Doxing -- Something To Expect More of In 2015

HughPickens.com writes: When asked about trends to expect in 2015, Bruce Schneier points to doxing as a likely candidate. Doxing is not new, dating back to at least 1987 when Robert Bork's video tape rentals were leaked to the press. Usually it's things like an address and phone number, but it can also be credit card details, medical information, private e-mails—pretty much anything an assailant can get his hands on. "Everyone from political activists to hackers to government leaders has now learned how effective this attack is. Everyone from common individuals to corporate executives to government leaders now fears this will happen to them. And I believe this will change how we think about computing and the Internet."

Comments

What is doxing?

[pr0nbot]

For those too lazy to google:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

Re:at the moment the only trend

[Spad]

It's hardly a new word, it's been in active use for the best part of 10 years.

The problem with doxing

[Solandri]

Is that everyone has some skeletons in the closet they're hiding. Yours might not be as severe as someone else's, or it may be from back when you were a stupid teen. But there's something that would embarrass you or tarnish your reputation if it were made public. Maybe you tried smoking weed in college, or you had sex with your high school GF when she (and you) were technically underage, or all manner of other things.

So if facts uncovered by doxing becomes accepted as legitimate grounds for disqualification, then the only people who will get the good job positions or get elected will be the liars who are exceptionally good at covering up their history or shifting blame onto others.

Instead, what needs to happen is for people to stop demanding perfection from others. Everyone is human, and humans are fallible. Someone who claims to have never failed, to have always done the right thing, is almost certainly a liar, a con artist.. That's what should raise suspicion about someone's fitness for a job or elected office - the absence of any skeletons in the closet. If society can change to where we accept that we're all flawed and that a few flaws shouldn't automatically disqualify us, then doxing largely becomes irrelevant and IMHO our world will become a much nicer place.

Re:The problem with doxing

[ciascu]

I heard a story once about a PhD who was presenting their first year's progress. There were no problems, everything had gone to plan and on time, unlike the rest of their office mates, who had followed false leads, made mistakes with mixing chemicals and so forth. At the presentation, after all of the productive work was outlined and a few cursory questions addressed, one of the more senior staff put up their hand and asked "What unexpected problems did you come across?" The response was "Nothing - it all proceeded as planned." After some investigation, it turned out an experienced postdoc had actually done most of the work and coached the candidate through their first year.

Like many good murder mysteries, something can seem "too perfect" - then you can find the needle much faster than searching through a haystack of mistakes.

Re:at the moment the only trend

[wonkey_monkey]

used by people precisely because it's not mainstream.

"Subdural haematoma" isn't mainstream either, but doctors don't just use it because they're hipsters.

Gamergate Doxxing

[Kunedog]

TFA mentions Gamergate in the context of the doxxing but all the victims mentioned just happen to be on the anti-GG side (innocent mistake, I'm sure).

Pro-GG people have been doxxed:
http://imgur.com/BNlLKcn

So was the creator of #notyourshield, and his workplace was harassed until he was fired:
https://twitter.com/Moldybars/...
http://i.imgur.com/9ieHMu9.png

A prominent anti-GGer called for the doxxing of all Gamergate supporters: http://i.gyazo.com/5db582013ac...

At least the pro-GG makes an effort to detect, condemn, and report this shitty behavior, no matter which side it comes from.

Re:at the moment the only trend

[Will.Woodhull]

It is useful right now, and has been for several years within the communities where doxing has become a known problem. It is a jargon word that is gaining mainstream use simply because the mainstream is now beginning to see a significant increase in the behavior it describes.

A similar term, "outing" (as in "John was deliberated outed last week by Jim, his ex lover") has been in use among the LBGT communities since at least the 1950s. But that refers explicitly to making public someone's very private sexual orientation.

However "doxing" is different from "outing": it is a more general term describing the unauthorized release of anyone's private information in a public forum. It is rarely an honorable act and in general those who dox others are persons without honor. And the honor of those who condone doxing is questionable. People who dox, or show support for doxing, are people you cannot trust. You should not associate with them, either, since that will raise questions about your personal honor.

"Doxing" is a concept that needs to come into the mainstream, right now.

Re:That is not doxing

[91degrees]

There's a reason doxxing is mainly associated with 4chan, 8chan and other pedophile websites.

Jezebel writer doxxes autistic kid.
Rebecca Watson promotes Doxxing.
Reddits ShitRedditSays subreddit digging up names of gamergaters.
A tumblr related website all about doxxing

Something about throwing stones in glass houses springs to mind here.