Equifax – That’s not the ONLY problem

We all worry about how to maintain “privacy”. Adding fuel to such concerns is the recent leakage by Equifax  (which said some 15Million people lost their identity fully) AND Yahoo claimed that EVERY SINGLE user who had an account with Yahoo lost their identity. 3 Billion accounts hacked. Go figure!!

But these are just the tip of the iceberg in Cyber Security problems which are yet to come. Come to think of it, let’s say you just went on a international travel either for work or fun. Let’s see how much of Digital-foot prints you will leave.

1. First, you will start with googling (Google knows EVERYTHING you ever thought, searched!! – its too scary to visualize that Google will ever be hacked like Yahoo)
2. Then you will use Priceline or Kayak or one of the ticket sites – So they now know when you’re heading out and when you will return AND where you are going etc
3. After that your airline company will know everything
4. You would have put credit card info – so Visa or Mastercard will know your travel plan
5. You will ask your bank to allow credit card transactions overseas…they know it too
6. If you send your schedule on any email – Outlook/Gmail (people still use Yahoo email?) will all know.
7. Uber/Lyft/Ola/Didi will know if you take a taxi to airport
8. If you buy a coffee at airport – Starbucks/Coffee-Day will know for sure
9. US government will know every one of these for sure – Immigration / NIA
10. Your host country government will know – visa / immigration
11. and hotel reservation sites in that country
12. Hotel itself will have all your details plus they will ask your credit card!
13. And so goes…taxi, hotel, restaurants and that shopping you do…each will have your credit card data
14. Apple or Samsung phones will know for sure
15. Facebook / WhatsApp will surely know

Anywhere in these innumerous transactions you do, will leave digital footprints – nah, digital storm you leave behind is too much to track.

What can you do – pretty much nothing. Like in a dust storm, close your eyes. Pray and hope you have not gone to a wrong place or get hacked by any of these above mentioned list of operators!

Long live Cyber Security. CIOs will have more and more high blood pressure.

Cheers,

Giri Devanur

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