I’ve been asked many times if there is a Little Snitch-like firewall for iOS. While yes, some applications with configurable content filtering exist, none has really answered my needs. Recently my friend Drew informed me of an application called Lockdown App for iOS. Continue reading “Tracker Firewall: Lockdown App for iOS”
Information Removal: A Strategic Approach
My friend Drew has written a fantastic guide to removing personal information from the internet. For several years this guide appeared on on a website that he recently took down. Rather than lose some of the extremely valuable work Drew created and gave to the community, he asked me to republish some of it here. I am only too happy to do so. This article is the first of some select works from HidingFromTheInternet.com. Continue reading “Information Removal: A Strategic Approach”
O&O Shutup 10: Multipurpose Windows 10 Tool
One of my favorite security tools for Windows 10 is one that I also have a hard time categorizing. It is incredibly versatile and touches a lot of different aspects of security. This tool is called O&O ShutUp10. If you’re a Windows 10 user and you aren’t using this, you should definitely give it a look. Continue reading “O&O Shutup 10: Multipurpose Windows 10 Tool”
Tools I No Longer Recommend: Ring Doorbell
There was a time, not too long ago, that I really liked the Ring Doorbell. I’m pretty sure I spoke positively about it on the podcast I used to do, and I may have even written about it. The device was a doorbell that alerted your smartphone. It had a built-in camera, allowing you to answer your door from anywhere you had an internet connection. Whether at the office, across the country, or in another country, when your doorbell rang you could answer it. Continue reading “Tools I No Longer Recommend: Ring Doorbell”
“Permanent Record” by Edward Snowden
I recently finished Permanent Record by Edward Snowden. Permanent Record is Snowden’s autobiographical account of his own life, with an obvious emphasis on the events that led to him living in exile in Russia. Whether you call Snowden a hero or a traitor, I believe this book is worth your time. Continue reading ““Permanent Record” by Edward Snowden”
Do Not Disturb From Objective-See
If you are a Mac user and you haven’t heard of Objective-See, you should have. Objective-See is a company founded by former NSA guy† Patrick Wardle that provides some excellent security tools for macOS. Objective-See’s “Do Not Disturb” application is a very cool physical security tool for Mac users that alerts you if your Mac’s lid is opened. Continue reading “Do Not Disturb From Objective-See”
Columbia SC Surveillance Safari
I used to spend a lot of time in South Carolina’s capital city. I had regular work trips to Columbia, usually lasting two to three weeks at a time. I hadn’t been back in several years, but recently I had the opportunity to spend a weekend there, and something has changed. Columbia has implemented a very broad public surveillance system. This post will touch on the Columbia SC surveillance system and discuss some of the implications this raises. Continue reading “Columbia SC Surveillance Safari”
HTTPS Certificate Fingerprinting
I’ve talked a lot about HTTPS, but no one really explains how to make sure your connection is really valid. In some situations I have wanted to look beyond the green padlock icon. This concern has grow with reports of various public Wi-Fi services intentionally breaking HTTPS connections. Hardware manufacturers have shipped devices with what amounts to pre-installed malware for the same purpose. I’ve written about this before but I thought it was worth doing a video on HTTPS certificate fingerprinting. Continue reading “HTTPS Certificate Fingerprinting”
3DSC 2.30: Help Make Others Private and Secure
After you have spent the last month doing the Thirty Day Security Challenge, today’s task is one of the most important you can undertake: help make others more private and secure.
Continue reading “3DSC 2.30: Help Make Others Private and Secure”
3DSC 2.29: Create Backups of Your Files
Last year I suffered a catastrophic malfunction of my main hard drive. After returning from a work trip I settled in to check email only to find my computer unwilling to boot. This is not the first time I have broken a computer. Fortunately this time I was prepared. The step that saved me in this instance is today’s task: backup your files. Continue reading “3DSC 2.29: Create Backups of Your Files”