Lately I participated in a workshop about Cybersecurity and business identify theft in U.S . I think that is one of the most important things to keep in mind in your business and to take into consideration all the resources that will help you to investigate if a cyber incident happened.

Business identity theft I think is way more complex and hard than individual theft. This, because the majority of elements that comprise a business identity are publicly available.

Here are some tips to protect Business Identity

  • Business Information. Data used to manage a business’s identity contains public, non-sensitive  data. Elements of business identity data are: fictitious name, or “doing business name”, DBA, owner’s, legal entity type, address, country, state, registered agent, date of formation, subsidies, and website addresses (url).
  • State registry office. First it is important to manage the data held with the state registry office’s. Know which states you are registered in to do business. Ensure that access to the data about your business is locked down with a user name and a strong password. Change your password every 3 months. Ensure your password is at least 16 characters or longer or use a password manager.
  • Business Credit File. The Credit Reporting Agencies (CRAs) recommend that businesses be proactive in monitoring and updating their business credit file and notify them of any potential errors. Each of three CRAs -Dun & Bradstreet (D&B), Equifax and Experian collect different data about your business. Additionally, the credit rating scales are also different. If you believe your company’s data in the business file has been changed by an unauthorized user, contact Dun and Bradstreet highriskandfraudinsight@dnb,com.
  • Website. Recommendations for a safe and secure website are:
    – Conduct regular backups for your site; at least every day
    – Ensure your website is routinely scanned for malware or viruses
    – Ensure your site is protected by a web application firewall
    -Ensure your site transactions are secure and your website is listed as https:
  • Trademark. Officially  register your firm’s name and logo as a trademark. Many state offices provide this service at a nominal cost.
  • EIN/SSN. Protect your business’s EIN (Employer Identification Number) from disclosure and the owner’s SSN.
  • Training. Train your employees not to release information about your business to callers; or post business information on social media or the web.

Copyright: www.nationalcybersecuritysociety.org