Surveillance Countermeasures

The Washington Post and The Guardian have revealed the existence of a US government mass Internet surveillance programs. Yes, people are Spying on Americans; right now, today. Now we know for sure that we’re being watched, so what can do you? Let’s talk about some Technical Surveillance Countermeasures that we can use to ensure our privacy.

Surveillance Countermeasures

The NSA and the FBI have been tapping directly into the servers of nine US service providers, including Facebook, Microsoft, Google, Apple, Yahoo, YouTube, AOL and Skype. This means that the government doesn’t even need a warrant for your data. These companies have given them “connectors” to ingest ALL user data, every day (or in real time) into their government surveillance databases.Where they will store it FOREVER!

This domestic spying surveillance program began at least seven years ago.

What can you do to protect yourself and your privacy?

I knew a lot of this information, but these new details proved it. This is a game changer people, you need to wake up and start securing your own privacy and RIGHTS! There are many digital surveillance countermeasures

Encrypt your email. You have a right to privacy, but the government treats your email like a post card. Since it’s not secure, they read it, and they read it ALL! Lock it down, read our tutorial on Thunderbird email encryption using Enigmail and OpenPGP (or OpenGPG) or start using the webmail provided from Hushmail.

I like Hushmail just fine, and it’s better than nothing. How long before the US government forces this Canadian company to start bowing to their surveillance programs is unknown. That’s why a do it yourself solution is more secure. Read more about Hushmail’s Security (especially the section labeled The Limitations of Hushmail)

Cell Phones: Now we know they are storing all our cell phone records. They claim it’s just the meta data on the calls, but I have multiple separate sources that have admitted that they are storing the voice content of the calls themselves and your text messages. If you communicate or browse the internet on your cell phone, they have ALL that information!

See our Previous post OpSec: The tracking device in your pocket (your phone)! to learn how they leverage the Cell phone and cell service, THAT YOU PAY FOR, to track you. Using Google Navigation, Google Maps, Google Voice, Google Mail (Gmail), Google Search, Google Plus (Google+), Google Talk, Google Messenger or any of the other Google products (or the equivalents from other providers like Yahoo) and know all about your life.

They even use the on-board GPS or Cell phone tower triangulation to know your whereabouts in real time. Scary. Heck yes it is! Buy a burner cell phone with cash, activate it online from a public wifi hotspot (under a false name and address) and buy the refills of minutes with cash too. Leave the battery out of it when you aren’t using it. More info at OpSec: The tracking device in your pocket (your phone)!

Internet Use: Time to change your habits. Ditch the big companies and their services like Google Navigation, Google Maps, Google Voice, Google Mail (Gmail), Google Search, Google Plus (Google+), Google Talk, Google Messenger or any of the other Google products (or the equivalents from other providers like Yahoo)

Here are 3 MUST READ resources to help you with Internet

• Operational Security – A Suggestion of Caution
• Op Sec. A Suggestion of Caution (Part II)
• Digital OpSec – Posting Pictures on the Internet

Navigation:

Now that we know that the NSA and the FBI have been tapping directly into the servers of nine US service providers, including Facebook, Microsoft, Google, Apple, Yahoo, YouTube, AOL and Skype, it’s time to stop using their services including their navigation services. It’s time for GPS Navigation OpSec.

More Info on the NSA Data Center in Utah

• Zettabytes!? You Won’t Believe How Much Data Can Be Stored at New NSA Facility
• The NSA Utah Data Center

This is what we know. The big question is “What else are they spying on?“.  Are they archiving and correlating our Travel itineraries, our banking transactions, our credit card purchases, our credit reports, our medical records? What else is there? I’ll bet they are monitoring everything that can be monitored. This was one leak from one contractor for one agency from one company, and there are thousands more who value their paycheck more than our freedoms! Wait and See!

Remember the government isn’t your friend any longer. They’ll use whatever data they can get their hands on to spy on good, hard working Americans. It’s time for trust only yourself to secure your privacy and your communication. Do not trust anyone else or any companies, they have already sold you out. Always always take your privacy seriously and use Digital Surveillance Countermeasures whenever possible!

They haven’t just sold you out, they have sold you!

More OPSec Posts:

tutorial on Thunderbird email encryption using Enigmail and OpenPGP (or OpenGPG)

OpSec: The tracking device in your pocket (your phone)!

GPS Navigation OpSec

Operational Security – A Suggestion of Caution

Op Sec. A Suggestion of Caution (Part II)

Digital OpSec – Posting Pictures on the Internet

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