015 - NPD202401 (National Public Data Breach) and Windows 11

Explicit content warning

08/30/24 • 27 min

The Lockdown - Practical Privacy & Security

In today’s show, I discuss the National Public Data (NPD) breach, which contains 2.7 billion records, including the social security numbers of US residents. I cover how to check if your SSN is part of the breach and emphasize the importance of setting up a credit freeze for yourself and your kids. I also explore some useful tools for searching large datasets and share my thoughts on a Reddit post.

In this week's episode:

On the brink of giving up!
Using OnlyOffice as a Google Docs alternative
National Public Data (NPD) breach
Ripgrep (rg) and Silver Searcher (ag) tools for searching massive datasets
Credit freezes
Best efforts for Windows 11 privacy
ElevenTray, a useful utility to always show Windows 11 tray icons

Show Links:
Simplewall - https://github.com/henrypp/simplewall
ElevenTray - https://github.com/locksec/eleventray
OnlyOffice - https://www.onlyoffice.com/
LibreOffice - https://www.libreoffice.org/
Credit Freeze Guide - https://inteltechniques.com/freeze.html

Credit Freeze for Kids:
Equifax - https://www.equifax.com/personal/education/identity-theft/articles/-/learn/freezing-your-childs-credit-report-faq/
(800)685-1111
Equifax Security Freeze, PO Box 105788, Atlanta, Georgia 30348

Experian - https://www.experian.com/help/minor-request.html
(888)397-3742
Experian Security Freeze. PO Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013

TransUnion - https://www.transunion.com/credit-freeze/credit-freeze-faq#freeze-other-minor-0
(888)909-8872
TransUnion, P.O. Box 380, Woodlyn, PA 19094

https://www.transunion.com/credit-disputes/child-identity-theft-inquiry-form

> I know why you're here, Neo. I know what you've been doing... why you hardly sleep, why you live alone, and why night after night, you sit by your computer. - Trinity (The Matrix)

Podcast music: Recluse by Ray Heffer

In this week's episode:

On the brink of giving up!
Using OnlyOffice as a Google Docs alternative
National Public Data (NPD) breach
Ripgrep (rg) and Silver Searcher (ag) tools for searching massive datasets
Credit freezes
Best efforts for Windows 11 privacy
ElevenTray, a useful utility to always show Windows 11 tray icons

Experian - https://www.experian.com/help/minor-request.html
(888)397-3742
Experian Security Freeze. PO Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013

TransUnion - https://www.transunion.com/credit-freeze/credit-freeze-faq#freeze-other-minor-0
(888)909-8872
TransUnion, P.O. Box 380, Woodlyn, PA 19094

https://www.transunion.com/credit-disputes/child-identity-theft-inquiry-form

> I know why you're here, Neo. I know what you've been doing... why you hardly sleep, why you live alone, and why night after night, you sit by your computer. - Trinity (The Matrix)

Podcast music: Recluse by Ray Heffer

Previous Episode

014 - Social Media, OPSEC for OSINT, and AI Security

This week I respond to a few listener questions, primarily around the use of social media as a privacy enthusiast. Love it or hate it, you can guess which camp I'm in, social media like LinkedIn has almost become a requirement for job searches, employers, and connecting with other professionals. I also touch on OPSEC for OSINT, a new talk track I am planning to present in the future. It's important for all of us to maintain better Operational Security (OPSEC). Finally, I share my latest blog post: Venturing into AI Security with Locally Hosted LLMs, and why locally hosted AI is essential for privacy.

In this week's episode:

Redacting ███ in your social media profiles
Minimizing the use of profile photos
Always assume private profiles are NEVER private
Addiction to social media and down regulation of the dopamine receptors
More on custom domains
Operational Security for OSINT professionals
Locally hosted LLMs for private AI
Data (PII) leakage with ChatGPT

Show Links:

ChatGPT Privacy Issue - https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/12/22/technology/openai-chatgpt-privacy-exploit.html
Brain anatomy alterations associated with Social Networking addiction - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5362930/
AI Security with Locally Hosted LLMs - https://lockdown.media/ai-security-with-llms
Expired Domains - https://www.expireddomains.net/
SimpleLogin - https://simplelogin.io/

Because you made a phone call.

Brill (Enemy of the State)
Podcast music: Recluse by Ray Heffer

Next Episode

016 - Privacy Discussion with Tyler from EasyOptOuts

In this episode, we have a special guest, Tyler Murphy, co-founder of EasyOptOuts, a data removal service focused on helping people remove their personal information from publicly accessible people search sites. Tyler discusses the inspiration behind EasyOptOuts, the challenges of maintaining privacy in a world of constant data breaches, and offers insights into data removal from various brokers. This conversation is packed with advice for anyone looking to regain control over their online privacy.

In this week’s episode:

Tyler shares how EasyOptOuts was founded, the challenges faced, and their mission to make data removal accessible.
Discussion on the widespread availability of personal data on people search sites and the complexities of removing it.
Insights into how EasyOptOuts automates data removal, and comparisons with manual removal processes.
The challenges posed by bot detection, CAPTCHAs, and deceptive removal processes that often require membership or payment.
The potential implications of data breaches, evolving bot detection, and the future of digital identity verification.
Tyler shares his own privacy techniques, including the use of VPNs, alias names, and minimizing data exposure online.
EasyOptOuts approach to scaling their service, future plans for business and family tiers, and their commitment to remaining a two-person operation.

Show Links:
EasyOptOuts - https://www.easyoptouts.com/

Imagine, then, this situation where we have the huge electronic intercommunication so that everybody is in touch with everybody else in such a way that it reveals their inmost thoughts, and there is no longer any individuality. No privacy. Everything you are, everything you think is revealed to everyone. - Alan Watts

Podcast music: Recluse by Ray Heffer