Security Researcher Discusses Cyber Arms Race

Cyber security researcher Mikko Hypponen talks about the cyber arms race at the Next Web conference, May 2016. He talks about a few specific recent events, among other things.

EXIF Data and Unique Content

Only two groups of people ever used of Google+ in the early days: insider fan boys and professional photographers. Sort of a strange combination.

The fan boys were there because they'd already been invited into beta testing long before public release, and photographers began joining because they discovered uploaded photos retained all their exif data and thought that was a big deal.

Most websites at the time would reduce the size of uploaded images through some manner of shrinking, compressing, and stripping out exif data. This made things much faster and made sense because computer screens couldn't display anywhere near the resolution of real photographs and exif data was of no use to anyone.

But for professionals wishing to share and appreciate photos taken by themselves and others, exif data is part of a photograph. It helps explain what's being seen in ways the rest of us don't get. Google just wanted to keep more details about everyone's pictures, but photographers found tremendous value in this feature.

The most important thing exif data does is identify an image as truly unique. Original content, so to speak. Likewise, it helps identify stock images used on thousands of websites, content that clearly isn't unique to any of those sites.

Because of this I believe Google will continue using exif data as a way to identify unique content for some time. This is one reason Second Glance Digital Media is happy to provide photography services for clients (locally of course), and encourages the use of original photos throughout your website and blog.

The Real Second Glance Digital Media

There is only one Second Glance Digital Media. However, several scammers and liars are using similar names to rip off unsuspecting victims like you.

These people have stolen my identity instead of using an original business name. They do NOT have my decades of experience and success, be warned! (Some are terribly out of date, using unsafe and unsupported Flash (one of a cyber criminal's easiest ways into your computer), and building websites that aren't even mobile-friendly.)

These names were chosen to trick you into giving money to identity thieves. People using these names do NOT represent Second Glance Digital Media in any way:

- Second Glance Media
- Second Glance Design
- Second Glance Web Design
- Second Glance Website Design
- Second Glance Websites

Clients and prospects refer to my business in a variety of ways, sometimes using a combination of terms like those above. That's fine, but remember there is only one true Second Glance Digital Media, so be sure you're actually talking to me!

Some Common Webmaster Mistakes

Note that this video is from 2013, although I doubt much would change if it were answered now in 2016. Same philosophy, different implementation.

The One-Page Business Website

One page websites are strange creatures. There may not be any navigation. There may not be any off-site calls. There is likely nothing to pre-fetch or pre-render. It limits your options in terms of linking, but it also focuses value on a single page. It gives Google only one chance to accurately interpret what you do.

Just to clarify, on one hand we have the "infinitely scrolling pieces of crap", a page with lots of sections and different topics thrown together as a substitute for a logically structured website, and on the other hand we have small pages about one topic which are very simple.

For some businesses, one page works. Before they moved to another city, I had a client that ranked number one with a single-page website for years, in an industry that had some large, elaborate, expensive websites.

Once again one page wins the day. ABC Muskoka, an auto body repair shop, is a small business easily represented on one page. People know what auto body repair is. They know what rust repair is. They probably typed those exact words into Google. All they want is two things: an address and phone number. Everything else is bonus content to help them appreciate the high-quality work done at the shop, which is easily shown on one page. In a case like this, extra pages would be pointless, there would be nothing to gain.

A New Generation of Values and Beliefs

Society is largely shaped by twenty-somethings, and it's been twenty-something years since the internet became a part of our homes, schools, and businesses. As they enter the workplace and marketplace I believe it will begin to shape a new society faster than we expect.

As twenty-somethings enter the world as adults, they bring with them their values, beliefs, knowledge, and other aspects of themselves. I believe this generation has very different ideas about the world, people, identity, and work than generations prior. Not strange or crazy ideas, just bigger leaps beyond their parents than we've experienced up until now.

They've done things in ways that never existed. They've socialized differently. Interacted with their schoolmates differently. Experienced movies and music differently. Seen and heard things at a much younger age than before. Seen and heard an astonishing amount of stuff without any parental knowledge. Seen and heard more in general than any kids before them.

The first generation to have been raised in an entirely digital and connected world is now entering the workplace and marketplace. It will be interesting to see how their values and beliefs become expressed in the world around us.