The IT Nerd

Cybercrime is rising faster than ever, and security experts at NordPass think that one of the reasons could be people deeming password management as a burden. A recent study revealed that 30% of people believe that password management is as stressful as retirement. 

In addition, if people lose a vital password with no reset option, they are even more stressed. 68% of the respondents agree that this situation is as stressful as dismissal from work or changing jobs. 

Why is password management so stressful? The research highlights three main reasons:

1. People have too many accounts to manage. (66% out of the surveyed people agreed, that this is what makes passwords stressful)

2. People can’t remember which password is for which account (41%)

3. People can’t remember their passwords because they use unique ones for every account (38%) 

“With the continuous increase in time spent online, especially during the COVID-19 lockdowns, the risk of cybercrime carries on increasing. Nowadays, people create more online accounts than ever to pay for services remotely, and that doesn’t help. People are overwhelmed by the number of accounts they need to manage,” says Chad Hammond, security expert at NordPass.

In addition to these findings, the research also confirmed that people tend to worry most about accounts related to money, such as banking, email, and large online store accounts. 

“It’s understandable why people tend to worry about financial accounts more. But it’s important to remember that if you use weak or repurposed passwords, it doesn’t matter which account gets hacked. In essence, all accounts become jeopardized,” says Chad Hammond, security expert at NordPass. 

However, even these most critical accounts are left insufficiently secured. For example, only half (56%) use a unique password to protect banking or other financial accounts. Similarly, only 47% protect their email account with a unique password.

Free public Wi-Fi is now one of the most prevalent cybersecurity threats. The risks are becoming so common that even the FBI recommends avoiding free internet hotspots. Along with that, it advises using a virtual private network (VPN) as a precautionary measure. 

In its recent official video, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) informs about the risks of public internet networks. The main reason is that no user “can’t control the security standards of a public Wi-Fi network.” But even the Bureau has to admit that sometimes it’s more than essential to access the web, especially when traveling or working remotely. 

One can make a safe Wi-Fi connection by using a trustworthy VPN service. As the Bureau’s representative adds, “VPN creates a secure tunnel for your data to transit the Internet, using a network of private servers.” This way, your data is encrypted or hidden. Thus, it is harder for an attacker to misuse your data. 

“One of the biggest online threats is free public Wi-Fi. Hackers often position themselves as free Wi-Fi hotspots. And by doing so, they can steal personal information, credit card details, or other data”, says Daniel Markuson, the digital privacy expert at NordVPN. He also emphasizes the risks of public Wi-Fi, noting that it is better to use your mobile data instead.

Yet sometimes there is no other choice but to use public Wi-Fi. For this reason, Daniel Markuson, the digital privacy expert at NordVPN, provides useful safety tips:

• Double-check the network name with the staff when connecting to a Wi-Fi in a coffee shop or a hotel. 

• Avoid visiting sensitive websites and logging into your social accounts. More importantly, never perform banking transactions on public Wi-Fi. 

• If you must log into your private accounts, make sure you have set up two-factor authentication. Use a digital signature to perform any important transactions.

• Enable your firewall. Combined with other security tools, it keeps outsiders from going through your computer’s data. 

• Use a VPN (virtual private network). A reliable VPN, like NordVPN, will make sure your online connections are private, and no sensitive data can get into the hands of criminals. 

• Remember to turn off the Wi-Fi function on your device when not using it. It will spare you from the unwanted connections with Wi-Fi networks surrounding you.

Daniel Markuson recommends being extra cautious about connecting to any Wi-Fi hotspot in a public place. To save your private information and to protect yourself from possible identity theft, stay away from unsafe networks, or use a VPN, like NordVPN.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led governments to the implementation of mass surveillance measures. Experts fear that this invasion into people’s digital privacy might not be that easy to roll back.

“We at NordVPN agree that all appropriate measures should be taken to stop the pandemic and save people’s lives. But we are also digital privacy advocates. The new surveillance on people affected by COVID-19 undoubtedly restricts some freedoms and rights. What is more, some countries are using surveillance without an appropriate legal basis. That means no one knows how this data is processed or what will happen with it in the future,” says Daniel Markuson, digital privacy expert at NordVPN.

“The coronavirus pandemic shows that surveillance technology is already here — it’s not something out of sci-fi movies. It’s up to governments to ensure the proper use of these new technologies, as the potential abuse of power could violate human rights,” says Daniel Markuson, digital privacy expert at NordVPN. “Another worrying thing about these surveillance policies is that they don’t have any clear end date. Therefore, this might be deemed as the new normal even after the pandemic ends. Governments must provide a clear exit strategy and define a date when they will cease the monitoring.”

