The Newberry Group Blog

Your Digital Footprint: What can you control?

Do you know how much of your private information is available to strangers?

We may be in a digital world but that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t take precautions with our information.  Many of us do not realize how much of our personal information is available to outsiders and how it contributes to our digital footprint.

What is a Digital Footprint?

Your Digital Footprint is the information about you or from you (activities, comments, public records) that can be accessed via a digital environment.*

The 3 Main Sources of Information

Our personal information is available from a variety of sources and much is out of our control: we don’t have any say in who can access our information.

1. Public Records

The Freedom of Information Act was first enacted in 1966 by President Lyndon B. Johnson and supplemented by President Bill Clinton with the Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments in 1996.** Some of the information available to anyone as a public record includes:

• Census records
• Consumer protection information
• Court dockets
• Criminal records
• Government spending reports
• Legislation minutes
• Professional and business licenses
• Real estate appraisal records
• Sex offender registration files
• Voter registration

2. Web Searches

Have you ever Googled yourself? Almost anyone can be found online. Someone can find information about you through:

• Simple search by name, e-mail or phone number (it gives thousands of results!)
• Companies that help you look up anyone if you can provide some basic information.  Many of the results will come back as free searches and then they offer more in-depth information for a fee.
• Companies who maintain massive databases that troll public and government websites for information and sell it to anyone willing to pay.

3. Social Websites

Do you have a Facebook, Google+ or LinkedIn account?  Even with extensive privacy settings, there is no guarantee that the information you share won’t get into the wrong hands.  A simple status update about being away from home can be an open invitation for a thief.  Some of the information you may have shared includes:

• Home address and phone number
• Dates for vacation and travel
• Photos or “check-ins” of where you are
• Names of your family members

What do you want your Digital Footprint to be?

Take steps to protect yourself and the information that you can actually control.  Privacy controls are an important component when interacting with online resources.  Regularly reviewing and setting your privacy controls helps limit what is available to the general public. Not everyone will look at the pictures, posts, blogs, likes/dislikes or comments without evil intent.  Being aware of what you are putting online and who might see it is the best step in protecting yourself.

* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_footprint
** http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_records

Identifying and Reporting Suspicious E-mail

If you are like me, you receive the occasional e-mail that just doesn’t look quite right. It may be from an anxious individual looking for your help to move their recent monetary windfall out of their impoverished country. Or it’s from someone who has a “can’t miss” investment opportunity that just needs some additional capital.  Or it’s from someone who is simply looking for a sales quote for a business that just doesn’t look right.  While I am sure that none of us have taken that bait, we shouldn’t ignore these suspicious e-mails.  We should be reporting them to the Defense Security Service (DSS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). 

How do I know if it’s suspicious?

Most of us understand that phishing is the act of someone trying to elicit personal information from you so they can exploit you or IT systems/accounts that you have access to. However, what if these e-mails do not ask for anything other than your simple response?  Many of the examples above only ask you to respond and, if you do, they will “send you further information.”  Once you respond and essentially confirm your e-mail address is active, these devious folks commonly do a number of things.  They do as they promise and send a response back that is typically malware or spyware that infects your computer or network.  They also typically sell your e-mail address to hackers or spammers who inflict their own damage to your systems.

What does DSS and the FBI do?

The DSS and FBI depend heavily on leads and information from the general public. It is rare for Federal investigation cases to be initiated by the DSS or the FBI. The sources of many of their investigations stem from reports from the general public. To aid in their data collections, we can forward suspected e-mails to them. DSS and the FBI then track these to the source, compile it with other data on file, and determine if an investigation is required.

Should I report everything?

It is important to keep in mind that not all unsolicited e-mail is malicious. Legitimate companies often send mass e-mails hoping to gather customers. And those lengthy “Terms and Conditions” that we all ignore when signing up for an online service or purchasing software often gives the recipient authority to use your e-mail address as they see fit.  Always remember that you should never open any attachments that come from unknown or unexpected recipients.

How do I report suspicious e-mails?

1. Seek the advice of your company’s Security Officer or IT Department on how to handle and report malicious e-mails.
   OR
2. Visit the FBI website for instructions: http://www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/e-scams

Newberry Group Website Launch

It is with great pleasure and pride that I announce the redesigned Newberry Group website, a project more than a year in the making. Our new website will showcase our portfolio as it continues to grow and diversify, and highlight the exceptional contribution our fellow employee-owners make to our Nation, our clients, our communities, and our company. As you know, being a Newberry Employee Owner (NEO) isn’t like being an average employee at an average company. At Newberry we have the unique opportunity to create long term wealth for ourselves and our colleagues, as owners, through the Newberry Group ESOP.

We tried to encompass the spirit of Newberry, the Signature Experience, in this website, our public face to the world. People often ask me, “What is the Signature Experience?” The answer is that it’s different for everyone. For our clients it means an excellent and consistent delivery they can trust.  In the marketplace, it means finding an excellent and trusted partner, as well as an extremely focused and tough competitor.  For our employee-owners, it means an inspiring workplace where personal and professional development are valued and encouraged. The Signature Experience seeks to enhance and enrich the lives of our employee-owners, our clients, and our communities.    

Newberry is an agile and evolutionary company that is far different today than it was a year ago, and will continue to mature into a far different company a year from now than it is today. Our employee-owners strive for more, refusing to remain static, embracing the kind of change that creates a unique and rewarding Signature Experience for all who come to know us and our company. I believe our new website embodies that spirit and tells that story.