Story Created:
Oct 10, 2007 at 5:48 PM EDT
Story Updated:
Oct 10, 2007 at 6:28 PM EDT
UTICA - If you live in Oneida County, take note that the County Clerk Task Force recently voted to put its record index online.
County Clerk Sandra DePerno said that you will soon be able to access a resident's name, who they have purchased property from, what lending institution they went through, as well as if it was a deed or mortgage. The actual document, however, will not be accessible, nor will the person's address. All you will be able to find out is what city or town in which someone resides.
The clerk's office plans to post this information by January 2008, but one computer forensic specialist is concerned about this move the county is making.
Dan Kalil, from Assured Information Security in Rome said that even though it's basic information, to a hacker, it's one more piece to a puzzle when trying to steal your identity. But before you panic, there are measures you can take to protect yourself:
*Verify if the website you're on is legitimate.
*Talk with your credit card company and find out what they are offering to protect you.
As technology changes, insurance companies are also taking measures to keep you safe on the internet. There are hundreds of websites that can tell a hacker a little bit about you. Soon, Kalil said, the Oneida County Clerk's Office will be added to that list.
"Hackers will target large databases that organizations or companies make," Kalil said. "Because there they can get hundreds of thousands of people's personal information, whether it's dates of birth, addresses, phone numbers, or social security numbers."
Kalil and Mohawk Valley Community College plan to conduct a class next month for more information on how to protect yourself online. No dates have been set yet.
RELATED STORIES:
*Debate over placing County Clerk's records online continues
*Oneida County Clerk's comments on placing records online
*Oneida County Public Records online
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