At least 25 countries have implemented digital surveillance over its citizens to combat COVID-19. The methods and scope of monitoring differ in each country. For example, China has forced hundreds of millions to install a “health code” app, which determines whether the user is fit for travel or must stay at home. 

In Moscow, citizens will be required to use QR codes for traveling. The Russian government will also employ surveillance cameras and facial recognition technology to ensure people are staying at home.

Europe has followed the Asian example and is copying the tracking apps, as well as employing drones and collecting telecom data. 

India is geolocating people’s selfies as well as releasing addresses of the COVID-19 patients. 

Israel has implemented surveillance on a national scale. People with suspected or confirmed Coronavirus cases are tracked by mobile phone.

In South Korea, the government sent out detailed messages with travel information of coronavirus-infected people. Although the purpose was to inform on possible contact points, the texts revealed personal details, which, in some cases, were embarrassing. For example, some people had involved in affairs or paid for sex.

 Password management can be as stressful as planning for retirement, reveals new research by NordPass. More than 30% of people think that resetting and coping with passwords is hugely stressful, and can be compared to the stress of ceasing to work. 

However, losing a vital password without a password reset option is far more stressful. 68% of the respondents agreed that it’s as stressful as dismissal from work or changing jobs.

Data breach and identity theft were deemed even more stressful. 77% of respondents compared data breach to personal injury, illness, and financial problems. 81% compared identity theft to having personal documents stolen or losing a wallet.

Too many passwords

Why is password management so difficult? 67% of the survey respondents say that it’s because they simply have too many accounts to manage. 44% can’t remember which password is for which account, and 41% can’t remember because they use unique ones for every account.   

“It is not surprising that people struggle with effective password hygiene. Our study revealed that 7 out of 10 respondents have more than 10 password-protected accounts for personal use. 2 out of 10 have more than 50 such accounts. On top of that, add all work and school-related accounts, and it ends up being a huge amount of information,” says Chad Hammond, security expert at NordPass.

Not all accounts are the same

NordPass research also confirmed that people view some accounts as more important than others. For example, 85% of people think it would be very harmful if their bank accounts get hacked. 76% agree that having their personal email hacked would be extremely damaging, and 72% feel that way about large online store (such as eBay or Amazon) accounts. In comparison, only 44% of people perceive it harmful if online forums (such as Reddit or Medium) or fitness apps get hacked.

“People tend to worry about financial accounts more. But it’s important to remember that if you use weak or repurposed passwords, it doesn’t matter which account gets hacked. In essence, all accounts become jeopardized,” says Chad Hammond, security expert at NordPass.

Sadly, even the most critical accounts are left insufficiently secured. For example, only 56% use a unique password to protect banking or other financial accounts. Similarly, only 47% protect their personal email account with a unique password.

Even cybercrime victims don’t take appropriate actions

Out of all the people surveyed, 22% have been victims of cybercrime. Out of all victims, 52% consider themselves tech-savvy, 50% are between the ages of 25 and 44, 14% are business owners, and 11% are managing directors.

“We started seeing a pattern when comparing the data of cybercrime victims and those who have never fallen prey. People who have been hacked tend to have more password-protected accounts. They’re also more ready to admit it’s extremely challenging to manage them,” says Chad Hammond, security expert at NordPass.

The study also reveals a different attitude towards passwords by those who have been affected by cybercrime. “Victims become more concerned about their email, forums or entertainment, communication, health apps’ accounts. They also acknowledge the necessity of strong passwords for these accounts more often. However, they don’t seem to take any action. Victims of cybercrime don’t tend to secure their accounts with unique passwords more often than those who haven’t experienced cybercrime,” says Chad Hammond, security expert at NordPass.

Estimates show that 90 percent of corporate data breaches in the cloud happen due to hacker attacks that target employees, shows a report from Kaspersky Lab. With many of them forced to work remotely during the quarantine, companies are now more vulnerable than ever.

Daniel Markuson, the digital privacy expert at NordVPN Teams, agrees that employee negligence is a great threat to business security. However, he points out that this particular risk is easy to control. There are many digital tools that can help protect organizations from data breaches. These tools and security systems don’t require big investments as cybersecurity starts with the right mindset of employees. That can be achieved through mandatory training.

