firewall and antivirus suite for both the home user and small business owner - and the latest version works faster and is lighter on system resources than ever before. All in all, while we like to consider ourselves pretty security savvy, we think that these tips and product recommendations are very helpful  for just about everyone.

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