Poor Man Survival
Self Reliance
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Digest of Urban Survival Resources
On
internet privacy, be very afraid-New tools you can use.
Three former Israeli intelligence
operatives have created the technology that protects photos posted online from
facial recognition technology.
The company is D-ID (the
name stands for “deidentification) and it claims its software is difficult for
artificial intelligence to overcome and is capable of protecting every photo
containing biometric data that is shared online.
The other never-ending issue of government spying and the
NSA archiving every kilobyte of data that passes across the Internet.
It might be easier to simply “CC” the government on every email you send and add their email address as an authorized user of your Dropbox account.
Despite all these known risks, though, and the constant stream of stories about hackers and government spying, few people take steps to safeguard their data.
(As an example, according to a study by Keeper Security, the most common password is 123456. Not exactly hacker-proof.)
But there are some very simple tools available that can help.
One of them is called Cryptomator, which came to my attention from a close friend of mine who works in the US Army’s cyberwarfare divison, which was established to defend government systems against foreign hackers.
Cryptomator is a free, simple program which encrypts every single file you store on a cloud server.
Let’s say you use Dropbox to sync files between your laptop and the cloud.
Ordinarily, your files are stored unencrypted on your laptop, and they’re accessible by certain Dropbox staff through the cloud servers.
Cryptomator encrypts the files on BOTH ends, i.e. the file that’s stored on the Dropbox servers is encrypted, AND the file stored locally on your laptop is encrypted.
Dropbox employees who try to access your data would see nothing but gibberish.
And anyone who gains physical access to your laptop would see nothing but gibberish.
Only you have the ability to unlock the files.
Now, this sounds like a cumbersome process… having to constantly encrypt and decrypt files, enter passwords, etc.
But it’s not. Cryptomator has created a streamlined platform where you can group files together in ‘vaults’.
Then you can decrypt an entire vault, attach it to your file system, and easily re-encrypt it when you’re finished.
You can see an example in this video.
Try it out if you’re interested; the software is free, available on Mac OS, Windows, Linux, Android, and iPhone.
Plus it’s open-source, meaning that anyone who knows the Java programming language can download the source code and verify that the software contains no backdoors or malware.
It might be easier to simply “CC” the government on every email you send and add their email address as an authorized user of your Dropbox account.
Despite all these known risks, though, and the constant stream of stories about hackers and government spying, few people take steps to safeguard their data.
(As an example, according to a study by Keeper Security, the most common password is 123456. Not exactly hacker-proof.)
But there are some very simple tools available that can help.
One of them is called Cryptomator, which came to my attention from a close friend of mine who works in the US Army’s cyberwarfare divison, which was established to defend government systems against foreign hackers.
Cryptomator is a free, simple program which encrypts every single file you store on a cloud server.
Let’s say you use Dropbox to sync files between your laptop and the cloud.
Ordinarily, your files are stored unencrypted on your laptop, and they’re accessible by certain Dropbox staff through the cloud servers.
Cryptomator encrypts the files on BOTH ends, i.e. the file that’s stored on the Dropbox servers is encrypted, AND the file stored locally on your laptop is encrypted.
Dropbox employees who try to access your data would see nothing but gibberish.
And anyone who gains physical access to your laptop would see nothing but gibberish.
Only you have the ability to unlock the files.
Now, this sounds like a cumbersome process… having to constantly encrypt and decrypt files, enter passwords, etc.
But it’s not. Cryptomator has created a streamlined platform where you can group files together in ‘vaults’.
Then you can decrypt an entire vault, attach it to your file system, and easily re-encrypt it when you’re finished.
You can see an example in this video.
Try it out if you’re interested; the software is free, available on Mac OS, Windows, Linux, Android, and iPhone.
Plus it’s open-source, meaning that anyone who knows the Java programming language can download the source code and verify that the software contains no backdoors or malware.
ALSO NOTED…
In the internet era, consumers seem increasingly resigned to giving up fundamental aspects of their privacy for convenience in using their phones and computers, and have grudgingly accepted that being monitored by corporations and even governments is just a fact of modern life. In fact, internet users in the United States have fewer privacy protections than those in other countries. In April, Congress voted to allow internet service providers to collect and sell their customers’ browsing data. Cybersecurity expert Bruce Schneier talked about government and corporate surveillance, and about what concerned users can do to protect their privacy. “Surveillance is the business model of the internet,” he says.
In the internet era, consumers seem increasingly resigned to giving up fundamental aspects of their privacy for convenience in using their phones and computers, and have grudgingly accepted that being monitored by corporations and even governments is just a fact of modern life.