According to Daniel Markuson, both small businesses and large organizations must focus on cybersecurity. All companies dealing with customer data or confidential information are vulnerable to cyber-attacks. The difference is that big names usually have more data that hackers may want to steal. Meanwhile, small ones tend to lack security resources, thus making easier targets.

To protect your business from hacker attacks, you need to consider these common mistakes your employees might be making every day:

Using weak passwords. Passwords play the most important role in protecting your business accounts and customers’ data. But people struggle to create unique passwords and keep forgetting them. That’s why they often use the same ones for different accounts, and your employees might be no exception. “Weak and reused passwords are easy to hack. The best solution is to help your staff build a habit of using password managers,” says Daniel Markuson. Passwords must be changed from time to time and shouldn’t be shared among coworkers.

Sharing unencrypted files. Companies are at serious risk of data loss when their employees handle important documents without security in mind. The safest way to store and share files is encrypting them. For example, NordLocker, is easy-to-use encryption software that adds an extra layer of security to data on a computer or in the cloud. In case of a breach, hackers will not be able to access your company’s information — they will only see undecipherable code.

Connecting to unsecured networks. A vast majority of organizations use Wi-Fi networks. Although Wi-Fi gives staff greater mobility within the office, it also makes your business data more vulnerable to hacks. The best way to keep online traffic private is by using a virtual private network (VPN). A VPN creates a secure encrypted tunnel that protects your connection from anyone trying to breach the system. It is also a must for secure remote connections. It allows employees to safely access their work accounts while traveling, working from home, or using public Wi-Fi. 

Falling for phishing scams. Phishing is one of the main reasons why your members of staff need cybersecurity training. Hackers may try to get sensitive information by faking emails from someone like your company’s CEO or Microsoft representatives. And they use very sophisticated methods for that. “Just one reckless click on a phishing link or one download of an infected attachment can compromise your entire system,” explains Daniel Markuson, the digital privacy expert at NordVPN Teams. Make sure your team is well educated on how to avoid clicking unsafe links or falling for phishing scams.

Ignoring software updates. An average computer user tends to ignore the little pop-up windows that inform about new software updates. Daniel Markuson claims that keeping all software up to date is crucial for your company’s cybersecurity. That’s because updates often repair security flaws, fix or remove various bugs, add new features, and improve the existing ones. Having the latest software version means you are using the most secure version, too. 

Posting work-related content online. Daniel Markuson from NordVPN says that employees posting online carelessly can leak sensitive business information. Consider Instagram pictures with workspace in the background. Or Facebook status updates on upcoming business trips or closing important deals. Both reveal too much information that can be used to breach your organization’s security. It is also a very common mistake during the current situation when people share images online of how their work spaces at home look like. A picture of a desktop with visible icons or open documents can reveal too much than intended. “Businesses need to create social media and data privacy guidelines to prevent employees from sharing confidential information,” the expert suggests. 

Connecting unsafe media storage devices to the company’s computers. Your employee might insert a flash drive into their computer without knowing it is infected. According to Daniel Markuson, these media storage devices might contain viruses and other malicious content. These could transfer to your network and compromise the company’s entire system.

2019 saw some curious laws regarding the internet. Several countries made somewhat questionable moves in an attempt to regulate users’ freedom online — some in more extreme ways than others. 

At NordVPN, we support freedom of speech online and believe that the internet should maintain one of its fundamental objectives  to empower every individual connected to it. Of course, some regulations are necessary, but some countries tend to create overly intrusive laws that restrict freedom of expression or free access to information. Many experts worldwide agree that it often happens not only because governments want more control over their citizens, but also because lawmakers lack technical knowledge. 

Here are some of the laws from different countries that were discussed by cybersecurity experts and human rights activists last year:

Vietnam 

On January 1, 2019, Vietnam passed a law that raised some concerns among cybersecurity experts. Some compare Vietnam’s new regulation to China’s internet governance regime, which is marked by censorship, pervasive internet control, and surveillance. For example, the law allows Vietnamese authorities to delete or block access to data, inspect computer systems, and criminalize propaganda against the official government. Even though the official aim of this law is to help to better protect the country from foreign cybersecurity threats, it gives more power to the Vietnamese government to monitor or even block access to information.

Russia

On November 1, 2019, Russia’s “sovereign internet” law went into effect. This law enables Russia to disconnect their internet from the rest of the world. In December 2019, Russia successfully tested it. RuNet would essentially work like a gigantic intranet, similar to what large corporations have. This concerns many cybersecurity experts, as people will be kept in a bubble, unable to have a dialogue or access information from outside the country. The idea that Russian citizens will not be able to access outside information is rather worrying – essentially, RuNet could become a tool for country-wide propaganda.

