Throughout the course of this blog, we’ve called industry attention to many major data breaches as they have been made public. And, while these breaches have been caused by a variety of factors, including lost or stolen hardware, improper security measures, and deceptively installed monitoring programs, they have all had the common factor of an extended delay in contacting end-users about the possible risk to their personal identity information.

Online financial services are both a convenient and dangerous industry. While they have undoubtedly improved the availability of personal financial tools for millions of Americans, they have also provided anonymous tools for identity thieves and fraudsters to victimize both personal and professional financial accounts.

Business has gone mobile. Laptops began the evolution of the modern workday by helping us take our digital lives on the go, letting productivity thrive even while in transit. Then came handheld computers and cellular phones that seemed to have a never-ending list of features and utilities. They would soon surpass the convenience of other mobile devices to become the widespread phenomena known as “smart phones.” Websites now all seem to have a mobile doppelganger made specifically for smart phones, and Wi-Fi hotspots are popping up everywhere businesspeople might meet for lunch or coffee.

When talking about data verification and fraud prevention, the first thing that comes to mind for many members of the business world is legitimizing online transactions.And, while these are the types of transactions that are most discussed in these conversations, they are only part of the complex process of keeping businesses running smoothly and securely.

With the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Red Flags Rule compliance deadline being pushed back from November 1, 2009 to June 1, 2010, all eyes in the security industry are once again on the FTC. They’re looking for proof that the continued delay of the Red Flags Rule is being done in lieu of progression toward the promised national standard of fraud security. According to the results from a year of research, the progression is well under way.

In an announcement made last week by Manhattan District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau, the man arrested in connection with over $1 million in identity thefts from Bank of New York Mellon employees is now facing criminal charges.

The Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Red Flags Rule represents a monument in the history of consumer and business protection. When put into effect, the Red Flags Rule will be the first national standard of fraud prevention and a major step in the fight against identity theft. And, because of the Rule’s wide reach and demand for detail, Congress has requested that the deadline for national compliance be extended once again.