Keeping Your Money (NAPSA)—Nearly nine out of 10 consumers prefer to visit Web sites that actively engage them in protecting their online identity, says a consumer survey by Synovate. The survey reveals a growing preference among Internet users to seek out sites that take steps to protect them from identity thieves. The study also found: * 68 percent of consumers sur- veyed want better protection from sumers. Rosch says that’s why online businesses and their customers should do whatever they can to ensure that every transac- | VIP Access | a) VSMT00803896 fraudsters; 41 percent say they’d consider using new applications to safeguard their identities, even if it requires an extra step on their part; * 85 percent say trusting a site is most important when sharing personal and financial information with thatsite. There’s good reason for consumers and businesses to make an effort to ensure a secure online experience. Last year, data breaches cost an average of $202 for every compromisedrecord, a 2.5 percent jump from the year before, according to a recent Ponemon study. Average costs to companies reporting breaches totaled more than $6.6 million per breach, with some reaching $32 million. “Today’s economyis putting pressure on consumers’ wallets and forcing businesses to cut cor- Security Code @19 082263 Qe, tion is protected. One such safeguard is strong authentication, which adds another layer of protection beyond standard user name and passwordlogins. With strong authentication, consumers use a one-time password generator—either a small hard- ware device such as a token, or a one-time password generator that can be downloaded to their mobile phone. These devices generate a new six-digit security code for every transaction and are entered in after the usual user name and password. ners in order to cut costs,” says Fran Rosch, senior vice president of user authentication at Internet Web sites that support strong authentication—including eBay, PayPal, AOL and various others— recognize the one-time password. This techniqueis effective because it combines something the user knows(his user name and password) with something he has (the one-time password from the strong authentication device). Identity thieves aren’t likely to have both—and that’s the power of strong authentication. the convenience and savings available online that make Internet shopping so attractive to con- consumers and businesses can protect themselves online, visit https://Aidprotect.verisign.com. i VT eed Now more than ever, protecting your online identity pays. security experts VeriSign. Yet, it’s For more information on how