China

China is notoriously known for censoring the internet. In 2019, their government implemented more than 60 restrictions. On January 4, 2019, China kicked off a project to take down many sites featuring content with pornography, gambling, parody, promoting “bad lifestyle”, and “bad popular culture” among many others. Later in January, China implemented even more restrictions, such as prohibiting content with “the pessimistic outlook on millennials,” “one-night stand,” “non-mainstream view of love and marriage.” In July 2019, China announced a regulation stating that users who seriously violate related laws and regulations would be subject to the Social Credit System blacklist. And even if some of those sound reasonable, experts fear that these laws are only stepping stones for further censorship.

Nepal

In December 2019, Nepal introduced the Information Technology bill, which would empower the government to censor online content, including social media. According to this bill, anyone who posts an “offensive” comment could face up to 5 years of jail time and a fine of 1.5m rupees (about $13,000). The law concerns cybersecurity and human rights experts as it restricts freedom of expression. For example, it criminalizes any content on social media, which is against “national unity, self-respect, national interest, the relationship between federal units.” The law itself contains three sections, and one of them restricts publishing such content via any electronic platform — news websites, blogs, and even sending by email. According to Freedom Forum, 38 journalists were arrested, detained, or questioned by the police in 2019, and the new IT bill might even worsen the situation. 

Thailand

In February 2019, Thailand’s military-appointed parliament passed a controversial law that gives sweeping powers to state cyber agencies. The government could search and seize data and equipment in cases that are deemed issues of national emergency. This could enable internet traffic monitoring and access to private data, including communications, without a court order. Given the political climate, it is concerning that the law could be weaponized by the government to silence critics.

The coronavirus has triggered the world’s biggest work-from-home experiment. Millions of people have been asked to self-isolate to stop the virus from spreading. Entire regions in China and Italy were put under full or partial lockdown. With the virus spreading, major companies in the US and Europe, including Facebook and Amazon, are also asking employees to stay at home.

The current situation has reignited the discussion on the effectiveness and security of remote work. While many modern workplaces allow and even encourage working from home, opponents argue that remote work is less effective or even risky for business, as companies face many challenges. They need to ensure that employees have all the right access to the required documents and information. Besides, staff connecting from out of office may make mistakes that could cost companies millions. While working remotely, often on public Wi-Fi and on personal laptops, employees pose a severe threat to companies’ cybersecurity.

“According to Google Trends, the search term “VPN” has drastically grown since the beginning of March all over the world. The interest in NordVPN Teams services has increased by 165% as well. We can see that companies are exploring various cybersecurity options to ensure both safe and productive work from home. Security is crucial, as hacks and data leaks don’t only bring financial loss — they may also mean lost customer trust and, in some cases, even bankruptcy. It’s important to note that employees’ errors are usually not deliberate. When working from home, people tend to be more relaxed and browse personal sites, which might not be secure,” says Daniel Markuson, digital privacy expert at NordVPN Teams.

Technological advancements have also made working from home more accessible across all sectors. “Nowadays, compared to 10 years ago, it is a lot easier to access emails, cloud-based filing, dial-in to calls and video conferencing remotely. All that makes work from out of office more accessible,” says Daniel Markuson from NordVPN Teams.

Need to work from home because of the Covid-19 outbreak? Here’s a brief rundown of the tech tools you might find useful to replicate your office.

• Video conferencing software. Regardless of the benefits that remote working brings, it also might seem quite lonely. That’s where video conference comes in handy. Face-to-face meetings are much more productive than emails or chats, and video conferencing is an effective alternative.
• A webcam and a microphone. Essential tools for effective communication, most likely already installed on your laptop.
• Virtual Private Network (VPN). VPNs, such as NordVPN Teams, encrypt the traffic and allow employees to access company servers.
• Messaging platform. Professional messaging platforms, such as Slack, make it quick and easy to communicate with coworkers. They also make file-sharing more instant and straightforward.
• Other necessary office software. It is essential to ensure that employees have all the essential tools such as Microsoft office. By providing that, it will prevent people from downloading illegitimate software.
• PC/laptop. It’s best to use company-provided PCs and laptops. However, it might not be possible in all industries. Therefore, employers need to make sure that the employees have the required antivirus, firewall, and other security software.
• Time management tools. It’s very easy to lose track of time in an informal environment. Many useful tools help the user organize the time and use it effectively.

