Doxxing is a common crime in 2024, but the term has only been around for the last thirty or so years. For those unaware, doxxing is the intentional revelation of someone’s private information online without their consent – often with malicious intent.
It began in the 1990s, when hackers began ‘dropping docs’ on people who had been hiding behind fake names. Now, however, doxxing can happen to anyone, at any time, and for any reason.
According to a 2021 study, at least 43 million American citizens have experienced doxxing at least once in their lifetime, and that number is only growing. Despite numerous cybersecurity efforts, it’s becoming easier and easier to locate someone’s information online and share it to any platform.
Whether it’s to blackmail, to impersonate, or to earn money through selling data, doxxing is one of the biggest online threats, and it’s up to you to keep yourself safe.
Online security is possible, of course. But the burden to ensure that security is on the user. You. So with this in mind, we’ve listed out 5 must-know facts for you to stay safe in 2024 and beyond, ensuring you don’t have to experience doxxing at its worst.
You Can Opt Out of Data Brokers
The first thing to know is that your personal data is not beyond your control. Every time you browse online, you’re leaving a digital footprint – one that is then processed and collected by data brokers. This is why it’s so important to remove data from data brokers and to take your data back into your own hands. Remember, data brokers create a profile of you that can then be utilised by anyone – increasing the chances that your information will be doxxed.
People Hand Over their Digital Information
Data brokers can create a pretty detailed picture of you – including your full name, your gender, your interests, your home address, your phone number, the list goes on and on. But the other way that hackers can retrieve that information is through your social media channels. In other words, you might just be handing it over to them on a platter. Make sure, in this way, that you limit the amount of personal information you share online, and if you’re using messenger apps, only reveal such information to those you really trust.
Two-Factor Authentication Does Work
Two-factor authentication might be a hassle, but it’s a must-know fact that it successfully blocks around 50% of automated attacks after installation. It might not be infallible, but it significantly improves security in most cases, and provided you choose strong passwords, it gives hackers an extra step to get through which is often insurmountable.
Human Error Plays a Huge Part
Speaking of strong passwords, it’s another fact that 90% of all cyber attacks are caused by human error or behaviour. A lot of the time, poor passwords – or passwords that are used across multiple platforms – are to blame. In 2024, it has never been more important to use complex passwords that include a mix of letters, numbers, and special characters, and create different ones depending on the platform. As well as this, the passwords should be regularly updated, reviewed and changed at least once every two months to ensure you stay ahead of the tide.
Privacy Tools are Available
Lastly, it’s a fact that thousands of online users know about privacy tools and services, but fail to use them. This isn’t necessarily their fault – it’s easy to think it won’t happen to you until it does – but with so many privacy tools available, it’s become more of a necessity than ever to utilise them and obscure your personal information as and when you’re browsing. A strong VPN is certainly one of them. With a VPN, you can mask your IP address and make sure that your movements online are far harder to track. Like 2FA, it’s not exactly infallible – this is why opting out of data brokers is another important step – but it’s another tool that can keep you safe against doxxing and keep your identity and details yours, and no one else’s.
