Technophobes turn into hackers in 15 minutes
By David Howells
27/05/2011
A report has claimed that even those with limited technical knowledge would take just 15 minutes to hack into an email account.
The independent study took a group of volunteers from all walks of life - including a TV producer, a retiree and a self employed baker - and armed them with the tools and know how required to hack into emails. Within fifteen minutes they had all obtained one another's log in details.
The study highlights the need for both businesses and individuals to invest in IT management software to protect themselves from the threat of security breaches.
Tutorials similar to the ones used in the experiment are available online, meaning that any number of people can find out how to execute such a task then obtain login details and passwords for social networking and online banking accounts. Currently, the number of videos online tutoring in hacking is said to be over 20,000, with more being added every day.
Fraud expert Michael Lynch told the Daily Mail why internet security should be of such high importance: "The recent Sony security breach that saw a hacker gain access to the personal details of over 100 million online gamers, including people in Britain, has demonstrated the growing and widespread risk that hackers pose to consumers and businesses," he said.
"It is important people are aware of the risks so they can take the necessary steps to protect their identities and manage any compromised data."
Robert Chapman, CEO of online learning company Firebrand Training told scmagazine.com how extensive the threat is: "The wide availability of free hacking tools is a real concern and everyone is a target," he said.
"These resources are only going to grow and become more advanced, meaning that organisations and individuals must take steps to protect themselves."
