What is the point?

What is the point of being scared of backdoors or weak software firewalls?
It's not like I, and many others, have tons of military secrets scattered on my network.

When I see posts like this:
https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=362063

And this:
https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=358669

To any hacker out there, come waste your time hacking my network and get what? A few office documents that is worth nothing? It's not like you are going to get through HTTPS and two step authentication.

Why do we care about 100% Fort Knox protection?

 

I can't speak for others, but it really comes down to what you use your computer/system for. If I had to get to heart of it, I'd say:
- preventing disruptions in normal operations of our systems
- protecting assets from being damaged or stolen.
- protesting blatant privacy and security violations.

You probably don't care about the first or second point. Since I'm guessing restoring your system isn't that big a deal and you don't keep anything important stored locally. But for others, this probably isn't the case. Most folks probably wouldn't be happy if their system was adversely affected and they had to spend time restoring it. My father is a good example of this, as his business PC is loaded with software and he uses it to create his designs. He would flip if these designs were stolen, damaged, or if the system needed the software reinstalled and registered again. I feel the same way, as I've got software on at least one of my systems and I don't much enjoy having my computer time consumed dealing with intrusions, infections, or any other disruptions. I'm also privacy conscious about having my privacy and security violated. I'm not paranoid, but I don't consent to being poked with needles, probed, or having my personal life and activities examined. That being said, I don't feel the need to protect every system on my network 100%. Some would make lovely honeypots. Unlike the IT industry, I don't feel entrapment is unethical and could care less about the legal ramifications. If someone connects to a wireless access point that I setup or accesses a system they have no right using. They deserve what they have coming to them.

 

Techwiz - Well said!

When any data of any sort are gotten surreptitiously and/or without permission then that data is considered stolen. If someone deems that data as having any value then the owner of that data is deprived of honest gain from the value of their possessions.

Now most likely there are a huge amount of data that has no value to anyone except the owner but reaping all the stolen data one can obtain and sift through it looking for valuable data (to the purchaser) and attempting to use it for gain is illegal, immoral and just plain wrong as well as damaging to society in general.

Did you know that in 2010 there were more than 89,000 victims of identity theft in the U.K. and in the States for 2012, in excess of 16.6 million people, or 7% of all U.S. residents above the age of 15, reported being victims of one or more incidents of identity theft?

The financial figures alone for losses due to identity theft were over £36.000.000.000 (£36 Billion) or $60.000.000.000 ($60 Billion) per year for the U.K. and U.S. combined alone.

Just because someone may not use a credit card online or use their important personal identifying information through their computer does not make them safe.

Something to think about.

Best regards

 

Ah! Now it makes more sense.

 

Just for fun, knowledge and ego

 

i second that

 

It's not just your data or identity that an attacker could want. Your PC itself is valuable to them if they control it. It can be used to launch DOS attacks, send spam, or even function as a server for child porn. The last is especially problematic when the laws and the intelligence of prosecutors and the court in general are years behind reality.

 

My thoughts exactly. My main concern is gaining control of my system & using it for whatever they choose.

 

My computer got hacked. The hacker could change my browser settings at will and install software and some SBIE setting was also changed. Powershell toys installed etc etc.

Might have been some vulnerability like in Java plus my unsafe surfing habits to be targeted into some sort of social hacking. The only solution was to reinstall windows, because I had been told it is omerta from that dutch hacker against me. I definately would not want some child porn be installed to my computer and further be distributed by that hacker.

I could not be sure what my computer was used for. It was clearly not infected in any virus type of malware. Nothing say my av or mbam could solve. A firewall is just another layer, nothing more though.

 

Why do you use "Comodo Internet security V7 (Custom config)" and "Firefox with Ghostery, HTTPS Everywhere"?