Jeff Bezos is a man under siege following reports that his nudes are doing rounds out there on the internet. Someone is apparently threatening to let them loose for the public eyes, and Bezos is not taking the matter lying down.
The Amazon founder with a net worth of over $133.9 billion is reported to have authorized his security chief Gavin de Becker “to proceed with whatever budget needed” to get to the bottom of how his (Bezos’) nudes got leaked.
Bezos alleges that he is the latest victim of blackmail attempts by the publisher of the National Enquirer. The trouble that has fallen Bezos also unearths a security risks majority of the rich and famous don’t take as seriously as they should.
“The perception among very affluent people is often ‘I have this level of wealth, I’m untouchable.’” argued Mark Johnson, the CEO of Sovereign Intelligence, McLean risk analytics firms based in Virginia. “But the systems they have in place for protecting their personal identifiable information are very weak.”
Ask the typical family household in America, some of their biggest fears is that their electronic devices might be used to spy on them, particularly for the rich and famous. These days it is no longer sufficient to have bodyguards and cutting edge alarm system guarding your home or office.
You also need top-notch security systems installed on your home/office network and electronic devices. Doing so becomes even harder if you have interconnected one or more electronic devices, as it means the entire mesh of Internet of Things (IoT) need to be secured.
The super-rich individuals always have a bull’s eye behind their back, as attackers and law enforcement agencies keep trying to hack into their network and electronics. Sometimes it is for legal reasons such as to find incriminating evidence as should be the case for government agents. However, for hackers, it is purely out of malice; to find information that could be used to ask for ransom or steal from the victims.
Millions spent on Physical Security and minimum on Cyber Security
Johnson, a former case officer with the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service recalls how at one time he was working with clients worth over $40 billion in assets. These clients had a “Secret Service-type physical security – probably even better – and yet there was an absolute disconnect between that physical security and the digital protection.”
All people – including the rich and famous – have devices they keep bringing with them everywhere they go. These devices have their own vulnerability that the users ought to be aware of and taken protective measures.
Your smartphone probably has full information on your identity, bank, daily schedules, and health information among others. The richer and more influential you are, the more hackers and government agencies are going to take interest in such data on you.
