Many people today are familiar with the Internet and its use. A large number of its users however, are not aware of the security problems they face when using the Internet. Most users feel they are anonymous when on-line, yet in actuality they are not. There are some very easy ways to protect the user from future problems. The Internet has brought many advantages to its users but has also created some major problems. Most people believe that they are anonymous when they are using the Internet. Because of this thinking, they are not careful with what they do and where they go when on the "net." Security is a major issue with the Internet because the general public now has access to it. When only the government and higher education had access, there was no worry about credit card numbers and other types of important data being taken. There are many advantages the Internet brings to its users, but there are also many problems with the Internet security, especially when dealing with personal security, business security, and the government involvement to protect the users.
The Internet is a new, barely regulated frontier, and there are many reasons to be concerned with security. The same features that make the Internet so appealing such as interactivity, versatile communication, and customizability also make it an ideal way for someone to keep a careful watch on the user without them being aware of it (Lemmons 1). It may not seem like it but it is completely possible to build a personal profile on someone just by tracking them in cyperspace. Every action a person does while logged onto the Internet is recorded somewhere (Boyan, Codel, and Parekh 3). An individual's personal security is the major issue surrounding the
Internet. If a person cannot be secure and have privacy on the Internet, the whole system will fail. According to the Center for Democracy and Technology
(CDT), any website can find out whose server and the location
Cited: January 26, 1997: 1-4. Methvin, David W. "Safety on the Net." Windows Magazine Online (1996): 1-9. November, 1995 Feature PC World Online November 1995 1-3.