Recommendations on the future of

onlineGyroScope &

Databseimplementation

There have been proponents these past several years who suggest putting everything Gyro on a Social Network application –

that soon, we could eliminate the GyroScope, go online with the Database & communicate with

unbridled ease!

Putting the Gyro Database on aSocial Network… consider …

Should Gyro, as has been suggested, take a modern approach and place the Database on a Social Network

such as Facebook & LinkedInto ease communicating amongst

members and attract new members?

Facebook … LinkedIn ?

2008 a D-IX Governor found a linkto Gyro on Facebook.

It was discussed whether exploitingthis link would be beneficial to Gyro.

The BOG (then) determined theunknown risks were too great!

Facebook … LinkedIn ?

Social Networks – RealityCyberthieves have now shifted their

focus to social networks.Instead of attacking firewalls head on, they are breaching sites using

social engineering, convincing someone that an email is from a

friend or colleague.

A Primer on Phishing 101They rely on Phishing --

an attempt to acquire sensitive information such as usernames,

passwords and credit card details by masquerading as a

trustworthy entity in an electronic communication.

A phisher emails a potential victimclaiming to be from a familiar source.

The message contains a question or threat and urges the victim to go to the company site.

The victim clicks a link and is taken to a site that looks real – like a bank’s – but it’s a fake.

The victim enters sensitive data such as account numbers and passwords into the site.

The phisher uses the data to access a corporate or bank network for identity theft or to steal money.

Facebook has a bug called Koobface

that takes over your account.It is currently accessing

or infecting1,000,000 accounts every day!

What’s happening today?

Two groups of bad guys …1. The “Black-hackers” who after

money or information they can sell.2. The “Hacktivists” who are not

thieves, but malicious idealists who cause havoc, just because they can.

At this point no one is truly safe.

The Perpetrators

Having our own private Database gives us far less exposure.

Being a slightly larger entity on a Social Network is a porthole to

problems … invites the challenge to “break in.”

Black Hackers are adapting social networks to establish an evil

ecosystem while exploiting its vulnerabilities to steal data & money …their toolkit includes

social engineering techniques to have you cough up passwords

under the guise of friendship..

Protecting yourself …Hacking your password gets much

harder if you follow these tips: The longer the password the

better. Mix upper & lower case letters. Use numbers and special symbols. i.e. PASSword8!

Social Networks …Are a boon to promote good

things: like family photo-albums& family communications.

They are a means to promote business networking.

Communication among friends.

Social Networks …Unfortunately, they also lend

themselves to a middle-school mentality of …

bullying, exhibitionism, degradation,threats, and even murder.

Not the least, stealing for money, or hacking just for the fun of it!!

What to do?I would urge you to discount

any such approach to the future.Be aware that the web not only

doubles in speed every 18 months, it is an ever changing monolith, that

will not be the same two years hence,& security is losing ground faster!