Tuesday, October 16, 2012

"as sheep in the midst of wolves" - Vulnerable Internet

Downtown, Tokyo

Vulnerable Internet


The technology is progressing so rapidly in a field of electronics.

The advancement of electronics has enabled high-speed computation and ultra-speed telecommunications.

Then, personal computers, cellular phones, and the Internet have triggered a kind of revolution in the society globally.

The point at issue is of course personal information.

As the society has advanced, each individual has more various types of personal data.  And, all these data are stored somewhere in various computer systems.  For these systems to work efficiently, they have to be connected with the Internet.

Of course, in most cases, only an individual who knows a password can access his own personal data in a system.  Or some system administrators who are in charge of maintenance of the system can access personal data of their clients.

What should be noted is that it is not impossible for someone with special skills and knowledge to access and enter such a system as manages a huge amount of personal data, too.

For example, it is probably not impossible for someone with special skills and knowledge to get into database where personal data of President Mr. Obama are stored and saved over the Internet.

So, the best way to keep secrets is to keep personal information on sheets of paper which are locked in a safe or such an appropriate cabinet.         

Yet, banks expect you to use an online account which can be also accessed via the Internet.  And, if a bank system is not connected to the Internet, it is linked to its own separated telecommunication network.  And it is also possible for  someone with special skills and knowledge to break into such a dedicated system independent from the Internet.

Probably you have to use a cash dispenser, but your account is not necessarily perfectly protected from intruders.  Somebody might find a way to get in it through the Internet over some bridge.  Or he might get a help from an insider who connects such an independent system to the Internet.

So, essentially this cyber space is vulnerable.

Accordingly, it is necessary to find a way to protect the society and individuals from cyber attacks.  A war must be always started between bad guys and good guys in the cyber space.

Everybody in the world must help good guys win; otherwise everybody might lose all his personal data and money over the Internet.



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Mat 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.