Beware of Sextortionists

[kenny]

Very scary how computers are vulnerable and how freely young people put revealing pics of themselves on their computers.
Combine this with todays webcams and microphones, Peer to Peer, networks and spyware in the hands of some creep and look out.

Read "How an omniscient Internet "sextortionist" ruined the lives of teen girls", then talk to your kids about the dangers.

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/09/how-an-omniscient-internet-sextortionist-ruined-lives.ars

 

[MonkeyPie]

Wow. This guy should have used his powers for good, he would be the next Trump.

The worst part is that women even HAVE nude pictures on their computers/in their email. I don't get why they would ask for trouble like that. Learn from the celebs, they WILL come out!

 

[JulieN]

A favorite trick was seeding peer-to-peer networks with popular-sounding song titles that were actually malware; when someone downloaded and executed the file, their machine was infected and would open itself to Mijangos's control.

 

[kenny]

A favorite trick was seeding peer-to-peer networks with popular-sounding song titles that were actually malware; when someone downloaded and executed the file, their machine was infected and would open itself to Mijangos's control.

This may be a hijack but, serves em right for stealing music.
I HATE this new mentality that "I have a right to all music for free since record companies are so rich; besides, when stealing is THIS easy it must not be stealing!".

 

[TristanC]

Why do people have nude pictures of themselves on computer? Can't they just disrobe and look again when they need to remind themselves what the bits looked like?

 

[centralsquare]

Why do people have nude pictures of themselves on computer? Can't they just disrobe and look again when they need to remind themselves what the bits looked like?

i don't understand this either...or that everyone has an inappropriate tape of some kind a la paris hilton

 

[kenny]

I think the last 100 years have turned us into people who feel being on camera somehow makes us special.

We are a media culture.

People look at pictures and videos for amusement and entertainment.
Real life is not groovy enough.

 

[chemgirl]

Yeah, ok, I'm too much of a prude to really have to worry about naked pictures on my hardrive, but I'm sure my webcam has been privy to some scenes I wouldn't want public! I used to keep my computer in my room during school, webcam usually off, but if somebody hacked it and took image captures I'm sure they would have loads of creepy stuff.

My point is, you're not safe just because you don't POSE for photos.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Yeah, ok, I'm too much of a prude to really have to worry about naked pictures on my hardrive, but I'm sure my webcam has been privy to some scenes I wouldn't want public! I used to keep my computer in my room during school, webcam usually off, but if somebody hacked it and took image captures I'm sure they would have loads of creepy stuff.

My point is, you're not safe just because you don't POSE for photos.

Since I am quite neurotic on this point, I keep the built in webcam in my notebook (which I would much rather it didn't have, but it seems t o be standard equipment these days) not only off, but covered with some sticky tape.

 

[kenny]

Yeah, ok, I'm too much of a prude to really have to worry about naked pictures on my hardrive, but I'm sure my webcam has been privy to some scenes I wouldn't want public! I used to keep my computer in my room during school, webcam usually off, but if somebody hacked it and took image captures I'm sure they would have loads of creepy stuff.

My point is, you're not safe just because you don't POSE for photos.

Since I am quite neurotic on this point, I keep the built in webcam in my notebook (which I would much rather it didn't have, but it seems t o be standard equipment these days) not only off, but covered with some sticky tape.

I've been meaning to tell you that your tape fell off.