As a term for the same thing as “doxing,” this refers to the act of internet users obtaining and distributing private information about another individual.

An acronym of “dropping dox,” a phrase with roots in the early 1990s hacker subculture that means “documents,” this term refers to a kind of retaliation.

The Process of Doxxing :

If you know someone’s name, you may easily obtain their landline number or postal address on the internet; in fact, white pages-style directory sites have long since supplanted traditional phone books.

However, doxxing goes a lot further than just looking for contact details.

Many times, the goal of a doxxer is to discover the real identify of the person behind an anonymous social media page. Following this, their true identity is made public, along with a plethora of other personal information, such as their home address, unlisted mobile phone number, Social Security number, names of relatives, and bank account data.

Doxxing, similar to identity theft, sometimes involves some dishonest research on the side of the investigator who gathers the information. This can include following the victim’s social media accounts in search of details like their maiden name, dogs’ names, or any other information that might lead them to their passwords or answers to security questions.

In contrast to identity theft, the objective of doxxing is usually not to gain access to bank accounts but rather to inflict retaliation, harassment, or humiliation. Naturally, once doxxers make a victim’s personal information public, anybody with access to the internet might potentially exploit it.

Doxxing Victims:

People in the public and private spheres alike have been “doxxed” and, shockingly, it’s usually quite legal, particularly when the material in question is already in the public domain. But long-standing communities, such as Reddit, strongly disapprove of it.

Famous people’s private details, including as Beyoncé’s, Ashton Kutcher’s, and Hillary Clinton’s home and mobile phone numbers, were leaked online in 2013, bringing doxxing into the public eye.

Some people have started using the term “doxxing” to characterize investigative journalists’ methods of identifying and researching their targets, which may be problematic.

A Guide to Avoiding Doxxing:

If you decide to doxx someone, they may start making death threats and showing up at your house, which might cause you to call the police. Doxxing prevention measures include:

• Connect securely with a VPN: By encrypting your data before it reaches your ISP, a virtual private network (VPN) protects you from doxxers.
• Develop more secure passwords: Despite how much simpler it is to remember a single password, you shouldn’t use it for all of your accounts. Passwords should be unique and difficult to guess.
• Cover up the details about who registered the domain: Details about you, such as your home address, may be stored in this database.
• Make a new email account for each person: If you separate your email addresses for various aspects of your life, such as your social media and banking accounts, an attacker will not be able to access all of your data.
• Do not post sensitive information online: To prevent a doxxer from simply accessing your accounts, you should not publish your birthplace, birthday, or any other personally identifiable information online.

FAQS:

How would you react if you were Doxxed?

When someone exposes your personal information online, it’s called doxxing. Your full name, mailing address, phone number, email, and maybe even credit card details might be among the items sent. Someone may dox you with the intent to harm you, for example, by following you or harassing you. Accidental disclosure of user information may also occur, for example, in the event of a website security breach.

Doxxing violates any laws?

Although it is not technically criminal, doxxing does fall under the category of cyberbullying. Be very cautious before disclosing someone’s private information online. Data that has been publicly disclosed is both difficult to erase and vulnerable to abuse.

What does it mean to be “doxxed”?

An acronym of “dropping dox,” a phrase with roots in the early 1990s hacker subculture that means “documents,” this term refers to a kind of retaliation.

Disclaimer

This article is provided for educational and awareness purposes only. We do not promote, encourage, or support doxxing, harassment, or any illegal online activity. The information shared here is intended to help readers understand the risks of doxxing and learn how to protect themselves against it. Any misuse of this information is strictly discouraged and may have legal consequences