Identity Theft Doubles in 2020

We are officially halfway through Identity Theft Awareness week which runs Feb. 1-5 this year.
Are you aware that Identity Theft incidents doubled in 2020?
One of the largest surges in these thefts came in the form of false unemployment claims, taking advantage of the huge number of unemployed Americans over the course of the year. Other claims for government small business loans or tax theft related to stimulus funds have also been increasingly dangerous this past year.
It is safe to say that the data used in these claims and filings were obtained in a myriad of different ways, most likely a mix of public and private data obtained via hacking and malware, phishing, and, unfortunately, leaks from inside sources.
Identity data, including customer data, financial account data, and healthcare data, more, remains a top target for theft from businesses and government agencies of all sizes and verticals. Due to the quantity and variability of this data, it has become increasingly difficult to protect as it is used within and organization and through third parties that the organization relies on. Each of these points of usage are considered another weak link where data (and does) escape.
To ensure your customer, internal, and personal data remains secure, it is essential to utilize a set of technologies that is flexible enough to follow this data wherever it moves and identify how privileged users are handling the data while in use.