In the News
Even teenage and unprofessional hackers can be incredibly dangerous. In Australian teen stole 90 gigabytes of private data from Apple servers, Ashley Carman at The Verge discusses a teen from Australia who was able to hack into Apple servers to steal over 90 gigabytes of user data- an act done out of apparent admiration for the company. Carman states that the data was stolen over a significant amount of time and that the files were stored in the hacker’s home. The individual currently has criminal charges against him.
Our Take
Data misuse and data breaches have become far too common. If an individual was able to access such a large amount of user data for what seems to be a hobby, the ability for a malicious hacker’s intent on stealing data and selling it is very real. This stresses the need for adequate data security as well as formal rules and regulations regarding data use at individual companies. It is crucial that you understand the data policies of platforms that you utilize and refrain from keeping highly sensitive information on any of your accounts. Additionally, companies like Apple who have had breaches like this one need to investigate the source of the hack in order to prevent hacks and breaches from occurring in the future and to reassure users that their data is being stored securely.
Recommendations
So how can you protect your personal data when online?
- Understand the risks of putting your personal information into the world, and only share what you have to
- Utilize additional security/privacy measures and settings on apps, accounts, and platforms whenever possible, including encryption
- When possible, choose a two-factor authentication that does not require a mobile number or additional personal information
- Refrain from choosing passwords that contain a simple word or phrase – create strong passwords and change them periodically – the longer the better.
- Stay up to date on news covering recent breaches to see if you may have been affected