AMES, Iowa -- The country's fear over computer identity theft is high again following the recent theft of personal information for 26.5 million military personnel and veterans.
Iowa State offers several experts who can provide advice on both how to prevent identity theft, and what to do if your identity is stolen.
Aaron DeLashmutt
ISU police sergeant
(515) 294-4428, aarond@iastate.edu
DeLashmutt has practical experience of dealing with identity theft on the "front lines."
Maury Hope
Associate Chief Information Officer
(515) 294-0323, mmhope@iastate.edu
Hope oversees ISU's Information Systems, and IT Security and Policies areas. He has over 35 years of experience in information technology in business and higher education -- previously serving as the vice-president of information services in the property and casualty insurance industry. He recommends that individuals who believe they have become a victim of identity theft should consult the Federal Trade Commission's National Resource on Identity theft, or Visa's related site. He also can provide prevention tips.
Doug Jacobson
Associate professor of electrical and computer engineering
(515) 294-8307, dougj@iastate.edu
Jacobson can discuss just about any issue related to computer security, including the privacy of personal information, hackers, computer forensics and his one-of-a-kind virtual Internet for designing and testing computer defenses. Jacobson has launched his own computer defense company, Palisade Systems Inc., holds two patents and has won two prestigious R&D 100 awards. He directs Iowa State's Information Assurance Center, developed Iowa State's Internet-Scale Event and Attack Generation Environment and has worked with industry to establish a national Center for Information Protection.
Steffen Schmidt
University Professor of political science
(515) 294-3825, or sws@iastate.edu
Schmidt is co-author of the book "Who is You? The Coming Epidemic of Identity Theft," which contains specific information on how individuals can test their chances of becoming a victim of identity theft, and what to do to restore their personal identity if it were stolen. Schmidt and his co-author Michael McCoy -- a licensed insurance agent in the state of Iowa who is president of M Squared Holdings, LLC, which does consulting for the banking and insurance industry -- also taught courses on identity theft through ISU Extension's Continuing Education and Conference Services unit during the spring semester. Their non-credit online short course had information veterans concerned about identity theft would need.
