UTF-8 and Unicode
Unicode Transformation Format 8-bit is a variable-width encoding that
can represent every character in the Unicode character set. It was
designed for backward compatibility with ASCII and to avoid the
complications of endianness and byte order marks in UTF-16 and UTF-32.
^[1]
The Unicode Standard, Version 5.0
UTF-8 encodes each Unicode character as a variable number of 1 to 4
octets, where the number of octets depends on the integer value
assigned to the Unicode character. It is an efficient encoding of
Unicode documents that use mostly US-ASCII characters because it
represents each character in the range U+0000 through U+007F as a
single octet.
UTF-8 is the default encoding for XML and since 2010 has become the
dominant character set on the Web.
Standards
* RFC 3629: UTF-8, a transformation format of ISO 10646. November
2003.
* The Unicode Standard 5.0, November 2006. [purchase from Amazon.com]
+ In particular, see the informal description of UTF-8 in
sections 2.5 and 2.6, pages 30-32, and a much more formal
definition in sections 3.9 and 3.10, pages 77-81.
Articles and background reading
Unicode Demystified: A Practical Programmer's Guide to the Encoding
Standard
* UTF-8 and Unicode FAQ for Unix/Linux by Markus Kuhn
* Forms of Unicode, an excellent overview by Mark Davis
* Wikipedia UTF-8 contains a good discussion of why five- and
six-octet sequences are now illegal UTF-8
* Unicode Transformation Formats [czyborra.com]
* Unicode UTF-8 FAQ
* Unicode in XML and other Markup Languages: Unicode Technical Report
#20
* The Absolute Minimum Every Software Developer Absolutely,
Positively Must Know About Unicode and Character Sets (No
Excuses!), an amusing and informative article by Joel Spolsky
Character Sets
The MIME character set attribute for UTF-8 is UTF-8. Character sets are
case-insensitive, so utf-8 is equally valid. [IANA Character Sets].
In a modern HTML 5 page, place this tag inside ... :
For older HTML 4.0.1 pages, use this:
In an XML prolog, the encoding is typically specified as an attribute:
In Apache server config or .htaccess, this will cause the HTTP header
to be generated for text/html and text/plain content:
AddDefaultCharset UTF-8
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Identity Theft
How to protect yourself against identity theft and respond if it
happens.
On This Page
* Equifax Data Breach
* Identity Theft
* Prevent Identity Theft
* Report Identity Theft
* Medical Identity Theft
Equifax Data Breach
Equifax, one of the three major credit reporting agencies in the U.S.,
announced a data breach that affects 143 million consumers. The hackers
accessed Social Security numbers, birthdates, addresses, and driver’s
license numbers.
Equifax has launched a tool that will let you know if you were affected
by the breach. Visit Equifax’s website dedicated to this breach to
learn if you were impacted. You will need to provide your last name and
the last six numbers of your Social Security number.
If you are impacted, Equifax offers you a free credit monitoring
service, TrustedIDPremier. However, you won’t be able to enroll in it
immediately. You will be given a date when you can return to the site
to enroll. Equifax will not send you a reminder to enroll. Mark that
date on your calendar, so you can start monitoring your credit as soon
as possible.
If you detect suspicious activity on your credit report due to the
breach, learn how to report it immediately.
The FTC also offers more information to protect yourself after a data
breach. Learn how to report and recover from identity theft at
IdentityTheft.gov.
Identity Theft
Identity (ID) theft happens when someone steals your personal
information to commit fraud.
The identity thief may use your information to fraudulently apply for
credit, file taxes, or get medical services. These acts can damage your
credit status, and cost you time and money to restore your good name.
You may not know that you’re the victim of ID theft immediately. You
could be a victim if you receive:
* Bills for items you didn't buy
* Debt collection calls for accounts you didn't open
* Denials for loan applications
Children and seniors are both vulnerable to ID theft. Child ID theft
may go undetected for many years. Victims may not know until they’re
adults, applying for their own loans. Seniors are vulnerable because
they share their personal information often with doctors and
caregivers. The number of people and offices that access their
information put them at risk.
Types of ID Theft
There are several common types of identity theft that can affect you:
* Tax ID theft - Someone uses your Social Security number to falsely
file tax returns with the IRS or your state
* Medical ID theft - Someone steals your Medicare ID or health
insurance member number. Thieves use this information to get
medical services or send fake bills to your health insurer.
* Social ID theft - Someone uses your name and photos to create a
fake account on social media
Take steps to avoid being a victim of identity theft. Secure your
internet connections, use security features, and review bills. Read
more about how you can prevent identity theft.
Prevent Identity Theft
Keep these tips in mind to protect yourself from identity theft:
* Secure your Social Security number (SSN). Don't carry your Social
Security card in your wallet. Only give out your SSN when
necessary.
* Don't share personal information (birthdate, Social Security
number, or bank account number) because someone asks for it.
* Collect mail every day. Place a hold on your mail when you are away
from home for several days.
