Since 2013, Total Digital Security has been informing and educating individuals and groups about advanced principals and solutions for cyber-self defense in their every day lives. With higher levels of awareness and a greater understanding of protective technology, our customers and audiences are empowered to take individual responsibility to reduce the loss of their personal information, reclaim their digital autonomy, and to protect themselves personally and professionally from their #1 risk today.
Our customers and audience members are people that own and use technology every day across many aspects of their lives. They appreciate the powerful and life-enhancing products and services that are easily accessible online from their computers and smartphones, and they want to access them freely, without fear and risk standing in their way. To promote understanding and the real-world application of advanced cyber security principals and solutions, we created “The Four Fundamentals of Total Digital Security”.
“The Four Fundamentals of Total Digital Security” categorizes and illustrates the components of personal technology, the risks and potential consequences associated with each, and the leading technologies that protect from the threats at hand.
The Four Fundamentals of Cyber Security
#1) Secure Your Computers, Smartphones, Tablets, and Pads
Smartphones, laptops, pads, tablets, and about anything that connects online should be protected using state-of-the-science device protection solutions.
Risks –
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Virus and other malware including ransomware, spyware & Trojans
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Key-logging, screen-tracking
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Camera hijacking
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USB intrusion
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Device theft
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Malicious applications
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Data theft and loss
Consequences –
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Financial fraud
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ID theft and tax fraud
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Extortion and blackmail
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Spying and tracking
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Data loss
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Device corruption and loss
Solutions –
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Firewall
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Intrusion Prevention
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Application Control
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Macro-risk Control
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Anti-Virus & Malware Protection
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OS & 3rd Party Software Updating
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Browsing Protection
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24/7 monitoring & real-time defenses
How To Do It – Device Security Software
Fortunately, an innovative approach known as UTM – or, Unified Threat Management software, aggregates the defenses from these risks in to a single product. The UTM approach automates the protection in real-time using another technology called RMM – or, Remote Monitoring and Management. With RMM, devices are premptively protected 24/7 with the latest intelligence available.
The best RMM service provides UTM for computers, laptops and Androids, and is available for less than $75 year.
#2) Protect Your Online Communications
While your device itself should be protected (#1 above), the communications and information traveling from your devices over the Internet also must be protected from cyber risk. Banking, shopping, emailing, browsing – without protection, anything done over the Internet is easily viewed, collected, and potentially used against you either then, at another time in the future, or potentially both.
Risks –
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Snooping and sniffing – spying
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Location tracking
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Fake WiFi hotspots
Consequences –
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Loss of passwords and account information
- Financial fraud and ID theft
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Physical harm
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Extortion and blackmail
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Data and information theft
Solutions –
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Encryption
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Location Masker
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Private, Off-Grid Networks
How To Do It – VPN
Virtual Private Networks, or VPN, is a service that automatically encrypts your online activities over all networks, including public Wi-Fi’s like cafés, hotels, and airports. It “tunnels” your online Internet traffic away from the threats on the public “grid”, to privately operated Internet servers built for privacy and security. With a VPN your location is private and you are invisible on the Internet.
Choosing the right VPN can be tricky, and you should seek advice first, but the best ones are typically available for less than $100/yr.
#3) Privatize Your Email Service
No one looks for reasons to change their email, but for many with “free” accounts like Gmail, AOL, Yahoo, and others, are realizing it is becoming more inevitable every time they get hacked. Private email accounts are operated away from the honeypots of the giant “free” providers, and don’t resell your information for a profit.
Risks –
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Phishing and spear-phishing
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Social engineering
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Metadata loss
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Information theft
Consequences –
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Financial fraud
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Identity theft
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Reputational risk
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Extortion and blackmail
Solutions –
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Privately operated services
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Spam engines
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Preemptive virus screening
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“Gatekeeping” and “Fingerprinting” controls
How To Do It – Private Email Services
Use an enterprise-level provider with private server infrastructure that is built for email, not information mining and scaling. The best proveders will include strong threat detection capabilities with industry leading spam and virus protection. With the right email service, before a message enters your mailbox, it undergoes a series of multi-level tests before entering your private system.
The highest quality services available start at only about $50 per year, and can include some one-time setup fees.
#4) Backup and Encrypt Your Important Documents and Data
Cloud-based backup services are easy and cheap, and the convenience is great, but there is risk of loss and theft. Sensitive information like financial and legal documents, healthcare records and tax returns, scans of passports and other sensitive identification – all should be held off the cloud, and doubly encrypted when stored and shared over the Internet.
Risks –
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Cloud-based servers
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Online theft
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Unsecure networks
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Unsecure sharing, sending, and receiving
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Digital assets held in intestate
Consequences –
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Permanent loss of records
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Financial, tax, and insurance fraud
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ID theft
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Blackmail and extortion
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Estate probate and litigation in case of death
Solutions –
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Off-cloud storage
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Encryption end-to-end
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Secure apps
How To Do It – Digital Vault
Digital vaults are off the cloud and held on private, fortified servers. Documents and information are doubly encrypted end-to-end, meaning you can send, share, and receive securely and without worry. Documents and passwords can be assigned beneficiaries, vastly simplifying the estate settlement process and reducing related expenses. Free apps work across devices and browsers so your information and documents are always available, and easily accessed and shared.
The best providers are offshore, typically in Switzerland, and are about $50 a year for a 20gb vault.
Cyber Security for Life
Any one of these “Four Fundamental” solutions applied to your personal technology and every day activities shrinks your digital footprint and reduces the loss of information. Protecting all four of the “Fundamentals” builds an eco-system of cyber security that substantially reduces your risk in all aspects of life, personal and professional, virtual and real.