Step 1 – Digital Freedom
Part 6 – HOMEWORK
Are you ready to take your first step?
but first the powerful yet little-known method…
We are going to learn about it in the next step.
But don’t worry, I will not keep you in suspense until then. I will tell you the name of the method, and in the next step, I will show you how to use it to make your surfing more private and stop Big Tech from tracking the websites you visit.
The Method is a well established security strategy called
“Compartmentalisation”.
You are welcome to look it up, but if you are just keen to get started, you will not have to wait until the next step.
I have plenty of homework for you!
In this part, we will be looking at:
COURSE UPDATES
Sorry – No Results
<< Return to previous part
DIGITAL LIFE AUDIT
Take Control of your Digital Life Audit
(everything mixed together)?
The value of this exercise can not be overstated.
Select your preferred platform
Play time : 21:13
(Digital Life Audit 01:50 – 09:02)
Click the Odysee icon to watch directly on Odysee.
(will open in a new window)
Play time : 21:13
(Digital Life Audit 01:50 – 09:02)
Click the Bitchute icon to watch directly on Bitchute.
(will open in a new window)
Play time : 21:13
(Digital Life Audit 01:50 – 09:02)
Click the Rumble icon to watch directly on Rumble.
(will open in a new window)
To take control of your digital life, you need to know where your are now and what you have so you can better plan your digital escape.
You are going to conduct a Digital Life Audit and securely store it away for future use.
The first thing I want to stress is that
this will be for your eyes only.
You should never share information from this unless you fully understand the security and privacy implications and why the person requesting the information needs it AND are they who they say they are!
When it comes to your privacy:
BE PARANOID!
The information you collect will be very helpful in implementing your escape plan so the more you collect the better. This will become evident as you proceed.
Digital vs. Hardcopy
You can store your audit in digital form. Still, considering the extremely private nature of the information you are collecting I strongly recommend against storing it on a device, unless you fully understand how to securely and safely store digital information which we will cover in Step 8.
Until then you can store a digital copy on a removable USB drive which can be physically secured.
Regardless of if you have a digital copy of your audit, I am going to recommend that you have a hardcopy physical Backup.
A major advantage of a hard copy is that you are not reliant on any device to decode digital data into a readable form.
It can also be faster and more convenient than accessing it on a device that needs to start and requires a power supply or charging.
I recommend getting a ruled exercise book like school students use.
Because this is for your eyes only you can be as messy as you like, in other words, don’t stress about making and correcting mistakes.
You must be able to securely store any physical copy of the audit.
Physical Hardware Audit
This is the start of your Digital Life Audit.
We will build on this with each step.
What sort of Information will you collect?
This can be pretty well everything related to how you access and interact with the digital world.
Physical Security Audit
This simply means considering the security and privacy implications of everything. I have created this mini-risk analysis exercise merely as a starting point.
A physical security audit is concerned with physical access to devices accessing the potential for theft and unauthorised access.
Start asking questions like…
This can range from
MILD EMBARRASSMENT to LIFE THREATENING
Rank the ramifications from 1 to 10 in terms of potential impact on your life.
This is not just an exercise where you tick off a checklist marking it complete.
This needs to become part of how you think about your digital life and all your digital assets
This is the first part of your Digital Life Audit,
we will continue to expand this audit.
DIGITAL FREEDOM TUBE
The following results have been automatically generated for you from the DIGITAL FREEDOM TUBE based on terms matching the major topics discussed in this part.
CYBERSECURITY
Secure your digital life
Select your preferred platform
Play time : 21:13
(Cybersecurity 09:02 – 13:52)
Click the Odysee icon to watch directly on Odysee.
(will open in a new window)
Play time : 21:13
(Cybersecurity 09:02 – 13:52)
Click the Bitchute icon to watch directly on Bitchute.
(will open in a new window)
Play time : 21:13
(Cybersecurity 09:02 – 13:52)
Click the Rumble icon to watch directly on Rumble.
(will open in a new window)
I mentioned already that Cybersecurity and Privacy are different things.
You can have security without privacy!
BUT you can’t have privacy
without security!
This means you can’t achieve privacy
without first ensuring the security of
the devices you have.
If your device is already compromised with a virus, spyware or some other malware, then everything you do on the device is potentially compromised.
How you check for any malware will depend on the type of device and operating system it’s running.
Something you are probably never warned about when you allow the software to scan your devices, you are giving that software and whoever is behind it full access to all the files on your drive. So you really want to trust the anti-malware software you are using.
Operating System Vulnerabilities
The security software needed to check your system will mainly depend on the operating system.
Malware stands for MALicious SoftWARE and describes all software designed to exploit vulnerabilities found in operating systems.
Most people still use the term “Virus” to describe such software, but viruses are only one type of Malware.
Anti-malware can help mitigate threats but the best defence against malware is awareness of the threats and education on how to avoid them.
Common types of malware:
- Ransomware – Disables victim’s access to data until ransom is paid
- Fileless Malware – Makes changes to files that are native to the OS
- Spyware – Collects user activity data without their knowledge
- Adware – Serves unwanted advertisements
- Trojans – Disguises itself as desirable code
- Worms – Spreads through a network by replicating itself
- Rootkits – Gives hackers remote control of a victim’s device
- Keyloggers – Monitors users’ keystrokes
- Bots – Launches a broad flood of attacks
- Mobile Malware – Infects mobile devices
- Wiper Malware – Erases user data beyond recoverability
Windows Systems
Scanning your device for malware is almost mandatory if running Microsoft Windows unless you really know what you are doing.
