I find it hard to not be shocked at a headline like this… Then I remembered the recent top cybercrime city survey conducted by one of our competing software vendors which had Boston ranked the SECOND HIGHEST risk city in the entire United States. I’m also not one to simply lie down and let cybercriminals prey on apathy generated by this so…

First issue I have with the research presented in this format is that it only identifies the known problem and doesn’t offer any solutions. This gets a little circular in its logic when even the researcher states his first solution would be to create bulletproof passwords. From the Boston Globe:

    • So which security measures offer a reasonable return on time and effort? Although coming up with a sensible list of security actions was not a goal of Herley’s research, he does have some suggestions based on personal experience. Start with bullet-proof passwords, he said, even if your employer requires you to periodically reinvent them or use too many (he juggles about three dozen as part of his work). Beyond that, he is big on one-time measures that offer ongoing benefits, like installing the latest software to shield against viruses and spyware (set it to automatically update).

Then again, when we’re talking about cost, it’s all relative.

    • Two-thirds of computers have outdated software protection, according to a Microsoft spokesman. The company also recommends activating a firewall, which “functions like a moat around a castle.” Combined, such measures shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes, it said, and offer insulation from what is perhaps the biggest security menace of all: users.

To be clear, in Securing Our eCity we state one of our takeaways is to create a new password based on the steps donated by David Harley who has led user education efforts for more than two decades. Read David’s post ('User) Education, Education, Education from last year.

Securing Our eCity Contributing Writer