February 27, 2023

CC Cyberthugs: Yes, They Are Out to Get You!

From banking to shopping, and even dating, our lives have moved online in a way that Tom Keenan predicted a decade ago when he wrote his best-selling book Technocreep: The Surrender of Privacy and the Capitalization of Intimacy. In the book, he explains how a bad guy was able to take over the web camera of Miss Teen USA and peek into her bedroom, using software he bought on the Internet for $40. Now, anyone can buy a “phishing kit” and become a cyberthug overnight. In his presentation, Tom will explain how the bad guys try to target you and provide practical ways to protect your online persona, while still enjoying all the benefits that connectivity provides.

Bio: Tom is both a seasoned IT professional and a popular professor at the University of Calgary. He taught Canada's first computer security course in 1977 and was involved in the creation of the country's first computer crime laws. He has spoken on five continents and is the author of over 2,000 academic and professional publications. A frequent guest on radio and television programs, Tom has served as an expert witness in civil and criminal cases and is known for his ability to demystify complex subjects and tease out the "news you can use."

His 2014 book, Technocreep: The Surrender of Privacy and the Capitalization of Intimacy is a Canadian best-seller and currently ranks in the top twenty in Amazon.ca's Technology & Society category. He is the current Chair of the Information and Communications Technology Council of Canada and a Fellow of the Canadian Information Processing Society and the Canada Global Affairs Institute.