It’s difficult to remember what life was like without the
ubiquitous presence of the Internet in our daily lives. Remember that it’s only
been 25 years since concepts such as e-Business, Chief Information Officers and
the Internet began to emerge. I was
thinking about how new all of this digital technology is to the human race as I
took the trash out this morning. One bag was a corn-based bag distributed by the
city of London full of compost. Another was a paper bag full of a wide variety
of cardboard, paper and recyclable plastics, and the third was a typical trash
bag full of everything else. I deposited each bag in the appropriate colour
bin, each destined for a different process.
A clear, easy and government-supported process for
separating and routing different types of trash reminds me that people are
capable of changing individual behaviour for the sake of collective long term
health and security. But it also reminds me that a behaviour change on this
scale takes generations. In the 1970’s, my family had our own compost pile in
the back yard and we’d have to pile cardboard and empty soda cans into the back
of our car and drive 30 minutes to find a recycling centre. Forty years later
government has finally made it easy for me to do my part.
In comparison to the recycling movement, the Internet is
relatively young. And yet we are rushing to embed it into every corner of our
lives. “The Internet of things,” has become a common buzz phrase now that TVs,
cars and refrigerators can provide information about themselves via a network
connection. The benefits of a network connection seem clear. TVs that can
access the Internet can provide a wider range of programming. Cars can notify
owners and dealers of problems, and refrigerators can suggest a shopping list.
But the risks associated with so many things connected to the Internet are much
less clear.
Whether the technical details of these risks seem
confusing or it’s all still too new, most people, and in particular most
business and government leaders, are way behind the curve. This means that
products and services being marketed to you are not adequately designed to keep
your information, your transactions or you safe and governments have yet to
devise strategies to regulate on your behalf.
After over 20 years in IT I can say definitively no-one yet
can see the full picture of cyber security. As with the recycling movement, you can bet it’s
going to take decades before we truly understand the scope of these problems and
design appropriate solutions. So what to do in the mean time? Educate and
protect yourself. What’s more, just like my parents had to drive 30 minutes to
dispose of our recyclables back in the 70’s, you are going to have to go the extra
mile yourself for a while too.
There are two web sites I highly recommend to help defend
yourself against those capable of stealing your identity, your credit card
information or worse. The first is KrebsOnSecurity.com
where Brian Krebs, a former Washington Post journalist, keeps an eye on major
cyber security breaches. In the last few months he’s featured stories on
breaches at the California DMV, Target, Experian as well as vulnerabilities
discovered in Microsoft and Android products. Following this blog will keep you
up to date on major events and breaches that threaten your privacy and
financial health.
I also recommend Consumer Report's
pages dedicated to Internet security. (http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/electronics-computers/guide-to-internet-security/index.htm) There are literally dozens of topics to
browse with tips to keep your devices and personal information secure while
navigating the Internet. Unfortunately, there are literally hundreds of ways
that we are exposed by simply engaging in activities that have become an
integral part of daily life for many of us. Until big companies and the
government catch up, it is critical to be proactive and safeguard yourself and
your family.