Grasping technical threats goes beyond the routine security advice received during travel or security briefings. It’s about understanding the substantial impact these defenses have on potential threat actors. This first article delves into common digital security measures, aiming not just to recommend actions but to equip you with an understanding that makes these suggestions significantly more effective and relatable, especially as a traveler and potential target.
Regular Software Updates
Consistently update your software and devices.
Impact on Threat Actors:
Software updates mend vulnerabilities that threat actors exploit. A diverse industry, both legitimate and nefarious, dedicates itself to uncovering system exploits. Most threat actors wait for vulnerabilities to be disclosed by others, or for them to be integrated into accessible tools. Tech companies actively patch these issues, and the time between these patches and their application on your devices is a golden window for attackers. Keeping your software current significantly guards against the array of tools threat actors use.
Complex Passwords and Encryption
Opt for strong, unique passwords and enable full-disk encryption.
Impact on Threat Actors:
A mix of numbers, letters, cases, symbols, or unrelated random words creates a formidable barrier, deterring software-based attacks and even skilled intruders. Updated software combined with these security measures can thwart undercover access attempts, pushing threat actors to seek alternative methods. Complex passwords and encryption, especially in high-risk settings like travel, can critically limit an actor’s opportunities, making these measures a resource-intensive challenge usually reserved for highly valuable targets.
Control Over Physical Devices
Always keep your devices within reach and never leave them unattended.
Impact on Threat Actors:
Direct access significantly eases a threat actor’s job. Merely minutes might suffice for them if your device lacks the protective measures discussed above. Keeping your devices close forces threat actors to resort to riskier, slower approaches like remote exploitation. Minimizing the devices you carry, such as leaving behind non-essential electronics during travel, further narrows their window of opportunity.
Caution with Public Networks and Services
Be wary of public Wi-Fi and unnecessary active services.
Impact on Threat Actors:
Public networks are prime spots for data snooping. Threat actors may set up misleadingly named hotspots to trap unwary users. Even if inactive, these services can be exploited. However, turning them off complicates a threat actor’s approach and may play into the human aspect of their operation, potentially forcing them to waste valuable time looking for a signal that isn’t broadcasting.
The Efficacy of VPNs
Employ a VPN on public networks.
Impact on Threat Actors:
VPNs serve as a robust encryption barrier, challenging for many threat actors to penetrate. Should they bypass previous defenses, they’re now met with the daunting task of decrypting complexly encrypted data—a process typically reserved for the most valuable of targets.
Each security step you take hinders a threat actor’s capacity for technical eavesdropping or tracking. Recognizing how these measures function both individually and together empowers you to make informed decisions about their implementation. This strategy isn’t just about countering known threats; it’s about understanding the broader capabilities and limitations of threat actors and leveraging this knowledge to your advantage. Be on the lookout for the next articles in this series, where we’ll go deeper into technical and physical surveillance and the influence of personal behavior and choices on security.
Want to learn more?
Anti-Virus Software – Research how this software works, and which are most effective. Having an up-to-date and powerful anti-virus software can identify and block some of the most advanced attacks. Be sure to learn how to administer your software to have the best protection possible when traveling, and consider reducing that protection for ease of use when in safe environments.
Least Privilege – Learn how to apply this concept to your own devices, creating accounts not based on users, but rather activities. Having a non-administrative account to browse the web, a more privileged account for creating documents and visiting sensitive sites, and an administrative account only for configuring your computer is a great approach to protecting your data.
Deleting items and wiping your computer – Research the difference between deleting an item, emptying your recycling bin, and wiping your non-partitioned space. It’s not a difficult concept to understand, and it can go a long way towards defending against threat actors attempting to “image” your devices.
