Protecting Yourself from Doxing: Explore Cyber Safety Training and Technical Assistance with the National White Collar Crime Center

One emerging cyber threat that can impact individuals, including law enforcement officers, other criminal justice practitioners, and their families, is doxing. Doxing occurs when someone’s personal information is discovered and maliciously exposed online. This can include uncovering someone’s real name, home address, place of employment, and other personal information. It is important to ensure that apps, browsers, and devices are set in a way that minimizes the risk of compromise.

Our digital footprint consists of a plethora of personal data and it is important to ensure that daily digital activity is done as securely as possible. Doxing can happen across a wide variety of frequently visited applications and browsers as well as various devices with different operating systems. This can include Android and iOS operating systems, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, various social media applications, and more.

Results of a study done by NYU Tandon School of Engineering found that more than 90 percent of the doxed files included the victim's address, 61% included a phone number, and 53 percent included an email address. While less common, sensitive information, such as credit card numbers (4.3 percent), Social Security numbers (2.6 percent), or other financial information (8.8 percent), were also revealed.

The National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C) recently released free officer cybersafety training that provides step-by-step instructions for securing apps, browsers, and devices. Some of the popular apps covered include Amazon, Bumble, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Twitter. The training on browsers includes Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, and Opera. Lastly, it covers both Android and iOS devices.

Each officer cybersafety microlearning module takes no more than 10 minutes to complete.  Users can follow along with the step-by-step security instructions by having the app, browser, or device available during the training. Modules are routinely updated to keep up with evolving technology, so check back often.

To learn more about NW3C’s cyber safety learning modules as well as other courses, view our training selection list here.

NW3C has developed and delivered economic crime investigation, high-tech crime investigation, digital forensics, criminal intelligence, and other criminal justice training and technical assistance to law enforcement, prosecutors, and other criminal justice practitioners since 1978. Through various research experts, partnerships, and curriculum developers, NW3C has developed industry-leading training that has been delivered to over 100,000 criminal justice practitioners nationwide.

NW3C's officer cybersafety microlearning modules are funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance.

If your jurisdiction is in need of training or technical assistance related to pretrial assessment tools, or if you know of a community that would benefit from this type of assistance, please contact BJA NTTAC at BJANTTAC@ojp.usdoj.gov and we can connect you to the appropriate training, assistance, TTA partner, and/or resources.

If you are interested in submitting the work of your organization or jurisdiction for consideration in a future TTA Today blog post or in obtaining information related to a particular topic area, please email us at BJANTTAC@ojp.usdoj.gov.

Points of view or opinions on BJA NTTAC’s TTA Today blog is those of NW3C and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice, BJA, or BJA NTTAC.