TO BE CONTINUED...
Over the past few days I've been thinking long and hard about whether to carry on blogging.
Monday's hacking incident left me shaken -- not because I genuinely feared for my safety, but simply because it made me question whether it was worth continuing to share details about my life and work online when a tiny minority of vindictive, criminal people will seek to destroy the trust and friendships I've built up over more than two years of blogging.
It showed a puerile and imbecilic side of the internet that I've never encountered before -- and hope never to again.
Our Romanian hacker friend has had his fun and made his point. Perhaps he'll now scuttle off and bother someone else. I hope the hacking community will condemn his actions as I'm sure this more than anything else will serve to discourage him.
But should I throw in the towel because of the actions of one idiot?
No -- and the many e-mails and phone calls I've received since Monday have convinced me of that.
If it happens again, the chances are I'll finally lose patience with the trolls and thugs lurking in the nether regions of the internet and shut up shop.
This blog has always been a sideline to my real job and I haven't got the time or the inclination to continually fight off the weirdos and members of the green ink brigade who think I should be publicising every grievance, gripe and injustice in the world.
But, for the moment at least, service is resumed.
Oh, and note the new e-mail address. The old one is now obsolete. E-mails from FBI cybercrime agents and internet security experts particularly welcome.
Over the past few days I've been thinking long and hard about whether to carry on blogging.
Monday's hacking incident left me shaken -- not because I genuinely feared for my safety, but simply because it made me question whether it was worth continuing to share details about my life and work online when a tiny minority of vindictive, criminal people will seek to destroy the trust and friendships I've built up over more than two years of blogging.
It showed a puerile and imbecilic side of the internet that I've never encountered before -- and hope never to again.
Our Romanian hacker friend has had his fun and made his point. Perhaps he'll now scuttle off and bother someone else. I hope the hacking community will condemn his actions as I'm sure this more than anything else will serve to discourage him.
But should I throw in the towel because of the actions of one idiot?
No -- and the many e-mails and phone calls I've received since Monday have convinced me of that.
If it happens again, the chances are I'll finally lose patience with the trolls and thugs lurking in the nether regions of the internet and shut up shop.
This blog has always been a sideline to my real job and I haven't got the time or the inclination to continually fight off the weirdos and members of the green ink brigade who think I should be publicising every grievance, gripe and injustice in the world.
But, for the moment at least, service is resumed.
Oh, and note the new e-mail address. The old one is now obsolete. E-mails from FBI cybercrime agents and internet security experts particularly welcome.
posted by Stuart at 10:51
9 Comments:
I sympathise with your anger, but your blog - and your will to keep on posting - supports the idea of freedom: You can express your opinion, whomever it concerns, and whenever you wish.
That idea of freedom is not keen to many, either hackers, either politicians, either terrorists.
Its unnerving to have it happen - one of my guestbooks was hacked (via PHP exploit as it happened) and although not a major breach, the implications scared the pants off me and made me change a lot of my practices to improve security. Scary stuff when its your personal gubbins being spread out and abused like that.
Good to hear you aren't letting this kill the blog - Hoder is right. :)
I was actually among the Romanian hackers in 2003. Like in their apartments kind of "among" not internet among. They are good, decent people (I have no idea if I met your hacker or not). Like most people who feel they have to do "something" in a time of crisis but don't know what to do exactly, they usually decide on a bad choice.
Threats on the internet and elsewhere are always unnerving , but I don't think you have much to fear.
Hi Stu,
I am delighted you have decided to blog on. I had a letter published in our local paper critical of "W" before the election. A friend warned me I might get hatemail and a nasty letter duly arrived. I see it as an unintended compliment, I guess I got through to someone!
It is a pain that your creatvity and activism would inspire such a response.
Your friend in Michigan
Dr. Robert
With all your comments posted here, you made us to be shame coz will aderate to UE alongside you!!! You think only about yourselves....Shame on you!!! you don't have heart!!! Shame on you!!!
could've sworn there were more comments than this previously? Is blogger being buggy, or are you removing them? Or am I imagining things?
Mike -- you're imagining things.
I haven't touched a thing! ;)
please dont stop blogging. I look at you every day. a true story of bravery and an interesting content.
starliz
yeah, clearly getting caught up too many conspiracy theories!! ;-)
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