The New Dangers of Hacking

The Matrix. Ocean’s 11. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. What do these pop culture phenomenons have in common? An ultra-cool and witty hacker whose illegal entry into sophisticated computer network results in saving the day. In today’s world, Hollywood tells us that anybody can be an elite spy or computer prodigy. Strangely enough, that’s starting to seem closer and closer to to the truth.

Recently, German newspaper Handelsblatt reported that there is a new way for hackers to read emails and track Internet history by employing what is called General Packet Radio Service (GPRS). With this frightening technology, they can access any phone in a 3.1 mile, or 5 km radius. And even smartphones can’t outwit this latest threat.

While glorified in movies and books, computer hacking is a serious problem. According to a 2010 report published by the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), it costs victims hundreds of millions of dollars every year in a diverse array of crimes. Identity theft and Computer Crimes rank 3 and 4 respectively on the Top 10 list of types, making up a combined 18.9 percent of all crimes. 

The IC3 includes some scary statistics, as well as a warning that most people who fall prey to Internet crimes don’t ever get their money back. And lest you think that this is another country’s problem, most reports of criminal activity are from the U.S. at 91.2% with Germany clocking in at a mere 0.2%.

According to leading antivirus and security software program McAfee (News - Alert), they report that new mobile malware threats in 2010 increased by 46 percent over the previous year.(http://www.csoonline.com/article/662973/mobile-devices-are-new-frontier-for-malware) Your phone may keep you plugged in to the all-important online community, but it is also putting you at risk.

When a hacker goes after somebody, there are more than just technical elements involved. RSA, the Security Division of EMC (News - Alert) (a high-profile company which handles risk and compliance solutions), focused on the psychological aspect in their July 2011 Online Fraud Report. Fear or mistrust of online offers, whether real or phishing scams, is pervading our collective consciousness. At the same time we’re admiring the sleek coolness of Hollywood hackers, we’re worrying that our online shopping account will allow criminals to access all of our personal information.

So what’s the solution? Obviously we cannot have a mass meltdown with people throwing away their phones. But we also cannot afford to stay ignorant of what’s at stake. The next time you see suspicious activity with your phone, report it. Because trust me, there isn’t a fast-talking, likable mischief maker who just wants to save the world on the other end.