A Brand New Internet

Well, not for the everyday person like you and me perhaps. But apparently the NSA wants to build a secondary internet so they can put government activity separate from all the civilian activity. While they think it will keep government sites more secure from attacks, they are gravely mistaken.
One of the reasons hackers hack is for the challenge and bragging rights. The mentality could be similar to the compulsive shoplifter who steals and steals and never gets caught. Then one day BOOM. She is caught and does not understand why she got away wit hit all along. Despite security measures taken by many stores to hinder shoplifting attempts, people are dishonest enough to find ways to get around security measures. So doesn't the NSA think that a mischievous hacker will have this same mentality? Or even worse, what about the devious foreigner?
It has recently been disclosed that China is suspected of hacking two satellites a few years ago. Most people do not think about hacking satellites, but now that it is being thought about, a little bit of it is fumy. When satellites are being considered, most people think only paranoid thoughts about the US government spying. Most people, unless you are a US government official perhaps, do not think about foreign intelligence getting the satellites to spy. Whether they will be interested in the everyday person is another story. It is more likely that they only care about what the US government is doing. Phew, we are safe!
But even so, it is scary to think that a satellite can be hacked into just as easily as a personal computer if someone has loose security. Now with the secondary internet put in place, will the security get better or is this more or less just a band aid that the NSA wants to have? If there will be no change in security, it is better that they stay on the same internet and improve security. Hacking is inevitable, especially when there are juicy secrets to be found. So swallow the truth and just improve security in what is in place now. Don't isolate yourself and make yourself more vulnerable. Remember that the Stuxnet attacked technology that was not even attached to an internet.

NBC's Twitter being hacked is a reminder to verify info

Hackers are as diverse as the reasons and motives for why they hack in the first place. The consequences vary, but the one thing that they have in common is some form of destruction.
Today's hack of NBC's Twitter account brings about another consequence-confusion and fear. The United States has been on high alert since 9/11. This year's tenth anniversary is certainly no exception, especially with a new terror threat over the American people's heads. So today, when people read that planes hit Ground Zero, it looked legit. After all, it came from a mainstream news source. People are conditioned to believe anything from news because for years, they got it from TV or radio.
More people get their news online than ever before. While many just type in the usual urls of CNN or Fox news, many are getting their news source from Facebook or Twitter. Usually it is not a problem to not see the news anchor as news is read online like seeing it on TV. People assume it is someone from the news source if they see an update on Twitter or Facebook. In this case, it was not a legit source as the account was hacked in order to spread fear into millions of mourning people.
While the appropriate authorities go after hackers, cyber criminals, and to a growing extent, cyber terrorists, let's remember to use our own vigilance online. To the average person, this is called common sense (for those who still have it, that is).
Taking the false reports of a terrorist attack, for example, things like this can always be verified. There were other news sources besides NBC, so a smarter move would be to look on another news source. The greatest news with social media such as Twitter is that people can be contacted whether they are acquaintances in real life or not. So just ask! The worst thing to do is spread the information since rumors on Facebook and, to a greater extent, Twitter move at the speed of light!
Keep these tips in mind always when something alarming is read online. Til then, let's remember all the victims, firefighters, rescuers, and the people who fought the terrorists on Flight 93. Let's remember all the people who are hurting everyday. Let's not pay any mind to someone who would spread such atrocious rumors on this day especially.