The following special blog post is the reproduction of a note from Intersections VP, of Information Security, Tim Rohrbaugh.

OK, so I have been attending the so-called “hacker convention,” Black Hat, off and on since 1998. I usually look forward to the event as one does to the first day of the new year – as a chance to change perspective. Lately, if I attend, I hear from skilled technologists who have a great deal of time on their hands, and focus their effort on specific weaknesses they see or their peer group has suggested might be of interest. These revelations of weakness the presenter discusses tend to be part insight and part forecast.  Insight, with respect to areas that have been taken advantage of over the last six month and forecast, what will become mainstream for the next six months. I can usually count on at least one “ah ha” moment at the event. I most likely find this golden nugget of information in specific types of talks and so I stick to those tracks or briefings. This year, I stumbled into one session based on “not” what I thought the technical criminal minds would focus on over the next months, but instead the release of a book that chronicles two heroes’ experiences trying to make a difference with respect to the criminal underworld controlling large swaths of the Internet. The title of the briefing was “Hacking Russia: Inside An Unprecedented Prosecution of Organized Cybercrime,” given by the author Joseph Menn whose book – Fatal System Error. The Hunt for the New Crime Lords Who Are Bringing Down the Internet – was recently released. As most of my friends, co-workers and family can attest, I can be annoyingly critical of everything I hear these days. While a slight exaggeration, it seems to me that “facts” my generation was inundated with during our formative years have turned out to be wrong. No, our brains do not stop creating new brain cells after adolescence… we have Neurogenesis as a fact today; No, we do not use one part of our brain for only one function –- we have Neuroplasticity to thank for this; No, just because our parents used IT… does not mean that there is nothing to worry about from a health perspective…

I am telling you how I approach information today because what I heard from Joseph Menn rang true in frightening ways.  Yes, I factored in what gain there is for the author. After listening to him, even knowing his book sales hinged on a good performance with the media there to listen, his enthusiasm, his details, and my own experiences aligned. As many know, I had some brief exposure to eastern bloc nations in an attempt to support technology acquisitions, and I spent a number of years around our Government. These experiences, Menn’s description, along with the US attempts in those nations, align with my views and ring TRUE. No, this is not because I attain a feeling of satisfaction finding someone who’s speaking that affirms what I thought. On the contrary, he was believable to me and illuminated the fact that I have been brainwashed, like most others, to believe the Internet is safe today – if one is sufficiently savvy. My internal risk meter has been altered to the point where it has just plain off.   I needed a realignment, I needed to feel paranoid and Menn’s briefing did just that for me. I thought I had been critical of certain works of fiction, but NO, not even close. I read what I wanted to read. Armed with this new fear, I now see how our consumers need real solutions more today than ever before. They as individuals are not the targets… they are not targets like a small set of private banking customers would be… no WE are the targets. As American business’ intellectual property is the target of China’s government and military because they believe we are innovators, the American people are the targets of Russian (other eastern countries) mobs because theft is part of the culture and crime is advocated from the highest levels of the country AND the acts of crime create a better life (the only life) for many in that country.

Menn’s advice was radical but probably close to what is necessary to rework the Internet and make it what is should be, safe.  But there are things he is not aware of that could help… we should focus on what these things are since the underlying technology of the Internet is not going to change overnight, even if everyone agrees to change today.

If you are interested in more details, ask me to tell you about Joseph’s comments from one bullet titled “Andy likes Vodka”… it explains why America is getting nowhere with respect to support from Russia on crime.

Related posts:

1. Why Black Friday Could Be a Red Carpet for Scammers
2. The IDGuardian Podcast: Episode #004 — Why Black Friday Could Be a Red Carpet for Scammers
3. The IDGuardian Podcast: Episode #005 — Threats Facing Consumers Online
4. Saving Facebook: Perspectives on New Privacy Policies
5. The IDGuardian Podcast: Episode #006 — Protecting Your Identity While Traveling