Summary – Fortify your weakest link
Close your eyes
This is an imagination exercise. Of course in order for you to read this you will have to open your eyes. My mistake.. Imagine you are a bank robber and you are planning to rob a bank this afternoon.
The bank has the most sophisticated security in the world. The vault is about a meter thick, the security guards are experienced marines, Safe to say that if there is one bank in the world which is the most secured, this would be it.
How do you plan to empty the vault?
(I’m going to assume you are taking 5 minutes of your time thinking about a plan)
This is what I will do. I will attack the weakest link of the security defense, which is the manager of the bank. Easy, just kidnap his family and demand him to clear the vault for you. He will be able to bypass any security and even come up with a solution to how you can escape. Why? Because he is the weakest link. He will do anything to keep his family safe. Mission accomplished.
Now whether or not you will successfully enjoy the money is a different thing. I just want you to empty the vault. And that’s the best and easiest way to do it. I must put a disclaimer that this article is never intended to promote bank robbery.
The Actual Message of the Article
In everything you do, always address the weakest link. You fortify this link, you are actually fortifying the whole system.
The Application in Security
1) Car
The easiest method to steal a car is to grab the key from the driver while he is trying to open the door.
- When you are walking towards your parked car, look around for suspicious people walking.
- Only use your key when you are very near to the car and are sure nobody else is around.
2) Pin number or password
Your computer maybe password protected, but it will be of no use if your password is actually written on the monitor.
- Use three passwords your entire life. One super password for anything related to money, another is for your other important matters (email on the business card etc), and another for everything else.
- Don’t use password that is related to you (your name, DOB etc), or in the dictionary. This should already be the one universal advice when it comes to choice of password.
3) Online banking
Believe it or not, your bank actually has geniuses on their payroll to ensure the bank’s online security is top notch. This will all be useless if you have no idea what is phishing and believe an email that looks like they are sent from your bank is from your bank.
- Never click on links in an email. It is always better to type in your bank url on your browser.
- If you are unsure of the email, just call your bank’s call center and ask. That’s why they are there.
Conclusion – Any system is usually solidly secured. However, there will always be the weakest link in the system. Determine this first and act accordingly, you may have avoided becoming another victim in the local newspaper.
p.s. This doesn’t only apply to security. You can also use the same concept to fortify your human resources, your business etc.
– I wonder –
Any other security tips you might want to share?
———— Personal Note ————
I remember the night my mother was robbed back in 2002. She was waiting for the bus alone when two guys on a motorcycle approached her asking for direction. She knew something was wrong and tried to avoid them. Suddenly one of the guys snatched her handbag and when she didn’t let go, he hit her with his helmet. She was bleeding and was sent to the hospital by a passerby.
Everytime I think of this incident, only one thing comes to mind – “How grateful I am that she is safe.” Remember guys.. when you are robbed and all they want is the wallet, give it to them. Nothing worth risking your life.
Photo Credit – Richt
Related Post
everytime i remember that incident, i always felt like
going out and buy me self some good trajectory weapon
and start shooting the ‘people’
atleast i’ll manage to do damage to some of them
till the system caught me right?
as much as i wanna say ‘good riddance’ to them,
the same words will be said to me on my death bed.
weak link?
what about our house?
if i ever bought myself a house, i think its best to
sit infront of the house and start to think like a burglar.
brings out the criminal mind in me.
‘how can i get inside with all the lock?’
list down a few method i can come up with,
and using that list, lets eliminate the chances one by one:)
heheh 🙂
Pocket – by trajectory weapon, I immediately imagine bow and arrow. No problem bro, they will pay for what they do.. somewhere in the future 🙂
You are right, we have to constantly review the security of our house. We should know it inside out which will make it so much easier to identify the weakest link. But still, remember, the weakest link will always be the owner of the house. All the robber need to do is to catch you while you are opening the door, and it’s done.
I still remember a news story about a woman who get robbed when she is opening the gate. True story.
Helpful post, I bookmarked this one! Especially liked the part dealing with phishing! Those fake emails look so real! I almost fell for one claiming to be from PayPal but fortunately, I checked with them first and they confirmed it was a fake.
Karen – Thank you Karen for bookmarking the article. It’s always a pleasure when a friend find your work helpful.
Phishing has gradually becoming more dangerous each day, simply because there are so many people who refuse to learn what it is. Even the local bank here in Malaysia has been set up for phishing.
[…] Outsmart A Bank Robber And Be Safest Your Entire Life […]