Mac Systems
Apple devices are increasingly being targeted by malware but generally, this platform is less vulnerable to malware than Windows for reasons you will discover as you continue with this course.
Cybersecurity specialists are divided on the need for anti-malware on Mac OS with many claiming that it only degrades performance without providing any real protection.
Linux Systems
The Linux OS is generally considered the most secure* operating system and anti-malware software is not recommended.
The biggest threat is from Zero Day Attacks which are previously unknown vulnerabilities that have not yet been mitigated.
Android Devices
Android is the most popular operating system for mobile devices and is targeted by malware and scammers.
iOS Devices
iOS is the operating system used for Apple iPhones and iPads and is targeted by malware and scammers.
Other Smart Devices
While it is generally not possible to check many smart devices, some do provide updates.
Ensure all your software is up-to-date
Updates are often packed with new features of bug fixes, but a major reason to keep all your software up-to-date is to apply security patches to protect against newly discovered vulnerabilities and exploits.
DIGITAL FREEDOM TUBE
The following results have been automatically generated for you from the DIGITAL FREEDOM TUBE based on terms matching the major topics discussed in this part.
PRIVACY BROWSER
Browser Isolation
Select your preferred platform
Play time : 21:13
(Privacy Browser 13:51 – 17:42)
Click the Odysee icon to watch directly on Odysee.
(will open in a new window)
Play time : 21:13
(Privacy Browser 13:51 – 17:42)
Click the Bitchute icon to watch directly on Bitchute.
(will open in a new window)
Play time : 21:13
(Privacy Browser 13:51 – 17:42)
Click the Rumble icon to watch directly on Rumble.
(will open in a new window)
You are now going to install your first alternative for this training. You are going to install an alternative Web browser.
These are alternatives to the Big Tech Web browsers like Google Chrome, Apple Safari, Microsoft Explorer and Edge
UNDERSTAND – The idea is not to replace these Big Tech browsers
We are calling this your privacy browser
This is not to be confused with anonymity or attempting to hide your online activity in any way.
The idea of the privacy browser is to have more control over the privacy of your information and minimise tracking of your online activity.
In the next step, we are going to explain exactly what a privacy browser is and how to use it.
Until then we highly recommend that you do not change your current browser habits.
Privacy Browsers are defined as browsers that do not attempt to track you and have a privacy focus.
There are many browsers that don’t actively track you but not all have a privacy focus. Those with a privacy focus will include some additional privacy-enhancing features.
For this exercise, I recommend using the Brave browser because it ticks all the boxes!
If you choose to use Brave, then DO NOT create a Brave account at this stage. We will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of being logged into your browser. Something I know privacy purest would revolt at.
Already have Brave?
If you are already using the Brave browser then for this exercise we will consider your current installation as potentially compromised and you will need to choose another. You will find reviews of alternative Privacy Browsers below.
Prefer not to use Brave?
If you prefer not to use Brave, then you will need to choose another privacy browser. You will find reviews of alternative Privacy Browsers in the explore tab.
Do not log into any accounts using your privacy browser until after you have completed Step 2.
DIGITAL FREEDOM TUBE
The following results have been automatically generated for you from the DIGITAL FREEDOM TUBE based on terms matching the major topics discussed in this part.
D.Y.O.R.
Do Your Own Research
Select your preferred platform
Play time : 21:13
(D.Y.O.R. 17:42 – 21:13)
Click the Odysee icon to watch directly on Odysee.
(will open in a new window)
Play time : 21:13
(D.Y.O.R. 17:42 – 21:13)
Click the Bitchute icon to watch directly on Bitchute.
(will open in a new window)
Play time : 21:13
(D.Y.O.R. 17:42 – 21:13)
Click the Rumble icon to watch directly on Rumble.
(will open in a new window)
DYOR stands for Do Your Own Research.
DO NOT TRUST any single source for information on your digital privacy including this training course.
We have built two tools assist you in doing your own research.
Digital Freedom Launchpad
Provides a launchpad to an alternative internet by providing easy access to Big Tech alternatives for search and discovery.
The Launchpad also provides proxy search fo Big Tech search and Youtube.
Digital Freedom Tube
Your gateway to the alternate Internet
During this training you will be learning how to make the best use of these tools including a guide how to find and evaluate alternatives.
DIGITAL FREEDOM TUBE
The following results have been automatically generated for you from the DIGITAL FREEDOM TUBE based on terms matching the major topics discussed in this part.
SET HOME PAGE
Accessing the 10-Step Training on your new Privacy Brower
The Digital Freedom Launchpad provides access to the 10-Step Training and the Digital Freedom Tube.
The Launchpad is designed so you can make accessing the alternative internet part of your daily routine.
Here are two suggestions for incorporating the Launchpad into your new privacy browser:
Browser Home Page
To get the most out of this training, we recommend making the Step 1 – Digital Freedom Launchpad the default home page on the Privacy Browser. This way, every time you open your privacy browser, you open the Launchpad.
Desktop / Mobile icon
Create a desktop/mobile icon for the Step 1 – Digital Freedom Launchpad for easy access. This is like a shortcut to that webpage and will open your privacy browser and then open the Launchpad page.
OFFLINE COURSE NOTES
