Doxxing: Are You in Danger of Being Doxxed?

doxxing

Bill here from PixelPrivacy.com, a site all about making the online world a little bit safer.

We’ve recently published a guide which I think you’ll be interested in seeing. It’s our comprehensive guide to the issue of “doxxing” which is a type of cyberbullying/ online abuse that is becoming more common.

Here’s the link – https://pixelprivacy.com/vpn/what-is-doxxing

I’d appreciate your help in spreading the word about our guide and the issue of doxxing in general.

Thanks,
Bill

What is Doxxing?

Doxxing is a type of cyberbullying when someone on the internet (the doxxer) posts personal information about someone else (the victim) for the whole world to see, especially as a form of punishment or revenge. The term “doxxing” got its start in 1990s hacking culture. It comes from the expression “dropping dox,” which was a tactic used by hackers where they published private or identifying information on a rival. The “dox” refers to “documents,” shortened to “docs” and then changed to “dox.”

Yep, hackers were the original cyberbullies. Who could have believed that the LAPSUS$ hacking group, known for targeting big-name tech companies, would be connected to a group of British teenagers? These amateurs stole and leaked 90 percent of the source code for Microsoft’s Bing search engine! The alleged mastermind? A 16-year-old autistic boy who attends a special education school in Oxford, UK. According to reports, the kid who goes by the online pseudonym “White” or “Breachbase,” had his real name and other identifying info exposed by a rival cybercrime faction via Doxbin, a controversial website that is specifically used to leak personal details about people.

In recent years, doxxing attacks have become increasingly common, not just among hackers, but with celebrities as well as ordinary citizens falling victim. Hillary Clinton, Sarah Palin, Al Gore, Mel Gibson, Beyonce, and Britney Spears are just a few notable people who have been doxxed online. Doxxing is usually intended to embarrass or harm the victim in one way or another for the purposes of shaming, coercion, blackmail, and even vigilante justice.

Doxxing may involve hacking, but not always. Cybercriminals and trolls can be very resourceful in how they track you down, even if you try to remain anonymous. They can use a single clue, and then follow it up until they slowly unravel your online persona and reveal your identity. This may include your real name, home address, email address, telephone number, photos and more. They publish this information on the internet, typically with malicious intent, leading to attacks that can move from the online world to the physical one.

You May Be Next

Nowadays, doxxing is often associated with online mobs who are seeking to intimidate or threaten the victim by making them fear for their personal safety and security. It’s often used to shame or punish people because of their political activities or beliefs. In today’s chaotic climate, someone may set out to dox you when you least expect it, especially if they consider you an easy target.

The Covington Catholic High School boys were doxxed, harassed, and threatened by left-wing activists after the 2019 March for Life partly because of their red MAGA hats but also because they are white, Christian, and pro-life. In November 2021, Scottsdale AZ School Board President Jann-Michael Greenburg publicized the social security numbers, divorce proceedings, and financial records of outspoken parents.

While doxxing is releasing someone’s personal information online, swatting is when someone uses that information to call authorities and fake an emergency situation so that law enforcement shows up in force at the victim’s house. Several people have been killed, injured or otherwise died as a result of the swatting practice nationwide.

It’s always a good idea to play nice online and be careful how you treat others on the web, especially when you don’t know what type of person you’re dealing with. There are a lot of angry people out there, and even the most seemingly innocuous comment or joke has the potential to offend someone.

Social Media Makes Doxxing Easy

Social logins are pretty common these days. You need a Twitter, Facebook, or Google account to access a lot of online services. Most apps and websites that require you to register now use the “Login with Facebook” or “Login with Google” buttons. These login methods register you on the website by using the same email you used to create your Facebook or Google account. But on top of that, you will automatically give the website all the information attached your Facebook/ Google account such as current city, job, phone number, your age, native language, family info and more. If someone hacks into just one of your accounts, they will have access to all the others where they can learn everything about you! While it may not be as convenient, it’s better to enter your data manually, with a different password for each account.

Want to learn more about how to protect yourself from being doxxed? Click on the link below…

https://pixelprivacy.com/vpn/what-is-doxxing

1 Comment

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  1. While the anonymity of the internet can be a curse at times, it’s a serious violation of someone’s privacy to doxx them. It’s also really childish to ruin someone’s life or career just because you disagree with them.

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