Technology is always changing and adapting. So, regrettably, are cyber-criminals. MIT’s Technology Review website not long ago presented its list of the biggest technology security hazards of 2012. If you spend much of your life surfing the Internet or communicating with your friends through social media sites, you should be interested in this list. Learning what’s on it can protect you and your computer in 2012.
Stolen, Spoofed Certificates
One difficulty that the article discussed is stolen or faked certificates. When you log into a website, your bank for example, the traffic is encrypted with a “certificate”. This establishes that the site can be trusted. The faking and stealing of these certificates was a common strategy employed by cyber-criminals in 2011. This can allow them to have access to confidential information.
A Common Security Mechanism in Trouble?
Sites use certificates as a security measure more than any other means. If they are no longer considered trustworthy it might affect everyone, from the consumer, to the large company that is responsible for protecting your data.
Another crucial security challenge that we should become aware of is “hacktivism”. “Hacktivism” is the blend of the words activism and hack. Groups such as Anonymous and LulzSec target businesses that they believe are either guilty of wrongdoings or just wish to prove the companies have lax security. Whatever the reason, Technology Review says we should expect groups like these to carry on their “hacktivism” well into the future.
Home Automation
The growing popularity of home automation also presents security risks in 2012. As Technology Review writes, a growing number of automation systems connect security systems, thermostats, lights, and in some cases the locks to homes’ front doors to the internet. Consider the damage that hackers can do if they break into these systems.
