Local expert tells how to keep your computer and personal information safe
The bad guys may seem like they’re winning, but with time and effort you can protect yourself, your family, your money and your computer and smartphone from attack by hackers, scammers and other cybercriminals.
That was the message of Jim Rome, webmaster for several local nonprofit organizations who spent the latter part of his career at Oak Ridge National Laboratory providing computer security for classified systems. He delivered his message most recently to Friends of ORNL.
He mentioned that recently the city of Oak Ridge had been a victim of a “denial of services” malware attack, causing network issues and making its business side unable to process utility payments for days.
Malware, short for malicious software, is a set of computer programs created by cybercriminals that can steal data from and damage or destroy computers and computer systems. It includes viruses, spyware and ransomware – software designed to block access to an individual’s personal data or a company or organization’s computer system until a sum of money (ransom) is paid.
Rome said that the global cost of cybercrime was estimated at more than $7 trillion dollars in 2022. In the first half of 2022, more than 50 million Americans had been affected by cybercrimes, the highest rate of data breaches in the world. The nations that have the most dangerous cybercriminals include China, Russia, Taiwan, India, Brazil and the United States, according to one source.
Rome cited two recent computer attacks that have affected corporations and customers. One cyberattack disrupted operations of the cleaning products maker Clorox, reducing the availability of the company’s products and slashing its quarterly earnings and stock value by 20%.
In September, a cyberattack at MGM Resorts International, he added, caused widespread disruption on the Las Vegas Strip. The hotel and casino giant had to require manual check-ins and the use of physical key cards so guests could access their rooms.
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