title: Personal Security link: https://onemoretech.wordpress.com/2010/12/27/personal-security/ author: lembobro description: post_id: 92 created: 2010/12/27 10:54:27 created_gmt: 2010/12/27 10:54:27 comment_status: open post_name: personal-security status: publish post_type: post

Personal Security

Everyone knows that our personal privacy is under constant attack. The masses of information we generate and consume, or that are generated and consumed about us, over the Internet is just one attack vector, but an important one. In the “wrong hands” private information about us can also pose a threat to our personal security. Stalking has always been with us, but do we really have to make it easier? Here are some things I’ve been doing to reduce that threat. Oh, and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

1. Switch to OpenDNS. First and foremost, OpenDNS runs a solid, reliable name service that’s focused on network security. If all you do is switch over from your ISP to their name servers, you’ll probably be making a big improvement in your own security. If you register your local network with them, OpenDNS can also help your control access to, and from, Internet sites of your choosing. This is a big improvement over the limited options for filtering available with most home routers.

2. Disable Google Buzz. Yes, if you’re a long time Gmail user, it’s probably still enabled.

3. Delete Google Web History. Anyone who has signed up for access to Google apps probably has this turned on by default. You don’t need it or want it. Go into your Google account settings, edit your Google apps settings and delete Web History — completely.

4. Delete your Facebook Account. There are lots of articles on the Internet with tips about improving various privacy related settings on Facebook. But the people who run Facebook believe that privacy is no longer a social norm. To them “the age of privacy is dead”. To me that’s a very dangerous attitude that I can’t allow myself any association with.

5. Block Facebook at your router or in DNS (see OpenDNS support pages).

6. Block Twitter at your router or in DNS (see OpenDNS support pages). Twitter is just texting at a computer console, but with the added risk that comes with terabytes of conversation history. Seriously, if you Twitter do you recall everything you wrote yesterday — not to mention last year? I can see job recruiters and insurance companies having a field day with such a mother lode of data.

7. Never say “yes” to any toolbar or web browser add-on while installing or upgrading software. Particularly look out for “upgrades” that invite you to switch to a new web browser or install a search engine toolbar (e.g. Google’s Chrome, Yahoo! or Bing). Bad enough that various sites infect computers with bots and other warez, but the proliferation of add-ons, plugins and upgrades threatens to completely take control over your computer away from you. Stand your ground, tell them to get lost.

Copyright 2004-2019 Phil Lembo