The internet outage around the world has become the norm with the latest news about the Iranian government shutting off the internet for nearly all of its population of more than 80 million. The authorities say this was done to silence protests over rising gasoline prices. But sometimes official motives for switching off the internet may be different from the actual ones.

“Governments block internet content for three main reasons: to maintain political stability, protect national security, and impose traditional social values,” says Daniel Markuson, the digital privacy expert at NordVPN. According to the expert, the reasons vary from country to country. In fact, states with the most severe online censorship rely on all three motives at once.

The infographic below takes a look at the countries with the heaviest internet censorship. It also lists their motives for cutting down access to global websites.

For example, North Korea has the highest level of online restrictions in the world, with only 4% of the nation having access to the internet. The limited access that exists is controlled and censored by the government. The main motive behind this is to avoid the outside influence and information leak.

China is another example of severe internet censorship. The country uses advanced technologies to block IP addresses, obstruct access to various websites, and block search engines, such as Google, Facebook, Wikipedia, and others. This blockade is usually called the “Great Firewall of China.”

Saudi Arabia stands out among the most censored countries. It puts a strong emphasis on imposing its social and religious values. Saudi Arabia has blocked more than a million websites that contain any contradiction to Islamic beliefs. Any threat to Islamic social and political principles is also filtered and blocked.

According to research provided by the #KeepItOn campaign, there were 196 internet shutdowns across the world in 2018. 134 of them were in India, and the rest occurred in a wide range of Asian, African, and Middle-Eastern countries.

The report states that official and actual causes of the internet shutdowns were different. In most cases (91), the blackouts were justified as a way to maintain public safety. Other reasons include national security protection (40), sabotage (2), stopping fake news and hate speech (33), and school exams (11). Six internet shutdowns happened for no reason, while the motives remained unknown in 13 cases.

However, the actual causes differed from their official explanations. Government justifications rarely matched the causes reported by the media, civil society organizations, and free speech activists. The majority of shutdowns occurred in response to militant or terrorist activity (especially in the Kashmir area of India) (53), protests (45), communal violence (40), elections (12), maintaining information control (11), preventing cheating during school exams period (11), and other events, including religious holidays (16). The reasons for eight internet shutdowns were unknown.

“Governments usually claim to be responding to public safety issues when they shut down the internet. The real reason, however, is often to suppress protests. By limiting access to the internet, they limit people’s ability to organize demonstrations,” claims Daniel Markuson, the digital privacy expert at NordVPN. Similarly, shutdowns that are reported as fake news prevention may actually be the authorities‘ responses to elections, community violence, or militant activities.

Daniel Markuson says that “no matter what grounds are used to justify internet shutdowns, they violate human rights and our freedom of speech and expression.” Luckily, there are tools that help people in need of secure connections.

A VPN (virtual private network) securely bypasses online restrictions and helps keep communications away from prying eyes. For example, NordVPN advocates for digital freedom by providing open access to the internet and securing people’s private data. The service sends internet traffic through an encrypted tunnel, which makes it almost impossible to hijack. It hides IP addresses and real locations. By connecting to another country’s server, users can set their location to virtually anywhere in the world.

NordVPN’s story began in 2012. Four childhood friends came together to build a product that could liberate the internet. All of the founders had their 9 to 5 jobs at other companies but were giving their best to create the technology they believed in.

The beginning of NordVPN was very modest: it was only available on Windows, users had to self-configure it, and it had one server in Germany. By the end of 2012, NordVPN had six servers. “We used to mark these servers on a map on our office wall. It later became our symbol and an inspiration — when creating our first apps, we duplicated this map for easy server selection,” says Ruby Gonzalez, Head of Communications at NordVPN.

In 2013, NordVPN celebrated its first significant milestone — 1000 users. “In those first years, we had three people working for customer support, four in marketing and product, and five developing apps and taking care of infrastructure. We had no CEO, CTO, CMO, or any other C level employee. Everyone was doing everything. If someone was skilled in writing code and also happened to know something about grammar — well, we could use copywriters. If someone could do front-end, then hey, they must obviously know something about web design. It was a small amazing team, and everyone did the best they could,” says Ruby Gonzalez, Head of Communications at NordVPN.

NordVPN launched its first native app for Windows in September 2013. However, as the growth was still slow, other apps didn’t arrive until much later. In fact, the next apps for iOS and macOS were launched in 2015 only. Then the Android app came out in 2016, and the apps for Android TV and Linux followed in 2018.

