Doxxing, often spelled “doxing,” is the act of uncovering and publicly revealing an individual’s private or identifying information without their consent. This information is then disseminated online with malicious intent, often to harass, intimidate, threaten, or publicly shame the targeted individual. The term “doxxing” originates from “dropping dox,” where “dox” is slang for “documents,” highlighting the practice of releasing personal documents online.
Initially, doxxing emerged from hacker subcultures as a way to expose the real identities of anonymous online adversaries. However, it has evolved into a broader form of online harassment used against individuals for various reasons, including ideological disagreements, personal vendettas, or even for amusement. The information exposed can range from home addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and workplace details to more sensitive data like social security numbers, financial records, and personal communications.
The motivation behind doxxing varies. In some cases, it’s intended to inflict emotional distress and fear on the victim, leading to online and offline harassment. In other instances, it’s used as a form of vigilante justice, aiming to publicly shame individuals for perceived wrongdoings. Regardless of the motivation, doxxing is a serious breach of privacy with potentially severe consequences for the victim, ranging from online harassment and stalking to real-world threats and physical harm.
How to Protect Yourself from Doxxing
Protecting yourself from doxxing requires a proactive approach to managing your online presence and personal information. Here are key steps you can take:
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Enhance Social Media Privacy: Review and adjust the privacy settings on all your social media accounts. Make your profiles private, limit who can see your posts to “friends only,” and be cautious about accepting friend requests from unknown individuals. Remove any personally identifiable information from your profiles such as your address, phone number, workplace, or specific locations you frequent. Avoid sharing real-time location data.
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Utilize Secure Networks and VPNs: When accessing the internet, especially on public Wi-Fi, use secure networks like eduroam or a trusted Virtual Private Network (VPN). VPNs encrypt your internet traffic, making it harder for malicious actors to intercept your data. If you must use public Wi-Fi, disable the public network sharing option on your devices.
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Create Strong, Unique Passwords: Employ strong and unique passwords for all your online accounts, especially for sensitive accounts like email, banking, and government services. Use a password manager to generate and securely store complex passwords. Avoid reusing passwords across multiple platforms.
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Vary Usernames and Email Addresses: Use different usernames across various online platforms to make it more difficult for someone to aggregate your online activity. Create a unique, less publicly associated email address for important accounts and private communications, separate from your publicly known email.
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Control Domain Registration Information: If you own a website domain, ensure that your personal information is hidden from WHOIS databases. Many domain registrars offer privacy services that mask your personal details.
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Monitor and Remove Personal Data: Regularly monitor websites and data brokers that collect and sell personal information. Utilize services and tools designed to help you identify and request the removal of your personal data from these sources. Services like the workbook provided by IntelTechniques can be valuable resources.
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Dark Web Monitoring: Periodically check if your accounts have been compromised in data breaches by using services like Have I Been Pwned?. This can alert you to potential leaks of your information and allow you to take preemptive security measures.
Taking these preventative steps can significantly reduce your risk of being doxxed and enhance your overall online safety and privacy.
Further Resources for Doxxing Prevention:
For more in-depth guidance and information on preventing doxxing, consider exploring these resources:
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Guidance on How to Prevent Online Harassment from Doxxing: https://www.dhs.gov/publication/resources-individuals-threat-doxing%20
- Heimdal Security Blog – What is Doxxing and How to Prevent It: https://heimdalsecurity.com/blog/doxxing/
- Malwarebytes Blog – How to protect yourself from doxing: https://blog.malwarebytes.com/how-tos-2/2019/10/how-to-protect-yourself-from-doxing/
- Wired – What to Do If You Are Being Doxed: https://www.wired.com/story/what-do-to-if-you-are-being-doxed/
- Medium – I’ve Been Doxed, What To Do In The First 24 Hours: https://medium.com/@liz_onlineSOS/ive-been-doxed-what-to-do-in-the-first-24-hours-13489360e72b
- Security Today – How Do I Avoid Getting Doxxed?: https://securitytoday.com/blogs/reaction/2019/06/how-do-i-avoid-getting-doxxed.aspx
- PEN America – Protecting Information from Doxing (Online Harassment Field Manual): https://onlineharassmentfieldmanual.pen.org/protecting-information-from-doxing/
By understanding what doxxing means and taking proactive security measures, individuals can better safeguard their personal information and mitigate the risks associated with online harassment.
