Much of keeping your private life private is common sense. Don’t post it online. Don’t tell it to friends. Don’t send it in an email.Don’t put your personal details on Facebook and be surprised when your co-workers read them–and use them against you. Don’t even join Facebook (unless you’re a business, then by all means get your presence on Facebook, LinkedIn, all of the social network world).
And still, there are stories like this:
Cryptography: How to Keep Your Secrets Safe
Zack has decided to try out the online dating service Chix-n-Studz.com. He signs up for an account at the Web site and fills in several screens of forms detailing his personal profile and what he is looking for in a potential partner. In no time at all, the service offers him a number of possible soul mates, among them the very exciting-sounding Wendy. He sends her his e-mail address and what he hopes is an engaging opening message. She replies directly to him, and a whirlwind e-romance begins.
Poor Zack. Soon he is also getting numerous unsolicited phone calls from political action groups and salespeople who seem to know things about him, and his health insurance company is questioning him about his extreme-adventure vacations; the unscrupulous owners of Chix-n-Studz have been selling client information. Then there is Ivan, a mischievous co-worker to whom Zack foolishly showed one of Wendy’s e-mails. Zack does not know that several subsequent recent messages supposedly from Wendy are fakes from Ivan.
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