Even though NordVPN wasn’t available on all devices, by the end of 2014, the company celebrated its first 10,000 users. “We are convinced that the reason for this success was the 24/7 customer support, introduced in September 2014. NordVPN was the first among premium VPNs to launch such a service. Knowing the importance of our support team, we keep strengthening and improving it further. We call our customer support “Success Managers,” as we truly believe that customer satisfaction is the ultimate key to the success of NordVPN,” says Ruby Gonzalez, Head of Communications at NordVPN.

In 2015, the company finally realized that it could be a global brand. The biggest reason for that was the Australian data retention law, which required Australian internet service providers and telecommunications carriers to retain customer metadata. The private information, such as the device location or sender’s email address, had to be held for at least two years. This controversial law led to NordVPN’s popularity skyrocketing — in just a few days, the company doubled its customer base. It was clear that people took their privacy online very seriously.

Continuing to realize its global impact, the company started a social responsibility program, providing the first emergency VPN in Uganda. During the 2016 general elections, Ugandan authorities resorted to shutting down entire social media platforms twice. “As our main goal is to liberate the internet, the social responsibility program is a no brainer for our company,” says Ruby Gonzalez, Head of Communications at NordVPN.

2017 marks the beginning of an incredible bout of growth: both in users and staff, along with the expansion of features and services. “The enthusiasm that led to starting this company has not gone away. Things haven’t always gone smoothly, and we haven’t always achieved what we wanted. However, every time we made a mistake, we made sure we’ve learned something from it and tried to do even better next time. That’s our recipe for success,” says Ruby Gonzalez, Head of Communications at NordVPN.

In November 2018, NordVPN took an even further step towards improving its service and completed an industry-first audit of its no-logs policy. “The trust of our customers is vital, and we wanted to prove we keep no logs of our user activity. And that was not our only audit. In 2019, third-party penetration testers checked our apps, while a full infrastructure audit is planned for this year,” says Ruby Gonzalez, Head of Communications at NordVPN.

Last year was extremely exciting for NordVPN. In 2019, the company celebrated 12 million users. It also launched NordLynx — a new solution for a fast and secure VPN connection, built around the WireGuard® protocol. The company also launched three new products: NordPass — a new generation password manager, NordLocker — a powerful file encryption tool, and NordVPN Teams — a VPN solution for business.

“Our company has no plans to stop growing – our ambitions are very high. We are incredibly excited about the future, and we are committed to serving our users and offering the best product on the market. We will also focus on transparency and trust between our clients and us,” concludes Ruby Gonzalez, Head of Communications at NordVPN.

About two years ago, Apple canceled its plans to implement end-to-end encryption for iCloud because of complaints from the FBI, reports Reuters.

Reuters’ sources say that the technology giant had to abandon full encryption of iPhone backups after FBI objections over the resulting reduced ability to gather evidence of criminal activities. If Apple had followed through, it would no longer have been able to access users’ encrypted data. Thus, even under court orders, it could no longer turn over private material to authorities in readable form.

The FBI uses hacking software to break into the phones and computers of potential criminals. By contrast, Apple’s cloud can be searched in secret, which is more convenient. Therefore, the company’s decision to not proceed with end-to-end encryption of iCloud backups made the FBI’s job easier.

According to Reuters, in the first half of last year, U.S. authorities armed with warrants obtained full device backups or other iCloud content in more than 1,500 cases.

According to Oliver Noble, a cybersecurity expert at NordLocker, Apple’s intention to offer end-to-end encryption and cut off its own access to customers’ information should be lauded, despite it running contrary to the FBI’s principles. That is because unencrypted data is coveted not only by the authorities, but also by cybercriminals.

“Users’ data has been in demand for many years and the situation is out of control. Last year’s data breaches, hacks, and leaks put an unimaginable amount of sensitive information at risk. And the risk of getting money stolen from a credit card is no longer the worst possible outcome. Nowadays, our data is sold to advertisers or used to influence our political decisions — and that is changing the world as we know it,” says Oliver Noble from NordLocker.

Although Apple’s backtracking hasn’t been reported until recently, data encryption has been a hot topic for quite some time now. Security experts advise people to not wait for the government or big corporations to take care of their data, but to look after their privacy themselves. There are many different tools, such as VPNs, file encryption software, and password managers, that help users protect themselves from hackers.

The Apple case shows that even big companies can find themselves between a rock and a hard place, forced to choose between better protection for their users and unimpeded government access to information for legitimate purposes.