Digital Privacy

[nigel99 143]

I’ve never been overly worried about my digital footprint and what suppliers gather from me. In general I’ve accepted ‘free’ or subsidised services in exchange for giving up my privacy. 

I fear I have woken up too late to a big mistake. First of all I am managing IoT devices for work and just spent three months implementing cyber security and I have seen just how vulnerable we are. Secondly my partner just had her ex completely ‘wipe’ her digital life, bank accounts etc despite having two factor on everything it was surprisingly easy for him to get around and part of this was ‘my’ information.

Many long term posters will remember speakers corner victim Phillykev who was screwed over by a dz.com poster. 

So I have started the long arduous task of cleaning up my digital trail, securing everything slowly and for the first time actually reading terms and conditions before just clicking yes. I discovered that my sexy new iPhone uses my camera to ‘help’ me continually refining its algorithm for its true depth camera, even though O am not using faceid. I will also no longer be having the ‘helpful’ security shortcuts that our technical suppliers provide. Financial institutions offer credit report monitoring services, it would be really good to have a digital footprint monitoring service so highlight your vulnerabilities (despite such a service being a potential weakness)

[BIGUN 1,053]

 

13 hours ago, nigel99 said:

I have woken up

 You hit a really significant hot button for me. I was in IT when cybersecurity was called data integrity and worked in the database field. Specifically from DB to Web (like, Cold Fusion) It didn't take a Welleian sense of foresight to realize the future of privacy. 

Other than dz.com; I have no social media footprint (never have; never will) I thought about MeWe awhile back - but just kept thinking about how FB had changed their settings in order to monetize everything. And now you can login to everything using your FB ID.  

For others on here and those I speak with F2F about digital security: 

Use a VPN (Ghost or Norton) - although I haven't trusted Norton as much over the years, since they learned how to bloat the shit out of everything))

Use DuckDuckGo - as your search engine. (Type a search into Gargle and then one into duckduckgo and see the different resultset - no agenda there. Like selling you on those that are paying Gargle to sell them to you. (Gargle incognito isn't)

Use Signal  - for your messaging.

Use Tutanota.com - for your email.

Encrypt your phone.  If an app says they need access to your contacts or files. etc. Ask yourself why they need that access. Why it's a free app and there's your answer. Turn off the location feature on your phone - Google created an algorithm (Are you ready for this) that allows them to monitor your online shopping with your location to see what you shopped for online and where you actually bought. BING! Tell us about the restaurant X; write a review. Kinda unnerving that if you walk by someplace - you're being "watched"

And, if that's not scary enough for you - type your name into fastpeoplesearch.com and you will not only be concerned about your cybersecurity, but you and your family's personal physical security. For your reading entertainment on this subject; the following page and its hyperlinks are helpful. https://clark.com/technology/how-to-reduce-or-delete-your-digital-footprint/

And, what did happen to phillykev?     

       

Edited July 20, 2019 by BIGUN
oopsies

[Coreece 190]

15 hours ago, nigel99 said:

Financial institutions offer credit report monitoring services, it would be really good to have a digital footprint monitoring service so highlight your vulnerabilities (despite such a service being a potential weakness) 

In the meantime you can still take action against known vulnerabilities:

- Block WebRTC IP Detection or Disable WebRTC altogether

- Convert HTTP websites to secure HTTPS websites with HTTPS Everywhere

- Disable DNS prefetching/network prediction

- Disable cross-site tracking

- Use web fingerprinting protection

- Disable website referrer

- Disable hyperlink Auditing

- Remove UTM Parameters

 

Note - Some websites don't like some of these precautions such as fingerprint protection, but it's not typically an issue.  But still, you may have to temporarily forgo some of these precautions for online banking and similar activities where institutions need to verify who you really are.

Also, if manually handling all of these tasks seems a bit overwhelming, some VPN providers allow you to manage all these settings within one app so you can easily disable/enable when needed. 

Edited July 20, 2019 by Coreece

[tonyhays 86]

4 hours ago, BIGUN said:

fastpeoplesearch.com

What type of info is there?  Got denied due to being in Australia, then denied again using a VPN.

 

[timski 80]

10 minutes ago, tonyhays said:

What type of info is there?  Got denied due to being in Australia, then denied again using a VPN.

 

The same basic info you will find on any search engine... telephone, addresses, and possible family members... It's the links they provide that send you to PAY for more info... TROLL Alert.

[nigel99 143]

Keith thanks for the information, I’m across some of that. Yes I realise my ‘free’ google maps is not free. And the algorithms are clever, matching patterns, google home and Amazon Alexa constantly listening and refining their algorithms.

Phillykev was active in speakers corner and from memory it was politics or the Iraq war that was the current hot topic. He worked in investment banking or something similar and whoever it was that he had upset, basically gathered up information and thread details and sent it in to his employer with him getting fired as a result. He basically posted a warning here about being careful after it happened. 

