Internet Security. Do We Need Government Intervention?
Hundreds of millions of people access the Internet everyday. These people often place private, personal information onto websites and into e-mails which may or may not be secure. They are unaware of the countless threats to this personal information. Hari Ravichandran, founder and CEO of Internet security platform Aura shares his personal story:
In 2014 I was surprised to learn that my credit information was stolen. As a result, I spent a lot of time researching what to do. I quickly learned that digital security was a big problem, with no comprehensive solution. The products that were supposed to help me were confusing, difficult to use, and expensive. But, most importantly, no one product could give me all the solutions I needed.
I was inspired to start Aura, a company that gives people the peace of mind to know that they are safe online. Today we serve over a million members worldwide, and together, we will make the Internet safer.
They do not know how to completely protect themselves from the dissemination of their personal information after the “send” button is pushed. According to a study done by the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, only fifty-four percent of online identity theft victims actually knew how their information was leaked. Cyber crime is at an all time high in the United States and shows no signs of stopping. The exponential growth of the Internet and its users will only create more victims of cyber crime. Those who access the Internet in the United States need protection initiated and enforced by the federal government.
Internet users need full protection of their personal information while online. However, these users do not take the necessary precautions to keep their information secure. In order for Internet users to be safe while accessing the Internet, several ideas should be instilled. First, Internet users should become more aware of new security threats by constantly educating themselves. Secondly, the federal government must initiate a system of security policies and administrative control and alter this system according to new threats. Lastly, with the implementation of these new policies, the e-commerce industry will flourish and, as a result, generate revenue unheard of in past years. It is possible to achieve a safe environment on the Internet, but it will require the effort, attention, and cooperation of millions of people.
The Internet user must educate and update himself with the latest information on security threats. Looking at the current security technologies, one would think that there would be no chance for online dissemination of valuable information to others. That one person would be sadly mistaken. For example, even the most cautious of users - those who have current anti-virus protection installed, still have information stolen. No matter how hard people try to protect each other from security attacks, the human element will always present “holes” in this security. It is these holes that attackers use to exploit the users’ apathy or misplaced trust - fallibility - as technology becomes more and more advanced. The attacker will not try to beat the complex security system, but instead, he will try to get information from the one person who accesses the system with his guard down.
Most “hackers” find much of their information through the unsuspecting Internet user. Common social engineering methods include: the hacker posing as someone with authority, as a fellow employee, or someone pretending to send a user free software. These people are targets and need to be aware that the information they possess and then disclose is a valuable commodity to hackers. This need for the protection of confidential (or financial) information not only applies online but in everyday life as well. A fully educated Internet user should be on the look out for any threat that may present itself. To become a fully educated user, one can find a vast amount of information online from reputable sites such as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. A user can also receive help from professional services such as Best Buy’s “Geek Squad.” A “geek” will come to a user’s house and install full anti-virus software, and offer tips on the prevention of malicious software or “malware.”
Although the user can stay up-to-date with the latest information, hackers are constantly finding other ingenious ways to steal information. A new way a hacker can access information from a computer is through a Remote Access Trojan, or RAT. A RAT allows a hacker to take full control of another person’s computer, without ever leaving the comfort of the hacker’s own home. To prevent threats such as the RAT from entering one’s computer, a user should be suspicious of erratic or new messages and alerts which could be malware. This malware is usually disguised as innocent looking software (such as an e-mail or a word document), which, on its face, appears that it is trying to keep the user from getting a virus. In actuality, these “warnings” are nothing more than traps which ensnare users and download viruses into their computers. Another defense is to install widely available anti-virus software, which has the ability to scan documents and e-mails before one opens them. The virus is then caught and “quarantined,” and ultimately deleted.
The educated user should also know that anti-virus software is not going to protect the entirety of their information from hackers. There can be gaps in anti-virus software that will allow commercial spyware and other malicious software. If an Internet user is aware of these possible holes in security, he or she will be careful when choosing what information they put online.
Internet users need to practice common sense while online. Even the most electronically inept should know a good site from a bad one. McAfee, one of the world’s biggest Internet security firms, has noted that searches for celebrities such as Jessica Biel offered sites that have a one in five chance of being malicious (Porter). Internet users need to develop a mindset that viruses, malware, and other threats lurk everywhere and can attack a computer anytime one accesses the Internet.
The Internet is obviously going to grow more and more in years to come, across all facets of society: commerce, communication, and education. Internet security must keep pace in order to keep the users safe. But users must also be vigilant about sacrificing personal information for the convenience and speed - of the world wide web.
