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Experts predict online ID theft epidemic
Thieves stealing people's identities to perform online transactions will become a global problem in the ecommerce era, according to security experts.

By Pia Heikkila

Published: Tuesday 21 November 2000

Speaking exclusively in silicon.com's latest News in View programme, several experts claim digital identity theft will become an ever more sophisticated extension of real life fraud.

Security expert and author, Winn Schwartau, warned that such crimes are relatively simple to commit. "Card details are easily obtainable from hard copy print outs or by telephone or directly from a user's PC. PIN numbers or user IDs are very easy to obtain either through guessing or listening to a conversation," he said.

A former hacker, known as Jericho, added that current personal information protection methods used by banks simply act as an invitation to criminals: "Most credit cards are protected by four digit PINs which are very easy to guess with the help of a basic PC. You can even find software programs designed to do this."

Dr Neil Barrett, technical director at consultancy IRM who has worked closely with the Customs & Excise, Inland Revenue and the police, believes online authentication poses a major problem. He said: "The internet is an ideal channel for those who wish to create multiple personalities because users can interact without proof of real physical presence."

A recent study published by the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) found that more than 80 per cent of Americans are concerned about potential fraudulent usage of personal information currently stored on computers.

Click the video box above, to see the full News in View programme.