Reflective Blogging Question #3

Consider the following statement: "Nothing is really secure - Get over it!!" If this is true, then what might be the consequences, given your own use of networking technologies?

I agree with this statement now more than ever. Today, identity theft has been an increasing problem. This also explains why sites regarding online shopping (usually the "legit" ones) have been switching over to using PayPal. It's not just for their security, but they want you to feel safe about purchasing online goods and services with your own credit card information, without having to worry about someone on the other end getting the insanely stupid idea of stealing your identity. 

I knew that my computer was not secured, instantly, when I needed some necessary network updates of which I did not know how to install. When I called the help and services line, I barely had to give much of my information regarding my network and all of the sudden the representative on the line had complete remote access of my computer. I could see everything that he was doing so I would have known if anything "fishy" were to occur but still, that scares me! 

Additionally, just the other day my mother called me saying that there was suspicious activity on one of my email accounts that I no longer used. I thank myself for giving the site another email address for them to contact, which was my mom's, if any suspicious activity had occurred. I found out that someone had hacked that email somehow and, in turn, could have had access to important information about myself. There were hundreds of emails in that account so I have no idea the information they had learned before I deleted the account. Bottom-line, be careful about the websites you give out your personal information because you never know who is trustworthy and who is watching. You could randomly open an email one day and you could have downloaded a program unknowingly that remembers your keystrokes and sends them to another computer where someone could be trying to hack you. 

I have learned that nothing is ever completely secured and NO, I am NOT going to deal with it and it is NOT OK. The fact that anti-virus scanners will not pick-up key logging software is very scary so it's best to take the necessary steps to keeping your computer as secure as possible (or till you feel somewhat comfortable) even though it will never be.

I found this link that may give some good insight:

http://www.reliablegeeks.com/articles/keep_your_wireless_network_secure.htm