NEW YORK, Oct. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Everyone's favorite tough-talking crime fighter, McGruff the Crime Dog, is challenging Americans to protect their digital assets and real-world identities by getting educated about the ever-evolving dangers that lurk in cyberspace.
"Here's my challenge to each and every computer user," says McGruff. "Immunize the computers you use. Go to ByteCrime.org and get the tools and information necessary to protect yourself. Download the Mind What You Do Online booklet. Learn about threats, follow the checklists to make sure you know how to use the Internet safely and put the right protective solutions in place."
McGruff is calling on his friends in the media to help him get the word out as he takes to the streets of New York City. Today he will ring the closing bell at the NASDAQ Stock Exchange, which posts an average daily volume of $46.5 billion and over 5 million transactions a day, which are handled via online channels and secure networks.
In an environment where 77 percent of young people are contacted by online predators by age 14 (Crimes Against Children Research Center), approximately seven million consumers per year are victims of identity theft (Identity Theft Resource Center), and more than one-third of the U.S. population has been affected by data compromises over the last 18 months (National Crime Prevention Council), those in the "digital know" are glad to see McGruff taking on this new challenge.
"Take A Bite Out Of Cyber Crime" is a joint initiative of the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC), a leader in crime prevention since 1982; the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council, a global organization of 2,500 senior marketers at leading corporations; and the Forum to Advance the Mobile Experience (FAME), a group of mobile technology and service providers. The program is being underwritten by leading technology and media companies including Comcast, CNET.com, Intel, McAfee, VeriSign and Gannett's USA TODAY. Also lending their support to the program are the Girl Scouts of the USA, the U.S. Internet Industry Association, TRUSTe, Internet Content Rating Association, CTIA and Wireless Foundation. Companies interested in contributing are encouraged to join the campaign, which will reach millions of computer users in homes, schools, businesses and remote Internet access locations nationwide.
"The time is now for American families and businesses to take control of their digital safety and empower themselves to take a stand against cyber crime," says NCPC President and CEO Alfonso E. Lenhardt. "Our educational and computer security tools give people the resources and information they need to combat cyber criminals."
McGruff, a figure that 75 percent of adults and 90 percent of children recognize, will keep a high profile at the four-day Digital Life event, which takes place at the Javits Center in New York City from October 12th to 15th. The show is "dedicated to educating consumers on what the digital lifestyle means in every aspect of life." Intel, a sponsor of the "Take A Bite Out Of Cyber Crime" campaign, will host McGruff at its booth for much of the day, where he will hand out materials and pose for pictures with guests. McGruff will also be making other surprise appearances in the city of New York and soon embark on personal visits to communities throughout the country.
"Because so many people know and like McGruff, his involvement in the fight against cyber crime will motivate consumers to actually take the steps they need to protect themselves online," says Donovan Neale-May, executive director of the CMO Council. "The new site, ByteCrime.org, is a unique resource that's not only easy to use but also contains a rich range of content, resources and links for visitors to get better at securing their digital life."
Some additional facts and trends related to cyber safety: *81 percent of home computers lack core protection (National Cyber Security Alliance) *Computer crime is estimated to cost $67 billion a year (Federal Bureau of Investigation) *While 96 percent of consumers have heard of spyware, only 28 percent are aware of what it does (National Cyber Security Alliance, NCSA) *About 68 percent of consumers keep sensitive information such as personal correspondence, professional records, health, and/or financial information on personal computers and 74 percent use the Internet at home for "sensitive" transactions such as banking, stock trading or reviewing personal medical information (NCSA) *23 million US homes have wireless home networks (Jupiter Research), but 47 percent of those homes do not have security encryption (NCSA) About the National Crime Prevention Council
About the CMO Council
CMO Council
