August Letter

Three A's for August

Hi there,

The dog days of August 2020 start fittingly enough with a hurricane named Isais, which in Spanish means "God Is My Salvation." In turn, salvation means "preservation or deliverance from harm, ruin, or loss."

The CyberAdvisor newsletter is all about preserving from harm, ruin, and loss with preemptive risk management measures that safeguard privacy and increase personal safety.

In this month's letter, we sum it up with the "Three A's for August."

  1. Authenticate what comes in
  2. Anonymize what goes out
  3. Autonomy from Big Tech's manipulation and abuse matters

1. Authenticate First

In the digital age, trust nothing on face value.

Email, websites, WiFi networks, photos, and the 'news'- in many cases, are fake and engineered to manipulate our thoughts and actions.

Screen Shot 2020-07-31 at 6.37.33 PMAuthentication means thinking critically about identifying and credentialing your interaction with the internet and media.

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Avoid being "spoofed" by making a habit of first asking:

  • Who is really sending me this email?
  • Is this website what it purports to be?
  • Is that headline meant to inform or influence?
  • Do I trust the WiFi I'm using?

Learn to authenticate all your primary digital feeds, and with a nod to Ronald Reagan: Verify before trusting!

green_checkmark_rxNote - all Private Email domains for our clients include DKIM authentication built-in for every box.

2. Anonymize Your Internet Activities

Encryption is like a silver bullet for privacy and information security because it anonymizes digital activity. This explains certain governments outlawing the possession and use of a VPN. Screen Shot 2020-07-31 at 7.13.45 PM-1Fortunately, encryption tools are getting better and easier to use. We suggest using a VPN to beginning immediately reducing your digital footprint and to increasingly learn how to use encryption to increase privacy and control your personal information.

green_checkmark_rxWe suggest embracing encryption as much as you can in all digital activities by anonymizing internet activity and email across your home networks and personal devices.

3. Autonomy from Big Tech Matters

Are you watching what Big Tech is doing as a standard operating practice to feed their business models? Our American democracy has been hacked, and it's time to defund Big Tech and social media.

Screen Shot 2020-08-02 at 11.58.39 AM

To the mega-billionaire owners of the ruling information industrial complex, you are but a dollar sign at the bottom of their chain. To resist information dysfunction, seek more digital autonomy starting now.

green_checkmark_rxDigital autonomy begins with privatizing email and positioning your most vital communication and social channel off the grid of Big Tech's control and abuse.

Contact me to start taking control of your digital self and personal information and position for survival and success in the digital age.

Thanks for reading,

Brad Sig blue Brad

 

Brad Deflin

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Screen Shot 2020-08-01 at 5.09.34 PM

Vast Phishing Campaign Hits Microsoft Users 

Millions of Microsoft customers were targeted in a massive phishing campaign that has sought to defraud users with malicious emails to capitalize on the pandemic.

"The attack attempts to compromise accounts, steal information and re-direct wire transfers,” 

Microsoft - July 7th, 2020

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UK Reports Russia Poses an Immediate and Urgent Threat

"Russia's cyber capability, when combined with its willingness to deploy it in a malicious capacity, is a matter of grave concern, and poses an immediate and urgent threat to our national security," 

Intelligence and Security Committee report to Parliament - July 21st, 2020. www.gov.uk

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The Vatican at sunset after hacked by the Chinese.

China Hacked Vatican Ahead of Negotiations

A Chinese-state-backed group recently hacked into Vatican computers on the eve of important negotiations with Beijing, according to a U.S. cybersecurity firm. 

The alleged breaches come ahead of negotiations regarding the appointment of bishops in China. WSJ - July 29th, 2020

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How to Check Your Devices for Stalkerware

Here's how to check your phone, laptop, and online accounts to make sure no one's looking over your shoulder.

Wired, July 19th, 2020

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New Mac Ransomware Is Even More Sinister Than It Appears

The malware known as ThiefQuest or EvilQuest also has spyware capabilities that allow it to grab passwords and credit card numbers.

Wired, July 1st, 2020

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The best way to start protecting?

Go private! Over 80% of cybercrime originates with an email. 

  • Own your personal information - not Big Tech.
  • Professionals, families, VIPs - for privacy, security, and physical safety.
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