Software plugins allow you to add functionality to existing applications. Web browsers commonly use these extensions to add functionality like shopping helpers, password managers, ad blockers and much, much more. In a way, these add-ons are like “apps” for the browser. Like apps, they can view and manipulate your data. In the browser, they may alter the web page, track pages you visit, and even mine any data you might enter into web forms. Also like apps, plugins can have permissions which you must agree to when you install them. Therefore, we need to be very careful which plugins we install and make sure we trust the maker. Today I’ll explain how to audit your plugins.

In other news: The TikTok ban has been given a 75-day reprieve; the Trump administration fires scores of cybersecurity experts; Apple Intelligence will soon be enabled by default on iPhones and Macs; some clever researchers have hacked the iPhone USB-C connection; a tricky new smishing campaign tricks users into bypassing Apple protections; PowerSchool hack affects 62M students and 9M teachers; new AI took can identify where a photo was taken; Subaru hack exposes scary amount of location data collection; fuzzing tool find over 100 bugs in modern cellular network; Texas sues Allstate for using private car data; FTC to ban GM from sharing location info; exercise equipment collects lots of personal data; federal court finally rules that Section 702 FISA data access requires a warrant.

Article Links

1. [theverge.com] Trump signs order refusing to enforce TikTok ban for 75 days https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/20/24348213/trump-tiktok-ban-executive-order-sale-delay-china
2. [techcrunch.com] Trump administration fires members of cybersecurity review board in “horribly shortsighted” decision https://techcrunch.com/2025/01/22/trump-administration-fires-members-of-cybersecurity-review-board-in-horribly-shortsighted-decision/
3. [macrumors.com] macOS Sequoia 15.3 and iOS 18.3 Enable Apple Intelligence Automatically https://www.macrumors.com/2025/01/21/macos-sequoia-15-3-apple-intelligence-opt-out/
4. [9to5mac.com] Security vulnerability in iPhone’s USB-C port, and a gotcha with iMessage scams https://9to5mac.com/2025/01/14/security-vulnerability-in-iphones-usb-c-port-and-a-gotcha-with-imessage-scams/
5. [Tech Radar] PowerSchool hack keeps getting worse – 62 million students now thought to be affected https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/powerschool-hack-keeps-getting-worse-62-million-students-now-thought-to-be-affected
6. [404media.co] The Powerful AI Tool That Cops (or Stalkers) Can Use to Geolocate Photos in Seconds https://www.404media.co/the-powerful-ai-tool-that-cops-or-stalkers-can-use-to-geolocate-photos-in-seconds/
7. [wired.com] Subaru Security Flaws Exposed Its System for Tracking Millions of Cars https://www.wired.com/story/subaru-location-tracking-vulnerabilities/
8. [The Hacker News] RANsacked: Over 100 Security Flaws Found in LTE and 5G Network Implementations https://thehackernews.com/2025/01/ransacked-over-100-security-flaws-found.html
9. [gizmodo.com] Texas Sues Allstate for Collecting Driver Data to Raise Premiums https://gizmodo.com/texas-sues-allstate-for-collecting-driver-data-to-raise-premiums-2000549878
10. [techcrunch.com] GM banned from sharing driving and location data with insurance companies https://techcrunch.com/2025/01/17/gm-banned-from-sharing-driving-and-location-data-with-insurance-companies/
11. [consumerreports.org] Your Exercise Bike Knows a Lot About You—and It Doesn’t Keep Every Secret https://www.consumerreports.org/health/health-privacy/exercise-machine-privacy-a3907557984/
12. [eff.org] VICTORY! Federal Court (Finally) Rules Backdoor Searches of 702 Data Unconstitutional https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/01/victory-federal-court-finally-rules-backdoor-searches-702-data-unconstitutional
13. Tip of the Week: Treat Extensions Like Apps: https://firewallsdontstopdragons.com/treat-extensions-like-apps/ 

Further Info

• Data Privacy Week 2025: https://firewallsdontstopdragons.com/data-privacy-week-2025/ 
• Private TikTok web app: https://www.sticktock.com/ 
• Enabling Apple’s Advanced Data Protection: https://support.apple.com/en-us/108756 
• OSINT location analysis examples: https://gralhix.com/list-of-osint-exercises/osint-exercise-001/ 
• Claw Your Data Back tool: https://cyd.social/ 
• Send me your questions! https://fdsd.me/qna 
• Check out my book, Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons: https://fdsd.me/book 
• Subscribe to the newsletter: https://fdsd.me/newsletter 
• Become a patron! https://www.patreon.com/FirewallsDontStopDragons 
• Get your Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons Merch! https://fdsd.me/merch 
• Give the gift of privacy and security: https://fdsd.me/coupons 
• Generate secure passphrases! https://d20key.com/#/

Table of Contents

Use these timestamps to jump to a particular section of the show.

