Illegal data trade has grown in 2012 with experts attributing this to password theft or breaches in online security. In the first four months of 2012, 12 million pieces of data were illegally traded on the internet. Most of the data was password and login details. The statistics of Jan-April 2012, have already outstripped the online theft record in 2010 which was 9.5 million.
The main cause of this increase in password theft is due to the rising number of online accounts. Some consumers are maintaining 10-40 online accounts. Internet surfers increase their vulnerability by using the same log-in details and passwords for their multiple accounts. Moreover, consumers register profiles with valuable personal and financial information. These include social network profiles, shopping accounts and email addresses.
Password and log-in details account for nine out of ten illegally traded data and are access keys to crucial data such as address books and other personal valuable information. These facts alone are enough to heighten awareness for consumers to adopt cautious methods of securing their online data.
There are a few key factors to consider when selecting a password to any online account. First of all, avoid being too obvious but also go with digits or initials that you will remember. For multiple account holders, use different password and log-in details for every account. It is also advisable to change your log-in and password details on a regular basis.
The business of online theft can prove lucrative to many computer savvy individuals. It’s something you can do from home, so there is an increased feeling of safety from getting caught. However, with this increase in data theft also comes more intense scrutiny of the internet. More and more perpetrators are now being caught for criminal online activity. Depending on the level of punishment, the courts now often mandate online theft classes are taken as part of the criminal’s retribution.
Theft classes online have become increasingly popular to fulfill court ordered requirements. Stealing in most cases is more of a personal disorder than a vice. There are those who possess kleptomaniac instincts which they are unable to resist. Or, those who just like the thrill they get from breaking the law without getting caught. For such individuals, theft classes are meant to help them fight their addiction and direct their negative energies elsewhere. Theft classes also apply to those who get in to theft because of peer pressure, poverty, joblessness or drug addiction.
In theft classes, thieves are enlightened of their actions and the consequences thereof. Individuals get to question their actions and are able to see the implications. Theft lessons aim at teaching empathy to the perpetrators, sparking a reaction of self realization. Professional therapists may be involved in theft lessons to help in the psychological aspect of stealing and can be accessed by a simple phone call during the work week.
Taking a course online can be extremely helpful to the client because they can fulfill the requirement from the convenience of their own home from a web-based computer from anywhere in the country. No more driving across town during rush hour to try and meet a preordained schedule. Classes can be taken from home at any time of the day or night, so they alleviate the need to miss work or school.
This allows the individual more privacy, as no one in the community needs to know that they are taking the class. The length of class, anywhere from 4 – 16 hours, is mandated by the court and a certificate of completion is awarded to the client once he has passed the final exam. This certificate of completion is turned into the judicial system to prove the individual has fulfilled the requirement. The bottom line is that getting caught involved in any type of theft will ruin your life. Taking online theft classes is a way to help overcome the addiction, in the least intrusive environment as possible.
