A recent survey on Internet security; one from the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), determined – “U.S. consumers don’t understand botnets; networks of compromised computers that have become one of the major methods for attacking computer systems”.
Pointedly, Ron Teixeira, executive director of the NCSA, said in a statement. “Consumers’ unsecured computers play a major role in helping cyber criminals conduct cyber crimes not only on the victim’s computer, but also against others connected to the Internet.” Teixeira went on to say that it is “alarming” that people don’t know how to keep their computers secure.
The information gathered in this survey is not new to experienced computer users’, or to those involved in Internet security. It seems to me that this is simply repackaged information that we have had access to, in some cases, for years. In fact, the statements in this survey can be applied to worldwide Internet users’ and are not restricted to just those in the U.S.
I think that one would have to have been on an extended vacation from both computers and cyber space, not to have an understanding that the Internet is now the playground of cyber criminals and has been for a considerable time.
So the question is, why is the average, or typical computer user, so lacking in knowledge when it comes to Internet security precautions; some might say even negligently so?
Problem solving this issue does not require one to be a profound thinker to arrive at a number of hard and undeniable conclusions.
A reader of this Blog, commenting on a previous article “The Unsecured Internet Super Highway – Are You Licensed to Drive?“, an article which deals with these surveyed issues, summed it up particularly well when he stated, “most people still see the computer as a kind of entertainment device… Computers are for playing, chatting, and watching short clips; listening to tunes…. people don’t take Internet security seriously because they don’t think of the computer as a serious device”.
He went on to write – “Some of this is related to our cultural laziness around safety and prevention. People are routinely reckless with automobiles, decline to clean out the (dryer) lint catch, and mishandle loaded guns. My frustration is with government, health and educational institutions that push people to use the internet as though it were as secure and straight forward as a hard-line telephone”. A factual and precise comment, I think.
And so we arrive at the root of this problem: No one wants to take responsibly for the abysmal state of Internet safety and security. Not governments; not software developers; and least of all Internet users’. We have arrived at a point where we need to stop just talking about it, stop being part of the fear campaign, and develop appropriate solutions.
At the very least a massive change in all Internet users’ attitudes needs to take place. Users’ have to come to the realization that we all have a shared responsibility to offer mutual protection to each other, by ensuring our individual machines are not part of the problem but instead, are part of the solution.
One particular software developer has focused on the concept of “people driven security”, an idea based on the concept of the shared responsibility we each have, to offer mutual Internet protection to each other. Web of Trust has developed an Internet Browser addon which takes security this one step further. The solicited opinions of users/members on a web site’s safety are incorporated into the overall site safety rating. The advantages of members participation in exchanging their personal knowledge about a web site, in my view, cannot be overemphasized.
There are other solutions of course; some draconian, some less so, but unless we as computer users take responsibility for our own online safety, you can be sure that governments will eventually introduce measures that will be considered draconian.
We now live in the age of the “Interconnectedness of All Things” in which we are beginning to see the development and availability of large numbers of Internet connected devices. There is no doubt that this will lend new strength to computer-aided crime and perhaps even terrorists; and here we are, back to the concept of draconian government imposed Internet security measures.
Unless we develop a rational approach to the underlying security issues surrounding the Internet, and amongst other solutions, insist software companies’ stop rushing out new products with little regard for security, hackers will continue to flourish and successful attacks on computers over the internet will continue to proliferate.
The following tutorials are offered free of charge on CNET, one of the most widely respected sites on the Internet. If you are unfamiliar with basic computer security issues, I highly recommend that you visit this site.
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