| There is already a lot being said about | | | | includes full name, address, VIN, driver's |
| malware (Trojans, viruses, worms, etc.) and | | | | license number and date of birth) through the |
| attempts to obtain your cash, personal | | | | vehicle license plate information found in |
| identity, usernames and passwords through | | | | one particular picture. There are |
| various frauds and phishing schemes. While | | | | unscrupulous sellers on the Internet who will |
| this is crucial information to have, | | | | provide this information instantly to anyone |
| practically nothing is being written about | | | | with a credit card.In completing my cursory |
| the tremendous amount of personal information | | | | internet profile, I "Googled" the blogger's |
| pouring onto the Internet through the | | | | name, which returned nothing except for the |
| careless use of blogs and photo album | | | | blog, but when I searched on the email |
| services. In these popular new Internet | | | | address I obtained via the URL's WHOIS |
| outlets there exists a dangerous opportunity | | | | registration, I found her eBay identity, an |
| for predatory criminals; bloggers may in fact | | | | entire UseNet newsgroup identity (which I am |
| be fueling the fire and opportunity that | | | | MOST sure that she wishes to keep VERY |
| these monsters need to commit their crimes!To | | | | private since she did a good job maintaining |
| reinforce my statement I would love to point | | | | her anonymity there) and a few other |
| out one shining example I stumbled across a | | | | interesting morsels of information too |
| week ago and illustrate how one particular | | | | bizarre even to mention.It would not take the |
| blogger has put her entire family in | | | | mental muscle of an evil genius to gather |
| jeopardy. In the interest of their safety | | | | just a little bit of information to make this |
| however, I am not going to identify the | | | | family's location, identity, and habits, |
| particular blog. I will however, relate to | | | | readily discernable. What horror would |
| you what I saw so that you may learn from her | | | | befall them then if someone were so inclined |
| mistakes then take an objective look at your | | | | to cause them harm?There are several things |
| own online presence and determine if changes | | | | she should do differently. First, use good |
| need to be made.The name of her site was | | | | ol' common sense, there is no greater |
| something whimsical like "The Smith Family | | | | substitute! Change the title and the URL |
| Blogosphere of Happiness" and the blog had | | | | address of her blog and remove her family's |
| its own URL- " This blogger was obviously | | | | last name. She can use a "proxy" or private |
| dedicated! There were many pictures in the | | | | registration service to maintain her URL with |
| online photo album of blogger, her husband | | | | the registrar. She should use generic file |
| and beautiful children in various activities | | | | names for her pictures that do not identify |
| both at home and at school. She obviously | | | | the people in them and obscure identifiers in |
| put a lot of thought into the numerous blog | | | | the photos like the license plate and the |
| entries about various subjects: family | | | | school name on the uniforms too. She |
| vacations; the usual ups and downs that she | | | | shouldn't discuss the identity of her |
| and her husband have at work and raising | | | | employer; if it is important, then refer to |
| their children; how she felt about some | | | | it in a generic manner such as "I work at an |
| issues in her community and anything else | | | | auto parts store." She certainly should not |
| that seemed to cross her mind. It was a | | | | be advertising when and where she will be |
| typical non-commercial blog.No big deal | | | | vacationing in the future. Lastly, she |
| right? Wrong... in terms of personal | | | | should use a free (and anonymous) email |
| security this blog was a nightmare.The first | | | | address to post to newsgroups... especially |
| thing I noticed was that she identifies her | | | | when anyone may blush at the more than casual |
| last name in the title of her blog. A quick | | | | reference to her sexual inclinations.I |
| trip to the WHOIS database verified that her | | | | realize that you cannot avoid all risk in |
| URL was registered publicly and identified | | | | life, but the bottom line is if you |
| the blogger by name, home address, private | | | | participate in the online world, you will |
| email address and home phone number.She did a | | | | have to bear the risk of a certain amount of |
| good job at referencing her children in her | | | | exposure and be prepared to address the |
| blog posts as "the oldest boy," "our youngest | | | | issues that are part and parcel with sharing |
| son," or "my daughter" but she mistakenly | | | | personal information on the Internet. |
| names most of the picture's filenames after | | | | Additionally, I concede that this blog was |
| them (i.e. janes_xmas.jpg, johns_new_bike.jpg | | | | without a commercial purpose; out of |
| or john_and_jim.jpg); anyone can tell who's | | | | necessity one often has to share personal |
| who and put a face to a name.Most | | | | identifying information when running an |
| horrifically, the kids are in athletic | | | | online business. It simply goes along with |
| uniforms with the name of the school | | | | the territory.I hope that you will take a |
| emblazoned across the front; knowing each | | | | critical look at your own online identity |
| child's name, what they look like and the | | | | right now. Ask yourself, "Am I absolutely |
| name of their school in conjunction with the | | | | comfortable with what I have found?" If you |
| address I obtained through the WHOIS record | | | | are not, then resolve to do something about |
| would allow me to find these particular | | | | it today because someone else may stumble |
| children at school very easily.While she only | | | | across your little corner of the Internet and |
| references her husband by his first name it | | | | decide to find you tomorrow. Unfortunately, |
| isn't much of a stretch to put it with her | | | | this is reality.Have a safe and prosperous |
| last name to reveal his identity. She | | | | new year in 2006!L. Scott Harrell is a |
| describes both of their positions at work and | | | | private investigator and principal of |
| names their employers. I even found a post | | | | CompassPoint Investigations, an investigative |
| referencing a vacation they were all taking | | | | agency with offices in the Southeast United |
| in Acapulco, Mexico in December. The post | | | | States specializing in the prevention of |
| was written in October.I could have gained | | | | fraud, theft and embezzlement within small to |
| motor vehicle registration information (which | | | | medium-sized businesses. |