IrishWorker
16th September 2009, 14:38
Essential technical security tips for Republican Socialists – Version 1:
1 Make sure your password is complex for example Rats!!*2009txd by putting in capital letters and a combination of characters and numbers your password will be much stronger and difficult to guess or crack. Write it down somewhere safe and do not leave it lying around.
2 Strongly consider changing your password every 30 days it is an inconvenience but it greatly enhances your security.
3 Do not use the same password for your forum, social networking activities as the password for your e-mail or router ***ALWAYS MAKE THEM DIFFERENT*** it leads to much better security. Remember a forum administrator or technical support person may be able to see your password!
4 Ensure that you have a good up to date anti-virus program, if it is not kept up to date it will be useless.
5 Make sure you have modern firewall software installed on your laptop/ pc. Ie Microsoft Onecare is an anti virus and firewall which will run with windows vista.
6 It is critical that you download Microsoft updates . Quite often the PC will need a security update from the web make sure this is carried out because failure to do this means that all the other steps will be useless. There are programs called service packs from microsoft and you can set you pc do down load and install these automatically.
7 Using certain programs for illegal downloads bittorrent or limewire might leave you vulnerable to being hacked.
8 If you have a Virgin or BT router make sure it has wireless security enabled especially if you are using a laptop. The router must have a complex password set on it. If you don’t do this hackers can gain easy access to your machine. In addition, your router has software on it called firmware. If required have it updated by technical person or a competent friend or family member with IT knowledge.
9 Another tip for users is never store politically sensitive/ personal / medical/ photos/ financial information on your PC, ipod, memory stick or data key. No PC is ever to be considered as secure and every hard disk can be forensically examined using specialist tools. When you are finished with your old pc get someone to take out the hard disk and smash it with a hammer. If you don’t you could become the victim of identity theft or worse.
10 Consider using encryption software on your PC or portable device. There are several free packages available to the web which are excellent ie Truecrypt. Always remember that if your pc is stolen are you happy that the new owner has access to all your documents and files? Probably not!
11 Remember that every keystroke you make on the internet will be recorded first on your PC, second by your internet service provider (ISP) and finally by other state agencies. So be careful what you look up at midnight in the comfort of your own home because you are certainly not alone.
12 If you are using an e-mail address for political work we would strongly advise you to create a new account entirely with a new strong password and without your own name in it. While this is not essential it can avoid sending unnecessary material to the wrong sources or identifying yourself unnecessarily.
SECURITY AND SOCIAL NETWORKING:
Never use your own name on social networking sites choose a neutral one such as cats1990 or rats1990 etc you all get the general idea. From now on try to avoid sniperatwork etc etc.
Remember every social networking site is transparent to the state so do not say anything from now on that would compromise your political integrity/ views or that of the group to which you belong. Instead of being in the comfort of your home talking to friends consider you are typing information which will be read by PSNI/ MI5 and others (immediately) and may be used in court against you. THESE ARE FACTS!!!
Critically, never debate anything on line that you couldn’t defend at a public event ie the forum, your local bar or in a court.
Private Messages should be renamed PUBLIC MESSAGES and treated as such by all members as somebody else will be reading them.
There will be agents from other groups and security service imposters posting messages to cause conflict and sow confusion amongst different groups. Do not be drawn in these posts are there to drain your time and ferment conflict. At times we have seen the practice of users posting a controversial matter or a comment about armed struggle then log in with a different identity and argue in support or opposition to themselves!
So be warned always wait before posting ie don’t shoot from the hip when something is posted because it may have been inserted to initiate an inappropriate debate by a third party. If you are in any doubt contact about any post or course or action or dangerous post contact your moderators immediately and investigate . And finally, never name individuals suspected of doing X, Y, or Z as it very bad security and may even land you or your group/ party in court with a law suit!
MOBILE PHONES:
Always remember all mobile phones remain completely active even when switched off. The only way to ensure any degree of privacy is to remove the BATTERY!, leave it at home or put it in a fully shielded environment ie high end microwave or fully shielded environment. Most modern cell phones can be GPS tracked and triangulated to within 3 feet. Iphones and the latest pda devices and laptops can be used as hypersensitive microphones up to 30 feet away. So if you need any degree of privacy we recommend you leave the phone behind!!!!
THINK AND ACT IN A SECURE MANNER!!
And post all you want and reply to any threat and
exercise your right to defend your political position.
