It’s Safer Internet Day, also known as #SID2015.<\/p>\n
Broadly funded by the EU, it’s an effort by the public servants of Europe to encourage us.<\/p>\n
It’s an attempt to get all of us \u2013 Africans, Americans, Australians, Asians and Antarcticans, not just Europeans! \u2013 to get a bit more serious about safety and security online.<\/p>\n
This is the 12th SID, and this year’s theme is, “Let’s create a better internet together.”<\/p>\n
To which we say, “Why not?”<\/p>\n
Excuses not to bother about security<\/p>\n
Not everyone agrees with Specially Named Days like this, of course.<\/p>\n
You’ve probably met cynics who pooh-pooh attempts to mobilise interest in online security by groups such as governments, industry bodies, public servants, big hitters in the industry, and so on.<\/p>\n
You can sort-of see why.<\/p>\n
The governments of many countries are under the pump these days for as good as spying on us all with what sometimes feels like a vengeance.<\/p>\n
And many industry giants are under the pump because of a feeling that, instead of telling you how to do security better, perhaps they should be the ones learning.<\/p>\n
Adobe, Target, Home Depot, the US Postal Service, Anthem, Sony…and many others.<\/p>\n
Physician, heal thyself<\/p>\n
On the other hand, the problem of computer insecurity, and its opportunistic dark side, cybercrime, is actually a lot broader than that.<\/p>\n
Take just one example of cybercriminal machinery: spam.<\/p>\n
Most spam is sent by infected home computers.<\/p>\n
Or another: hacked web servers acting as delivery sites for exploit kits and malware.<\/p>\n
Many of these servers are unpatched, insecure hobbyists or small businesses.<\/p>\n
In other words, the crooks will continue to rack up their ill-gotten gains \u2013 even if they aren’t quite as state-of-the-art as you might think \u2013 for as long as we don’t “create a better internet together.”<\/p>\n
What to do?<\/p>\n
We can keep telling ourselves that the Targets, the Sonys and the Anthems of the world should do better, and that when they get their ducks in a row, well, then we can start talking about security.<\/p>\n
Or we can all do our bit anyway!<\/p>\n
So, why not join us today for our Twitter Chat?<\/p>\n
Get stuck in with your own advice, opinion, controversy and debate.<\/p>\n
The great thing about Twitter chats is that you don’t have to sign up, log in, or run any special webinar software.<\/p>\n
All you need is a browser, and all you have to do is to follow the hashtag #SophosSafe in a window somewhere on screen.<\/p>\n
Chime in whenever you feel like it, or just lurk and see what others people are saying.<\/p>\n
Whether you’re busy on your laptop at your desk during the working day, or loafing on the sofa with your tablet in the evening, it’s easy to join in.<\/p>\n
When and where<\/p>\n
Hashtag: #SophosSafe<\/p>\n
Date: Tuesday, 10 February 2015<\/p>\n
Time:<\/p>\n
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