If I can figure out how to search in the new format I’ll see if I can find his post.

[BIGUN 1,053]

11 hours ago, nigel99 said:

Phillykev was active in speakers corner and from memory it was politics or the Iraq war that was the current hot topic. He worked in investment banking or something similar and whoever it was that he had upset, basically gathered up information and thread details and sent it in to his employer with him getting fired as a result. He basically posted a warning here about being careful after it happened. 

Good enough. I haven't had much success with the search function of late. You know, this is the second time I've heard of someone going after someone on here (a fellow skydiver no less) with the intent of causing financial harm or duress due to a different political position. It's one of the reasons I will no longer respond to the someone who went after TK - TK and I can be on the opposite side of things - but the thought of going outside SC and maliciously targeting someone for their views goes against any form of decency. That to me; is just a disgusting manner of person. No sense of honor or integrity. </rant>     

[Coreece 190]

1 hour ago, BIGUN said:

this is the second time I've heard of someone going after someone on here (a fellow skydiver no less) with the intent of causing financial harm or duress due to a different political position.

While it's good to be reminded of these incidents, they really are a different issue.  None of the security measures outlined in this thread would prevent the Phillykev Effect.  A VPN isn't going to prevent you from logging into social media and pissing somebody off.

One thing I forgot to add earlier is that you can implement everything we've suggested, but if you're logged into your google account and using chrome or a google search engine, then they're still tracking your activity across various sites and adding details to your digital footprint.  This is an even bigger issue with smartphones where you're basically required to be logged in - and it doesn't really matter if you turn off the location/gps - they'll just connect the dots using wifi/cell tower data, various info from other apps you've trusted and even info from other phones within proximity.

At the end of the day tho, I try not to get to paranoid about it all because I see the positive life changing potential, but we still have a long way to go.

[BIGUN 1,053]

11 minutes ago, Coreece said:

because I see the positive life changing potential, but we still have a long way to go.

Agreed on all points. 

[SkyDekker 1,122]

On 7/20/2019 at 5:29 PM, nigel99 said:

Phillykev was active in speakers corner and from memory it was politics or the Iraq war that was the current hot topic. He worked in investment banking or something similar and whoever it was that he had upset, basically gathered up information and thread details and sent it in to his employer with him getting fired as a result. He basically posted a warning here about being careful after it happened. 

And let's remember that Ron, a current poster on dz.com, tried to do the exact same thing to another current poster on dz.com.

 

Funny thing is, you cannot call somebody an idiot without getting banned. But, you can try and thoroughly fuck up their life and livelihood and nothing gets done.

[GeorgiaDon 340]

1 hour ago, SkyDekker said:

Funny thing is, you cannot call somebody an idiot without getting banned. But, you can try and thoroughly fuck up their life and livelihood and nothing gets done.

I could be mistaken, but I recall that the guy who was so angry at Phillykev (and I assumed was the troublemaker) disappeared from DZ.com right after things blew up.  I just figured that he had been banned.  I forget the guy's name but I think he worked on a submarine or something like that.  Also I recall that Phillykev had more trouble than "just" being fired, I think the police showed up and confiscated his gun collection.  He definitely got screwed over.

As far as Google tracking my every move is concerned, I hope they have a high tolerance for boredom.

Don

[Coreece 190]

30 minutes ago, GeorgiaDon said:

As far as Google tracking my every move is concerned, I hope they have a high tolerance for boredom.

I'm pretty sure that's the job description of a code monkey.

[BIGUN 1,053]

3 hours ago, SkyDekker said:

Funny thing is, you cannot call somebody an idiot without getting banned. But, you can try and thoroughly fuck up their life and livelihood and nothing gets done.

This

[Stumpy 256]

1 hour ago, Coreece said:

I'm pretty sure that's the job description of a code monkey.

A what?

[headoverheels 291]

1 hour ago, Stumpy said:

A what?

"

• A derogative term for a computer programmer who isn't actually involved in any aspect of conceptual or design work, but simply writes code to specifications given."

Wikipedia

[Stumpy 256]

8 hours ago, headoverheels said:

"

• A derogative term for a computer programmer who isn't actually involved in any aspect of conceptual or design work, but simply writes code to specifications given."

Wikipedia

Hmmm. Thats what I thought he meant.

Programmers, especially at Google, don't sit watching people's location data, just in case anyone is wondering.

 

[kallend 1,623]

13 hours ago, headoverheels said:

"

• A derogative term for a computer programmer who isn't actually involved in any aspect of conceptual or design work, but simply writes code to specifications given."

Wikipedia

Something that could, and should, be automated.

[Coreece 190]

4 hours ago, Stumpy said:

Programmers, especially at Google, don't sit watching people's location data, just in case anyone is wondering.

No, they just create programs to do that.  Even more exciting!