May 28, 2009
Smash Hack Attacks
Add one more news story to all the others about how your private data is not secure in any database.
In May, a gang of hackers demanded $10 million ransom in exchange for not posting the personal information of millions of Virginia residents on the Internet.
Yikes, I'm from Virginia!
The Virginia Department of Health Professions confirms that there was indeed a recent breach of its servers.
If marauders get your name, birthday, and social security number, they can make life a living hell for you. Some of these jokers commit crimes in the name of the identity they stole. Guess who ends up getting arrested.
No, the databases are not secure. Still, Big Brother keeps trying to compel us to stick all our private data in one huge database to be tethered to a national ID card. The latest approach is to require all state ID cards to follow federal data and biometric protocols. And then link every state database together until it's all one big database. The fate of this federal project is uncertain, since — thank goodness — some state governments are refusing to play along. But the feds will keep trying.
If the government succeeds, cyber terrorists would need to pull off only one big hack attack to jeopardize the privacy and security of every card-carrying American.
I'm against being forced to be a sitting duck. How about you?
This is Common Sense. I'm Paul Jacob.
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