Both are true for iSight Partners, a global cyber intelligence firm started here in 2006 by Dallas native John Watters.
He said his company detected the malicious software — dubbed Kaptoxa (Kar-toe-sha) — being sold around the world last summer. By now, it has potentially infected a large number of retail information systems, he said.
Watters, an entrepreneur, said that he started investing in cyber security firms in the early 2000s. He became chairman and CEO of Virginia-based I Defense, a security intelligence firm acquired by VeriSign for $40 million in 2005, according to reports then.
“I bought it for $10 out of bankruptcy in 2002,” Watters said of I Defense.
In an interview with ExecutiveBiz in 2010, Watters said his business “always tries to intersect the future rather [than] replicating the current.”
“It’s a risky way to roll, but way more fun,” he said
IN THE KNOW / BE VIGILANT
On its website, iSight advises retailers who believe their point-of-sale system has been compromised to immediately contact the local Secret Service/Electronic Crimes Task Force field office.
The company advises consumers to be vigilant but not worried:
Regularly check bank statements for fraudulent charges, monitor credit statements for unusual activity, and do not open email from unknown or suspicious sources.
If you receive an email from what appears to be your bank or financial institution, do not open the email or click on any links. Instead, contact your financial institution directly via phone or website to avoid any phishing scams.