Technology involves the using the knowledge of tools, techniques and machines in an organized manner in order to accomplish some given function. Technology is very useful and comes with several advantages as it helps in making work easier. However, there are some instances that technology can expose one to external intrusion thus leading to a compromise on personal or sensitive information. Personal and sensitive information can be easily exposed to third parties if proper protection measures are not taken into consideration. Intercepting information without the consent of the owners of the information is a criminal offence which is prosecutable in a court of law. Several countries have outlined this issue and strict penalties attached to the offence depending on the nature of intrusion and the harm caused.
Transacting businesses online exposes one to outside intrusion as hackers can gather credit card information and also intrude into the system to get some very sensitive information about the users. Most websites offer secure browsing to their clients however, in some cases they may be prone to attacks from elite hackers. Once the hackers gather the credit card information, they can then use the information for fraud purposes and carrying out some illegal transactions. It is therefore the responsibility of the service providers to ensure that whenever a person registers with their online shopping site, personal data must be kept with a lot of confidentiality and not be exposed to any third party.
Using telephone for communication also exposes the users to external intrusion by third parties. Telephone conversations can be incepted by third parties thus jeopardizing infringing privacy and at the same time jeopardizing the security of the users. Mobile phone communication and using e-mail for communication are the most affected. The computers can also be attacked by viruses which may put the operation of the computer at a risk. Telephone service providers should ensure that information is encrypted as it passes through their system. This will ensure that even if the third party taps the communication, they will not be able to deduce the meaning of the information being relayed.
1. Donald A. MacKenzie and Judy Wajcman,(1999) The Social Shaping of Technology, Buckingham, England : Open University Press
2. Jonathan Zittrain, (2008) The Future of The Internet, Penguin Books