Virtual booty has become more important to some online game players than feeding their real bodies in the physical world. Unfortunately, criminals are now beginning to take advantage of this. Deb Radcliff, veteran online security writer and Vice President of Publishing for the Security Consortium discusses this latest online security threat.
Deb first reviews the history of how the ability to monetize began about five years ago when online games became popular. She then describes what happened when the criminals moved in. She talks about who the criminals are and what tools they use to accomplish their crimes. Deb illustrates their methods and illustrates some specific examples. Her information is fascinating and informative, proving that lawbreakers will continue to find new ways to exploit individuals.
Deb Radcliff is a writer/columnist, specializing in technical crimes and security. While investigating the life of computer hacker Kevin Mitnick for a best-selling book, Radcliff's phones were "phreaked" by Mitnick's friends, her lines were tapped by the Feds, and her e-mail read by all of them. Those experiences in 1994 and 1995 taught her a valuable lesson in digital risk that remains with her to this day as she writes about high tech crime and security for businesses and consumers.She's covered computer security and online crime for Upside, InformationWeek, Computerworld, Infoworld, Network World, IndustryWeek, SecurityFocus and most recently for consumer magazines including Better Homes and Gardens. Her work has been picked up regularly by CNN, The Register, Department of Defense publications and thousands of other online sites.
She's won four prestigious awards for her work, including two Jesse H. Neal Awards by the American Business Press: one for best individual feature for her cover story, "Hackers, Terrorists and Spies" (Software Magazine, 1998) and a second for group reporting, best news story, Computerworld, "Wireless LANs: Trouble in the Air," 2003. The Software Magazine story also won best regional and national feature by the American Society of Business Press Editors. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from San Jose State University where she graduated with honors. She is currently writing a book about her experiences investigating online crime.
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