What are paranoid users so afraid of ?

[509322]

If anyone has not surmised by now, the whole point of the exercise was to demonstrate that paranoid users are, well, paranoid - even when the risk is extremely low or essentially non-existent.

There are three categories of potential threats - theoretical, hypothetical and realistic. Paranoid users want to protect against all three - even those in the realm of fantasy.

If one lives under an oppressive regime, then I would suspect that paranoia would be a part of day-to-day living - which is natural for most people under such circumstances.

 

[shmu26]

If anyone has not surmised by now, the whole point of the exercise was to demonstrate that paranoid users are, well, paranoid - even when the risk is extremely low or essentially non-existent.

There are three categories of potential threats - theoretical, hypothetical and realistic. Paranoid users want to protect against all three - even those in the realm of fantasy.

If one lives under an oppressive regime, then I would suspect that paranoia would be a part of day-to-day living - which is natural for most people under such circumstances.

well said.

 

[Fritz]

for sure, dissidents living in oppressive regimes are much more than "concerned" about privacy -- it is a matter of life and death for them. For instance, an Tibetan activist living in China would be paranoid with very good reason.

But there are plenty of tolerant countries where privacy is not such a big issue with people.

Thank you for clarifying @shmu26, that's exactly what I meant.

 

[Svoll]

If anyone has not surmised by now, the whole point of the exercise was to demonstrate that paranoid users are, well, paranoid - even when the risk is extremely low or essentially non-existent.

There are three categories of potential threats - theoretical, hypothetical and realistic. Paranoid users want to protect against all three - even those in the realm of fantasy.

If one lives under an oppressive regime, then I would suspect that paranoia would be a part of day-to-day living - which is natural for most people under such circumstances.

=) this was a fun and interesting topic, Thanks! This also shows the difference of how people value certain things.Poor students like me value Money over all else, People with money care about certain aspects. etc.... Oppressive regime, well, they have a whole different ballpark they play in.

 

[Fritz]

I still don't agree with being diagnosed as a paranoiac for being vigilant. Paranoia is a mental illness and while an opressive government may further relevant tendencies, it doesn't mean that people are sick in general because they apply a degree of discreetness.

There are two things about online life I've learned so far:

1. What can be done, will be done.
2. What's on the internet, stays on the internet.

Either one of those tells me to be mindful about information that tells others who I am and what I do, current conditions aside.

 

[Handsome Recluse]

@Lockdown What's the difference between theoretical and hypothetical?

 

[Svoll]

@Lockdown What's the difference between theoretical and hypothetical?

One is a "What can" and the other is "What if" i believe

 

[509322]

I still don't agree with being diagnosed as a paranoiac for being vigilant. Paranoia is a mental illness and while an opressive government may further relevant tendencies, it doesn't mean that people are sick in general because they apply a degree of discreetness.

There are two things about online life I've learned so far:

1. What can be done, will be done.
2. What's on the internet, stays on the internet.

Either one of those tells me to be mindful about information that tells others who I am and what I do, current conditions aside.

No one is being diagnosed a paranoid. The term "paranoid" is used generically within the IT security industry.

Products like Bitdefender and COMODO even use the terminology right within their products' GUIs: "Paranoid Mode" in Bitdefender enables firewall alerts and in COMODO it makes the HIPS module alert to every single action on the system.

The key point - which is at the very heart of this whole thing - is that there are those that worry it will snow heavily in the Sahara desert, at mid-day, during the summer.

 

[Deleted member 178]

One thing people should know:

You have control over Privacy: just don't post your life & sensitive infos (or at least don't use your real name) on internet, nobody will use it against you. Very inconvenient this day for sure but possible.
You have no control over security: unless never going on internet , you are a potential victim to malwares & intrusions, the only thing you can do is protect yourself but you will not "erase" the threat.

 

[whizkidraj]

Yep, we know that. All we can do is keep learning and becoming better.

 

[509322]

People should worry much more about their personal data residing on improperly configured, insecure 2nd and 3rd-party systems. That is where the real security risk lies.

 

[Zero Knowledge]

Paranoia is a healthy natural human emotion. It keeps us safe from external threats.

Paranoid balances out the adrenaline and dopamine in our brain chemistry. It's a biological safeguard to keep you alive.

It's gotten better in society since the Snowden leaks. Our fellow tin foil hat wearing folk have been somewhat vindicated.

Malware/Zero day's/Exploits are only going to advance in complexity in the future. What can't be done today, will be done tomorrow.

 

[shmu26]

The key point - which is at the very heart of this whole thing - is that there are those that worry it will snow heavily in the Sahara desert, at mid-day, during the summer.

The more paranoid you are, the less you need a tight security config, because you will naturally be careful. The exception is an IT professional trying to protect a company or government network with a bunch of users who couldn't care less.

 

[roger_m]

The more paranoid you are, the less you need a tight security config, because you will naturally be careful. The exception is an IT professional trying to protect a company or government network with a bunch of users who couldn't care less.

