Data Privacy Week and Your "Privacy Attack Surface"

This week is Data Privacy Week, and solid reporting and articles about digital privacy have been popping up in both the usual and some unexpected places.  
 
KHON 2, a local television station in Hawaii, captured an on-point interview with Cameron Nakashima from the Better Business Bureau.  

“Good data privacy is really important because the consequence of poor data privacy is identity theft – which is more common than most people think. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, about 1 in 5 persons (22%) have experienced identity theft in their lifetime.”

Nakishima continues:  

“With enough personal information, a scammer can pretend to be you and commit crimes. They can make false applications for loans and credit cards, withdraw money from your bank account, or obtain services in your name. They can also sell your information to others on the Internet.”

From our perspective, the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) metric of only 22% (1 in 5) people having experienced identity theft might be coming from an overly narrow definition or a significant underestimation. 

Consider This: 

According to an annual U.S. Data Breach Report for 2023 compiled by the Identity Theft Resource Center, 2023 saw over 353 million “victims” of data theft. This colossal number exceeds the population of the United States – including minor children, who do not yet have cell phones or bank accounts, etc.

Let's adjust the population by subtracting minor children, although some of them, especially teens, could be among the identity theft victims as well. We are looking at data breaches, exposures and leaks affecting all of the nation's 2023 adult population of 271ish million people on average 1.26 times each – in a single year. 

Image Source: Identity Theft Resource Center 2023 Annual Data Breach Report

This is an unimaginably large problem. It’s realistic to assume that some portion of your personal identifying data has been breached multiple times over, in recent years. The BJS definition for “identity theft” does not account for this widespread, whole-population exposure to data breaches. Unfortunately for privacy-conscious individuals, knowing that our data is circulating in stolen data sets is unnerving and creates open-ended risk. 

So, what can be done?  

At times, acquiescing to the ever-creeping panopticon seems like the only option. We strongly disagree. Now is the time to proactively embrace technology built to rebalance power back to the individual.  

So some of your data is already out there. It’s time to rethink your data privacy attack surface similar to how a military strategist minimizes the attack surface of a vehicle or convoy to protect it from enemy threats. The goal is the same: to limit exposure to vulnerabilities while maintaining functionality and efficiency.  

Just as a military convoy avoids predictable routes, hardens its defenses, and employs countermeasures, individuals can take steps to reduce their digital footprint, secure personal data, and anticipate potential cyber threats.

For instance, a military convoy uses armor plating to mitigate damage, travels at unpredictable times to avoid ambushes, and deploys electronic countermeasures to prevent tracking. Similarly, privacy-conscious individuals minimize their personal attack surface by using encrypted communications (like UP Messenger), limiting the amount of personal information shared online, and regularly updating security settings. Avoiding unnecessary data collection—such as blocking location tracking on apps or minimizing social media exposure—is akin to a military vehicle reducing its electronic emissions to evade detection.

Image source: Army.mil

Furthermore, just as a convoy implements layered defenses—including physical security teams, intelligence gathering, and rapid response capabilities—individuals should adopt a multi-layered security approach. This includes using strong, unique passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and being cautious with third-party services that could act as weak links.  

Part of the Solution

At Unplugged, we work every day to be part of the solution and to provide state-of-the-art apps, hardware and our LibertOS operating system stripped of AD-IDs and devoid of integrations with big technology companies like Google and Apple. We are all working together to realize a more private world.