• 0:00:07: Intro
• 0:01:03: Listener survey ended
• 0:01:37: News preview
• 0:03:54: Trump signs order refusing to enforce TikTok ban for 75 days
• 0:10:02: Trump administration fires members of cybersecurity review board in “horribly shortsighted” decision
• 0:14:50: macOS Sequoia 15.3 and iOS 18.3 Enable Apple Intelligence Automatically
• 0:21:51: Security vulnerability in iPhone’s USB-C port, and a gotcha with iMessage scams
• 0:24:51: Clever iPhone Smishing attack
• 0:28:35: PowerSchool hack keeps getting worse
• 0:32:55: The Powerful AI Tool That Cops (or Stalkers) Can Use to Geolocate Photos in Seconds
• 0:43:37: Subaru Security Flaws Exposed Its System for Tracking Millions of Cars
• 0:49:28: 5G fuzzing
• 0:54:02: Allstate sued, FTC Bans GM data selling, fitness device data
• 0:56:52: FISA 702 court victory
• 1:01:23: Tip of the Week: Treat Plugins Like Apps
• 1:08:12: Wrap up and looking ahead

There are way too many data brokers and they have way too much of our data. We’ve talked a lot lately about what you can do to reclaim your privacy and claw back some of that data and today I’m going to give you yet another interesting tool for your privacy toolbox: Permission Slip. This app and the related service, brought to you by Consumer Reports, will work on your behalf to request that these data brokers relinquish your information, or at least suppress the sharing of that data to the extent that’s legally possible. The tool has some helpful and interesting features that you may not find on other, similar services. Sukhi Gulati GIlbert is my guest today and will explain why you should consider using this tool and how it supports the overall effort to rein in dangerous business of data mining.

Interview Notes

• Permission Slip app: https://permissionslipcr.com/ 
• Protecting Your Privacy Online: https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics/privacy/from-our-president-protecting-your-privacy-online-a1603013649/ 
• Digital Security & Privacy: https://www.consumerreports.org/digital-security-privacy/ 
• CR Report on data deletion services (PDF): https://innovation.consumerreports.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Data-Defense_-Evaluating-People-Search-Site-Removal-Services-.pdf 
• California data broker registry: https://cppa.ca.gov/data_broker_registry/ 
• How to download the Vermont data broker list (which doesn’t seem to work): https://www.muckrock.com/foi/vermont-80/vermont-data-broker-db-107096/ 
• My article series on data deletion: https://firewallsdontstopdragons.com/osint-reconnaissance/ 

Further Info

• Annual listener survey!! https://fdsd.me/survey2025 
• Send me your questions! https://fdsd.me/qna 
• Check out my book, Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons: https://fdsd.me/book 
• Subscribe to the newsletter: https://fdsd.me/newsletter 
• Become a patron! https://www.patreon.com/FirewallsDontStopDragons 
• Get your Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons Merch! https://fdsd.me/merch 
• Give the gift of privacy and security: https://fdsd.me/coupons 
• Support our mission! https://fdsd.me/support 
• Generate secure passphrases! https://d20key.com/#/ 

Table of Contents

Use these timestamps to jump to a particular section of the show.

• 0:00:12: Intro
• 0:00:51: Couple quick news notes
• 0:01:45: Last call: listener survey
• 0:02:47: Interview setup
• 0:03:48: What brought you to Consumer Reports and the Permission Slip app?
• 0:07:19: How does Permission Slip compare to other data deletion services?
• 0:14:17: Where are the data brokers getting so much of our personal info?
• 0:17:00: How do I use Permission Slip?
• 0:21:47: What info does Permission Slip give to brokers?
• 0:24:42: Is it more effective to request data deletion yourself versus using a service?
• 0:31:12: What level of success should I expect when deleting my data?
• 0:33:16: Are there any limitations or exclusions for data deletion?
• 0:38:19: What if you live in a state or country with no privacy laws?
• 0:39:44: Can we limit access to our public data records?
• 0:41:24: Does freezing your credit do anything to limit data sharing?
• 0:43:53: How broken is the ‘notice and consent’ model for privacy?
• 0:45:57: Would it help to actively spread incorrect personal info?
• 0:48:31: How else can we reduce our data footprint?
• 0:50:04: What’s next for Consumer Reports in terms of privacy?
• 0:53:46: What does Permission Slip Pro cost?
• 0:55:19: Interview wrap-up
• 0:59:11: Patron content preview
• 0:59:50: Looking ahead

The start of a new year is always a good time to add some big juicy goals to your to-do list – call them New Year’s Resolutions, if that works for you, but really it’s just about making up your mind to tackle some important personal objectives. Today I’ll give you several ideas to improve your privacy and security in 2025, and those around you.

In the news: dozens of malicious Chrome Browser extensions identified; net neutrality is dead, again, and probably for good this time; Apple to pay a meager $95M to settle a Siri privacy class action suit; Apple’s new Enhanced Visual Search is enabled by default and sending data to Apple; proposed ban on TP-Link routers is missing the real problem; Google’s change in its Privacy Sandbox policy seems to now allow the use of device fingerprinting; proposed HIPAA amendments will close major health data security gaps.

