Securing Sensitive Information and Communications in the Field

by Michael Bear · 2009-03-23 12:15:00 UTC
Topics:

Today, a focus on internet-issues - starting with the question of how best to secure sensitive information and communications in the field.

A post which could just as easily be titled "how to try and keep the Sudanese Government (or insert other oppressive regime) from reading everything on your computer."  As they are sometimes wont to do, especially when expelling large numbers of NGOs.

An anonymous aid worker who was recently expelled from Sudan described the following:

"Government officials quickly arrived at the office, confiscating all our assets - our phones and computers to start with...At the airport, National Security were waiting for us. They searched through all of our bags. They took - stole - all kinds of personal items: cameras, iPods, our own computers with hundreds of photos of our lives and friends in Darfur."

Which is where the good folk at the European Interagency Security Forum (EISF) come into play.  EISF recently sent around an email about how to improve and ensure the security of your laptop, including a very useful link to Security in-a-box.

Security in-a-box was "was created to meet the digital security and privacy needs of advocates and human rights defenders." The website includes a a How-to Booklet, as well as a collection of Hands-on Guides about how to use freeware and open source software to secure your computer.

The How-to Booklet is definitely worth a look, covering such topics as:

-how to protect your information from physical threats,

-how to create and maintain secure passwords,

-how to protect the sensitive files on your computer,

-how to destroy sensitive information, and

-how to keep your internet communication private.

By the by, your password might not be as secure as you think - see here for a list of the 500 worst passwords.  Approximately one-in-nine people have a password on this list, and one-in-fifty use one of the top twenty worst passwords.

And, finally, a semi-relevant Dilbert cartoon after the jump:

[Image at top of the post from computerweekly.com]

Michael Bear
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