In fact, internet users in the United States have fewer privacy protections than those in other countries. In April, Congress voted to allow internet service providers to collect and sell their customers’ browsing data. By contrast, the European Union hit Google this summer with a $2.7 billion antitrust fine.
To assess the internet landscape, the Harvard Gazette’s Liz Mineo interviewed cybersecurity expert Bruce Schneier, a fellow with the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society and the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard Kennedy School. Schneier talked about government and corporate surveillance, and about what concerned users can do to protect their privacy.
Gazette: After whistleblower Edward Snowden’s revelations concerning the National Security Agency’s (NSA) mass surveillance operation in 2013, how much has the government landscape in this field changed?
Schneier: Snowden’s revelations made people aware of what was happening, but little changed as a result. The USA Freedom Act resulted in some minor changes in one particular government data-collection program. The NSA’s data collection hasn’t changed; the laws limiting what the NSA can do haven’t changed; the technology that permits them to do it hasn’t changed. It’s pretty much the same.
Gazette: Should consumers be alarmed by this?
Schneier: People should be alarmed, both as consumers and as citizens. But today, what we care about is very dependent on what is in the news at the moment, and right now surveillance is not in the news. It was not an issue in the 2016 election, and by and large isn’t something that legislators are willing to make a stand on. Snowden told his story, Congress passed a new law in response, and people moved on.
Gazette: What about corporate surveillance? How pervasive is it?
Schneier: Surveillance is the business model of the internet. Everyone is under constant surveillance by many companies, ranging from social networks like Facebook to cellphone providers. This data is collected, compiled, analyzed, and used to try to sell us stuff. Personalized advertising is how these companies make money, and is why so much of the internet is free to users. We’re the product, not the customer.
"On its best day, with every ounce of technology the U.S.
government could muster, it could not know a fraction as much about any of us
as Google does now” (Shelly Palmer, technology
analyst).
Recently I gave readers of my newsletter my up-to-date Emergency Recommendations:
- Have some cash at home.
- Keep only enough money in the
bank to cover about one month’s worth of bills.
- Have some 1 oz. gold coins at
home.
- Take delivery of long-term
holding stock certificates if you have them. They are not tied to any
broker. Your dividends will come straight to you.
- Have some pre-1964 silver coins
at home.
- All major companies like GE and
GM and the big banks are major derivative dealers. In these times small
banks and small brokers may be safer.
- Avoid Internet financial
services, i.e. brokers and banks.
- Be careful how you use the
Internet. My research tells me that it is certainly not private. It is
still better to use fax or mail. This may not be private either, but
better. Use the phone for travel plans.
- Consider a Swiss annuity
denominated in Swiss francs. Contact The Swiss Advantage at 1-800-331-0996
and give your name and address for more information.
- Buy oil, energy, uranium, and
commodity related assets/stocks, including stocks of gold and silver
miners.
- Store gold coins in the Perth
Mint if you have the funds. Get details on the web at www.perthmint.com.
- As always have basic food and
water and guns and ammo stored at home.
I think we are very close to a point of no return. There are still millions who are ignorant to what they must do. Yet if you’re reading this, then you are one of the few who are very concerned with the state of our country and are attempting to learn more.
In fact, when it comes to the notion of surviving these hardships or a collapse, and the methodology for doing so, I feel so strongly that you need to start protecting yourself today that I prepared a special report for you to read and review this information about surviving what’s to come, absolutely free.
What about you? Got anything
interesting to share?
Bruce, the Poor Man... free thinker,
social critic & cynic
A Final Note…
Contributors and subscribers enable the Poor Man Survivor to post 150+ free essays annually. It is for this reason they are Heroes and Heroines of New Media. Without your financial support, the free content would disappear for the simple reason that I cannot keep body and soul together on my meager book sales & ecommerce alone.
Additional
Resources
- DIY pancake mix and syrup
- Canning basics for
beginners
- Stocking your pantry for
fall
- 5 nutritious snack ideas
that are easy on the budget
How much emergency
food do you need? »
The amount of food we need changes based on what our goals are. In modern prepping the line between what we need and what we store is blurry. Just because a can of dried fruit has the words, "Emergency Food" on the label does not mean it is the type of food you need in an emergency. More »
The amount of food we need changes based on what our goals are. In modern prepping the line between what we need and what we store is blurry. Just because a can of dried fruit has the words, "Emergency Food" on the label does not mean it is the type of food you need in an emergency. More »
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