The word “exploit” is harsh. Even ugly. It suggests cynical manipulation, selfish misappropriation and even outright theft. In the online world, an exploit is all of those nasty things and then some. Yet for some reason, many startups and consumers don’t take even the most basic steps to stop their digital assets, and even themselves, from being exploited.
They should. Exploits can wreak havoc on consumers and startups, such as stealing bank account passwords and credit-card numbers, encrypting all the files on a computer and demanding a hefty ransom to get them back, and even accessing documents that have recently been copied on your copy machine, such as passports and tax forms. But there are things every startup and user can do to stop exploits.
