2008 Woodie Awards
Computer security on campus essential for technology use
By Brandon Himes
Rocket Web Editor
Issue date: 10/14/05 Section: Life
Security, often viewed as the vegetables you have to eat before getting dessert, is actually an extremely important topic when it comes to technology. Truthfully, the general population doesn't care at all about security until their apathy comes back to bite them someplace unpleasant. At which point such individuals tend to start whining and blame external unrelated forces for their misfortune.
Let's start out with the big uglies of computer security dangers. First off is identity theft. Identity theft is a term which has become so prolific that everyone has heard it and everyone knows to fear it but hardly anyone actually really understands what it means. Identity theft isn't a form of techno-voodoo, but it sure can seem like some kind of black magic curse if you fall victim to it.
Identity theft can start from any variety of security leak, but its defining attribute is that once the identity thief has some information about his victim, by hook or crook, the thief uses this information to steal the identity of the victim.
Now here's where most are confused. How can you steal someone's identity? The identity thief uses the victim's information to obtain any number of documents while using the information to masquerade as that person. Such documents include driver's licenses, social security cards, credit cards, loans, take your pick.
Once the thief has this he can get any number of credit cards, loans or the like to spend all kinds of money in the name of the victim. The victim may not find out until years later when they view their credit report or perhaps apply for a car or home loan. Proving that you weren't the one spending all that money can also be a tricky thing and take tons of legwork accomplished during your personal time. Credit cards and banks like it when someone is held accountable for money already spent. Usually they don't particularly care who.
Another of the aforementioned big uglies is being used as a hacker's patsy. If you don't secure your computer you run the risk of someone else hijacking it. So even if you don't care about what happens to your data or computer, the law might have something to say about it.
Let's start out with the big uglies of computer security dangers. First off is identity theft. Identity theft is a term which has become so prolific that everyone has heard it and everyone knows to fear it but hardly anyone actually really understands what it means. Identity theft isn't a form of techno-voodoo, but it sure can seem like some kind of black magic curse if you fall victim to it.
Identity theft can start from any variety of security leak, but its defining attribute is that once the identity thief has some information about his victim, by hook or crook, the thief uses this information to steal the identity of the victim.
Now here's where most are confused. How can you steal someone's identity? The identity thief uses the victim's information to obtain any number of documents while using the information to masquerade as that person. Such documents include driver's licenses, social security cards, credit cards, loans, take your pick.
Once the thief has this he can get any number of credit cards, loans or the like to spend all kinds of money in the name of the victim. The victim may not find out until years later when they view their credit report or perhaps apply for a car or home loan. Proving that you weren't the one spending all that money can also be a tricky thing and take tons of legwork accomplished during your personal time. Credit cards and banks like it when someone is held accountable for money already spent. Usually they don't particularly care who.
Another of the aforementioned big uglies is being used as a hacker's patsy. If you don't secure your computer you run the risk of someone else hijacking it. So even if you don't care about what happens to your data or computer, the law might have something to say about it.