Article Links

1. [Ars Technica] Time to check if you ran any of these 33 malicious Chrome extensions https://arstechnica.com/security/2025/01/dozens-of-backdoored-chrome-extensions-discovered-on-2-6-million-devices/
2. Terms of service study: https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2016/07/14/agree-terms-conditions-lie/ 
3. [nytimes.com] Net Neutrality Rules Struck Down by Appeals Court https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/02/technology/net-neutrality-rules-fcc.html
4. [reuters.com] Apple to pay $95 million to settle Siri privacy lawsuit https://www.reuters.com/legal/apple-pay-95-million-settle-siri-privacy-lawsuit-2025-01-02/
5. [macrumors.com] Apple Says Siri Data Has Never Been Sold or Used for Marketing  https://www.macrumors.com/2025/01/06/apple-siri-data-not-sold-for-marketing/ 
6. [9to5mac.com] Enhanced Visual Search shares your photos with Apple by default, to identify landmarks https://9to5mac.com/2024/12/30/enhanced-visual-search-shares-your-photos-with-apple-by-default-to-identify-landmarks/
7. [csoonline.com] No evidence that TP-Link routers are a Chinese security threat https://www.csoonline.com/article/3504775/no-evidence-that-tp-link-routers-are-a-chinese-security-threat.html
8. [Lukasz Olejnik blog] Biggest Privacy Erosion in 10 Years? On Google’s Policy Change Towards Fingerprinting https://blog.lukaszolejnik.com/biggest-privacy-erosion-in-10-years-on-googles-policy-change-towards-fingerprinting/
9. [Dark Reading] Proposed HIPAA Amendments Will Close Healthcare Security Gaps https://www.darkreading.com/cyber-risk/proposed-hipaa-amendments-close-healthcare-security-gaps
10. Tip of the Week: https://firewallsdontstopdragons.com/new-years-resolutions-2025/ 

Further Info

• Annual listener survey!! https://fdsd.me/survey2025 
• Send me your questions! https://fdsd.me/qna 
• Check out my book, Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons: https://fdsd.me/book 
• Subscribe to the newsletter: https://fdsd.me/newsletter 
• Become a patron! https://www.patreon.com/FirewallsDontStopDragons 
• Get your Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons Merch! https://fdsd.me/merch 
• Give the gift of privacy and security: https://fdsd.me/coupons 
• Support our mission! https://fdsd.me/support 
• Generate secure passphrases! https://d20key.com/#/ 

Table of Contents

Use these timestamps to jump to a particular section of the show.

• 0:00:07: Intro
• 0:01:24: News preview
• 0:02:59: Time to check if you ran any of these 33 malicious Chrome extensions
• 0:12:51: Net Neutrality Rules Struck Down by Appeals Court
• 0:16:49: Apple to pay $95 million to settle Siri privacy lawsuit
• 0:19:02: Apple Says Siri Data Has Never Been Sold or Used for Marketing
• 0:26:29: Enhanced Visual Search shares your photos with Apple by default
• 0:35:23: No evidence that TP-Link routers are a Chinese security threat
• 0:47:01: Biggest Privacy Erosion in 10 Years? On Google’s Policy Change Towards Fingerprinting
• 0:53:08: Proposed HIPAA Amendments Will Close Healthcare Security Gaps
• 0:57:16: Tip of the Week: New Years Resolutions for 2025!
• 1:04:53: Wrap-up

There are many ways in which we are tracked in the real world, but one of the most ubiquitous and insidious technologies is Automated License Plate Readers. These camera systems are deployed in just about every city by both public and private organizations. Furthermore, the third parties who sell and operate these systems collect and collate data from around the country, making it available to law enforcement and marketing firms. Because these systems capture images of your car, they can also document the make, model and color, any distinguishing marks, and even bumper stickers. Today we’ll discuss how and where these systems are deployed, who has access to the data, the repercussions of this mass surveillance and how it can go horribly wrong with my guests Adam Schwartz and Gowri Nayar from the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Interview Notes

• Donate to the EFF: https://supporters.eff.org/donate/join-eff-today 
• The Human Toll of ALPR Errors: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/11/human-toll-alpr-errors 
• EFF’s Street Level Surveillance: https://sls.eff.org/ 
• Community Control of Police Surveillance (CCOPS): https://www.eff.org/issues/community-control-police-surveillance-ccops 
• US 100-mile “border zone” facts: https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/border-zone 
• Flock camera map: https://www.404media.co/the-open-source-project-deflock-is-mapping-license-plate-surveillance-cameras-all-over-the-world/ 
• DeFlock: https://deflock.me 
• Flock transparency page example: https://transparency.flocksafety.com/riverside-county-ca-sd 

Further Info

• Annual listener survey!! https://fdsd.me/survey2025 
• Send me your questions! https://fdsd.me/qna 
• Check out my book, Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons: https://fdsd.me/book 
• Subscribe to the newsletter: https://fdsd.me/newsletter 
• Become a patron! https://www.patreon.com/FirewallsDontStopDragons 
• Get your Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons Merch! https://fdsd.me/merch 
• Give the gift of privacy and security: https://fdsd.me/coupons 
• Support our mission! https://fdsd.me/support 
• Generate secure passphrases! https://d20key.com/#/ 

Table of Contents

Use these timestamps to jump to a particular section of the show.

