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Showing posts with the label investigator

Social Media Permissions: Understanding Your Privacy and Whats Given Up.

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In today's connected world, social media is an integral part of our daily lives. We use it to connect with friends and family, share our thoughts and experiences, and stay informed about what's happening in the world. Business is now a part of it and some of us even hold positions that are linked to social media and PR. However, as we scroll through our feeds and tap on "like" and "share" buttons, we may not be aware of the extent to which our personal information is being collected and shared by these platforms. One of the most simplistic ways in which social media apps collect our personal information is through the permissions we grant them on our mobile devices. Many apps ask for access to our contacts, camera, microphone, and location, among other things. This allows the apps to collect a significant amount of personal data, which can be used for targeted advertising and other purposes. In some cases, users may not even be aware of the extent of data...

So what is a hacker anyway? A short look at Black hats, White hats and everything in between

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The term "hacker" has been around for decades, but its meaning has changed significantly over time. In the early days of computing, a hacker was simply someone who was passionate about technology and loved to tinker with computers and software. These individuals were often self-taught and would spend countless hours exploring the inner workings of technology and discovering new ways to use it. But as the world became more connected through the internet, and computers became a critical part of our daily lives, the meaning of the word "hacker" began to change. It started to take on a more sinister connotation, as individuals began using their knowledge and skills to gain unauthorized access to computer systems and steal sensitive information. Nowadays, there are three main types of hackers: white hat, gray hat, and black hat. White hat hackers are the "good guys" of the hacking world. They use their skills to help organizations and individuals identify an...

So I've officially been breached. What happens next???

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So I've officially been breached. What happens next??? Note: While we are going to discuss real hacks, please understand we will do so in an indirect way, without compromising any leaked information. If you're like many Australians, you may have received notification over the past year that you've been involved in some form of data breach or cyber attack. If you have a limited understanding of how this stuff works, it can be intimidating to be in this situation. It's your information in someone else's hands without a clear understanding of what's happening to it or where it's going. While every attack, breach, and compromise scenario is unique, today we will try to cover some of the common scenarios after a breach, and how you can best manage them for yourself. Firstly, it's important to wait for validation of the breach from credible sources. Note that we said credible, not official. You'll usually be able to find this out by being directly ...

Password Mangement 101. Part A: Why a password manager.

Password Management for Beginners: Why Reusing Passwords is a Major Security Risk If you're like most people, you probably have a lot of online accounts - from social media to online shopping to banking. Keeping track of all of these accounts and their corresponding passwords can be a hassle, so it's tempting to use the same password for multiple accounts. But this is a major security risk. If one of your accounts is compromised, the attacker can then try using that same password to gain access to your other accounts. One way that hackers can gain access to your passwords is through data breaches. These are instances where a company's database is hacked and sensitive information, including user passwords, is stolen. Once the hacker has access to this information, they can try using the stolen passwords to gain access to other accounts that use the same password. One way to protect against password reuse and data breaches is to use a password manager, which stores all of you...

Welcome to the Investigator515 blog!

  Welcome to The Investigator515 blog! As a seasoned investigator with over 17 years of experience working for corporate and government clients, I'm excited to bring my knowledge and expertise to this blog. We're here to help give people what they need to assist them in staying safe and informed online. Here at Investigator515, we're passionate about sharing valuable insights and resources related to open source intelligence techniques, (OSINT), investigative techniques for managing and processing data, cybersecurity for beginners and online safety. Whether you're a journalist, law enforcement officer, osint nerd or simply someone looking to stay safe online, we believe that everyone can benefit from the information and tools we'll be sharing on this blog. We'll cover a wide range of topics, from the basics of OSINT and data analysis to advanced techniques for protecting your online privacy and staying safe from cyber threats. We hope you'll join us on this ...

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