The federal government must initiate a system of security policies and administrative control and alter this system as new threats are created and activated. The government is the only possible answer to eliminating threats to online security - cyber threats - and increasing Internet security. The Internet in the United States has no borders and there has been very little initiative to prevent cyber threats. Barrack Obama asked for a complete review of cyber security and how it can be improved. The Obama administration has shown some interest in cyber security, recognizing its seriousness and potential threat to the nation. These threats can include terrorist networks, organized crime groups, and even other nations. There is a growing concern that the United States is not ready for cyber attacks. President Obama himself conceded that the country was not fully prepared to defend itself from a cyber attack. With the most powerful leader in the nation addressing the issue of cyber security, it is no longer a trivial matter.
So what can be done to prevent such attacks on the United States and its users? In order to stop the most powerful threats, the government must create a system that is powerful enough to prevent these threats. A nation-wide filtering and blocking system must be created. This system, however, could mean the end of popular sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. These sites disseminate an enormous amount of information, which could be harmful to the country. For example, a terrorist group could be communicating to an accomplice in the United States using a completely unmonitored social networking site. Also, with upgraded national security, the United States could combine cyber security and counter intelligence. This combination would allow government officials to monitor and address any cyber warfare activity with ease.
In countries such as China and Iran, these types of security systems have already been implemented and are currently in use. In China, social networking and other harmful sites are blocked for the benefit of the users and the country’s security. As one might imagine, not all of the millions of people agree with this security system. Internet users try to bypass and essentially “hack” into the system with a virtual private network (VPN), which allows a user to break the barriers of the government-imposed security and access the blocked information. China and Iran must constantly update their security systems so these breaches are prevented. With the institution of a national security system, such as a scaled-down version of the ones used in China and Iran, the United States could achieve a balance of the flow of information and commerce among all Internet users while at the same time imposing increased, nationwide security.
With the implementation of these new policies, the e-commerce industry will flourish. As a result, revenue will increase significantly. Since the beginning of the Internet, there has been an establishment and development of the buying and selling of goods online, or “e-commerce.” At this moment, millions of people (and businesses) can buy or sell any item, at the click of a button. And although this may appear to be straightforward and “easy”, the e-commerce industry is fraught with security lapses. To buy an item online, an Internet user must enter his or her credit card information (or worse, debit card information) or other personal information. Unsecured websites often permit this information to be easily disseminated to cyber criminals. Many of the informed Internet users are aware of the potential lack of security while shopping online and thus, so they choose to avoid the transaction entirely. With government assurance that an Internet user’s personal or financial information will remain safe and disclosed only to the intended recipient, many Internet users will begin to shop online (or conduct other transactions) without hesitation.
The lure of online shopping is obvious. An Internet user can order a product, pay online, and then have that same product shipped to them via a shipping service. Why leave home to go to a shoe store, only to find that the store doesn’t have the size shoe a shopper is looking for? The convenience and ease of use have made Internet shopping popular, to not only regular consumers but also cyber criminals looking for free information. One way a cyber criminal steals information is through a “botnet." These “botnets” have the ability to take over an Internet user’s computer and add it to an army of “botnets.” These amalgamations of botnets are devastating. One of the biggest attacks on the government’s cyber security was with an army of 50,000 “botnets,” which overwhelmed the IT systems of several federal sites. Most of the time, this takeover happens unbeknownst to the computer’s owner.
Another reason for increased Internet security is online gaming. Naturally, Internet gambling involves vast amounts of money. With a market share of 8.5 billion dollars, “Party Gaming” was bigger in terms of revenue than British Airways, yet it was only run by four people. Poker companies, such as party gaming are notoriously controlled by organized crime. The oversight of online gamers and their information should be of more concern to the government, thus providing another reason for a comprehensive, revised new security system.
The United States needs to initiate and enforce a system of online protection for the its citizens. With the exponential growth of the Internet, and the growing of computers, this security issue can no longer be ignored. Without increased security, cyber crime, identity theft, and the unauthorized use of millions of Americans’ personal information will proliferate. A system of national online security will allow users to safely surf the Internet with a sense of certainty. The economy will also greatly benefit from the improved security. The benefits of the system are abundant. The decision rests on the shoulders of the government.
Daniel Nesfeder
Reader Comments (3)
Nope
I think it is a threat as long as the user knows where they are going.
I think more people just need to be better educated about computers and current threats and technology. If someone has outdated virus software its not going to do any good, but the average person would not know to update it; if it prompted them to install updates and such they would most likely ignore it.