What is Doxxing?

Doxxing refers to the collection of a user’s private information, across multiple platforms (including social media) by an unauthorized individual, who then publishes the information in an attempt to shame or embarrass the user. Doxxing may be conducted by researching public databases, hacking or through social engineering. The term “doxxing” is derived from the phrase “dropping dox (documents)”.

Doxxing often involves hackers attempting to embarrass or shame individuals by publishing confidential information, images or videos obtained from their personal accounts. Initially, doxxing was used by hackers to “out” the identities of fellow bad actors/hackers. However, more recently, it has been used to attack users with opposing viewpoints or extort money out of individuals to keep the information from being published.

 How can I protect myself from doxxing?

•  Adjust your social media settings:
  • Ensure that your profiles, usernames/handles are kept private
  • Remove any addresses, places of work, and specific locations from your accounts
  • Set your posts to “friends only”
  • Avoid discussing personal information that could be used against you, as well as anything that can identify your address, workplace or contact information
• Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN)
  • If you must use public wi-fi, turn off the public network sharing functionality on your device
• Use strong passwords
• Vary usernames and passwords across platforms
• Hide domain registration information from WHOIS (a database of all registered domain names on the web)
• Request removal of your information from public directories

Guidance for campus reporting of doxxing incidents:

If UC Davis FERPA-protected student data has been exposed, personally identifiable information (examples include, but are not limited to, Social Security Number, Drivers License Number or home address) and/or information pertaining to physical or mental health conditions, it should be reported to the Privacy Office by emailing privacy@ucdavis.edu. For more general support resources, see the Get Support page.

Additional links for guidance:

• Guide to Managing Social Media Trolls and Online Harassment
• Checklist for Academic Leaders and Supervisors Supporting Employees or Students Experiencing Online Harassment

Acknowledgement

The content on this page was taken from UC Berkeley’s “Protect Yourself from Doxxing” website and modified for the UC Davis community.