Security & Privacy
The big tech companies are vacuuming up your data using industrial size machines
The hackers have a thriving business soaking up money from breaking into your assets
...is there anything you can do about it? Do you care?
Below are a few things that can be done to help stem the tide...
Learn to Protect Yourself
1Password University - a free set of courses from a trust source
The Number One Way to Protect Your Identity? Get yourself a password management application - go through all of your online accounts and add long passwords.
Podcasts
What the Hack with Adam Levin - Ever click a link and think… "Uh oh!" "What the Hack?" is a new podcast that makes getting scammed, hacked, phished or cyber bushwhacked seem a little less terrifying. You might even have fun. It's one part true crime whodunnit (or what happened) and one part how to fix it.
The Privacy, Security, & OSINT Show - Your weekly dose of privacy, digital security
Random but Memorable - Lighthearted security advice and banter from 1Password and guests. Great show!
Resources
Excellent Checklists
How to Protect Your Privacy on Mac
How to Protect Your Privacy on iPhone
Security Services/ Blogs
COSO.org - The Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) is a joint initiative of five professional organizations and is dedicated to helping organizations improve performance by developing thought leadership that enhances internal control, risk management, governance and fraud deterrence.
Search
Have you or your friends found ads for things you were thinking about? Use a search engine that doesn't track you:
Browsers
A secure browser alternative for your mobile device: DuckDuckGo
VPN
Do you need one? I am a bit torn - I haven't started using one but it is definitely a way of providing additional security
Take your pick - I have heard it hardly matters which one you use (a trusted vendor)
Phone
I can only speak to iPhone here
Turn off everything unless it is NEEDED
I go through every application on my phone and turn OFF the ability for them to track me when I am not using the application
Settings >> Location Services and look through the list - and - many applications NEVER need to know my location and if it does Apple will ask for permission when I need it
The reason apps want location turned on is because they are selling your location data - sometimes it is updated as often as every five seconds!
Settings >> Microphone
Turn off everything that doesn't need it
Settings >> Advertising [bottom of the screen]
Turn on Limit Add Tracking
I click on the "Reset Advertising Identifier" once a week
iPhone - Protect Your Sim Card
You turned on multi-factor authentication - fantastic, however, now someone intercepted your phone information. One additional layer is to put a pin on your Sim card
Use a SIM PIN for your iPhone or iPad
Use this link for instructions
Lock your SIM card with a PIN (personal identification number) to require an identification code for phone calls and cellular-data usage.
Don't try to guess your SIM PIN. The wrong guess can permanently lock your SIM card, which means that you would need a new SIM card.
Google your carrier to determine what your default pin is - example - for AT&T - here is the link
Store your new SIM PIN in your Password Manager app because you don't want to lose this!
WSJ: The iPhone Setting Thieves Use to Lock You Out of Your Apple Account
The recovery key was designed to make Apple IDs safer. Instead, these victims permanently lost family photos and other precious digital possessions.
How to protect yourself:
What You Can Do
There are ways to prevent thieves with your passcode from turning on a recovery key. Read our complete guide to protecting your data in case of theft. Here are two moves in particular to try:
Set a complicated passcode
You should always try to use Face ID when in public, but when you can’t, rely on an alphanumeric passcode, which includes letters and numbers. To set it up, go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Change Passcode. When selecting a new passcode, tap Passcode Options.
Use parental controls on yourself
Apple’s Screen Time—which lets parents place limits on their children’s accounts—can also help you protect your Apple account. But you have to enable a Screen Time passcode. (Remember to make that passcode different from your iPhone’s.)
In Settings, go to Screen Time and scroll down to set a passcode, if you haven’t already. Then go to Content & Privacy Restrictions, and toggle on Content & Privacy Restrictions. Scroll down to Allow Changes, then tap on Account Changes and select Don’t Allow.
—For more WSJ Technology analysis, reviews, advice and headlines, sign up for our weekly newsletter.
Write to Nicole Nguyen at nicole.nguyen@wsj.com and Joanna Stern at joanna.stern@wsj.com
Stolen Device Protection for iPhone
How to turn Stolen Device Protection on or off
To turn on Stolen Device Protection you must use two-factor authentication for your Apple ID and set up or enable the following on your iPhone: a device passcode; Face ID or Touch ID; Find My; and Significant Locations* (Location Services).
You can turn on Stolen Device Protection in Settings:
Go to Settings, then tap Face ID & Passcode.
Enter your device passcode.
Tap to turn Stolen Device Protection on or off.
Personal Firewall
Antivirus/ Malware Protection
Protect up to 15 devices: Windows, iOS & Android, and MacBooks (i.e., 2+ devices per family member adds up quickly)
visibility, provides a central website where you see all devices, are any infected? when the kids don't tell you...
15-user license counts, which is useful as tend to have more than 5 to 10 devices in average family
available VPN add-on, secure all your app and browser traffic while on any public Wi-Fi's (stores, rinks, libraries etc.)
Multi-factor/2-Factor Authentication
Options include:
Google Authenticator
Microsoft Authenticator
Use 1Password as an authenticator for sites with two-factor authentication
Three key reasons you should choose Multi-Factor Authentication 1) combat data breaches, 2) weak passwords, and 3) phishing attacks. Once setup, through sending a short numeric code via SMS/text or mobile application or a “push” message to click OK (no typing!)
Enable MFA all your financial, email, social media accounts (i.e. LinkedIn)
Enable MFA any account that offers it; Amazon, Home Depot, BestBuy, etc.