New Technology: Risk or Opportunity?

When the U.S. Government dropped a virtual bomb on the file-sharing website MegaUpload.com last month, thousands — if not millions — of MegaUpload users who utilized the site to store personal files as a synchronization and backup service received a rude awakening and painful lesson about the risks of Internet security.  And it’s quite possible they may never see their personal information again.

Founded in 2005, MegaUpload grew into a massive files-sharing site over the years.  Estimates vary as to its traffic and registered user base, but suffice it to say that the service was huge, possibly among the world’s biggest.  While an undisclosed amount of the site’s data undoubtedly included an enormous amount of pirated material, many people used the service to store and send files to themselves, their family and friends, and colleagues, not expecting them to disappear literally overnight when the feds abruptly and unexpectedly shut the site down on charges of copyright infringement.

This may be an extreme case (after all, when was the last time one of your favorite websites was shut down by the feds?).  But it’s also a great example of the false expectation of security people have when it comes to new technology.

While being the first on your block to own the latest shiny new electronic thing or sign of up for the latest beta version of an online widget provides a certain insider status and puts you on the cutting edge, it also opens you up to serious trouble.  Oftentimes these companies are not doing the penetration testing or technology risk assessments required to identify potential security issues and implement corrective strategies.  Ultimately, this puts you and/or your business at risk.

There are literally hundreds of technology blogs out there today offering up beta opportunities, targeting early adopters who are willing and eager to take advantage of the latest and (they hope) greatest.  There’s no doubt that advances in technology represent a seductive opportunity to anyone willing to try them, but new technology also means new risk, and for people and businesses, those risks can be costly.

What’s the answer?  It’s hard to say, besides that you should always be cautious of in whom and in how many people you invest your valuable private information.  It’s great to be first, but it’s better to be safe.

Must reads:

Feds Shutter Megaupload, Arrest Executives

Two lessons from the Megaupload seizure

Megaupload’s demise: What happens to your files when a cloud service dies?