Mindset Monday: Bad Tech & Hard Times

More and more, bad tech and hard times seem to be going hand in hand. In recent weeks, cybersecurity has been headlined in the news. Hackers, especially Russian hackers, have become a concern for America’s critical infrastructure. Our banking system, our electrical grid, our water system… we are a vulnerable country. The government has issued warnings and encouraged businesses to concentrate their efforts on securing their systems. But what can we do ourselves to prepare?

Does My Choice of Browser Matter?

Last week Google announced on their official Chrome Blog that they were hit by another 2022 zero-day hack. This form of attack is the most dangerous because the vulnerability is known to the hackers before Google can issue a fix for it. This attack exists “in the wild” so every Chrome user is vulnerable. This serves as a reminder to always download the security patches when they become available.

Consider using Brave as an alternative browser. It can be downloaded at Brave.com. Brave is privacy-focused, free, and does a lot of the things that Google Chrome can do because it’s based on open-source programming. Open-source simply means that anyone can go in and inspect the programming.

Brave has their own search engine. Where Google is driven by ads and trackers, Brave is not. Try searching for something on both and compare the recommendations you get. They will be different.

In an article on MakeUseOf.com, they list 10 reasons why the Brave browser is becoming so popular.

Allows us to move away from Google tech companies

Respects privacy

Faster browsing experience

Open-source information and programming

They are against censorship

Blocks trackers for web surfing habits

Offers a rewards program that allows users to collect crypto credits to award to Brave users.

So check out Brave and see why it’s becoming a popular alternative in a world of bad tech.

Is a Drone Really Bad Tech?

The drones we currently see are behind in technology compared to what is actually out there. For example, a switchblade drone has the ability to not only watch you, but can also carry a warhead and deliver it. Check out the article at https://mind4survival.com/how-to-spot-a-drone-at-night/. Brian goes over how to spot a drone, what to do if you find one is watching you, and some of the different types of drones.

Is My Cellphone Safe?

Joe Rogan spoke with Gavin de Becker, owner of his own security firm and author of “The Gift of Fear”, on his podcast episode #1800. They discuss an article published by The Guardian about Jeff Bezos’ phone being hacked by the Saudi crowned prince. Bezos and the crowned prince, Mohammed bin Salman, are acquaintances and have exchanged phone numbers. “MBS” - as the crown prince is known - sent Bezos an encrypted WhatsApp message with a malicious file that infiltrated his phone.

Pegasus2 is spyware designed by an Israeli company that allows the government to get into your phone and gain full control of it. They can do anything on your phone from thousands of miles away that you can do with it in your hand. It doesn’t download immediately when it infects your phone. It simply embeds a small executable file that reaches out to the main program. You don’t need to receive a text or email to allow Pegasus2 into your phone. It is a no-click incursion.  All they need to get in is your phone number.

There are 2 types of countries in the world - the original developers of the spyware program and the countries that purchase the spyware. Currently, due to the cost, the government is the only organization able to utilize Pegasus2. However, it’s just a matter of time before others are able to use it or use software like it.

Pegasus2 is extremely well hidden. You may not know it happened and go on for months and mo...