Cybersecurity 101

Silvia Puglisi: www.hiro7.eu - @nopressure

Hello World

My name is Silvia and I am a security/privacy researcher

I am a Ph.D. Candidate at UPC - Barcelona

I am currently working @ torproject.org

I am here to talk about cybersecurity in practical terms.

What is cybersecurity?

Cybersecurity is the protection of computer systems.

 

A computer system can be anything from your watch to your bank account.

 

Personal data protection is actually personal safety.

What does this mean?

  • Part of our lives are lived online
  • In 2011, the amount of digital information created and replicated globally exceeded 1.8 zettabytes (1.8 trillion gigabytes) *.

  • “meta-data” is collected and stored by public and private organisations about our actions, both online and offline.

     

    * Library Briefing - Library of the European Parliament - 01/03/2012

Cybersecurity is as ordinary as the weather

Attacks are common

  • Latest attacks exibihits massive scale
  • Used CCTV cameras, digital video recorders, home routers, and other embedded computers interconnected as part of the IoTs.

What this attack demonstrates is that the economics of the IoT mean that it will remain insecure unless government steps in to fix the problem. This is a market failure that can't get fixed on its own.

 

Bruce Schneier

https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2016/10/security_econom_1.html

cybersecurity challenges

  • Computer systems are complex.
  • It is difficult to know which parties are trustworthy.
  • What if things change?

Things can always change

The internet activity of everyone in Britain will have to be stored for a year by service providers, under new surveillance law plans.


https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-34715872

State Simple Objectives

  • I want to protect myself and the people I communicate with.
  • I do not want third-parties to know where I am.
  • I do not want third-parties to know what I do.
  • I do not want third-parties to know what I am interested in.

I want to protect myself and the people I communicate with.

  • Use unique passwords, use a password manager, use 2fa (or secure alternatives).
  • Use encryption when you communicate. There are simple and free alternatives to common applications.
  • If you are meeting with someone and you want to be extra safe do not bring a smartphone.

I do not want third-parties to know where I am.

  • Disable location sharing on your phone.
  • Disable or delete apps that share location.
  • If possible do not bring a mobile phone.

I do not want third-parties to know what I do.

  • Do not share public updates on social media.
  • Do not enable location sharing.
  • If possible do not bring a phone.

I do not want third-parties to know what I am interested in

  • Avoid public updates on social media.
  • Use Tor when surfing sensitive material.
  • Use encrypted communication systems.

Practical Tips

Practical Tips

How can you learn more

Thank you

me @ hiro7.eu

www.hiro7.eu

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