Category: Security

Infected PDF Copies of Extreme Privacy Have Arrived

That didn't take long. Today, I received the following email:

"I just downloaded your latest book and now my computer says it is infected! What the F(redacted) man? I thought you were tryin to help people?"

First, I don't offer eBooks. Second, complaining to authors after downloading illegal copies of books is a bit ironic. I was curious, so I responded. The person sent me a file via Tresorit titled "Extreme.Privacy.3.PDF". Virus Total immediately identified it as infected:

The PDF did not contain any content from the book. It was hosted on a well-known eBook piracy website and was just a ruse to convince someone to download a copy in order to infect a machine. His computer was not infected from it, as his A/V caught it and quarantined it. This was a fairly amateur attempt. I suspect soon we will see more targeted infection campaigns with more successful documents. Be careful out there.

Extreme Privacy 3rd Edition Now Available

The 3rd edition of Extreme Privacy is now available. Details and purchase links can be found on my site at https://inteltechniques.com/book7.html. Overall, 30% of the book is brand new content, 25% has been updated, and 45% is recycled from the previous edition. The new book is 635 pages, but the retail price has only increased $1.50. I will have many more details on my podcast this Friday, but here are some excerpts from the preface about the changes.

The first four chapters now focus solely on digital privacy and security. There is no longer an “Advanced” technology chapter later in the book. All technology methods and tutorials are presented right away, as these were the most applied techniques from the previous editions. These are also the most affordable privacy strategies which offer immediate protection and contain a large number of updates from the previous text. The methods are globally applicable and can benefit anyone who desires privacy. I believe your digital life must be properly secured before you should proceed with the remaining strategies.

This book is more extreme. The previous editions accepted the fact that most of my clients demand Apple products, iCloud accounts, overt payment methods, and easy communications. I accommodated this realization and tried to offer steps which could increase privacy while settling for inferior options. This is no longer the case. In this edition, I assume you want maximum privacy and security. I do not cut corners or pull punches. Together, we will embrace Linux on our computers; possess mobile devices without embedded Apple or Google software; create masked payment options; sanitize our past public lives; never associate our names with our homes; and rely on completely encrypted communications from open-source projects. I have no regrets from my previous writings, as I believe they served a valuable purpose at the time. Today, we must take our privacy and security to another level. After all optimal solutions are presented, I still provide alternative options for those who do not want to commit to an extreme level of privacy and security. However, I always encourage you to push your comfort level and force yourself to make the best long-term decisions.

I offer several new strategies to combat “anti-privacy” measures. Many of the techniques in the previous editions surrounding anonymous purchases, private shipping, and ghost addresses are quickly becoming blocked by companies demanding your accurate personal information. This edition presents several layers of strategies which can be customized for each specific need. Together, we will respond to various privacy invasions with a stronger defense.

I now conclude most chapters with a “Typical Client Configuration” or summary page which outlines the steps most commonly taken when a client needs the services discussed in that chapter. A valid criticism of the previous editions was that I provided too many options without clear guidance of the best path toward privacy. While I can never navigate every reader through their own unique situations, I can summarize the typical strategies for most clients. I believe this may simplify the decisions required during your own application of the content. In the previous edition, I presented numerous recommended products and services and encouraged the reader to conduct their own research to identify options most appropriate for them. In this edition, I have specified the exact products and services obtained for myself and clients.

On a personal note, this title represents my 20th published book over the past fifteen years, and a departure from writing. I will not say that I will never write another book, but I currently have no plans to publish any future editions associated with my titles about privacy, security, and OSINT. It has been a fascinating experience, but it must come to an end in order to tackle other opportunities and projects which require my full attention. I plan to continue the weekly podcast, which should be used as a resource for all future updates to these topics. I sincerely thank all of the readers who have supported my unconventional ideas and joined me during this ride. Monitor my website if you want to follow my future projects.

Finally, I have poured every tactic, method, and experience I have into this final edition. I hope you find something valuable here which will protect you from a growing number of digital threats. I am truly excited to introduce yet a new level of privacy and security. ~MB

The Privacy, Security, & OSINT Show – Episode 216

EPISODE 216-The Consequences of Extreme Privacy

This week I present my own credit reports and data broker profiles in order to explain my successes and failures while trying to disappear, while offering steps to avoid during your own pursuit of privacy. Please learn from my mistakes.

Direct support for this podcast comes from sales of my books, services, and online video training. More details can be found at IntelTechniques.com. Your support eliminates any ads, sponsors, endorsements, Patreon, donations, or commercial influence on this show.


SHOW NOTES:

INTRO:

None

UPDATES:

American Family DL Attack
Proton Calendar Beta Open to Everyone
Proton Import Open to Everyone
FBI Safety Deposit Box Raid

THE CONSEQUENCES OF EXTREME PRIVACY:

https://annualcreditreport.com/
https://www.annualcreditreport.com/manualRequestForm.action
https://consumer.risk.lexisnexis.com/request
https://inteltechniques.com/links.html

OSINT:

https://rocketreach.co
site:rocketreach.co "michael bazzell"

Next Week: EXTREME PRIVACY 3

 


Free Workbooks: https://inteltechniques.com/links.html

Affiliate Links:
ProtonVPN: https://go.getproton.me/aff_c?offer_id=26&aff_id=1519&url_id=282
ProtonMail Encrypted Email: https://go.getproton.me/aff_c?offer_id=26&aff_id=1519&url_id=267
Fastmail Business Email: https://ref.fm/u14547153
SimpleLogin Masked Email: https://simplelogin.io?slref=osint
Silent Pocket: https://silent-pocket.com/discount/IntelTechniques
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2B5svbH


Credit Report Failures

I like to check my credit reports annually to make sure that no unauthorized accounts have been opened in my name. While I prepare for a podcast episode about the content of various credit reports and consumer data profiles, I went to annualcreditreport.com to pull my report from the three major credit bureaus. For the first time, I received the following general error declining my reports.

While I have previously had problems confirming my identity with two of the three credit bureaus, I have never been blocked from the entire annualcreditreport.com website. I proceeded to manually request the reports from each bureau within the site, but received resistance from each, as follows.

I consider this a "win". The only single aggregated website for requesting free credit reports can no longer confirm I exist. If I can't access them, neither can a malicious adversary. However, this presents a problem. How do I check my reports? I can still submit a request via postal mail at the following link, but that can take 30 days.

https://www.annualcreditreport.com/manualRequestForm.action

Fortunately, I have already "Planted My Flag" with all three bureaus which provided direct login credentials to each service's website. Equifax and Experian allowed me immediate access to my reports, but TransUnion is still unable to confirm my identity, with the following error.

I have submitted this final request via postal mail. Hopefully it arrives in time for the show. My plan is to provide a summary of the data which various credit and data broker services possess about me after five years of Extreme Privacy. I also want to provide warnings about the restrictions applied when we go to the extreme and the lessons I have learned from my mistakes. I will announce everything soon on the podcast. My CLEAR and LexisNexis reports were a bit surprising.