The internet encases massive amounts of information, so large that the underbelly has its own section: the dark web.
In late 2019, Netflix released a three-part docu-series called “Don’t F*** with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer” about searching for a murderer online by everyday people and police all over the world.
Bradley University’s Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP) and Center for Cybersecurity hosted an interactive live-tweeting watch party of the series as part of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month.
The series outlines a Canadian man, later revealed as Luka Magnotta, who posted videos online of himself killing cats. These videos surfaced on Facebook and led to viewers contacting authorities and taking action themselves to find out who made these videos and to stop him before he could hurt another animal or human.
AITP decided to stream “Don’t F*** with Cats” to educate the Bradley community because “it is a real-life example of how dark the internet can get,” according to marketing director for Bradley AITP Meghan Lennon.
“We hope that the reaction of first-time viewers is that they are terrified of the unknown of
the internet,” Lennon said. “Individuals might be more motivated to take precautions on the internet when they see how dangerous the internet really is.”
The accounts, @AITPBradley and @BradleyCybersec have been posting tips and reactions on social media on how to stay protected online while throughout the month.
Lennon, a junior marketing and management information systems with a concentration in cybersecurity major, said she was shocked by the vulnerability of her cybersecurity when she became interested in the subject.
“The deeper you dig, the more uneasy you feel,” Lennon said.
Cybersecurity on the internet can be scary and daunting, but Lennon said there are ways to stay protected, like using a password manager, a virtual private network or pseudo numbers and emails. The complexity of a password doesn’t always equate to security; usually, longer passwords are more effective.
“There are algorithms that have been programmed to crack short, complex passwords within seconds, but lengthy passwords are a bit tougher to crack,” Lennon said. “Complexity is still a great factor, but you should always aim for longer passwords.”
Ultimately, the series provides AITP with a learning moment.
“As a group, we advance our knowledge on topics pressing to the industry in order to help us with our careers in the future,” Lennon said.
