As technology progresses, it becomes less and less of a luxury and more and more of a necessity. As people take their constant texting, connection to the news and social media for granted, a threat looms overhead their tech: hackers.
Even as I type this article in my local Starbucks (typical, I know) the security service that I have on my computer informs me that the Starbucks Wi-Fi network is "open," and I am at risk. Literally anyone with basic coding knowledge and 15 minutes can hack into my computer and see and manipulate what I am doing. Honestly, that is somewhat terrifying. Sure, I personally may not have anything particularly classified on my computer, but if I had important business work on my laptop, I would be frightened of unwillingly sharing that information. On that basic level of shared networks, personal information can be exposed to the detriment of someone simply on their local coffee shop's Wi-Fi.
On a national scale, cyberattacks from abroad are fairly common. Back in 2008, a flash drive was left in the Pentagon's parking lot, and when it was placed into an official's computer, it spread infectious codes that opened back doors into encrypted and classified government information. The government spent 13 months trying to debug their system of the virus, and many theorize that the virus still lurks in some corners of the government's personal computer systems. Whether the virus was a cyber-terrorist attack or an intelligence probe from another world power, it is terrifying. Over this summer, a series of hacks coming from China seemed to target St. Louis, Missouri, a major IT hub.
Technology is quickly progressing into one of the more important things in the average person's life. Databases have Social Security numbers, bank account routing codes, credit card numbers and much more valuable information to hackers. Recently the New York Stock Exchange shut down for technical problems, and while the government refuses to outright say that it was a cyberattack, claiming that there was no concrete evidence, other sources, namely Egyptian officials seem to be certain that there was an attack.
On a personal note, a few years back my parents had their identities stolen, and the stress that I watched them endure was horrible. To see that on a large scale would be devastating. I have no particular suggestion as to what to do about the issue, as I have little knowledge regarding the actual coding and technicalities involved, but the issue of cyber security should be taken as seriously as physical acts of aggression and war. If cyber security is taken lightly, it can develop into quite the slippery slope.