• 0:00:20: Intro
• 0:01:24: Listener survey and book giveaway
• 0:03:16: ShmooCon in DC this weekend
• 0:04:21: Interview setup
• 0:05:27: What prompted you to write about ALPRs?
• 0:08:11: How do ALPRs work and what info can they capture?
• 0:10:14: How long have ALPRs been around and how is EFF tracking their use?
• 0:11:34: Where are these systems deployed? How do we recognize them?
• 0:14:19: How does mobile ALPR data collection work?
• 0:15:58: Are police departments transparent about the use of ALPRs?
• 0:18:09: Is there a way know where ALPR systems are deployed?
• 0:20:46: How accurate are ALPRs? What are the consequences of failure?
• 0:22:37: Are license plate “hot lists” shared across jurisdictions?
• 0:25:41: Where is ALPR data stored? For how long? Who has access?
• 0:27:40: Is ALPR data shared among local and federal agencies? How often is the data abused?
• 0:31:04: Do the ALPR system operators sell this data to anyone else?
• 0:36:04: What legal expectation of privacy do I have in public spaces?
• 0:42:57: How does the legal “third party doctrine” apply to ALPR data?
• 0:45:01: How do we balance the need to catch bad guys with the use of surveillance tech?
• 0:50:18: Is there any surveillance tech that EFF feels should be banned outright?
• 0:52:17: Does EFF consult with law enforcement on deployment of surveillance tech?
• 0:53:05: If we’re concerned about surveillance tech being deployed, what can we do?
• 0:58:19: Interview wrap-up
• 0:59:29: Notes on the “border zone” width in the US
• 1:01:09: Patron preview
• 1:02:01: Survey reminder
• 1:02:50: Looking ahead

Every week, I record a special, private bonus podcast for my patrons. Until today, all of that content was restricted to my supporters. But today I’ve got a sampler platter of some of the best snippets from my bonus Q&A with my interview guests. You’ll hear from Micah Lee (author, journalist), Nick Weaver (cybersecurity researcher), Kate Black (health data specialist), Jason Edison (OSINT expert), Dani Cronce and Lizzie Moratti (TunnelVision hack), Bruce Schneier (cryptographer, author), and Carissa Véliz (author, professor).

Original Interview Links

1. Ep358: Micah Lee https://podcast.firewallsdontstopdragons.com/2024/01/08/investigating-data-leaks/ 
2. Ep360: Nick Weaver https://podcast.firewallsdontstopdragons.com/2024/01/22/rise-of-the-slaughterbots/ 
3. Ep368: Kate Black https://podcast.firewallsdontstopdragons.com/2024/03/18/health-data-privacy/ 
4. Ep386: Jason Edison https://podcast.firewallsdontstopdragons.com/2024/07/22/open-source-intelligence/ 
5. Ep388: Jack Daniel https://podcast.firewallsdontstopdragons.com/2024/08/05/catch-you-on-the-bside/ 
6. Ep396: Dani Cronce & Lizzie Moratti https://podcast.firewallsdontstopdragons.com/2024/09/30/tunnelvision-vpns-and-you/ 
7. Ep400: Bruce Schneier https://podcast.firewallsdontstopdragons.com/2024/10/28/episode-400-special/ 
8. Ep404: Carissa Véliz https://podcast.firewallsdontstopdragons.com/2024/11/25/privacy-is-power-2/ 

Related Links

1. Micah’s book: https://hacksandleaks.com/
2. Nick Weaver: https://www1.icsi.berkeley.edu/~nweaver/
3. Security BSides: https://bsides.org/w/page/12194156/FrontPage 
4. Frankie’s Tiki Room (Las Vegas): https://frankiestikiroom.com/ 
5. Intel Techniques: https://inteltechniques.com/ 
6. TunnelVision: https://www.tunnelvisionbug.com/
7. Schneier Blog: https://www.schneier.com/
8. Privacy is Power: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/673341/privacy-is-power-by-carissa-veliz/  

Further Info

• Check out my book, Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons: https://fdsd.me/book 
• Subscribe to the newsletter: https://fdsd.me/newsletter 
• Become a patron! https://www.patreon.com/FirewallsDontStopDragons 
• Get your Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons Merch! https://fdsd.me/merch 
• Give the gift of privacy and security: https://fdsd.me/coupons 
• Support our mission! https://fdsd.me/support 

Table of Contents

Use these timestamps to jump to a particular section of the show.

• 0:00:24: New Years coming up
• 0:00:48: Show preview
• 0:02:33: Ep358: Micah Lee – the Snowden docs
• 0:11:48: Ep360: Nick Weaver – other types of killer drones
• 0:18:02: Ep368: Kate Black – how do you know if a site or app respects health privacy?
• 0:20:22: Ep386: Jason Edison – what’s it like trying to protect the privacy of celebrities?
• 0:26:53: Ep388: Jack Daniel – the story of the Les Pukelele
• 0:33:39: Ep396: Dani Cronce & Lizzie Moratti – getting into hacking
• 0:42:08: Ep400: Bruce Schneier – can we ever make our devices secure out of the box?
• 0:48:01: Ep404: Cariss Veliz – should STEM students be required to take ethics classes?
• 0:53:05: Wrap-up

I’m digging into the vault for a classic replay! I first interviewed Phil Zimmermann, creator of Pretty Good Privacy (PGP), on May 7, 2018. It was Episode 63 (we’re now at 408) and it was entitled “We Now Live in the Golden Age of Surveillance”. In this episode we talk a little about the origins of PGP in the 1990’s and what he feels about the FBI’s claims that we’re “going dark” due to strong end-to-end encrypted communications. I’ve added some new commentary, but the original episode is preserved in all of its original glory!

