Online Hacking

Online hacking may appear to be larger than mere individuals, affecting corporate and government websites. Even the Chinese government's websites can't protect against global hackers. But what many readers may not know is that online hacking and personal attacks against individuals is rampant on today's internet. Netizens need to be aware of the dangers of online hacking and the threat hacking can have on their personal email, banking, and social accounts.

In today's digital environment, there is nothing more dangerous or scary than having your identity stolen on the internet.

To learn more about the danger of online hacking and the benefits of having a secure password, check out this great inforgraphic produced by OnlineCollegeCourses.com:


Some personal notes on hacking: I recall as far back as 2006 being an undergrad at UMass Amherst and receiving notices from the IT department to beware of email phishing scams and password theft. Similarly, I have received emails numerous times from Facebook and other social networking websites informing me that unsuccessful attempts were made at logging into my account and to ensure that I strengthen my password.

Hacking is a serious threat that deserves any netizen's full attention. A tip I learned from a friend to ensure a strong password is to create a nifty phrase, example: The quick brown fox jumps high (or one more personal to you) and create the password from the first letters of said phrase, example: tqbfjh. To ensure strength, add some numbers or symbols, example: tqbfjh90!.

I was amazed at the above infographic's statistics on how fast a hacker's computer software can ascertain your password. That's why it is essential to create a strong combination of letters, numbers, and symbols!

I'm not particularly well-versed in hacking occurring in mainland China, but I do recall news stories in the past year or so in which American government-run websites have been hacked and sources have placed Chinese hackers at the root of the hacking.