June 14, 2021
Desert Les At Large: Pirates, Wet & Otherwise
Howdie Pardner,
Yup. It’s good to see you again. Desert Les is back. Not because them Peak readers demanded it but because the fool editor told Desert Les to fill this here white space with interestin’ doings and seeings.
YO HO HO AND A BOTTLE OF RUM.
Pardner, Pirates once wreaked havoc across vast wet spaces. Today’s pirates do their pillaging and plundering in your cyberspace. Yup.
Pardner, Cybercrime is more widespread than appreciated. It’s not just them big oil pipelines, meat companies and the like that are put to the sword. Nope.
Pardner, It’s like a BIG,BAD family secret that folks are afraid to tell ’bout. It’s not limited to criminals that want your coin of the realm. The motive might be to increase business or add votes, support a personal goal, even a score, seek a thrill, hone hacking skills and defeat new security measures, learn new technology, or bolster bragging rights.
Cybercrime comes in many forms: defacing websites, breaking into personal computers, stealing email lists, creating disruptive and harassing electronic communications, unauthorized use of files and content, hacking system software to disrupt processing, increase operating costs and frustrate employees and volunteers. Heck, sometimes these criminals run-up the Jolley Roger to make it more difficult for a competitor to make money or a nonprofit to achieve its mission.
Large corporations and governments are not the only targets. Small nonprofits, public campaign efforts and innocent individuals are relatively easy prey.
Sorry Pardner. Forget the “Yo Ho Ho” and the rum. This aint no fun matter. The good news is that sea-going pirates aint what they used to be. Lots of ’em found their way to the yard-arm where they got a longer neck and dancin’ feet. Yup. Perhaps someday technology, updated cyber ethics and policies, stiffer laws, better policing, along with increased awareness and respect for others will rule cyberspace. Yup.
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