Online CVs are very tempting for hackers. An address, telephone number and date of birth contain a wealth of information that is very appealing to cybercriminals. iProfile has just conducted a rather original experiment to warn Internet surfers about the risks of identity theft when applying for jobs.
Supported by the police and the Information Assurance Advisory Council (IAAC), iProfile created a web site and advertised an office manager position in a British national newspaper for a fictitious company called Denis Atlas. Candidates interested in the job were invited to apply on line.
One hundred and seven people sent in their CVs, not suspecting a thing. Of the 107 CVs, 61 contained enough personal information for a hacker to apply for a credit card in the candidate’s name without his or her knowledge!
Many people provided their complete address and date of birth, with some even listing their social security and passport numbers.
While they won’t be getting their dream office manager job, the candidates will at least have learned to take certain basic precautions when applying on line—starting with keeping their civil status, place and date of birth to themselves.
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