In my case, I'm not even the slightest bit paranoid, but am careful about what I let run on my computers, and have anything but a tight security config. I know that if I'm careful about what I do, then it's extremely rare for my computers to get infected. If anything drastic goes wrong, I have backups. I want my security to be as unobtrusive as possible, so that I can use my computers without being limited or constantly notified by my security setup.

I think that in general paranoid people are the ones who are going to do their best to lock down their systems and continually tweak their security setup to make it more secure.

 

[Ink]

I was going to make a thread called "Why do Paranoid users install Multiple AV and 10 layers of Security software?", then I saw this thread.

Even though it doesn't really answer any questions. It's hilarious to read the comments, see them installing over 10 layers of security and yet paranoid about Doubleclick Cookie being flagged by their Security software.

Security isn't a joke, but going OTT is.

 

[509322]

I was going to make a thread called "Why do Paranoid users install Multiple AV and 10 layers of Security software?", then I saw this thread.

Even though it doesn't really answer any questions. It's hilarious to read the comments, see them installing over 10 layers of security and yet paranoid about Doubleclick Cookie being flagged by their Security software.

Security isn't a joke, but going OTT is.

I think it arises from the instinct to protect oneself combined with a lack of knowledge. The end result is overkill - and protection against misperceived\non-existent threats.

"I have to go to a knife fight, but I'm gonna bring a knife and a 500 kilo RDX bomb and detonate it..."

"Every pixel on my screen is malicious... every network packet is dangerous... I'm gonna install Kaspersky, Sandboxie, Shadow Defender, HMP.A, Voodooshield, Webroot and use Emsisoft Emergency Kit, HitmanPro, Malwarebytes, Macrium Reflect and Rollback RX. "

 

[Deleted member 178]

the steps of the classic security average non-IT members:

1- they are mostly ignorant , then they get infected in some point.
2- they start google why , how, and what is needed to clean the infection.
3- they find a forum answering those questions.
4- they discover a new world , the world of the security geeks with marvelous artifacts they never heard before : sandbox, HIPS, BB, anti-exe, anti-exploits, virtualization !!!!
5- they start stockpiling dozen of security apps to be sure they won't get infected anymore; but they got BSODs, because they did it without listening some advices from more knowledgeable members.
6- they compete with other members to see who has the strongest setup.
7- after a while they realize that all those apps make their system crawling. they ditch some of their apps and focus on few ones. At this point they select a favored products and may defend it against heretics !! (they often fall under the influence of the false God Melhi and his sect called Comodo ).
8- after a while, some emerge from this propanganda , looking how to be the most secure without hampering their system.
9- after some research they manage to discover an unbelievable truth that shook their beliefs to the core : you can be safe without using any 3rd party security products !!! at beginning they don't believe it, it cant be !!!!
10- they then start looking if this so-called truth is real or is an hoax ; in some points they found some writings made by a mysterious user called Umbra, that seems to know quite a lot about this theory...
11- finally they manage to find Umbra, and after some conversation with him, decided to follow him and his principles: instead of learning how to use 3rd party apps, they learn how to use their system...
12- now they gain the ultimate truth, they enjoy their system without fear...

 

[509322]

the steps of the classic security average non-IT members:

1- they are mostly ignorant , then they get infected in some point.
2- they start google why , how, and what is needed to clean the infection.
3- they find a forum answering those questions.
4- they discover a new world , the world of the security geeks with marvelous artifacts they never heard before : sandbox, HIPS, BB, anti-exe, anti-exploits, virtualization !!!!
5- they start stockpiling dozen of security apps to be sure they won't get infected anymore; but they got BSODs, because they did it without listening some advices from more knowledgeable members.
6- they compete with other members to see who has the strongest setup.
7- after a while they realize that all those apps make their system crawling. they ditch some of their apps and focus on few ones. At this point they select a favored products and may defend it against heretics !! (they often fall under the influence of the false God Melhi and his sect called Comodo ).
8- after a while, some emerge from this propanganda , looking how to be the most secure without hampering their system.
9- after some research they manage to discover an unbelievable truth that shook their beliefs to the core : you can be safe without using any 3rd party security products !!! at beginning they don't believe it, it cant be !!!!
10- they then start looking if this so-called truth is real or is an hoax ; in some points they found some writings made by a mysterious user called Umbra, that seems to know quite a lot about this theory...
11- finally they manage to find Umbra, and after some conversation with him, decided to follow him and his principles: instead of learning how to use 3rd party apps, they learn how to use their system...
12- now they gain the ultimate truth, they enjoy their system without fear...

That's funny - with a lot of reality in it.

 

[Handsome Recluse]

@Umbra Can't be the only one using built-in security app. So this is a little inaccurate. Also, you haven't considered if the person was a robot thereby use of exclamation points for those few would be totally inaccurate since robots don't have emotions.

 

[Ink]

@Umbra answered a few, for to my real reason for wanting to ask, "What do paranoid users do on their computer, that's so different to the average user"?