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Experts in digital security warned about the threat of hackers creating a "virtual child", existing only in the Internet space, but where one can borrow or even take out insurance after their "death", writes the Financial Times.
The ability to create a "virtual identity" has appeared recently due to the active dissemination of the online registration system in the United States and Australia. According to experts, these systems greatly simplify the life of law-abiding citizens and save time on bureaucratic processes, while reducing the cost of the state, but are at serious risks in terms of digital security.
So, in order to obtain a birth certificate, the Americans and the Australians have only provide electronic signatures of parents and doctors confirmation. At the same time, anyone can be the parent, and there is no problem to create an account on behalf of the doctor, if you have the name and license number of the physician, what is easy to find in the search engines Google, says an independent computer security expert Chris Rock.
Rock compares the creation of a "virtual child" with the registration of "dormant company" - a registered, but not working firm, which can exist for years, gaining a perfect credit history and solid experience in the market.
A "virtual child" can receive benefits, lend money, even have credit cards. In addition, all of its documents will be completely transparent and official, so that it can be used as a front person for those who want to put an end to his past life and start all over again.
It is also possible to issue an insurance for such a "child" and "kill" him. In order to witness the death of a man, now it is enough to have an online certificate of the doctor and funeral. They can be forged in the same manner as at birth, but there is another method.
Rock alone has created an imaginary funeral site in Australia full of photographs of coffins and funeral wreaths, and sent a request to the relevant authorities to make it into the online registry of funeral establishments. Three days later, his request was granted without any checks, and now his defunct company may issue an official death certificate.
source: ft.com
The ability to create a "virtual identity" has appeared recently due to the active dissemination of the online registration system in the United States and Australia. According to experts, these systems greatly simplify the life of law-abiding citizens and save time on bureaucratic processes, while reducing the cost of the state, but are at serious risks in terms of digital security.
So, in order to obtain a birth certificate, the Americans and the Australians have only provide electronic signatures of parents and doctors confirmation. At the same time, anyone can be the parent, and there is no problem to create an account on behalf of the doctor, if you have the name and license number of the physician, what is easy to find in the search engines Google, says an independent computer security expert Chris Rock.
Rock compares the creation of a "virtual child" with the registration of "dormant company" - a registered, but not working firm, which can exist for years, gaining a perfect credit history and solid experience in the market.
A "virtual child" can receive benefits, lend money, even have credit cards. In addition, all of its documents will be completely transparent and official, so that it can be used as a front person for those who want to put an end to his past life and start all over again.
It is also possible to issue an insurance for such a "child" and "kill" him. In order to witness the death of a man, now it is enough to have an online certificate of the doctor and funeral. They can be forged in the same manner as at birth, but there is another method.
Rock alone has created an imaginary funeral site in Australia full of photographs of coffins and funeral wreaths, and sent a request to the relevant authorities to make it into the online registry of funeral establishments. Three days later, his request was granted without any checks, and now his defunct company may issue an official death certificate.
source: ft.com
