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Home > Hackers heaven - Our devices and software humiliate us

Hackers heaven - Our devices and software humiliate us

Thu, 02/21/2013 - 13:55 - Laurie Orlov

The Chinese military wants to get inside the Times and your devices. Never mind the NY Times [1] – for your own good, don’t open that PDF [2]. A wide variety of hackers want access to our individual computers, tablets, and phones – even Apple and Facebook are not immune [3]. We walk into an office products or computer store and our enthusiasm for the latest gadget is limitless -- they must be fast enough to view video or to surf bloated websites. So we watch a demo and walk out of the store hundreds of dollars lighter. If the sales rep doesn’t tell us what to buy (extra set-up, patches and updates, virus protection software) and we don’t know any better, we arrive home with our virus-ready, hacker-friendly technology, all set to make us look like idiots to our contacts and colleagues as we send fake emails and phony porn links.

Tech SKUs [4] are unfinished on the shelf, worse than knock-down furniture. The basic utilities that are packaged with commercial and consumer devices are subject to broad-based attacks: the browsers and document content tools invite malware from across the globe. Email [5] with or without attachments is a threat. Even up-to-minute OS releases and updates don’t assure smooth operation [6]. Not all updates address security: many also repair functional issues. So tech geeks spend hours and effort to update and it still isn’t enough. But if you don’t update, your risks are magnified -- and our negligence is noticeable [7].

Device multiplication exacerbates the need for vigilance. Smart phones, the latest tablets [8], laptops, desktops (even automobiles) contain complex software components that are never complete, never 100% stable and increasingly challenging to master by the end-user [9] – only 60% of adults agree to update when prompted by the software, and that's assuming it has been installed with a setting to prompt. Well-meaning organizations that want to help seniors connect – like libraries, volunteers in senior centers, and senior housing organizations that seeks a competitive edge – can be overwhelmed by tech that offers nothing more than a mediocre start at a safe-to-use solution.

Special care solutions are not enough -- manufacturers must change. The Geek squad strategy [10] – asking the consumer to pay extra to fix problems after the fact -- is akin to closing the gate when the chickens are in the next state, and the computer or device is not, shall we say, the most state-of-the-art. Hardware vendors – it doesn’t matter which – need pressure from large enterprises that are struggling with BYOD employees (Bring Your Own Device [11]). Let’s hope that the firms like Apple and Facebook get their own security houses in order and then set an example for others. Companies must do a better job of locking down their networks and devices -- and when they get it right, the rest of us in consumer-land can follow their lead. Until then, no need to use your imagination – nefarious nightmares await.

category tags: 
computers, internet and social networking [12], tablets and eReaders [13]

© Copyright Laurie M. Orlov 2018-2020 All Rights Reserved


Source URL: https://www.ageinplacetech.com/blog/hackers-heaven-our-devices-and-software-humiliate-us

Links
[1] http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/19/technology/chinas-army-is-seen-as-tied-to-hacking-against-us.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
[2] http://www.zdnet.com/dont-open-that-pdf-theres-an-adobe-reader-zero-day-on-the-loose-7000011241/
[3] http://www.zdnet.com/apple-facebook-employees-hacked-via-website-malware-java-vulnerability-7000011601/
[4] https://techterms.com/definition/sku
[5] https://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2012/09/04/beware-fake-microsoft-and-amazon-emails-exploiting-java-security-vulnerability/
[6] https://support.microsoft.com/kb/2777330
[7] http://www.nbcnews.com/id/47606345/ns/technology_and_science-security/#.USbdJFc9uil
[8] http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/10/05/tablet_security_audit/
[9] http://www.securityweek.com/consumers-clueless-why-they-should-update-software-survey
[10] https://www.yelp.com/biz/geek-squad-san-francisco-5
[11] http://www.foxbusiness.com/features/2013/02/15/byod-it-not-technically-yours-but-it-could-become-your-big-problem.html
[12] https://www.ageinplacetech.com/category/category-tags/computers-internet-and-social-networking
[13] https://www.ageinplacetech.com/category/category-tags/tablets-and-ereaders