By Mr. A

The Internet is easy to use, but the consequences of using it are hard for people to understand. Just stop and think about that. This technology can be used by almost anyone with a computer, and yet only a very small fraction of people using computers, smart  phones, and tablets really understand what’s going on ‘under the hood’ and how they can be negatively impacted by this.

• Reckless teens post party pictures and vomit up ridiculous and petty comments through multiple social media outlets. Then they wonder a few years later why they were turned down for a job.
• Employees exercise ‘free speech’ online and one day find out they are terminated for making statements the company finds insensitive.
• Teenage girls post mildly inappropriate pictures not knowing those pictures may contain the exact GPS location of their home or school

In 1984, the idea of Big Brother seeing all you do what put forth by George Orwell. What people have a hard time understanding is that in the age of big data almost anyone can be Big Brother and you may be feeding them everything they need to target you.

The latest example of this can be found in new ISIS ‘Kill List’ gathered from church directories posted online. In many states property tax records are online. Targeting and entire church, the pastors, or specific individuals within the congregation is as easy as 1-2-3.

1. Find a church website
2. Find a pastor’s name
3. Search property tax records

Done.

You need to recognize something right now. NONE of this required ‘hacking’, attacker kits, or any sophistication outside of being able to do a Google search. If these 3 steps aren’t sufficient, very simple social engineering can manipulate the remaining information.

Do you really want everything you do posted on Facebook? Do you want your teens posting on Instagram 10x a day? It doesn’t take very much at all to go from ‘online’ to a bad guy kicking down your front door.

Stay Alert, Stay Armed, Watch What You Do Online and Stay Dangerous!