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0 pointsHeyLaughingBoy1y ago0 comments

I think people understand cybersecurity very well in the context of a phone but don't think about it with desktops or laptops.

I let someone who was housesitting for a neighbor use my phone because she had left hers in the house and accidentally locked herself out. The neighbor called her back (on my phone of course) and she automatically handed it to me so I could unlock it.

My phone was never locked: too much of a pain to bother with.

It struck me then that I'm the only person I know who doesn't lock their phone. And that's primarily because I wasn't using Google Pay or had any information on that phone more sensitive than my mom's phone number.

For most people it seems that since a phone is a more personal item than their laptop, they instinctively do more to secure it.

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nonrandomstring1y ago

> I think people understand cybersecurity very well

People do understand the risks in cybersecurity very well [0].

Here we interviewed literally ransom strangers on the street, There are about 10 or 20 individuals in this episode but in fact I've interviewed over 100 now and it's all the same;

1) People are very aware of risks, phishing, backdoors, bad links, not scanning QR codes, not installing dodgy "apps"... they get it. Kids get it, Old people get it.

2) They are very aware of the consequences; "identity theft", being tricked, having money stolen, being embarrassed or blackmailed, loss of device or denial of service... Mums get it. Grannies get it.

3) There are daytime TV interviews with people crying their hearts out on camera after being scammed of their life savings. These are popular programmes presented by family presenters like Angela Rippon and Ester Ranzen in the UK.

4) They don't have the first clue who to turn to, or any sense of empowerment to do anything about it (other than abstain). Some think the government should step in. Others say schools and parents are responsible for educating kids from a young age in digital self defence.

So the old "What have I got to hide" trope is painfully naive now and limited to a few diehard old computer beards still in denial that their Internet got fucked-over by criminals.

I think it's important to be in touch with what real people (outside our echo chamber of developers and hackers) really think.

[0] https://cybershow.uk/episodes.php?id=18

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