https://artfulenigma.com/categories/protect/ Recent content in protect on aRtFuL eNiGmA https://artfulenigma.com/%3Clink%20or%20path%20of%20image%20for%20opengraph,%20twitter-cards%3E https://artfulenigma.com/%3Clink%20or%20path%20of%20image%20for%20opengraph,%20twitter-cards%3E Hugo -- gohugo.io Thu, 11 Nov 2021 19:43:03 +0100 https://artfulenigma.com/articles/switch_to_linux_for_better_privacy/ Thu, 11 Nov 2021 19:43:03 +0100 https://artfulenigma.com/articles/switch_to_linux_for_better_privacy/ I am a long time user and advocate of Linux. I use it daily in my teaching, and have long expounded the many security and privacy benefits that come from using the operating systems. The problem is, for the average user, it can be daunting thought to make the switch. Despite, this I would encourage you to watch this video by Rob Braxman. In it, he fully explains the underlying structure of Linux, namely the mainline Kernel and GNU utilities built on top of it, leading to the many distributions to choose from. https://artfulenigma.com/articles/the-psychology-of-attack-and-defence/ Tue, 26 Oct 2021 19:43:03 +0100 https://artfulenigma.com/articles/the-psychology-of-attack-and-defence/ A fascinating video by Perry Carpenter about the Psychology of attack and defence In the video Perry explains the art and science behind deception. Also, how threat actors use this knowledge to exploit vulnerabilities in human psychology to target end-users and how security awareness training can help users spot deception. A great watch to better understand social engineering, scams, disinformation campaigns, and much more. https://artfulenigma.com/articles/social-media-fingerprint/ Tue, 26 Oct 2021 18:43:03 +0100 https://artfulenigma.com/articles/social-media-fingerprint/ There is a well known vulnerability in many web platforms that allows a potential attacker to determine the online platforms you are signed up to and are currently logged into. The exploit is pretty simple and actually easy to fix, however, most companies have not bothered to fix it because it does pose a serious risk to their platforms. It does pose a potential issue for our privacy so let’s briefly look at how we can protect ourself. https://artfulenigma.com/articles/amazonsidewalkprivacyconcerns/ Wed, 23 Jun 2021 11:30:03 +0000 https://artfulenigma.com/articles/amazonsidewalkprivacyconcerns/ Amazon recently announced the launch of a new service: Amazon Sidewalk which appears to have caused quite a stir. The tech giant has come under fire for the way it has rolled out the new service, amid concerns regarding user privacy and security. Let’s briefly review the service to decide whether it is a useful new feature or a cause for concern. What is Amazon Sidewalk? The first thing to note is that at present the service has only launched in the US. https://artfulenigma.com/articles/browsersbuiltinpasswordmanager/ Tue, 15 Jun 2021 11:30:03 +0000 https://artfulenigma.com/articles/browsersbuiltinpasswordmanager/ I read an interesting article about Password Managers written by Tavis Ormandy, a well known researcher working on Google’s Zero-Day project. The article considered whether it is better to use the intrinsic password manager already built-in to your web browser (most web browsers now offer to save your passwords) or to use an extrinsic third-party app like Bitwarden . Let’s review the arguments he presented in his article and determine if it is safe to use a browser’s built-in password manager. https://artfulenigma.com/articles/best-web-browser-for-privacy-in-2021/ Sun, 09 Aug 2020 13:21:37 +0100 https://artfulenigma.com/articles/best-web-browser-for-privacy-in-2021/ Welcome A web browser can collect a lot of information about you. As the tool most used to browse the Internet, they can track the sites you visit, how long you spent on them, which links you clicked on or purchases you made, and much more. Choosing the right web browser is, therefore, an important consideration when trying to improve your online privacy. Ideally, you should choose a web browser which blocks all trackers by default, or at least, allows you to easily configure it do so. https://artfulenigma.com/articles/multi-factor-authentication-2fa-and-biometrics/ Sun, 02 Aug 2020 11:30:03 +0000 https://artfulenigma.com/articles/multi-factor-authentication-2fa-and-biometrics/ In a recent article, How to create and manage strong passwords, I demonstrated how using mnemonics to remember complex passwords or adopting a bitwarden can be used to improve your digital security, and make you a much more difficult target for potential hackers. It is, however, possible to protect your online digital interactions even further, by using Multi-factor authentication (MFA) to add extra layers of security when logging into systems. https://artfulenigma.com/articles/how-to-create-and-manage-strong-passwords/ Thu, 09 Jul 2020 11:30:03 +0000 https://artfulenigma.com/articles/how-to-create-and-manage-strong-passwords/ We all know we should use secure passwords, but, how do you balance the necessity of highly secure passwords with the ability to easily recall them when needed? Depending on which study you read, the average person has 27 online accounts and between 70-80 passwords to remember. As a result, many people choose the path of least resistance (I’m working on a future post about this) so either use simple, easy to remember (and guess) passwords, or use the same password everywhere.