BUT DO IT IN A WISE AND CONSIDERED MANNER.
1 Make sure your password is complex for example Rats!!*2009txd by putting in capital letters and a combination of characters and numbers your password will be much stronger and difficult to guess or crack. Write it down somewhere safe and do not leave it lying around.
2 Strongly consider changing your password every 30 days it is an inconvenience but it greatly enhances your security.
3 Do not use the same password for your forum, social networking activities as the password for your e-mail or router ***ALWAYS MAKE THEM DIFFERENT*** it leads to much better security. Remember a forum administrator or technical support person may be able to see your password!
4 Ensure that you have a good up to date anti-virus program, if it is not kept up to date it will be useless.
5 Make sure you have modern firewall software installed on your laptop/ pc. Ie Microsoft Onecare is an anti virus and firewall which will run with windows vista.
6 It is critical that you download Microsoft updates . Quite often the PC will need a security update from the web make sure this is carried out because failure to do this means that all the other steps will be useless. There are programs called service packs from microsoft and you can set you pc do down load and install these automatically.
7 Using certain programs for illegal downloads bittorrent or limewire might leave you vulnerable to being hacked.
8 If you have a Virgin or BT router make sure it has wireless security enabled especially if you are using a laptop. The router must have a complex password set on it. If you don’t do this hackers can gain easy access to your machine. In addition, your router has software on it called firmware. If required have it updated by technical person or a competent friend or family member with IT knowledge.
9 Another tip for users is never store politically sensitive/ personal / medical/ photos/ financial information on your PC, ipod, memory stick or data key. No PC is ever to be considered as secure and every hard disk can be forensically examined using specialist tools. When you are finished with your old pc get someone to take out the hard disk and smash it with a hammer. If you don’t you could become the victim of identity theft or worse.
10 Consider using encryption software on your PC or portable device. There are several free packages available to the web which are excellent ie Truecrypt. Always remember that if your pc is stolen are you happy that the new owner has access to all your documents and files? Probably not!
11 Remember that every keystroke you make on the internet will be recorded first on your PC, second by your internet service provider (ISP) and finally by other state agencies. So be careful what you look up at midnight in the comfort of your own home because you are certainly not alone.
12 If you are using an e-mail address for political work we would strongly advise you to create a new account entirely with a new strong password and without your own name in it. While this is not essential it can avoid sending unnecessary material to the wrong sources or identifying yourself unnecessarily.
SECURITY AND SOCIAL NETWORKING:
Never use your own name on social networking sites choose a neutral one such as cats1990 or rats1990 etc you all get the general idea. From now on try to avoid sniperatwork etc etc.
Remember every social networking site is transparent to the state so do not say anything from now on that would compromise your political integrity/ views or that of the group to which you belong. Instead of being in the comfort of your home talking to friends consider you are typing information which will be read by PSNI/ MI5 and others (immediately) and may be used in court against you. THESE ARE FACTS!!!
Critically, never debate anything on line that you couldn’t defend at a public event ie the forum, your local bar or in a court.
Private Messages should be renamed PUBLIC MESSAGES and treated as such by all members as somebody else will be reading them.
There will be agents from other groups and security service imposters posting messages to cause conflict and sow confusion amongst different groups. Do not be drawn in these posts are there to drain your time and ferment conflict. At times we have seen the practice of users posting a controversial matter or a comment about armed struggle then log in with a different identity and argue in support or opposition to themselves!
So be warned always wait before posting ie don’t shoot from the hip when something is posted because it may have been inserted to initiate an inappropriate debate by a third party. If you are in any doubt contact about any post or course or action or dangerous post contact your moderators immediately and investigate . And finally, never name individuals suspected of doing X, Y, or Z as it very bad security and may even land you or your group/ party in court with a law suit!
MOBILE PHONES:
Always remember all mobile phones remain completely active even when switched off. The only way to ensure any degree of privacy is to remove the BATTERY!, leave it at home or put it in a fully shielded environment ie high end microwave or fully shielded environment. Most modern cell phones can be GPS tracked and triangulated to within 3 feet. Iphones and the latest pda devices and laptops can be used as hypersensitive microphones up to 30 feet away. So if you need any degree of privacy we recommend you leave the phone behind!!!!
THINK AND ACT IN A SECURE MANNER!!
And post all you want and reply to any threat and
exercise your right to defend your political position.
BUT DO IT IN A WISE AND CONSIDERED MANNER.