The foremost threat in the online world, Phishing attacks. More than any other threat, this is the most common that you will encounter almost daily. So, do you wanna be the fish? The bait is very real and tempting.
Basic precautions for Crypto Security.
My intention on this blog post was to focus on the phishing epidemic and how it affects you everyday. As I started to write, my list of ideas quickly became a laundry list that needs repeating. So, here is the list again with updates as I learn and interview experts in this field.
Online Exposure. ( Smart phones ) The old/new portable computer that goes with you. This includes smart watches.
When I talk about exposure, I refer to the target you present to a potential hacker or phishing attack. Phishing scams represent the largest and most common way people lose their assets. Whether it be fiat or crypto. Learn how to recognize and avoid being caught in a phishing scam. Hackers are a very small threat compared to phishing scams where you voluntarily give up your passwords and seed phrases. Spend some time and goole phishing attacks. It will be a great investment.
The most common attack is thru Email. You volunteer your info when you open an email.
The more info you offer to online platforms and social media sites, the better picture you paint of who you are, who your friends are and what circles you travel in. The apps on your smart phone are the biggest leaks to the metaverse about who you are and where you go.
Even in airplane mode, the apps on your phone can constantly ping nearby phones and thereby the network and other nearby devices . Then they paint a picture of your daily life as each of them will check in on your network and add to the data base of your travels, your friends, and your interests. And what did you pay for these apps. Weather, maps, market prices, zoom, news, twitter, etc. Read the entire agreement and see how they collect your data.
This data on where you go and what you value ( apps for banking, stock market reports, crypto prices, facebook, twitter, etc) is very valuable information and marketing companies pay big money to target you. Guess what, the phishing actors pay money for the same lists as the advertisers ; and they tailor thier phishing campaigns to your interests.
So, can I now ask you "What is free? Are any of your "free" apps free, or is there a hidden cost?
The reality is; our data is harvested for profit by companies that will willingly pull our access at a moment’s notice. They will stalk you and also block you. The blockchain can solve the privacy issues, and also the access to platforms and censorship.
These attack vectors ( gathering private info and phishing scams ) are constant and unrelenting. So keep your profile as small as possible. I recommend a separate email for all your online financial transactions. Of course, this is just one item of many that will keep you safe. A former article can be found here. We will touch on these precautions again.
Gmail (free) offers the best filter for virus protection and malware. Still, you need to keep it safe. More on that later in the password and 2FA section. Oh, and Gmail also puts cookies on your devices. And, guess what? Google makes most of their money by selling your information. I use Gmail, but I also clear my cookies frequently.
One way to combat this loss of privacy is to use your desktop as much as possible, and use your browsers in a private mode. Never use your smart phone to buy or sell assets ( fiat or crypto ) unless you understand the risk , work to control it, and are willing to lose control of your money.
Excerpts from David Veksler of the Bitcoin Consultancy. You can download a white paper
with excellent info on.
Phishing and Fake Wallet Validation
Exit Scam/Rug Pull
Scam Coins
Counterfeit Tokens
And more
Follow us at FNL Crypto. Soon I will publish a restricted paper on physical and online security. This will be available only to FNL Members and will have some of the most tried and true concepts and proven techniques to cover your foot print in this Brave new world of the Web 3.0. I'm reluctant to put this online as the more people find these simple techniques the more everyone else will realize how and where to look for your treasure.
Physical Security
So, something we have not covered today is the crowbar attack. Actual or threatened violence to get you to expose your private keys and drain your crypto or even your bank account. My first question would be, how did these violent criminals find out about your treasure? On-line or listening from the next booth at the coffee shop?
Because the good guys and the bad actors read these posts, I will restrict this to our FNL Members. Another reason to become a member of FNL Crypto.
This post will cover tried and true old school solutions and some of the newest security techniques to guard your stash of sats.
The reality is; our data is harvested for profit by companies that will willingly pull our access at a moment’s notice. They will stalk you and also block you. The blockchain can solve the privacy issues, and also the access to platforms and censorship. But you must block access to your private keys
My career spans Military Intelligence , Private Security , Law Enforcement and later as a building contractor where I focused on electro/mechanical systems, smart houses, and then energy managment. Many of my ideas and lessons about security I learned early on from the Army Security Agency, Criminal Investigators, Texas Rangers, and Border Patrol. Then after I sold my contracting business and retired I was able to interview FBI, state and federal banking regulators, SEC investigators, and some white hat and black hat hackers.
In years past, I found nuggets of truth while sitting under a covered awning on a hot Texas afternoon; at the hardware store; listening to old timers talk as they whittled on a piece of wood and spat at the spittoon . (now and then some truth would surface) I never imagined I would be writing articles about digital security, but when I look at the security of crypto, I find so many times that there is nothing new under the sun. Just recycled ideas and criminals.
Some of the best ideas about hiding your assets come the prohibition era, when the moonshiners and speakeasy crowd had to hide thier true intent. ( but especially thier booze). Some old homebuilders shared thier secrets about building homes for the rich liquor distributors of the Prohibition Era. It was in response to the questions I asked about "safe rooms" and escape routes in the homes built for CEO's and Political figures.
So, I hope you would spend some time and learn more about FNL Crypto. There are no groups I'm aware of that have the 1 on 1 personal sessions to help you learn and thrive in your quest to stack sats.
FNL content including, but not limited to, articles, podcasts, videos, live streams, and websites are intended for informational purposes and should NOT be considered financial, investment, tax, legal, nor trading advice. Cryptocurrency, futures, foreign currency and options trading contains substantial risk and is not for every investor. An investor could potentially lose all or more than the initial investment. Risk capital is money that can be lost without jeopardizing one’s financial security or lifestyle. Only risk capital should be used for trading and only those with sufficient risk capital should consider trading. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. https://futuresnetworks.live/risk_disclaimer
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