My blog was hacked by the Russians. I know. When I admit the breach, I can hear people thinking, “Who would want to hack her blogs? Who reads them?”
Well, I was hacked. But why, I don’t know. As to the number of people who read my blogs, let’s say it’s more than my mother. Maybe the Russians don’t like my support for Hillary Clinton. Maybe they’re mischief makers.
When I learned of the breach, my impulse was to create mischief of my own. But I don’t have the skill. Besides, as writer William Langewiesche warns, I’d be taking on some pretty serious dudes who could access my home address, my bank accounts and the names of friends and family. (“The Other Internet, by William Langewiesche, Vanity Fair, October, 206 pg. 236.) The best strategy, he advises, is to avoid being hacked in the first place. That’s not easy. The Pentagon “fends off several million attempts at cyber intrusion every day.” (Ibid pg. 239)
Hacking, unfortunately, seems to be on the rise. Some say the global cyber-war is already here. Note the number of banks, medical and educational institutions and government agencies that have been compromised, recently. (Ibid pg. 259.) One master of the Dark Net warns some of the information obtained is so dangerous, it could get you killed. (Ibid pg. 259.)
Courtesy of yaoo.com
As my blogs don’t come with that threat level, I understand why people smirk when I say I’ve been hacked by the Russians. I suspect the motive is simple. As one notorious hacker explained: “being able to exert your will on systems that were designed to exert the will of others …[is] a powerful and addictive feeling. (Ibid pg. 238.)
Whatever the reason, learn from my experience. Program some serious safeguards into your system. And be wary about social media. Some of those cute little cats you find there may belong to a dark master. So, beware.
