The first reported incident of hacking came from John Draper aka Cap’n Crunch. He found a toy whistle in a box of Cap’n Crunch and was able to use it to reach a specific frequency that would allow him to make free phone calls anywhere, thus breaching the phone’s system. He was able to commit this crime repeatedly before being caught and sentenced to two months in prison. This type of encroachment now happens frequently on a larger scale — the Internet.
Nothing is Off-Limits
The most-secure web browser known to developers, FireFox, released version 16 with a fatal flaw; hackers can view users’ search history and view their private information. Many hackers find weak spots in programs before they are realized and reported to developers and users. The seriousness of these crimes often leave hackers arrested with no hope of parole, with jobs securing corporate and government systems or on the run and hiding.
The following pointers are good measures to take to properly secure sensitive information through identity theft protection from a trustworthy source.
Shop for Protection Online
Security breaches that affect businesses and the U.S. government eventually hinder civilians and users residually, but hacking can happen to anyone, even on a personal level. To safeguard yourself from becoming the victim of a hacker, mind the strength of your username and password for your accounts and find security protection tips online. Identity theft protection providers are on social media pages, LifeLock’s on Twitter even. So if you’re not sure about their level of protection, be a smart shopper and follow them for a while via Twitter to see what their customers have to say.
Be Vigilant
Even the most-secure companies and browsers get broken into, which makes it essential for protection services to maintain and periodically strengthen firewalls and other protection systems. In Germany during the 1990s and into the 2000s, a group called the Chaos Computer Club committed several “hacktivism” projects, including showing the holes in Microsoft’s security and issues in Germany’s nascent biometric identity systems. In 2002, the club built an installation in France during Project Blinkenlights — which allowed members to dial in and play arcade games like “Tetris” on the side of a building.
Assure yourself that all accounts and private information are secure and protected; one must be vigilant and take actions into their own hands. The Atlantic Wire advises users to change usernames and passwords for important accounts often and to use longer passwords for higher-priority bank accounts. Also, use passwords different from lower priority social media accounts. Visit websites with information regarding identity theft to find our more and find a protection plan suited to your needs.
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