Why Creatives Should Care About Cyber Security and Data Privacy
A WORLD WITHOUT CREATIVITY
Think about it, what would the world be without art? Without creatives? I imagine a world without the arts and freedom to express looks a lot like a grey, dark, dystopia. Something out of a Steinbeck short story (any literature nerds? No? Just me? ok.). A world without creatives would be heartbreak in tangible form. And unfortunately, as data aggregation, artificial intelligence and machine learning continue to develop, space and freedom for creative expression becomes more and more complex.
I’m not here to discount all of the wonderful benefits of the world wide web, but: oppressive algorithms, identity theft, phishing and ransomware exist. Therefore making the internet just as ugly as it is beautiful. According to the 2020 Verizon Data Breach and Investigations report, 45% percent of breaches were done by hacking and 22% percent done through social engineering attacks. That means people use your own information to manipulate you into giving them more information. Eventually gathering enough useful data to either rob you of your money, ruin your social media or simply ruin your life. That’s why cyber security is so crucial for creatives, especially ones that make a living creating content for public viewing.
If my message above didn’t resonate, let me put it in other words. Your livelihood is at stake. Your brand and identity — a click away from theft. Your social media platform, a click away from a full take over. The new project you just finished after countless hours of work ? Taken.
It takes one click. That’s it. A nanosecond of carelessness. One shitty download that allows full access into your device. It’s integral we start asking more questions and being more careful. We have to move away from the “convenience clicking” culture we live in and start connecting dots.
What happens if I download this app? What access am I giving away? What’s Dropbox doing with my hopes and dreams in the form of .mp3?
I hold a special place in my heart for creatives and artists. I’m surrounded by them. People that put their entire lives into their projects, bury pieces of their hearts into their work, carry unmatched passion. I’m surrounded by award winning journalists, globe trotting musicians, poets, writers, irreverent thinkers. I mean, my own blood brother fought his way onto billboards in Time Square. Decked out in a purple jumpsuit, chappals and a loud message — “DAMN IT FEELS GOOD TO BE AN IMMIGRANT”.
Me in front of my brother’s billboard!
And as long as it took me to truly admit, I too am a creative (honestly it still feels kind of weird to even say). I denied it for a long time, because how could I possibly let myself be a “multi-hyphenate”? The security industry is less hooded hackers, and more…golf. Being one of the few female POCs in most spaces I’m in, it took a long time for me to shed the notion of living up to the “elitist” image of Cyber Security. I can be an expert, a great leader and still be authentically myself. I am an artist in the security field, and that’s that.
And that’s also exactly why I’m writing this article (blog?). Because as an artist in the security field, knowing the things I know — it’s my duty to share that information with all of you. It’s my duty to make sure people are aware of their digital vulnerabilities. And I have made it my purpose to share ways to protect yourselves from cyber attacks.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
1. Use encrypted file sharing tools
When you encrypt data, you’re basically sending a secret message across the internet tunnels. Using encrypted file sharing tools will help prevent attackers from accessing your valuable creative work. The hyperlink above takes you to a list of 35 free encrypted tools. Yes, FREE!
But be weary of free tools, make sure you’re always checking the validity of the tool/brand by doing extra research and fact checking. I recommend looking up the company on Linkedin and checking out the credentials of the people that are associated with the organization.
2. Maintain user access/accessibility when leveraging file sharing tools; DropBox, Google Drive etc.
3. Use a password management tool
I highly recommend using Keeper Security. Not only have I vetted the tool with their engineers, but I also use it myself. If you’re itching to learn more about password management, check out Episode 3 of my online show, Security Privacy and a Lot of Other Bullshit.
4. Use a VPN
Click the hyperlink for a breakdown on what VPN is and how to pick one.
5. Think before you click
This might be the most important tip of them all. Practicing mindful clicking can keep you from getting hacked. If an email looks sketchy and is asking you to click a link or download something — DON’T DO IT! When you’re unsure, instead of clicking the link directly from you email, copy and paste into your web browser, this will help determine the legitimacy of the link. There are many more examples of social engineering attacks, so the more cognizant you are, the less likely you are to accidentally click something you shouldn’t have.
CLOSING NOTE
It’s integral we start considering cyber security to be as important as our physical security. In an age where majority of our livelihood lives on the internet, homes are smart and our entire identity can be accessed through facial recognition tools, we need to be aware more than ever. Especially us artists and creatives. We need to be conscious of what we’re clicking, what we’re sharing and especially what we are consuming. We need to push ourselves to think beyond “I don’t have anything to hide” and start considering what we have to lose. It’s our right to understand what’s happening with our data and how information is manipulated and it’s our job to protect our magic.
For more digestible content around security and privacy, find me on IG (@tazinkhannorelius) where I host my weekly show: Security, Privacy and a lot of other Bullshit.