It’s the fastest rising crime in the US: data breach and ID theft. Why isn’t more being said or done about it?
This time, I’m not focusing on the hackers, stores, or security agencies. This is a focus on the consumer. According to a Consumer Reports survey, one in seven Americans were told told their online data was compromised. Sixty-two percent of those did nothing about it, not report it, not take steps to improve privacy, not anything. In 2013 alone, over 11 million Americans fell prey to email phising schemes that led to malware infection.
Keep in mind this comes during some dangerous times: Target breech, Heartbleed virus, sextortion, and NSA revelations, among others. Consumers were warned about Windows XP closing. Weeks after that, 25% of users were still using Windows XP. There’s a tendency in human nature to think something can’t happen to you and you’re not going to even get a hangnail, let alone your whole computer wiped out. But believe me, it can. Several simple steps can be done: constant password changes, hiding your IP address, going anonymous on blogging sites and social media, removing digital footprints, use anti-viral software. If you do get hit, get a professional. Virus, spyware and malware removal is the first thing we’re taught, so it’s textbook for us. Or is there just a culture of apathy when it comes to online security and safety?