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This is what it’s like to be an Internet spy

Published Jun 11th, 2014 12:30PM EDT
Internet Spying

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Nefarious hackers are lurking around every corner of the Internet, constantly working on new ways to beat Web security and steal our data. Some methods they employ involve remote digital attacks that utilize security flaws to steal data from corporate servers. And sometimes they perpetrate physical breaches, as was the case with the major Target attack we saw last year. Large corporations aren’t the only targets though, and one reporter recently found out firsthand what it’s like to be an Internet spy.

“On a bright April morning in Menlo Park, California, I became an Internet spy,” Ars Technica’s Sean Gallagher wrote in a recent feature article. “This was easier than it sounds because I had a willing target.”

He continued, “I had partnered with National Public Radio (NPR) tech correspondent Steve Henn for an experiment in Internet surveillance. For one week, while Henn researched a story, he allowed himself to be watched—acting as a stand-in, in effect, for everyone who uses Internet-connected devices. How much of our lives do we really reveal simply by going online?”

Just how much damage was Gallagher able to do? His piece is a fascinating read and it’s linked below in our source section.

Zach Epstein
Zach Epstein Executive Editor

Zach Epstein has been the Executive Editor at BGR for more than 10 years. He manages BGR’s editorial team and ensures that best practices are adhered to. He also oversees the Ecommerce team and directs the daily flow of all content. Zach first joined BGR in 2007 as a Staff Writer covering business, technology, and entertainment.

His work has been quoted by countless top news organizations, and he was recently named one of the world's top 10 “power mobile influencers” by Forbes. Prior to BGR, Zach worked as an executive in marketing and business development with two private telcos.