Interview Notes

• Original Ep63 interview: https://podcast.firewallsdontstopdragons.com/2018/05/07/we-now-live-in-the-golden-age-of-surveillance/
• Ep214: Social Media is Ruining Society https://podcast.firewallsdontstopdragons.com/2021/04/05/social-media-is-ruining-society/ 
• Ep243: Through the Past, Privately: PGP Turns 30 https://podcast.firewallsdontstopdragons.com/2021/10/25/through-the-past-privately-pgp-turns-30/ 
• Phil Zimmermann’s website: https://philzimmermann.com/ 

Further Info

• Send me your questions! https://fdsd.me/qna 
• Check out my book, Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons: https://fdsd.me/book 
• Subscribe to the newsletter: https://fdsd.me/newsletter 
• Become a patron! https://www.patreon.com/FirewallsDontStopDragons 
• Get your Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons Merch! https://fdsd.me/merch 
• Give the gift of privacy and security: https://fdsd.me/coupons 
• Support our mission! https://fdsd.me/support 
• Generate secure passphrases! https://d20key.com/#/ 

Table of Contents

Use these timestamps to jump to a particular section of the show.

• 0:00:26: Flashback setup
• 0:02:18: Original intro
• 0:03:20: What drove you to create PGP?
• 0:06:32: Why were you prosecuted for PGP?
• 0:13:08: Isn’t banning cryptography like trying to ban math?
• 0:15:13: What’s the difference between security and privacy?
• 0:17:04: Is it possible to be truly anonymous online today?
• 0:19:06: How is the average person tracking online today?
• 0:21:49: What are the most private ways to communicate online?
• 0:24:44: How do we identify trustworthy attachments?
• 0:25:30: How secure is SMS (texting)?
• 0:29:41: Are we “going dark”?
• 0:32:44: Can we escape mass surveillance?
• 0:36:35: What’s next for you?
• 0:38:09: Original interview wrap-up
• 0:40:38: Flashback wrap-up
• 0:41:00: ShmooCon 2025
• 0:41:56: Looking ahead

I’ve had some truly amazing interviews this past year. For your listening enjoyment, I’ve curated a set of clips from some of the best shows, creating a sampler platter of stellar audio content from some amazing guests! If you’ve never listened to my podcast, this will give you a taste of what you’re missing! If you’re a regular listener, this will be a fun trip down memory lane, complete with a little new commentary. Enjoy!

Original Interview Links

1. Ep362: Patrick Wardle https://podcast.firewallsdontstopdragons.com/2024/02/05/securing-your-mac/ 
2. Ep364: Jen Caltrider https://podcast.firewallsdontstopdragons.com/2024/02/19/car-privacy-is-horrid/ 
3. Ep366: 404 Media https://podcast.firewallsdontstopdragons.com/2024/03/04/how-our-data-is-abused/   
4. Ep375: Dina Temple-Raston https://podcast.firewallsdontstopdragons.com/2024/05/13/inside-ukraines-it-army/ 
5. Ep378: Naomi Brockwell https://podcast.firewallsdontstopdragons.com/2024/05/27/why-privacy-matters/ 
6. Ep380: Joseph Cox https://podcast.firewallsdontstopdragons.com/2024/06/10/anom-the-fbis-phone-company/ 
7. Ep382: Byron Tau https://podcast.firewallsdontstopdragons.com/2024/06/24/means-of-control/ 
8. Ep386: Jason Edison https://podcast.firewallsdontstopdragons.com/2024/07/22/open-source-intelligence/ 
9. Ep392: Andy Yen https://podcast.firewallsdontstopdragons.com/2024/09/02/crazy-proton-summer/ 
10. Ep398: Space Rogue (Cris Thomas) https://podcast.firewallsdontstopdragons.com/2024/10/14/l0pht-heavy-industries/ 
11. Ep400: Bruce Schneier https://podcast.firewallsdontstopdragons.com/2024/10/28/episode-400-special/ 
12. Ep402: Stacey Higginbotham https://podcast.firewallsdontstopdragons.com/2024/11/11/cutting-the-software-tether/ 
13. Ep404: Carissa Veliz https://podcast.firewallsdontstopdragons.com/2024/11/25/privacy-is-power-2/ 

Related Links

1. Objective-See: https://objective-see.org/ 
2. 404 Media: https://www.404media.co/ 
3. Privacy Not Included: https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/privacynotincluded/ 
4. Click Here: https://therecord.media/podcast 
5. NBTV: https://www.nbtv.media/ 
6. Dark Wire: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/joseph-cox/dark-wire/9781541702691/ 
7. Means of Control: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/706321/means-of-control-by-byron-tau/ 
8. Intel Techniques: https://inteltechniques.com/ 
9. Proton: https://proton.me/ 
10. Space Rogue book: https://www.amazon.com/Space-Rogue-Hackers-Known-Changed-ebook/dp/B0BRQWPBGL
11. Schneier Blog: https://www.schneier.com/
12. Privacy is Power: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/673341/privacy-is-power-by-carissa-veliz/  

Further Info

• Check out my book, Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons: https://fdsd.me/book 
• Subscribe to the newsletter: https://fdsd.me/newsletter 
• Become a patron! https://www.patreon.com/FirewallsDontStopDragons 
• Get your Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons Merch! https://fdsd.me/merch 
• Give the gift of privacy and security: https://fdsd.me/coupons 
• Support our mission! https://fdsd.me/support 

Table of Contents

Use these timestamps to jump to a particular section of the show.

