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Security
Blanket Blues
By Kent Lewis
We
should all be thanking Daniel Bleichenbacher right now. Without
his diligent work on behalf of Lucent Technologies' Bell Labs, we
would have never guessed the Internet was unsafe. His recent discovery
of a software flaw that allows any hacker with years of experience
and thousands of dollars in equipment was earth shattering to many.
News flash: nothing is safe.
Since Adam smuggled his first apple under his fig leaf while Eve
was fixing dinner, we have had the need for security, not to mention
sturdier clothing. Credit cards, calling cards and cell phone numbers
can be obtained via technology, sure, but it's still much easier
to get the information the old-fashioned way: dumpster diving. Entire
identities have been assumed with a simple dig through the trash,
a call to the DMV, etc. Once someone has your social security number,
(which is easier to get than a Publisher's Clearinghouse mailer)
they can do you damage. They don't need a PC, just hands and feet.
No big deal you say? Here's something else for you: every time you
use your calling card, ATM, credit card or library card, you're
leaving an electronic trail. This can be useful to you and the company,
but most of the time you don't realize it's being collected, let
alone made available for sale. The best solution here is to destroy
all electronic paraphernalia and move into a small cabin in the
woods with Ted K.
If you're not ready to live the life of a hermit, then this should
make you feel better: Most hackers are not in it for the money.
It may be news to you, but one of the most famous hackers in recent
history, Kevin Mitnick, had millions of credit card numbers from
various databases, and never used one. He was a thrill-seeker, like
most, and was only caught through his own cockiness. Most hackers
target governmental agencies and large corporations to make a statement
or pass the time. Those that are in it for money also tend to hit
large corporations or financial institutions rather than individuals.
Regardless, the advent of technology has generated a lucrative security
industry, largely fueled by an uneducated paranoia spawned by X-Fileomania.
The Internet enables e-commerce just as easily as it enables many
machines to be tied together to crack encryption codes. Caveat emptor
(buyer beware). Common sense is the best security. No matter how
complex the latest encryption algorithm is, it will be broken in
a matter of time. So get used to it, and next time you order a home
video of Pamela Anderson online, don't be surprised to find a series
of unexplained charges on your card for Amway products.
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