The Enemy wants control.
He gets it by suckering us through our vices. Rarely does anyone have to worry about an attack unless they are already inside the Enemy’s camp. What we have to do is resist our weaknesses and learn how not to burn. As previously noted, stopping the NSA from taking control of your computer devices is the same as stopping any other criminal. There are no absolutes, only probabilities and risk factors.
Cellphones: If you use a smartphone offered by any of the regular providers, you will be vulnerable as a matter of course. Not only to all carriers sell their information to the NSA, but they also provide the means for highly invasive tools that take your phone out of your control without informing you. If you must use a smartphone, your one hope is using a device you fully own and installing an alternative operating system.
I can’t advise you about Firefox OS, but I’m inclined to trust it already. Tizen is probably the best hope for maintaining your independence. Sailfish and Ubuntu’s phone OS are probably a good compromise. Everything else chains you to the ground again.
Windows: If you use Windows, they own you at their leisure. You may have never had trouble with it in the past; that indicates good habits. You also may have something lurking in your system and not know it. Honestly, folks, I work with Windows machines all the time and the malware-virus field outpaces the number of hours I could devote to reading about the new threats every day. We can pretend for a moment Microsoft hasn’t left some back door open for them, but there are so very many security openings even MS and security researches haven’t found yet.
Nobody has to tell me Windows works better with most hardware configurations, that almost everything you do on Windows tends to be as convenient as it gets, and that it’s much easier to find really good free software that works much better for common user needs. The issue is that Windows is insecure from the start, and security is an afterthought. You need AV and anti-malware protections and I highly recommend Crypto Prevent which tightens permissions to what should have been the default security settings. However, you will never have real control over your Windows computer because MS specifically prevents it. You are just renting their OS, remember?
Mac is generally fine if you an afford it, but I can’t so I don’t mess with it much. It doesn’t matter how much you get for your money if you don’t have any money. Macs will never be priced for average consumers. You’re on your own, but I will give you a hint: Mac includes the IPFW firewall from FreeBSD and it has several really simple options you can choose with only minimal script editing. Look at the client or workstation options.
Linux: You would naturally think that, since I wrote a book on learning to use Debian, that’s what I run. You’d be right. Of all the various kinds of Linux out there, it’s the one I consider the most trustworthy, as in least likely to cooperate with the NSA accidentally or intentionally. Download the free book and get started learning how to take back control of your computer. I’ll be right here to help you.
I have learned to use multiple browsers for different kinds of surfing. I don’t ever use just one for all tasks. I use Lynx for reading generally, and some sites are simply too visually noisy. Lynx is the one browser least likely to react to any attempts to hijack. If I have to see the pictures, the next best things is Dillo. I still use Opera for email and some specific sites because Opera does a better job of securing your passwords. Opera has not yet given Linux users the fancy new toy they have for Windows, but it’s probably coming. Otherwise, I use Chromium, the Open Source version of Google Chrome. My book discusses how to make Chromium encrypt the password storage on Linux.
Each browser has dozens of options, controls, add-ons, etc. — any number of ways to change how it behaves. On top of that, you should always run a cache cleaner (BleachBit or CCleaner). Become an expert in what it takes to reduce tracking and threats of all kinds.
I cripple the email display in Opera Mail. I don’t want images autoloaded and attachments are kept in cold storage until I peel them off the message. I use some of the most primitive means of examining all attachments because those are the safest ways: Evince for PDFs, Libre Office for most Office attachments, Ristretto for images, Parole for media. The only AV you can get for Linux is to protect from Windows viruses — typically used on Linux machines that handle files transferred to Windows computers. Linux is simply not as vulnerable to attacks of that sort, and viruses are exceedingly rare. Most of them become obsolete as soon as the developers figure out how it works. Debian doesn’t wait for a “Patch Tuesday” once a month. You have to check manually for updates, but things are fixed quickly.
As you can see, it boils down to avoiding unjustified convenience. That is, if convenience equals risk, do it the hard way. I still install WINE so I can run Notepad++ because nothing in Linux comes even close. I still run either Word 97 or Word 2000, both working well under WINE. For all the other Windows-based stuff, I keep a virtual machine compliments of VMWare with XP. I can decide whether it connects to the Net (which is almost never). I also keep a backup copy of the XP image in case something nasty gets into the one I use.
As noted previously, these measures do not keep the NSA from targeting me individually. Rather, these measures make them pay a higher price so that is has to be very intentional. It is wholly unlikely they’ll scoop me up with a bunch of other people and take over my system. It has already been revealed that they have been trying for quite some time.
Paranoid? Call it what you like, but I’ve used Linux for years and I’m quite comfortable with it. I’m not pushing it, just trying to make it as easy and reasonable as possible. Mainly, it’s simply my best gospel tool for the moment. The issue of self-discipline is resolved when you are committed to the mission.
God supports His mission and will honor your efforts to secure the tools dedicated to His Kingdom.