• 0:00:26: Show preview
• 0:02:22: Ep362: Patrick Wardle – Mac hardening
• 0:05:55: Ep364: Jen Caltrider – Car privacy not included
• 0:11:13: Ep366: 404 Media – abuse of public camera data
• 0:21:35: Ep375: Dina Temple-Raston – what we should learn from the cyber war in Ukraine
• 0:30:41: Ep378: Naomi Brockwell – fighting for our privacy
• 0:36:40: Ep380: Joseph Cox – what did law enforcement learn from Anom?
• 0:39:22: Ep382: Byron Tau – how law enforcement hides their data gathering
• 0:45:43: Ep386: Jason Edison – how does law enforcement view mass surveillance?
• 0:57:10: Ep392: Andy Yen – why Proton embraced AI tech
• 1:04:08: Ep398: Space Rogue (Cris Thomas) – do you need a college degree to work in cybersecurity?
• 1:11:05: Ep400: Bruce Schneier – how AI will change politics and law
• 1:19:02: Ep402: Stacey Higginbotham – escrowing money to address IoT software tethering problems
• 1:22:50: Ep404: Carissa Veliz – will the younger generation every have privacy?
• 1:30:31: Looking ahead

Have you ever searched for your personal information online? There are dozens of “people search sites” out there, but a simple Google search can also find information about you, too. Behind the scenes, there are hundreds if not thousands of data brokers who are scouring the web constantly for your info creating dossiers on all of us, for sale to anyone willing to pay. We have no federal privacy laws in the US, but even if you live in the EU (with GDPR) or a US state with some privacy protections (like California), you still may find your data online – because much it comes from public records, including voting records, property tax records, and legal filings. How do you find your data? Where did it come from? And more important, what can you do about it? Today will discuss this and more with Ben and Tyler, the founders of data deletion service EasyOptOuts.

Interview Notes

• EasyOptOuts: https://easyoptouts.com/ 
• Consumer Reports study: https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics/personal-information/services-that-delete-data-from-people-search-sites-review-a2705843415/ 
• Brian Krebs on Radaris: https://krebsonsecurity.com/2024/03/a-close-up-look-at-the-consumer-data-broker-radaris/ 
• My blog series on data removal: https://firewallsdontstopdragons.com/osint-reconnaissance/ 
• Jason Edison OSINT interview: https://podcast.firewallsdontstopdragons.com/2024/07/22/open-source-intelligence/ 
• Big Ass Data Broker Opt Out List: https://github.com/yaelwrites/Big-Ass-Data-Broker-Opt-Out-List 

Further Info

• Help me reach more people! https://fdsd.me/awareness2
• Send me your questions! https://fdsd.me/qna 
• Check out my book, Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons: https://fdsd.me/book 
• Subscribe to the newsletter: https://fdsd.me/newsletter 
• Become a patron! https://www.patreon.com/FirewallsDontStopDragons 
• Get your Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons Merch! https://fdsd.me/merch 
• Give the gift of privacy and security: https://fdsd.me/coupons 
• Support our mission! https://fdsd.me/support 
• Generate secure passphrases! https://d20key.com/#/ 

Table of Contents

Use these timestamps to jump to a particular section of the show.

• 0:01:04: Staying up to date during December
• 0:01:45: NPR shout out?
• 0:02:25: Interview setup
• 0:04:11: Why did you get into the data deletion business?
• 0:05:58: How does EasyOptOuts differentiate its service?
• 0:09:35: Where do these data brokers get all my information?
• 0:13:37: How often do you find errors in people’s information on these sites?
• 0:15:36: What are the names of some of the top data brokers? Would we know them?
• 0:17:34: Will a credit freeze prevent data sharing?
• 0:19:02: What does it cost to get these people reports?
• 0:21:21: Have you tried deleting data from the recently breached National Public Data?
• 0:23:02: How do the various US state privacy laws impact our ability to delete our data?
• 0:27:52: How many data brokers operate in non-US/EU jurisdictions?
• 0:29:00: Who is selling my data that would surprise me?
• 0:31:26: How did we consent to this data sharing and can we opt out?
• 0:34:14: If I wanted to try to clean up my data myself, how would I go about that?
• 0:38:09: How do I avoid giving away more information while I try to prove my identity?
• 0:41:34: If I would rather use a deletion service, how does that work and what does it cost?
• 0:46:39: After deletion, will my data just be replenished after some amount of time?
• 0:48:01: Any final pro tips on reducing my public data?
• 0:51:02: Interview wrapup
• 0:53:26: Patron bonus content preview
• 0:54:05: Plan for December shows

It’s been too long since I’ve dipped into the listener mailbag, so today I’m going to answer a small selection of your questions on the air! Topics include privacy-respecting baby monitors, the “IoT network” on some Orbi routers, why you can’t really use a computer monitor as a “dumb” TV, and whether browser privacy plugins work on first party tracking.

We’ll also cover some news stories: why you shouldn’t upload medical images to AI chatbots; the Fancy Bear “nearest neighbor” attack; Google’s new website link overlays; the curious case of cutting undersea internet cables; Microsoft’s new Windows Resiliency Initiative; mobile pay apps coming under regulatory scrutiny; iPhone’s new tool to strip metadata from shared photos; and Google now warning you about suspicious apps.

