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1 : OPINION 10 WWW.GUILFORDIAN.COM Apple’s shaky security results in unreliable oiiline storage services BY AUBREY KING Staff Writer In a massive structure in Maiden, North Carolina, surrounded by a farm of solar panels, hundreds of servers help one of the world's largest tech companies store millions of bytes of private information. Online data-backup services may seem shiny, convenient and helpful, but the very permanent nature of anything digital makes the services slightly dangerous, especially with personal information. One of the most popular and well-advertised of these services, iQoud, has come under scrutiny recently after the leak of hundreds of private photos from celebrity accounts. Among the hacked celebrities were Jennifer Lawrence, Ariana Grande and Kate Upton. "I was not surprised (by the iQoud hack)," said Information Technology and Services and Network Engineer and Macintosh Specialist Brian McCaffrey in an email interview. "iQoud is a massive doud storage service that houses personal data for millions of people. That would be a hackers dream." One of iQoud's prominent features backs up photos, notes, emails and text messages. It even saves them if they are deleted from their original phone or tablet. The files can then be accessed by logging into the user's account from any machine and simply sifting through their data. "I believe the party at fault is the users themselves," said Early College junior Aidan Maycock in an email interview. 'The attackers simply guessed, or derived, the celebrity account details from publidy available info (on them)." The leak of sensitive material demonstrated that malidous people on the Internet will do anything and that personal security is paramount in modem Internet cultiu^. "You have to have a good password and security questions," said Guilford Help Desk Team Leader Ian Hulsey. 'That's harder for public figures since you can find so much of their information online." For both public figures and average users across the globe, perhaps, a false sense of confidence is part of the problem. "(Before the leak), Apple users were very arrogant because they were not targeted," said Visiting Assistant Professor of Computing Technology and Information Systems Chafic BouSaba. "When they were targeted, hackers were able to take them down quite easily." Then why can Apple not do more in order to secure accounts of prominent figures? Though it appears many of these celebrities could have helped themselves by avoiding easy-to- guess passwords, why was more not done to protect them? "I would think that a large company like Apple would have tons of security measures in place to prevent that from happening," said McCaffery. Many other access- anywhere services like iQoud that store sensitive information require extra authorization whenever logging in from a new computer. That extra step helps to prevent hackers gaining imwanted access, perhaps not entirely, but to some extent. Apple does not deserve all the blame. Their privacy policy outlines the way they use both encryption and physical on site measures to secure iQoud backup information. At the same time, they can always do more. Apple could follow in the footsteps of Google and Steam. These companies require an extra authorization code from the account holder's email. Though the email itself could be hacked, this added measure can still do some good. Memories of this event will not go away immediately. Anyone who uses the Internet should use it as a cautionary tale, while those in software should seek to prevent it, or anything like it, from ever happening again. "The less you are connected to websites, the safer you are," said BouSaba. He is right. But in the age we live in, not connecting is impossible. All we can do is stay careful and stay alert. BY QUINCY MALESOVAS Staff Writer On-campus housing reinforces segregation throughout student body Segregation has been rampant throughout American history. As much as we have worked to change it, there still remains a divide among races, sexes and social groups. If you thiidc that Guilford College is immime to it all, think again. Segregation is present right here on campus, specifically where housing is concerned. The first factor in this split is the cost of housing. The apartments are significantly more expensive than any other lodging option on campus, starting at $4,325 per semester while other residences start at $1,630. Every year, there are students who want to live in Ae apartments but are vmable to afford them. "Bryan Hall seems to be the only option for people with less money to live in," said sopnomore Veronica Zambrano-Cofi&e. For many students, affording standard dorms is burden enough, let alone something pricier. "As far as I know, there is no financial assistance, aside from housing them in traditional housing," said Residence Life and Coordinator of Housing Operations Maria Hayden. This lack of aid for struggling students is a direct cause of socioeconomic segregation on campus. The North and South apartments are home not only to those of higher income but also primarily white students. Bryan Hall, on the other hand, is notorious for its large percentage of students of color. First-Year Experience and Student Success Mentor and Assistant Faris El-Ali '14 believes this has little to do with housing placement. "IFs not segregation; it's a retention issue," said El-Ali. 'They don't even have an opportunity to live in nicer housing." Many of the students of color at Guilford, specifically black males, are recruited to the school to play sports. Unfortunately, it is not imcommon for these athletes to leave Guilford before they graduate or get the opportunity to move out of first-year dorms. El-Ali thinks that we must support student athletes — of color, academically and socially, so that they will be encouraged to remain at Guilford. Zambrano-Coffie suggests Residence Life should diversify the roommate -matching selection. "It might bring the different ^tures together and break the social division that is very present on campus," said Zambrano- Coffie. For upperclassmen, who have control over where they live and with whom, segregation is even more prevalent. The Pines, an environmental theme house, is unique in that it chooses its own members, aU of whom are currently white. It has historically been considered a "white space" and has received a lot of flak because of it. Junior Noah McDonald confirms this belief, but does not have a definitive stance on whether it is inherently negative. "Some of us do not want to live with white people," said McDonald. "As people of color, we want our own space." Before coming to Guilford, McDonald had read about an Africana theme house on campus. He was disappointed to find that no such house currently exists. He would love to see the development of culturally specific theme houses, as well as one focused on interracial dialogue. "We live in a multiracial society; therefore there has to be discourse," said McDonald. Regarding segregation of the sexes, only one residence haU has been accused of a divide. Current residents of Milner Hall state that the budding is distinctly separated between males and females. While the first floor is officially divided by gender, the division on other floors could be attributed to the placement of the bathrooms, which lie on either side of the building and are each gender-spedfic. El-Ali is a proponent of the installation of gender-neutral restrooms all over campus, induding in residence halls. Not only would this lessen the gender divide, but also promote indusion for LGBTQ individuals. "It would mean that Guilford walks the walk," said El-Ali. "We talk about these things, but do we make them happen?" We must take a look at current sodetal standards regarding race, gender and dass in order to reverse polarization of the school. Then we must begin to defy these criteria, as individuals and an institution. When it comes to decreasing segregation at Guilford, conversation is the first step, but action is essential. We must take a look at current societal standards regarding race, gender and class in order to reverse polarization of the school. We must begin to defy these criteria, as individuals and an institution.
The Guilfordian (Greensboro, N.C.)
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