Take Back Your Privacy: The Barefoot Anarchist's Guide to Navigating Today's Digital Landscape

Curious about surveillance? Wondering about the security of your computer or phone?

These are just a couple of starting points. The author, with decades of experience in the field, takes us on a journey through the digital landscape. Exhaustively researched, with hundreds of links, it's nevertheless written in an informal and entertaining style.

Do you know the difference between "a web browser" and "the internet"? That's about all you'll need, to start. When you're done with this book, you'll know more than most IT (information technology) professionals do about digital security. You'll be able to analyze the claims made by tech bloggers and those who flog their own products. You'll know much, much more about the risks to your privacy and anonymity--and why they're both so important--in today's fast-moving world.

Then, at the end, the author tells how he once went to jail for trying to help protect thousands of college students (including himself). It's a chilling reminder of just how easily "spin" can replace substance. And yet, it's a funny story.

Come on in and give this book a try. You'll be glad you did.

The Table of Contents:

    Dedication
    Who needs this book?
    What's a Barefoot Anarchist?
    Chapter 1: Why Privacy? Why Encrypt?
        The Free Speech Argument
        Dangers of Self-Incrimination
    Chapter 2: Threat Modeling
        Sounds Ominous!
        You Can't Be Totally Anonymous
        You Must Decide What You Can Live With
        Attack Surfaces
        Your IT department
        Software: Open-Source vs. Closed
        Companies & Policies
        Advertising
        Government & Privacy
    Chapter 3: Connections
        Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
        Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)
        The Onion Router (Tor)
        Wi-Fi Networks
    Chapter 4: Downloading Files
        Download Sites
        Use BitTorrent?
        How About Usenet?
    Chapter 5: Digital Purchases
        Credit Card Options
        A Note on Card/Banking Security
        A Note on Credit Itself
        PayPal & Similar Services
        Bitcoin and Friends
    Chapter 6: General Computing
        Virtual Machines
        Physical Security
        Disk Encryption
        Passwords & Logins
        Smart Cards & Biometrics
        Sending Anonymous Data
        Automatic Software Updates
        Anti-Virus Software
    Chapter 7: Operating Systems
        Windows?
        Instead of Windows?
        Other Linux Distros
    Chapter 8: Telephony
        Location Tracking
        Cellular Eavesdropping
        Text Messaging
        Baseband Hacking...and Beyond?
        The Metadata is the Message
        Phones and Wi-Fi
        Near-Field Communication (NFC)
        Android vs iOS vs Others
        Voice over IP (VoIP)
        Texting Alternatives
        All-in-one? Silent Circle vs. Signal
    Chapter 9: Web Browsing
        Search Engines
        Which Browser?
        "Secure" Connections
        Fingerprinting
        Advertising
        Other Plugins
    Chapter 10: "Cloud" Backups
        Dropbox and Friends
        SpiderOak & Its Pals
        Curmudgeonly Advice
        Make a Decision
    Chapter 11: Email
        Who's giving it to you?
        How to encrypt it?
    Chapter 12: Putting It All Together
        What's Your Threat Model?
        How Do We Fix Privacy?
    Appendix A: Encryption Primer
        Just the Basics
    Appendix B: Jail!
    Thanks for Reading!
    Excerpt from Shiver on the Sky