Article Links

1. [techcrunch.com] PSA: You shouldn’t upload your medical images to AI chatbots https://techcrunch.com/2024/11/19/psa-you-shouldnt-upload-your-medical-images-to-ai-chatbots/
2. [darkreading.com] Fancy Bear ‘Nearest Neighbor’ Attack Uses Nearby Wi-Fi Network https://www.darkreading.com/cyberattacks-data-breaches/fancy-bear-nearest-neighbor-attack-wi-fi
3. [9to5google.com] Google’s iOS app now injects links on third-party websites that go back to Search https://9to5google.com/2024/11/25/google-ios-app-link-annotations-search/
4. [newsweek.com] Chinese Vessel Allegedly Drags Anchor, Severs Undersea Cable Links https://www.newsweek.com/chinese-vessel-allegedly-drags-anchor-severs-undersea-cable-links-1992580
5. [dw.com] Hybrid warfare on the seabed? https://www.dw.com/en/baltic-sea-underwater-cable-damage-highlights-hybrid-warfare-on-critical-infrastructure/a-70853706
6. [theverge.com] Microsoft’s new Windows Resiliency Initiative aims to avoid another CrowdStrike incident https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/19/24299873/microsoft-windows-resiliency-initiative-crowdstrike-incident
7. [lifehacker.com] Venmo, Apple Pay, and Other Payment Apps Are About to Be More Regulated https://lifehacker.com/money/payment-apps-are-about-to-be-more-regulated
8. [lifehacker.com] Your iPhone Can Now Automatically Remove Location Data From Photos You Share Online https://lifehacker.com/tech/your-iphone-can-now-automatically-remove-location-data-from-photos-online
9. [lifehacker.com] The Google Play Store Will Soon Warn You Before You Download a Bad App https://lifehacker.com/tech/the-google-play-store-will-warn-you-bad-app

Further Info

• ExifTool: https://exiftool.org/ 
• Help me reach more people! https://fdsd.me/awareness2
• Send me your questions! https://fdsd.me/qna 
• Check out my book, Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons: https://fdsd.me/book 
• Subscribe to the newsletter: https://fdsd.me/newsletter 
• Become a patron! https://www.patreon.com/FirewallsDontStopDragons 
• Get your Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons Merch! https://fdsd.me/merch 
• Give the gift of privacy and security: https://fdsd.me/coupons 

Table of Contents

Use these timestamps to jump to a particular section of the show.

• 0:00:51: Holiday PSA
• 0:02:12: News preview
• 0:03:59: PSA: You shouldn’t upload your medical images to AI chatbots
• 0:07:22: Fancy Bear ‘Nearest Neighbor’ Attack Uses Nearby Wi-Fi Network
• 0:12:59: Google’s iOS app now injects links on third-party websites that go back to Search
• 0:15:10: Chinese Vessel Allegedly Drags Anchor, Severs Undersea Cable Links
• 0:18:17: Hybrid warfare on the seabed?
• 0:27:19: Microsoft’s new Windows Resiliency Initiative aims to avoid another CrowdStrike incident
• 0:33:11: Venmo, Apple Pay, and Other Payment Apps Are About to Be More Regulated
• 0:36:30: Your iPhone Can Now Automatically Remove Location Data From Photos You Share Online
• 0:42:23: The Google Play Store Will Soon Warn You Before You Download a Bad App
• 0:46:20: Finding a private, secure baby monitor
• 0:50:44: IoT Network on Netgear Orbi routers?
• 0:52:50: Using a computer monitor as a dumb TV?
• 0:55:47: Can browser plugins prevent first party tracking?
• 0:59:23: The plan for the rest of the year

Privacy has been defined in many ways. The right to tell your story your own way. The right to have control over your personal information. The right to be left alone. There’s a reason we have T-shirts that say “dance like no one is watching”. We censor ourselves when we’re being watched. But if knowledge is power, then asymmetries in knowledge must lead to asymmetries in power. Privacy is a human right but it’s also a collective good – something we need to respect and support, even if we do not personally feel the need to exercise it. Today I’ll explore why privacy is essential, how it is being threatened, and what we can do to reclaim it with Carissa Véliz, a professor of philosophy and author of the wonderful and important book, Privacy is Power.

Interview Notes

• Carissa’s website: https://www.carissaveliz.com/
• Privacy is Power: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/673341/privacy-is-power-by-carissa-veliz/ 
• My review of her book: https://firewallsdontstopdragons.com/privacy-is-power-review/ 
• The Ethics of Privacy and Surveillance: https://www.oxford-aiethics.ox.ac.uk/blog/new-book-ethics-privacy-and-surveillance 
• TEDx: The Case for Ending Data Economy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luCXlPYrTP4 
• Google’s Don’t Be Evil motto history:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don’t_be_evil 
• Give Thanks & Donate! https://firewallsdontstopdragons.com/give-thanks-donate/ 

Further Info

• Help me reach more people! https://fdsd.me/awareness2
• Send me your questions! https://fdsd.me/qna 
• Check out my book, Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons: https://fdsd.me/book 
• Subscribe to the newsletter: https://fdsd.me/newsletter 
• Become a patron! https://www.patreon.com/FirewallsDontStopDragons 
• Get your Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons Merch! https://fdsd.me/merch 
• Give the gift of privacy and security: https://fdsd.me/coupons 
• Support our mission! https://fdsd.me/support 
• Generate secure passphrases! https://d20key.com/#/ 

Table of Contents

Use these timestamps to jump to a particular section of the show.

