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It is no secret that the Internet is an open and poorly secured world. It is the mutual responsibility of user and server to keep information safe.

Unfortunately, various university websites, newspapers and even the Bush family have lately fallen victim to hackers.

Reactions to the news ranged from offended to amused.

Many of the emails leaked contained details about George H.W. Bush’s funeral – private information that should be respected. These hackers, whoever they may be, have proven time and again that no information is private enough to be spared from any leak.

George W. Bush faced embarrassment not seen since his presidency when pictures of very personal paintings were made public. This is a reminder that no one is safe from important, private or personal information being made public.

Any and all email systems are vulnerable to attacks, especially for celebrities.

Guccifer, the mind behind the hack, is well-known by authorities and this most recent stunt is another chapter in their relationship. No amount of encryption can protect you from a hacker – your information is still available.

Having a two-step process to access your email would mean that one will need to have their username and password, but also have access to a mobile phone code. At the bare minimum, everyone should have a secure Wi-Fi connection.

Wireless routers are ubiquitous. The wireless connection allows you to have access to the Internet and share files around your house and multiple devices. Without a secure router, anyone within range can access the website you are on and the email you just sent, including pictures, files and the information of who you are sending that to.

After taking these necessary steps, consider rethinking being completely dependable on the Internet.

As college students, we also need to protect ourselves. Before you put everything in auto-complete forms online, consider paying bills and sending sensitive information through the mail.

Think about that the next time you post all over Facebook because over a Wi-Fi connection, it could be visible to anyone.