Terry Culter is a cybersecurity expert who describes himself as an ethical hacker. Ethical hackers are benevolent hackers who test and identify vulnerabilities in corporate computer systems and networks to prevent and neutralize potential internal or external attacks.
Through his firm Cyology Labs, he helps Canadian and U.S. companies overcome computer security challenges, and equips the general public to deal with digital traps and attacks. Among other things, he has developed a free e-learning program called Internet Safety University and the Fraudster application, which informs the general public about cybersecurity.
WE CAUGHT UP WITH HIM AND ASKED 5 QUESTIONS:
1. Why is it important for schools to care about cybersecurity?
Terry Cutler : Think of IT as your family doctor. Would you ever ask your family doctor to perform laser eye surgery on you? Most people would say no. That’s what it is. Schools can count on information technology teams. They are generalists, like the family doctor. As cybercrime is going wild, it becomes necessary to rely on specialists to meet the challenges.
2. What IT security trends are likely to affect young people?
These kids are always online, they have no conscience around privacy. They think that they’re safe online, but they don’t realize that the stuff they share doesn’t get deleted. Once that picture leaves your phone, you no longer control it. So the boyfriend or girlfriend can leak these photos out and ruin your reputation. Later on down the road, if you become successful, these photos can be used against you for extortion purposes.
3. Do you have any advice for young people and teachers on cybersecurity?
Most people don’t care about cybersecurity until it’s too late. They need to be up-to-date to stay current, even if it doesn’t sound fun.
In practical terms, I’d say that people don’t know how to secure their accounts properly. I often get calls because people’s Instagram, Facebook or Snapchat accounts are being hacked. Activate the two-step verification to secure your accounts, even three-step.
4. What does artificial intelligence change? Will it help or not?
AI creates hackers on steroids! I mean, it gives them more ways to fool the world. Take deep fakes, for example, those very convincing, realistic videos. It’s easy to be fooled. That’s why awareness has never been so important. On the other hand, AI will also bring more ways of detecting fraud and cyberattacks, but we need to be proactive.
5. In closing, we often hear the expression black and white hat in cybersecurity. What does that mean?
The black hat is the malicious hacker out to do harm, while the white hat is the well-intentioned one who helps companies test their security and remedy vulnerabilities. White hats, like me, never run out of work. The minute I hand in a report to an organization, a new vulnerability may have already appeared, invalidating my report. Hence the need to be proactive.