ID Theft and Doxing

Identity Theft/Doxing

Identity Theft: The taking of personal information such as SSNs, bank account information or log in credentials

Doxing: Revealing private and personal information about someone online including their address, workplace details, contact information, or private details.

Tactics

• Tracking User Names: People online can follow breadcrumbs to uncover a common online alias
• Phishing Clicking on links in emails and texts under the guise of a fake message.
• Data Breaches: When a large scale hack is able to get into a website's storage of personal data.
• Dumpster Diving/Mail Theft: Stealing discarded doccuments or mail that has personal details.
• Social Manipulation: Using a relationship to get private information out of someone.
• Accessing Records: Governement websites have information databases with personal info such as DMVs, marriage licenses, voter registration, and county records to name a few.
• Tracking IPs: Your IP is linked to your physical location of where you accessed the internet. Doxers and hackers and use tricks to get on the target's internet service provider to look up their information.
• Reverse Lookup: By getting information such as a person's phone number, a hacker can use search engines such as Whitepages or Who Called Me to get information on the phone's owner.
• Data Brokers: Paid services on both the dark web and publicly available record sites sell data for a small fee.

How to Protect Yourself

• Use a VPN: A Virtual Private Network allows you to use the internet while making your activity private and anonymous.
• Keep your Tech Up-to-Date: Make sure you have anti-virus and maleware software AND you're installing updates as they come out. When you get notifications about data breaches, act quickly to change passwords.
• Use a Strong Password: The less like english it looks like the stronger the password. If you're using a password management software be sure to look into how secure it is (e.g. Google is NOT the most secure).
• Use Different Usernames: Unless you're running a business, there's no reason for your personal browsing history to have brand affinity. Come up with new names for each platform and don't include personal information such as your name.
• Multi Factor Authentication: Many sites allow you to use this method to double protect your accounts. It requires all logins to have more than one method to sign in (e.g. confirmation text on phone and password).
• Have Separate Emails: If you don't already create multiple email accounts that are not associated with each other. Have a public email for work and public correspondence and separate ones for marketing or social messages. If you are organizing events use a group email instead of a personal one. Consider also using encrypted email accounts like Proton Mail or disposable accounts like Guerrilla Mail.
• Clean Up Your Trail: Delete old accounts you are no longer using. Request that personal information be removed from Google. Scrub your data with services like Reputation Defender or PrivacyDuck.

                    <h4>Resources</h4>
                    <ul>
                        <li><a href="https://www.securityeducationcompanion.org/">Security Education Companion</a> Various training courses available</li>
                        <li><a href="https://www.whonix.org/wiki/Tips_on_Remaining_Anonymous"> Whonix Tips on Remaining Anonymous</a></li>
                        <li><a href="https://billstclair.com/matrix/index.html">Network Forensics Evasion: How to Exit the Matrix</a></li>
                        <li><a href="https://www.privacytools.io/">Privacy Tools Guide: Website for Encrypted Software & Apps</a></li>
                    <li><a href="https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/identity-theft-awareness-week-why-protecting-your-identity-matters-more-than-ever">Why Protecting Your Identity Matters More Than Ever</a></li>
                    <li><a href="/pdfs/protect_yourself_online_-_shield_from_doxing.pdf">Protest Yourself Online - Shielf from Doxing</a></li>
                    <li><a href="https://www.kaspersky.com/resource-center/definitions/what-is-doxing">What is Doxing? Definition and Explanation

Safety, Security, and Digital Preparedness for a Second Trump Administration

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