Have you ever experienced the feeling of relief that comes when you do something silly, but you’re glad you did it where people don’t know you? Or maybe you wished you were somewhere like that, but alas… That is what a Virtual Private Network (VPN) can do for you: it can put you in a place where you are unknown. To determine if and when you need a VPN, you must define what … [Read more...]
EncroChat system eavesdropped on by law enforcement
Due to the level of sophistication of the attack, and the malware code, we can no longer guarantee the security of your device. This text caused a lot of aggravation, worries, and sleepless nights. No one wants to hear the security of their device has been compromised by a malware attack. The good news is that the actual victims of this malware attack were almost exclusively criminals. The bad … [Read more...]
Going dark: encryption and law enforcement
UPDATE, 05/22/2020: In the advent of the EARN IT Act, the debate on government subversion of encryption has reignited. Given that the material conditions of the technology have not changed, and the arguments given in favor of the bill are not novel, we’ve decided to republish the following blog outlining our stance on the subject. Originally published July 25, 2017 We’re hearing it a lot … [Read more...]
Why all organizations must better protect sensitive data
About two weeks ago, National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM) kicked off with a new message stressing personal responsibility for users keeping themselves safe online: “Own IT. Secure IT. Protect IT.” NCSAM asked users to consider best practices for both securing their own devices and protecting sensitive data. But personal responsibility in cybersecurity extends beyond … [Read more...]
How to securely send your personal information
This story originally ran on The Parallax and was updated on July 3, 2019. A few months ago, my parents asked a great security question: How could they securely send their passport numbers to a travel agent? They knew email wasn’t safe on its own. Standard email indeed isn’t safe for sending high-value personal information such as credit card or passport numbers, according to security … [Read more...]
Facebook’s history betrays its privacy pivot
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg proposed a radical pivot for his company this month: it would start caring—really—about privacy, building out a new version of the platform that turns Facebook less into a public, open “town square” and more into a private, intimate “living room.” Zuckerberg promised end-to-end encryption across the company’s messaging platforms, interoperability, disappearing … [Read more...]
Merging Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram: a technical, reputational hurdle
Secure messaging is supposed to be just that—secure. That means no backdoors, strong encryption, private messages staying private, and, for some users, the ability to securely communicate without giving up tons of personal data. So, when news broke that scandal-ridden, online privacy pariah Facebook would expand secure messaging across its Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram apps, a broad community … [Read more...]