Wild Wild Web
Call me Bond, Jane Bond.
We gotta face it, online security threats are the new normal and beefed up security and Encryption is the way of the future. Its a pain in the ass, but I'm coming to see that it is worth it.
It seems every week there's some big news story about high profile hacks, perviously unknown surveillance or dubious use of spied data (I'm lookin' at you Equifax and Facebook, disappointment face emoji 😔, fuming mad emoji 😤 and punching Zuckerberg emoji 👊🤑😫.) it's online anarchy!
Now, I'm not the type to go put on a tin foil hat, but what in the scifi dystopian hell is going on in the world?!? It scares the bejezus out of me, the bejezus has sufficiently been let loose and as such, I figured it was time for a few changes. As a moderately computer literate woman of the modern age, I decided to get straight up Jane Bond in this bitch. I have beefed up data security for breakfast and Bitcoin for dinner. I have read every tech blog from Silicon Valley to Chinese Silicon Valley, which I assume exists, and I have seen every TED talk ...ever. Well, that may not be true but the point is, I'm hella informed on all things tech. I won't go into detail but... Morpheus would be proud.
One thing air will say, for once in my life, my password game is on point. I'm rockin' capital letters, numbers, hyrogliphics, wingdings and emojis. I got myself a new web site, encrypted email, a secure home internet network and most important of all, a batmobile! Which is what I call my car... Which is just a regular car, but when I drive it really fast on lower wacker... In my mind, I AM the dark knight. Ok, that's enough pop culture references for now. Story time:
A few weeks ago my band manager (yep, I'm totally in a band) had her identity stolen while she was out on the road touring with one of her bands. So this meant she was instantly broke. She was shut out of all her credit cards and had to live off the generosity of her inner circle for weeks until she could get it straightened out. THATS TERRIBLE. It's completely unacceptable in this day and age not to have a security net folks, you gotta look out for yourself because guess what snowflake? No one else is.
The point is, we could all use a little more caution in this changing online world. Be the protagonist in your own hero saga and get an encrypted email or resolve to do MORE to protect yourself against the peeping toms and digital evil doers. Don't make yourself an easy target. Don't get set in your ways. Check your credit more often, opt for extra security on your bank and credit cards, change your passwords more often, don't view sensitive data on open networks.
Eh, hem...This means don't buy a hotel room on airplane wifi, exposing your credit card number to who-knows-who or pay your bills while you sip lattes at Starbucks. True story; I was sat next to a man on a plane recently who showed me how easy it is to view what other people on board are viewing on their laptops. He literally hit like three buttons and he was reading someone's private email. Right goddamn there on his screen, super personal stuff all out on display. The realization was icy cold. Privacy is an illusion unless you actively provide it for yourself.
I know I already said this but DONT GET SET IN YOUR WAYS. The world changes, online and off, and failure to change with it will makes you more vulnerable. Predators pick off the weak from the herd first. In internet terms that means old people. People both likely to have stuff worth stealing and likely not to understand changing technology like those goshdang savvy millennials. Don't think counterproductive old people thoughts like, "I have nothing to hide, so don't need extra security." Listen, it's not about that, nowadays, absolutely everyone needs more protection.
If you don't understand terms such as: VPN, TOR, encryption, keylogging, Pharming, open network vs. private network, two-step authentication or if you've had the same password for more then a year. Boi are you in trouble! You better start doing some research! And not just for yourself. We also have a duty protect our loved ones who can't protect themselves. Think of your parents or your grandparents. Are they on a secure network? Do they routinely change their passwords and remember to log out once they're done doing something online? Probably not. They're probably making a whole litany of egregious online mistakes every day. My own grandma went on a public computer to buy stuff on Amazon and not only left her account open, but left her credit card next to the damn computer! My poor old nanna is exactly the type of low hanging fruit hackers love. The rate of elder identity theft is skyrocketing so if you wont get informed for yourself, do it for your Nanna!
You better get readin' you old fart.