Articles filed under Computer Crime

More than 600 patients affected by Southern Illinois Healthcare breach

Southern Illinois Healthcare is offering free credit repair and monitoring services to more than 600 patients potentially harmed by the misdirection of data to other HIPPA-governed medical facilities by a third party vendor.

Submitted by Southern Illinois Healthcare Jun 26, 2017 11:21 AM

Resident warns of e-mail scam

An Eldorado resident is warning others of an Internet scam in which the writer claims the recipient has an undeliverable packages waiting for them.

Dec 31, 2013 6:39 PM

Du Quoin-area banks replace debit cards for those who shopped Target

Du Quoin and Pinckneyville area banks all say the same thing. They are issuing new debit or credit cards to any of their customers who feel their account information may have been compromised while shopping at the Marion Target store or other Targets between Nov. 27 and Dec. 15.One spokesman at the Du Quoin State Bank say they contract with a company that monitors transactions and that no cards have been compromised. They have started the process to issue about 100 cards to cardholders who made purchases at Target as a matter of peace of mind.Regions Bank in Du Quoin says the same thing. They have had "two or three" customers who called and wanted new cards just in case there is an issue. Banks in our area are so security-saavy they immediately contact customers if they sense something needs attention.The breach that exposed the credit card and debit card information of as many as 40 million Target customers who swiped their cards between Nov. 27 and Dec. 15 is still under investigation. It's unclear how the breach occurred and what data, exactly, criminals have. Although security experts say no security system is fail-safe, there are several measures stores, banks and credit card companies can take to protect against these attacks.The U.S. is the juiciest target for hackers hunting credit card information. And experts say incidents like the recent data theft at Target's stores will get worse before they get better.That's in part because U.S. credit and debit cards rely on an easy-to-copy magnetic strip on the back of the card, which stores account information using the same technology as cassette tapes.In a story this week, the Associated Press looked into the problem:"We are using 20th century cards against 21st century hackers," says Mallory Duncan, general counsel at the National Retail Federation. "The thieves have moved on but the cards have not."Companies haven't enhanced security so far because it can be expensive. And while global credit and debit card fraud hit a record $11.27 billion last year, those costs accounted for just 5.2 cents of every $100 in transactions, according to the Nilson Report, which tracks global payments.Another problem: retailers, banks and credit card companies each want someone else to foot most of the bill. Card companies want stores to pay to better protect their internal systems. Stores want cards companies to issue more sophisticated cards. Banks want to preserve the profits they get from older processing systems.Card payment systems work much the way they have for decades. The magnetic strip on the back of a credit or debit card contains the cardholder's name, account number, the card's expiration date and one of two security codes. When the card is swiped at a store, an electronic conversation is begun between two banks. The store's bank, which pays the store right away for the item the customer bought, needs to make sure the customer's bank approves the transaction and will pay the store's bank. On average, the conversation takes 1.4 seconds.During that time the customer's information flows through the network and is recorded, sometimes only briefly, on computers within the system controlled by payment processing companies. Retailers can store card numbers and expiration dates, but they are prohibited from storing more sensitive data such as the security codes printed on the backs of cards or other personal identification numbers.Hackers have been known to snag account information as it passes through the network or pilfer it from databases where it's stored. Target says there is no indication that the three or four-digit security codes on the back of customer credit cards were stolen. That would make it hard to use stolen account information to buy from most internet retail sites. But because the magnetic strips on cards in the U.S. are so easy to generate, thieves can simply reproduce them and issue fraudulent cards that look and feel like the real thing.Once thieves capture the card information, they check the type of account, balances and credit limits, and sell replicas on the Internet. A simple card with a low balance and limited customer information can go for $3. A no-limit "black" card with the security number printed on the back of the card can go for $1,000, according to Al Pascual, a senior analyst at Javelin Strategy and Research, a security risk and fraud consulting firm.Credit card companies in the U.S. have a plan to replace magnetic strips with digital chips by the fall of 2015. But retailers worry the card companies won't go far enough. They want cards to have a chip, but they also want each transaction to require a personal identification number, or PIN, instead of a signature."Everyone knows that the signature is a useless authentication device," Duncan says.

John H. Croessman Dec 24, 2013 9:00 AM

Saline County Deputy Brad Neal has died

Saline County Sheriff's Office has lost a 9-year veteran of the force.

Dec 9, 2013 5:34 PM

West Frankfort man one of two arrested in porn stings

Two men, including one from West Frankfort, have been arrested as the result of pornography sting operations in West Frankfort and Carmi, according to Attorney General Lisa Madigan.

Staff Report Nov 18, 2013 9:38 AM

Internet, drug safety are topics of Tuesday seminar

HARRISBURG - The Alliance Against Drug Abuse will hold a seminar regarding topics of Internet Safety, abuse of over-the-counter and prescription drugs and designer drugs 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Morello's Pizza and Grill.

Oct 29, 2012 3:40 PM

Sex offender from Indiana arrested in West Frankfort

The Franklin County Sheriff's Office has announced the arrest of Devere L. Abair Jr., 47, of West Frankfort on failure to register as a sex offender, theft over $300 and possession of child pornography.

Oct 16, 2012 11:07 AM

Rosiclare woman pleads guilty to internet sex charge

A Rosiclare woman plead guilty in federal court on charges of trying to induce a minor to engage in sex using the internet.

Staff Report Sep 14, 2012 3:02 PM