Interesting viewing for me recently was watching YouTube videos about a security guard who was busted last week for hacking into the computer systems of the Dallas hospital where he was employed.
As smart as he may have been with computers, he was no mental giant at getting away with his crimes; he was busted after bragging about his exploits to fellow criminals and then posting videos of himself performing his crimes on the YouTube video website.
Fortunately, this Bozo was caught before anyone at the hospital was hurt. He was remotely controlling the hospitals heating and ventilation systems over the Internet, including those of operating rooms and pharmaceutical storage areas. Lives were at risk. It’s good that he was caught.
Why would anyone want to do what this creep did? Customers ask me similar questions all of the time. Why do bad-guy hackers write computer viruses? Why do they break into computer systems and mess around with other people’s property? What is wrong with these boneheads and how can I protect myself against them?
In an effort to help “normal” people understand how and why malicious hackers do what they do, security technology company McAfee has produced a very well-made film series titled, “H*Commerce: The Business of Hacking You.” The “H” stands for “hacking.” I recommend that anyone that uses a computer and the Internet watch this series. It is interesting, entertaining, informative, and does not require a technically-oriented mind to understand.
“Once seen as a hobby for basement-dwellers and computer geeks, hacking has evolved into a full-fledged industry that preys on people’s livelihoods, turning their information into billions in profit,” reads promotional material for the film. “What once was merely a nuisance, is now actively trying to steal your personal information, severely damage your credit, or empty out your bank account.”
The series begins by telling the story of Janella Spears, who lost more than $440,000 as the result of an email scam. The film explores the effects this cybercrime had on Janella and her family as well as Janella’s education in how to clean her system, handle hackers and stop cybercrime scams.
“The days when hackers were a small group of thrill-seekers breaking into computers to gain fame and notoriety are behind us,” says David Milam, chief marketing officer at McAfee. “Now, hacking for profit, or what we call H*Commerce, is a global industry in which Americans have lost a total of almost $8.5 billion dollars due to Internet scams and crimes in the last two years alone. Consumers must be aware of risks online, and we think that revealing real stories from victims will resonate with them.”
In addition to real-life victims of Internet scams, the series features industry heavyweights such as Jeff Moss, founder of the Defcon security conference and Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple Computer. Check the film out for free at www.stophcommerce.com.
Taken: <<http://normantranscript.com/headlines/x1521799433/Who-are-the-Internet-bad-guys>>
Unfortunately here is the news about abuse of children on the internet: