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52 SMT007 MAGAZINE I JULY 2022 assets are just as exposed and available for the taking as the physical assets were on the roads of the ancient world. In the early 2000s, a gang of criminals unsuc- cessfully broke into the Millennium Dome in London's South end. A division of Scotland Yard foiled their plans, preventing an estimated $700 million (in today's currency) from being stolen 3 . Eighteen years later, halfway around the world, another heist took place. is time there were no car chases, men in hoods, or canvassing of the "target." e thieves, instead, used a keyboard and mouse to walk away quite literally with over $530 million 4 . No authorities were aware of the impending attack. As we reflect on the quasi-prophetic postu- late by John Perry, a gut check comes to frui- tion. We realize that, while our natural under- standing of the world is being shaped and reshaped by an intangible digital reality, the lens which colors our perspective still holds fast to safe-deposit boxes, dead bolts, and secu- rity cameras. e world is slowly waking up to and real- izing that the greatest store of value in the his- tory of mankind is sitting in the open, as if on the road to Rome, with threat actors drooling at the prospect, and no sign of a Roman legion anywhere near to protect it. Every company, organization, and more than half the global population has their virtual worth caravan- ning across the digital highway, many of whom are oblivious to the criminals who await just around the bend. As Roderick Jones 5 , a leading security expert and former detective with the Scotland Yard explains, there is no legal offensive capability for today's virtual merchants. You can't hack back, or rather, you shouldn't. It's illegal, and most definitely reckless. Practically speaking, the internet is still in the early days of concep- tualization. We are in the Wild West, exploring a new frontier, the law and government catch- ing up to innovation. We must rely entirely on our defensive posture, giving criminals second thought before attempting to raid our busi- nesses, and battling off any attacker that comes aer us. Just as important as physical security has been, so goes cyber security. Take a moment to reflect on your digital car- avan and who or what someone could do to take that. Would prospective thieves be star- ing at a helpless, defenseless walking dollar sign, or a robust, armored wagon with defen- sive weaponry? Have you put as much thought and resources into your cybersecurity as your physical security? If not, reach out to a cyber- security professional and get some advice in setting up your digital defenses. SMT007 References 1. Fayûm Towns and Their Papyri, Β.P. Grenfell, A.S. Hunt and D.G. Hogarth, London, 1900 (Egypt Exploration Society, Graeco-Roman Memoirs 3), pp. 259-60. 2. "Internet: A Modern Roman Road System?" The Motley Fool, Dec. 21, 2016. 3. "The Millienium Dome Diamond Heist," The True Crime Edition, July 9, 2021. 4. "$530 million cryptocurrency heist may be big- gest ever," CNN Business, Jan. 29, 2018. 5. Rodrerick Jones, CNAS.org. Mehul J. Davé is CEO and chairman of Entelechy Global Inc. and chairman of Linkage Technologies Inc. To contact Davé or read past columns, click here. The internet has changed the world for good in many ways, bringing a wealth of knowledge, opportunity, and equality to nearly every corner of the globe.