It may be difficult to comprehend all of the implications of such a statement when experts say that “data is the new oil.” However, in essence, the value of information and data on the market has been rising each year.
Energy-related businesses were once among the most valuable on Wall Street. Today, data-based firms, such as social networks, are receiving more attention.
However, while the data-coin has its advantages, it also has drawbacks. For example, information on the Internet is becoming increasingly sensitive. Sadly, not everyone on the Internet has good intentions; this is when doxxing comes to mind.
What is Doxxing?
More than ever, we all deal with papers online today. Many of us frequently abbreviate the phrase “documents” to simply “docs.” This usage gave rise to the word “doxxing.” Three stages are involved in a typical doxing procedure:
- Collecting information: Personal information may be obtained from the internet by simply googling oneself. Personal information is readily available through social networks, for example.
- Compiling information: Users may connect various pieces of data after someone collects information from several sources.
- Sharing information: Users could choose to disclose sensitive information if they’ve gotten it from someone else, contradicting traditional privacy standards.
Doxxing is the act of obtaining personal information about someone online. When a user wishes to remain totally anonymous online, however, the technique may cause more damage.
Doxxing is a genuine problem in the sector, because blockchain and cryptocurrencies typically rely on an encrypted system. As a result, let’s go through some of the most typical types of doxxing in the following section.
Types of doxxing
- IP and ISP doxxing: I’m sure you’ll be astonished at how simple it is for hackers to obtain IP addresses. Anyone may re-establish your physical location with it.
- Spoofing: Worse, hackers may call your ISP and obtain sensitive information. All they have to do is impersonate a caller from your address (using the spoofing approach).
- Social network doxxing: Users are generally permitted to make their profiles private on social media sites. Doxxers use this as a loophole to doxx individuals who don’t take it seriously.
- Data brokers: The majority of people dislike reading long, complex legal documents on the internet. Third parties buy your data from websites without obtaining any promises about how it will be used.
- Sniffing: Another frequent doxing technique is sniffing software, which may capture online data transmission.
- Phishing: An email or note that appears to be unimportant might persuade us to click on a link. This mechanism is often utilized by doxers to acquire confidential information from their victims.
Can you avoid Doxxing?
It’s doubtful that we’ll be able to devise a strategy to avoid doxxing. However, we can certainly minimize the possibility of being duped.
Users might also use IPS to set up internet connections by using a variety of VPNs. Even better, these systems may be instructed to change their IP addresses, which means that doxing is no longer a viable approach.
No one should put their faith in Google or Facebook blindly, even though they have made significant progress toward data security. Before using these services to access third-party websites, consider it carefully. You may get yourself into a lot of trouble if doxxers get access to your accounts.
The first step in preventing doxxing is to make our internet presence private. If at all feasible, use the most restrictive privacy settings.
You may have been told that deleting a social networking account does not erase your data. Unfortunately, the controversy surrounding this issue continues, so it’s important to avoid sharing sensitive information on social media.
We should be cautious about the data we share across a broad range of other media, according to this advice. When we establish an account, we should always read the online terms and conditions.
Many websites explicitly state that they may sell your data to advertisers, which is something that not all individuals are aware of. Because we have no idea who these marketers are, our data may fall into the wrong hands.
Although not all of these systems will work in every situation, the information we’ve presented is absolutely true for the encrypted world of blockchain, with a particular warning. Before connecting a wallet to a new website, be wary if you’re using services like MetaMask.
The connection cannot, in and of itself, result in the loss of tokens. Nothing, however, can prevent a doxxing website from obtaining your IP address.
What to do if you’ve been ‘Doxxed’
Prevention, not cure, is the better option in this case. Unfortunately, the technology we have to fight doxxing at present is rather rudimentary.
To begin, doxxing is against the law, but lawmakers appear to be slower than doxxers. In the United States, single states continue to rule on the issue, and there is no federal legislation yet.
The situation becomes even more complex when we consider that not all States have laws regarding it. Other authorities, on a case-by-case basis, appear to be taking care of the issue.
In general, victims of doxxing should contact the cops if they have any additional information. The case will generally be handled by the national cybercrime authorities in the country.
It’s possible that your social media accounts have been hacked, and you should respond by locking them. It’s also a good idea to reset any passwords and establish new online personas.
Conclusion
Following the digitalization of the world economy, doxxing has emerged as one of the newest issues we have discovered. Since new problems necessitate innovative solutions, we are all on a quest for the best solution.
Education about cybersecurity is becoming increasingly essential. For example, determining the difference between a genuine communication and a phishing attempt is an important skill to have in today’s data-driven world. Furthermore, we must always remember that a data-driven world requires data-educated citizens.