• 0:00:31: Give Thanks & Donate!
• 0:01:27: Follow me on Bluesky
• 0:02:06: Interview setup
• 0:04:17: What inspired you to write this book?
• 0:07:04: What impacts has your book had? Did any response surprise you?
• 0:10:01: When researching the book, what surveillance methods most surprised you?
• 0:13:31: How and when did all this surveillance start?
• 0:15:40: Are behavior ads really more effective than contextual ads?
• 0:19:04: Is it possible to have privacy and still target ads?
• 0:22:08: What’s your take on Google’s Privacy Sandbox concept?
• 0:23:57: Why is the ‘notice and consent’ model such a failure?
• 0:28:14: What’s your take on the notion of data sovereignty?
• 0:30:09: Why is privacy a collective good that we all need to protect?
• 0:32:12: How does asymmetry in knowledge lead to asymmetry in power?
• 0:34:06: Are we at risk of normalizing surveillance for future generations?
• 0:37:09: What will it take to trigger a surveillance backlash?
• 0:40:21: What can we learn from history about overzealous data collection?
• 0:43:35: How will AI technology impact our privacy?
• 0:49:30: Can we reap the benefits of our data without giving up privacy?
• 0:52:45: How do we manifest a society that values and respects privacy?
• 0:56:15: Interview wrap-up
• 0:58:36: Still celebrating 400th episode!
• 0:59:02: Looking ahead

Holiday shopping season is here! And today I'll give you the highlights of my annual Best & Worst Gift Guide for 2024, with regard to privacy and security. The worst offenders may not surprise you, though some have actually gotten worse since just last year. And I have a few new suggestions for people on your nice list! In the news this week: another popular browser extension has gone rogue; Mozilla laid off 30% of their staff; FBI warns that bad guys are filing fraudulent emergency data requests to steal your private info; Apple quietly introduces a brilliant security feature that is frustrating cops; Microsoft will stop providing security updates for Windows 10 next October; a free decryptor was released for ShrinkLocker ransomware; Signal offers new call link feature; an air fryer app is sending your data to China; and Apple announces feature to share AirTag location with others including airlines to help find lost luggage. Article Links [cyberinsider.com] Popular Chrome Extension to Hide YouTube Shorts Turned Malicious https://cyberinsider.com/popular-chrome-extension-to-hide-youtube-shorts-turned-malicious/ [Tech Crunch] Mozilla Foundation lays off 30% staff, drops advocacy division https://techcrunch.com/2024/11/05/mozilla-foundation-lays-off-30-staff-drops-advocacy-division/  [Tech Crunch] FBI says hackers are sending fraudulent police data requests to tech giants to steal people’s private information https://techcrunch.com/2024/11/08/fbi-says-hackers-are-sending-fraudulent-police-data-requests-to-tech-giants-to-steal-peoples-private-information/ [404media.co] Apple Quietly Introduced iPhone Reboot Code Which is Locking Out Cops https://www.404media.co/apple-quietly-introduced-iphone-reboot-code-which-is-locking-out-cops/ [blog.0patch.com] Long Live Windows 10... With 0patch https://blog.0patch.com/2024/06/long-live-windows-10-with-0patch.html [The Hacker News] Free Decryptor Released for BitLocker-Based ShrinkLocker Ransomware Victims https://thehackernews.com/2024/11/free-decryptor-released-for-bitlocker.html [signal.org] Improving Private Signal Calls: Call Links & More https://signal.org/blog/call-links/ [malwarebytes.com] Air fryers are the latest surveillance threat you didn’t consider https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2024/11/air-fryers-are-the-latest-surveillance-threat-you-didnt-consider [macrumors.com] Apple Announces iOS 18.2's New AirTag Location Sharing Feature Coming to These 15+ Airlines https://www.macrumors.com/2024/11/11/apple-announces-airtag-location-sharing/ Best & Worst Gift Guide 2024! https://firewallsdontstopdragons.com/best-worst-gifts-2024/  Further Info Help me reach more people! https://fdsd.me/awareness2 Send me your questions! https://fdsd.me/qna  Check out my book, Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons: https://fdsd.me/book  Subscribe to the newsletter: https://fdsd.me/newsletter  Become a patron! https://www.patreon.com/FirewallsDontStopDragons  Get your Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons Merch! https://fdsd.me/merch  Give the gift of privacy and security: https://fdsd.me/coupons  Support our mission! https://fdsd.me/support  Generate secure passphrases! https://d20key.com/#/  Table of Contents Use these timestamps to jump to a particular section of the show. 0:00:50: Update Android phones 0:01:23: News preview 0:03:23: Popular Chrome Extension to Hide YouTube Shorts Turned Malicious 0:10:30: Mozilla Foundation lays off 30% staff, drops advocacy division 0:14:06: FBI says hackers are sending fraudulent police data requests to steal people’s private info 0:19:59: Apple Quietly Introduced iPhone Reboot Code Which is Locking Out Cops 0:29:46: Long Live Windows 10... With 0patch 0:39:54: Free Decryptor Released for BitLocker-Based ShrinkLocker Ransomware Victims 0:42:45: Improving Private Signal Calls: Call Links & More 0:45:23: Air fryers are the latest surveillance threat you didn’t consider...