By Adbulla A. B.

A Memory from 1997: When Thieves Came for the Chickens

In 1997, while I was a high school student, I lived with my family near a city in Bangladesh. Like many families in our area, my mother raised some domestic hens to support our household. Our home was close to others, in a tight-knit neighborhood where we shared joys, struggles, and sometimes, danger.

One morning, we were startled by loud voices in the neighborhood. Thieves had broken into the homes of at least ten families and stolen their hens during the night. My mother and I rushed to the scene to see what had happened. My mother confidently said that none of our chickens were missing, as the chicken house looked exactly the same as she had left it the night before—closed and locked.

But after an hour, she noticed something strange: the usual morning clucking and activity of the hens was absent. Concerned, she went to check again. To her shock, she discovered that although the chicken house gate was locked and untouched—just the way she had left it—only one hen remained inside. The thief had entered silently, stolen the chickens, and cleverly locked the gate again, making it look untouched.

This incident deeply impacted our family. My father soon built a concrete wall around the house and installed stronger locks for the chicken house to prevent future theft.

Fast Forward to 2025: The Rise of the Digital Thief

Now, in 2025, I often reflect on that experience when I think about today’s digital thieves. Just like the thief who silently stole our chickens without leaving a trace, digital criminals today enter systems unnoticed and steal data, money, and valuable assets—without ever stepping foot near their victims.

These criminals, though relatively new compared to traditional thieves, are rapidly learning, evolving, and becoming more dangerous. The need to build digital walls—strong cybersecurity defenses—has never been greater.

Understanding the Two Worlds of Theft

🧤 Traditional Thief or Robber

Definition:
A traditional thief physically steals items like cash, jewelry, livestock, or goods using force or stealth.

Example:
Breaking into homes to steal chickens, robbing a person on the street, or stealing a car.

Traits:

• Requires physical presence.
• Uses tools like knives or guns.
• Leaves physical evidence.
• Can be seen, heard, or caught on cameras.

💻 Digital Thief or Cybercriminal

Definition:
A digital thief uses technology to steal information, money, or assets through hacking, phishing, or malware.

Example:
Hacking into a bank account, stealing credit card information, or deploying ransomware to demand money.

Traits:

• No physical presence required.
• Uses computers, smartphones, and internet-based tools.
• Often invisible and hard to trace.
• Leaves behind digital footprints instead of physical ones.

From Concrete Walls to Firewalls

After the chicken theft in 1997, we learned the importance of strong physical barriers. Today, the same lesson applies in the digital world. Just like a thief who can quietly lock the door after robbing you, a digital thief can enter your system silently and leave no signs, unless you’re prepared.

Cybersecurity is the digital equivalent of a concrete wall and strong lock.
We must use:

• Firewalls and encryption
• Strong passwords and multi-factor authentication
• Awareness and training against phishing attacks
• Regular system updates and monitoring

Final Thought

Traditional thieves stole chickens and money. Digital thieves steal identities, data, and even future opportunities. One used silence and clever tricks to fool our eyes, the other uses code to fool our systems.

As digital life expands, digital criminals will grow smarter, just as traditional thieves once did. That’s why we must build digital walls now—not with bricks, but with technology, awareness, and resilience.

Let us remember:

“The gate may be locked, but without awareness, the coop is never safe.”