Technology has become the center of our lives. It is found everywhere: in our homes, cars, offices, classrooms and almost always no more than a foot away from us at all times. With an ever-expanding list of technology in our lives, the list of dangers that come with it also grows.

Credit card hacks and identity theft are the most well-known types of data breaches in our life. Malware and spyware find their way into our computer systems, take our passwords and login information, our full names, addresses, phone numbers, our likes and dislikes, our social security numbers and our credit cards. In recent years, there have been new technologies that don’t even require physically hacking a system, but rather allow stealing information through smartphones just in the general vicinity.

The World Wide Web has become home to a black market involving the sale and exchange of databases containing information such as social security numbers and credit card details. As the data breaches continue to happen and as the amount of information grows larger and more significant, the need for cyber security also rises.

Firms who develop cyber security software are on the rise, but that doesn't mean that everyone has it or wants to pay for it, comparable to the need for health insurance. These cyber security firms develop software to detect fraud early enough to minimize damages to companies that may have been breached. While there have been laws passed by the Obama Administration regarding cyber security, an improvement in protecting our information on the web will most likely come slowly. Unlike private sector firms like those in Silicon Valley, who move fast in adopting new and innovative technology, the U.S. government tends to move more slowly in procuring, as well as accepting, new technology.

The U.S. government has not officially spoken out declaring the source of the data breaches this summer, but experts and anonymous officials have blamed China for these attacks. Some conclude that the U.S. has not publicly stated China as the culprit because the United States most likely participates in similar espionage attacks on other countries.

If this sounds concerning to you, it should.

Government spying may be the most concerning of all cyber security issues, though the concern does not seem to be reflected by official personnel involved. In April, it was released that 4.2 million people’s basic job application data had been hacked. It was later released that there also had been signs of unauthorized activity on three other computers, which implied that the same hackers maybe have also hacked networks belonging to the National Archives and Records Administration. In June, it was released that sensitive security clearance application data had been similarly compromised leaving 21.5 million people wondering what might happen with their information.

In 2015, Anthem the second largest health insurer in the United States revealed a breach of their database affecting up to 80 million people. That is equivalent to nearly the entire populations of New York, California and Texas combined.

In 2014, the infamous Sony Pictures breach compromised the information of at least 6,800 current employees and 40,000 former employees. The screens were hijacked by a group called Guardians of Peace, who threatened to release detailed information if their demands were not met. What followed was the release of social security numbers, copies of passports belonging to actors and executives, passwords, scripts, marketing plans, financial and legal information and four unreleased films. Though the data breach was suggested to be the work of North Koreans this was never officially proven.

In 2013, 110 million Target customer records were compromised, leading to millions of card numbers, names, addresses and e-mails to be floating around in cyber space. To put this into perspective, 110 million people is roughly 34 percent of the United States population.

Other famous hacks you may have heard of include financial institutions JP Morgan Chase and the IRS.

Not only are we constantly at risk for identity theft, but recently former NSA employees were able to hack into the technology of a reporter’s Jeep Cherokee from miles away, first blasting the radio and turning on the windshield wipers, but ultimately being able to shut down the engine and disable the brakes. All this done through the cars entertainment system. This new discovery shows that while technological growth has led to more advanced systems, our society has also become increasingly vulnerable in nearly all aspects of life.

While most of us do not know how to code and are unfamiliar with the complexities of computer systems, it’s important for everyday users to be aware of the technology in their life. Although its rapid spread has allowed for society to advance and grow, we must be wary of the dangers that come with technology and prepare ourselves for the repercussions of our dependence on it.