There is no denying that the convenience technology provides has enabled us to do more than we ever dreamed possible. At the same time, consider what we have been made to risk in the process. How bad has it gotten? Following the SONY security breach debacle, a seasoned and celebrated reporter asked President Obama if he perceived the hacking actions of North Korea (the alleged perpetrators) as an act of war. While he responded in the negative, he promised retaliation.
So does this mean we should plan for a cyber apocalypse? Perhaps it’s not my nature to be intimidated, so I have no intention of looking forward to conducting digital business with anything other than confidence….and neither should you. That’s why I suggest we address cyber threats from a genuinely American perspective...vigilance, preparedness and the adamant refusal to be victimized. Our nation’s citizens have the intellect resources and resolve to respond to cyber criminals head-on. It takes a unified effort to win this battle and everyone has a stake in the game. It’s time to turn your concern into commitment and your anxiety into action. Working collectively, large corporations, small businesses, and private citizens can make ourselves impervious to this cyber-crime.
The idea of going paperless has encouraged all of us to engage in many of our day-to-day tasks via digital applications. Easy? Yes. Fast? Real time processing, for sure. Safe? That’s up to you. As we continue to expand the fields of our existence spent within the digital realm, we will become more vulnerable to those diligent and devious malware creators who are constantly devising new and cunning ways to deceive us.
I can offer a few suggestions, but only you can implement them to keep your personal and/or professional web activity secure.
- Install reliable security software and run all updates
- When choosing passwords avoid using names, addresses, birthdates and/or other information that may be easily accessed by a savvy internet searcher
- Change passwords regularly
Technology will continue to perform many of our tasks and with the coming of the Internet of Things (IoT), the majority of them. But when it comes to guarding ourselves and all that is important to us, the human factor must play a crucial role. It’s up to us to investigate and use the safeguarding software that is best for our personal and professional privacy and protection. While we are busy developing smart watches, smart appliances, smart phones and smart clothing (oh yes,,,it’s the next big thing), equally brilliant minds are developing devices to outsmart the smart. Accessibility is great. Having everything at our fingertips is wonderful, but we can be neither lazy nor negligent when it comes to paying for convenience with caution.
