Heads-up, parents! My friend Jim Angleton, a cyber-security expert and CEO of Aegis FS, has some bone-chilling news for you.
The nefarious people who operate in the deep web and the dark web – your child pornographers, etc. – are targeting electronic children’s toys.
This came to light recently with news of compromises of the Xbox Live service and toymaker VTech’s servers.
“When the parents go online to register (the toy) and sync it to the company, what happens? The bad guy is now looking into that account,” Angleton said on the show just recently.
Of course, they get Mom and Dad’s credit card information, but more importantly they get junior’s name, nickname, and perhaps more.
Hackers sell that data in batches, Angleton said, and before you know it your child’s vital information is common knowledge across the dark underbelly of the web.
What can they do with it? How about filing a fake tax return and getting a refund in the kid’s name. Or claiming the refund that should have gone to Mom and Dad.
“Folks, be careful. When you buy that technology equipment, make darn sure you’re careful when you sync it,” Angleton said.
If money is involved, get your hands on a single-use debit card number, available from your bank, he said. This keeps your real account number a secret, and it works for both purchases and returns.
This is a must-listen conversation for anyone, but it’s absolutely urgent for parents. Click here to get the full interview with Jim Angleton of Aegis FS.
