How to Use Computers (Privately!)

Talk given at MinneBar 19. No recording, sorry!

1. How to Use Computers Dan Lew & John Benningho f (Privately!) https://www. fl ickr.com/photos/151691693@N02/40381366025
2. https://www. fl ickr.com/photos/12915906@N00/1326535625
3. Terminology Anonymity 🥸 Privacy 🔒 Security 🤝
4. Balancing Trade-O ff s High privacy Painful No privacy Easy
5. Threat Modeling From who? 👦 Protect what? How likely? 💯 Personal e ff ort? 🤷 Allies? 👩 Consequences? 💥
7. MAC Address 💻 🛜
8. https://www. fl ickr.com/photos/39160147@N03/14536074194
9. MAC Address Problem Solution MAC address ties your hardware to a wi fi connection • Spoof MAC address • Don’t auto-connect to wi f
10. IP Address 🛜 🌐
11. https://www. fl ickr.com/photos/intelfreepress/6258625090/sizes/o/in/photostream/
12. IP Address Problem Solution ISP knows your IP address and who you are! • Public wi fi • VPN • Tor
13. Software Detour VPN 👨💻 👩💻 👨💻 👩💻 🌐 • Hides tra ff i c from ISP • …but not VPN! • Hides IP from 3rd party websites • Do not believe the ads! • Beware of free VPNs!
14. Software Detour Tor 👩💻 🌐 • Anonymizes IP address • …and ONLY IP address! • Free • Study before using 🖥 🖥 🖥 🖥 🖥
15. Software https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Programming_code.jpg
16. https://www. fl ickr.com/photos/10199641@N08/6454604459
17. Software Problem Solution Software can do whatever they want with your data • Use vetted software • e.g. via EFF or Privacy Guides
19. Servers Problem Solution Servers gobble up as much data as possible • Disable tracking when o ff ered • Use software designed for privacy
21. Malware Problem Solution Malicious software hates you! • Keep OS updated • Enable built-in OS protections • Download from legit app stores
22. Online Identity
24. Surveillance Problem Solution Anyone between you and your recipient can read your data • End-to-end encryption (E2EE)
25. Software Detour End-to-end encryption (E2EE) • Only you and recipient can read the data • Beware mediocre E2EE or false claims! • Telegram bad • Signal good
26. https://www. fl ickr.com/photos/gageskidmore/54351608590/
27. Leaky Data Problem Solution Recipient can leak your content! • Only message trusted recipients
28. https://www. fl ickr.com/photos/23487245@N08/5811736921
29. Data Breaches Problem Solution Data breaches happen constantly • Learn to accept what you cannot change • Mitigate potential damage • Freeze credit • Number lock • Unique passwords
30. Software Detour Unique Passwords • Password managers • KeePassDX (free, local) • Bitwarden, 1Password, etc. (paid, cloud) • Passkeys • Like a password manager, but more automatic • Ecocystem locked (for now)
32. Software Problem Solution People can piece together your story from multiple sources • Think before posting • Delete old data / accounts
33. IRL https://www. fl ickr.com/photos/96437548@N00/5089938059
35. Printer Dots Problem Solution Printers are snitches! • Use old, pre-dots printer • Analog printing (e.g. mimeograph)
36. https://www. fl ickr.com/photos/24484507@N00/7862855188
37. Loss Problem Solution People taking your devices • Encrypt device • Stolen device protection • For protests / crossing borders… • Lock down devices • Leave devices at home
38. Links Thanks for listening! • https://www.privacyguides.org/ • https://ssd.e ff .org/ • https://inteltechniques.com/ danlew.net jbenningho ff .com