rueActive today released TrueActive CardAlert (TACA), a technology preview application demonstrating real-time credit card number detection on a PC to instantly identify potential credit card or identity theft fraud.
TACA demonstrates a proficiency at real-time monitoring and notification previously thought impossible. Using a validation algorithm and operating completely in the open with user knowledge, TACA scans keyboard activity and the Windows clipboard to detect numeric combinations that can be validated as a credit card number. When a match is found, TACA saves only the last four digits to an encrypted file and alerts the user.
To address privacy concerns, the credit card number is only evaluated and never stored in full by the application. Only the last four digits are retained for detection and reporting. The application will be available for free from TrueActive and will cease working on December 31, 2005.
As Credit Card security breaches continue making news and the identity theft crisis continues unabated, a credible proactive solution for protecting businesses has become necessary. TrueActive CardAlert demonstrates the real-time monitoring, classification, and notification of credit card data required to discover potential security breaches entered on a keyboard or placed in the Windows clipboard.
TACA runs as a background process with a startup splash screen and system tray icon for notification and administration. An "Instant Alert" can optionally be sent via Windows Messaging Service to another workstation on the network or displayed on the host computer.
The system maintains a log of all credit card entries on the host computer, the last four numbers from the card itself, time and date of the entry as well as the internet location and name of the machine and user at the time of entry. The application also captures the application used at the time of entry, or whether an attempt was made to “cut and paste” the credit card data into another application.
A company downloading and installing the application can monitor the use of credit card data with unprecedented accountability. In an age where identity and credit fraud are the fastest growing and most expensive crimes, any company with employees who routinely accept and process credit card transactions will immediately benefit from the information provided by the Card Alert Technology Preview.
TACA Activity Reports show:
Date Time - when the Credit Card was entered
User - The user name as reported by Windows
Workstation - Computer name
IP Address - Network IP address
MAC address - from network card
Card Type
Last 4 digits of CC Number (These are the only numbers stored.)
EXE - The application active at the time of capture.
CardAlert only uses the selected installation folder for storing data. No data or files are saved in any other location on the users PC.
Files created during installation:
TACA.EXE - The monitoring module
KEYBOARD.DLL - Support file.
Files created after installation:
TACA.DAT - All data stored here
TACA.HTM - Report.
TrueActive Card Alert is available now from TrueActive with email registration.
System Requirements: 900kb disc space, 6 MB RAM, Windows 2000, NT or XP SP2
For more information, contact Tom Wolf at Ascend Public Relations, e-mail protected from spam bots, 206-903-1730
For an online media kit visit: http://www.ascendpr.com