* Pay attention to your billing cycles tooltip Billing Cycle: the
number of days between statements on a regularly recurring bill. .
If bills or financial statements are late, contact the sender.
* Use the security features tooltip Security Feature: an app or
setting on a wireless device that can help protect the device and
the information on it from threats and vulnerabilities. on your
mobile phone.
* Update sharing and firewall settings tooltip Firewall: security
monitoring software that analyzes and blocks or allows information
traveling between the internet and your computer based on a defined
set of security rules. when you're on a public wi-fi network
tooltip Public WiFi Network: (WiFi hotspot) a network that anyone
can use to connect to the internet or other networks. . Use a
virtual private network (VPN) tooltip Virtual Private Network
(VPN): a private network that connects your computer or mobile
device to the internet and encrypts (codes) your information to
protect your internet activity from monitoring or spying. , if you
use public wi-fi.
* Review your credit card and bank account statements. Compare
receipts with account statements. Watch for unauthorized
transactions.
* Shred receipts, credit offers, account statements, and expired
credit cards. This can prevent “dumpster divers” from getting your
personal information.
* Store personal information in a safe place.
* Install firewalls and virus-detection software tooltip Virus
Detection Software: (antivirus software) a computer program used to
prevent, detect, and remove malicious programs that have been
placed on your computer to spy on you or to do damage to your
computer. on your home computer.
* Create complex passwords that identity thieves cannot guess. Change
your passwords if a company that you do business with has a breach
of its databases
* Review your credit reports tooltip Credit Report: a report that
shows your bill payment history, current debt, and other financial
information. once a year. Be certain that they don't include
accounts that you have not opened. You can order it for free from
Annualcreditreport.com.
* Freeze your credit files with Equifax, Experian, Innovis,
TransUnion, and the National Consumer Telecommunications and
Utilities Exchange for free. Credit freezes prevent someone from
applying for and getting approval for a credit account or utility
services in your name.
Report Identity Theft
Report identity (ID) theft to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) online
at IdentityTheft.gov or by phone at 1-877-438-4338.
If you report identity theft online, you will receive an identity theft
report and a recovery plan. Create an account on the website to:
* Update your recovery plan,
* Track your progress,
* Receive prefilled form letters to send to creditors.
If you don't create an account, you won't be able to access the report
or letters later. Download the FTC's publication for detailed tips,
checklists, and sample letters.
If you report identity theft by phone, the FTC will collect the details
of your situation. But it won't give you an ID theft report or recovery
plan.
You may also choose to report your identity theft to your local police
station. It could be necessary if:
* You know the identity thief
* The thief used your name in an interaction with the police
* A creditor or another company requires you to provide a police
report.
Report Specific Types of Identity Theft
You may also report specific types of identity theft to other federal
agencies.
* Medical Identity Theft - Contact Medicare’s fraud office, if you
have Medicare.
* Tax Identity Theft - Report tax ID theft to the Internal Revenue
Service.
Report Identity Theft to Other Organizations
You can also report the theft to other organizations, such as:
* Credit Reporting Agencies - Contact one of the three major credit
reporting agencies to place fraud alerts or freezes on your
accounts. Also get copies of your credit reports, to be sure that
no one has already tried to get unauthorized credit accounts with
your personal information. Confirm that the credit reporting agency
will alert the other two credit reporting agencies.
* National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center - Report cases of
identity theft due to a stay in a nursing home or long-term care
facility.
* Financial Institutions - Contact the fraud department at your bank,
credit card issuers and any other places where you have accounts.
* Retailers and Other Companies - Report the crime to companies where
the identity thief opened credit accounts or even applied for jobs.
* State Consumer Protection Offices - Some states offer resources to
help you recover from identity theft.
You may need to get new personal records or identification cards if
you're the victim of ID theft. Learn how to replace your vital
identification documents after identity theft.
Medical Identity Theft
Medical identity theft happens when someone uses your name, Social
Security number, insurance plan number, or other personal information
to get:
* Medical care
* Medication
* Access to your medical records
* Coverage under your name from your insurance company or Medicare
Report Medical Identity Theft
If you believe you've been a victim of medical identity theft, call the
Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-438-4338 (TTY: 1-866-653-4261) and
your health insurance company’s fraud department. You can report the
theft through IdentityTheft.gov to share with the FTC and with law
enforcement. Also get copies of your medical records and work with your
doctor's office and insurance company to correct them.
If you suspect that you have been the victim of Medicare fraud, contact
the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Inspector General at
1-800-447-8477.
Prevent Medical Identity Theft
Take these steps to prevent medical identity theft:
1. Guard your Social Security, Medicare, and health insurance
identification numbers. Only give your number to your physician or
other approved health care providers.
2. Review your explanation of benefits or Medicare Summary Notice to
make sure that the claims match the services you received. Report
questionable charges to your health insurance provider or Medicare.
3. Request and carefully review a copy of your medical records for
inaccuracies and conditions that you don’t have.
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