WATCH: How to shop online without being tracked by big tech companies

Is it possible to shop online without allowing any major tech company to track the purchase back to you? There are a few ways, but with hidden trackers on most websites -- and with companies making billions off our information -- trying to hide is easier said than done. CBS News correspondent Tony Dokoupil put it to the test with Kevin Mitnick.

"Now, you're best known as a hacker," Dokoupil said.

"Well, a security expert," Mitnick said with a laugh.

Mitnick spent five years behind bars after stealing information from major companies like Motorola and Nokia. During a nationwide manhunt in the mid-1990s, he eluded capture for more than two years. He now focuses on protecting corporate security, sharing tips for avoiding surveillance in his book, "The Art of Invisibility: The World's Most Famous Hacker Teaches You How to Be Safe in the Age of Big Brother and Big Data."

"People want to protect their privacy. … And people will go to the trouble of anonymizing themselves to protect their privacy," Mitnick said.

He said using a "privacy" or "incognito" mode on your computer browser is not enough.

"When you normally go on your computer at your home or office, you're assigned an IP address by your internet service provider. And it's quite easy to, you know, track that type of information," Mitnick said.

So what steps did we take to avoid being tracked? It started at the convenience store.

Read the full article and watch the video here.

Source: CBS NEWS

Topics: security expert, Speaking Engagements, The Art of Invisibility, Tony Dokoupil, hot spot, burner phone, anonymity online, prepaid credit card, privacy, Kevin Mitnick, new online identity

Latest Posts

Kevin offers three excellent presentations, two are based on his best-selling books. His presentations are akin to technology magic shows that educate and inform while keeping people on the edge of their seats. He offers expert commentary on issues related to information security and increases “security awareness.”

Mitnick Security: Ransomware Awareness Training

Ransomware is a type of malware that prevents accessibility to either a single computer or an entire network until a ransom is paid. This can result i..

Read more ›

Mitnick Security: Phishing Awareness Training

Phishing emails are one of the most common social engineering techniques used by threat actors today due to such high success rates. About 3.4 billion..

Read more ›

Mitnick Security Training: QR Code Cybersecurity Test

Nearly 90 million smartphone users in the U.S. alone have used QR codes on their mobile devices. By 2025, that number is projected to grow to 100 mill..

Read more ›
tech-texture-bg