One emerging cyber threat which can impact individuals, including law enforcement officers, other criminal justice practitioners and their families, is doxing. Doxing occurs when someone’s personal information is discovered and maliciously exposed online. This can include uncovering someone’s real name, home address, place of employment, and other personal information. It is important to ensure that apps, browsers and devices are set in a way which minimizes the risk of compromise.
Our digital footprint consists of a plethora of personal data and it is important to ensure that daily digital activity is done as securely as possible. Doxing can happen across a wide variety of frequently visited applications and browsers, as well as various devices with different operating systems. This can include Android and iOS operating systems, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, various social media applications, and more.
Results of a study done by NYU Tandon School of Engineering found that more than 90 percent of the doxed files included the victim’s address, 61% included a phone number and 53 percent included an email address. While less common, sensitive information, such as credit card numbers (4.3 percent), social security numbers (2.6 percent) or other financial information (8.8 percent), were also revealed.
The National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C) recently released free officer cybersafety training which provides step-by-step instructions for securing apps, browsers and devices. Some of the popular apps covered include Amazon, Bumble, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Twitter. The training on browsers includes Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, and Opera. Lastly, it covers both Android and iOS devices.
Each officer cybersafety microlearning module takes no more than ten minutes to complete. Users can follow along with the step-by-step security instructions by having the app, browser or device available during the training. Modules are routinely updated to keep up with evolving technology, so check back often.
For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/24n6dvc7