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When Gadgets Betray Us: The Dark Side of Our Infatuation With New Technologies Audiobook
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(3.03) - 67 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Technology is evolving faster than we are. As our BlackBerry devices, tablets, and digital capabilities become more and more complex we understand less and less about how they work. we no longer read the instruction manual before powering on, and we demand intuitive interfaces that get us up and running right away. But how many of us actually stop to think about potential threats to our privacy? Our passports broadcast our personal information and could allow terrorists to target us by nationality. Keyless entry systems in many high-tech car models make auto theft easier than ever. Commercial photocopiers are equipped with hard drives that can document everything we ever copied on it. And our digital photos, even after they’re cropped, can expose the entire original image (hope you weren’t doing anything naughty in that facebook profile picture). In When Gadgets Betray Us, Robert Vamosi, a technology reporter and analyst who has been covering the internet age for over a decade, investigates the dark side of digital capability and convenience. He uncovers a secret world of privacy loss that most of us never consider— that is, until something goes terribly wrong. From iPads to BlackBerry devices, online banking to keyless entry systems, we’re increasingly giving over the management of our crucial information to the latest and greatest electronic gadgets. Vamosi helps us comprehend the technology in our everyday lives and develop a common sense about how to protect ourselves. An essential guide for understanding what we’re really signing up for every time we log-in, When Gadgets Betray Us reveals the secret lives of our electronic devices so that we can all better manage the real risks.
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"We know there are "chips" and technology integrated into almost everything-- but what data is being collected, and stored? How is it being used? Are we as anonymous as we think we are? Very interesting read. How much are you willing to trade for convenience?"
— Kelli (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“You’d think the tech folks would be able to secure the data held in various devices we use daily, but Vamosi, IT security analyst and contributing editor to PCWorld, strongly and meticulously suggests otherwise. He exposes a technology-development landscape chock-full of inadequately guarded data and programming…Read this, and you’ll never again ignore the default security settings on accounts or your devices again.”
— Library Journal -
“Written in a way for all to understand, Robert Vamosi exposes the dangers of inherently trusting electronic gadgets and gracefully reveals just how widespread the security problems are. You’ll never treat technology the same after reading this book…and you shouldn’t!”
— Joe Grand, author of Hardware Hacking: Have Fun While Voiding Your Warranty -
“A fascinating overview of ‘hardware hacking,’ from lockpicking and stealing cars to tapping mobile phones or cloning Oyster cards and passports. The vulnerabilities in modern tech that Vamosi describes can be alarming…This text itself could, of course, make a fine mischief-maker’s cookbook.”
— Guardian (London) -
“Has our technophilia left us too vulnerable? Exactly how long is the trail of digital bread crumbs we leave behind on a daily basis?…When Gadgets Betray Us, Robert Vamosi’s meticulously researched new book, offers a revealing look at the dark underbelly of our rapidly advancing electronics. This is not some Orwellian indictment of new technology, but instead a call for caution: Our gadgets are evolving faster than we can successfully secure them.”
— Salon.com -
“A compelling scrutiny of the ways in which technological enhancements can be exploited for nefarious purposes…An erudite wake-up call.”
— Kirkus Reviews
When Gadgets Betray Us Listener Reviews
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" Not as technical as I would have liked but a good read for anyone ignorant to basic electronic collection techniques "
— Doug, 4/25/2013 -
" Well written, not really anything anyone in infosec doesn't already know about. "
— Nemo, 4/18/2013 -
" Author looks at how technology evolves faster than security measures. Timely topic but dry in places, downright scary in others. "
— jen8998, 12/24/2012 -
" A paranoid person would have a heart attack over this book. The train has already left the station concerning a lot of the things discussed so it's hard to tell what to do about many of the things we live with. "
— Joe, 10/24/2012 -
" A decent book. It opens your eyes to the types of attacks that are possible in our digital age. Some of the scenarios are pretty far fetched, but technically possible. "
— James, 9/9/2012 -
" Really interesting, but very technical. A lot of SSL, INIS, and other complicated acronyms. "
— Danny, 9/2/2011 -
" Author looks at how technology evolves faster than security measures. Timely topic but dry in places, downright scary in others. "
— jen8998, 5/10/2011
About Robert Vamosi
Robert
Vamosi is a senior analyst with the Mocana Corporation, a
device security start up. He is also a contributing editor at PCWorld and a
security blogger for Forbes.com. The author of When Gadgets Betray Us,
he
lives in California.
About Lloyd James
Lloyd James (a.k.a. Sean Pratt) has been a working professional actor in theater, film, television, and voice-overs for more than thirty years. He has narrated over one thousand audiobooks and won numerous Earphones Awards and nominations for the Audie Award and the Voice Arts Award. He holds a BFA degree in acting from Santa Fe University, New Mexico.