Internet message boards have been abuzz with queries and concerns about computer security and today’s date – 11.11.11 – but experts reveal it’s unlikely anything monumental will happen and that exercising normal security measures should keep computers functioning normally.
“My my cuz told me that on 11 11 11 the computers will explode,” read one message on a Yahoo! message board.
Most likely that person need not worry (assuming he or she was being serious). There’s been a long history of bad things forecast to happen on specific or unique dates, but rarely do those bad things transpire.
In the world of technology, computers did not stop working across the world nor did airplanes fall from the sky on Y2K. Last year, a 10.10.10 computer bug never manifested on 10 October 2010 that was to cause computers’ internal clocks to jam or a computer virus to be let loose.
The date is irrelevant when it comes to employing good security measures, such as computer users ensuring up-to-date virus-scanning software is installed and working properly on their computers, according to Carole Theriault, senior security consultant at Sophos.
“Every day of the year, people should be wary and practise safe computing,” she said. “If anyone’s computer explodes (today), it won’t be due to the date.”
