In a world where geopolitical tensions now extend deep into the digital realm, some individuals can no longer afford to rely on “good enough” cybersecurity. If you're an activist, journalist, military officer, public servant, or work with sensitive information — understand this: you are a target. Not of amateurs. Of professional intelligence agencies and state-backed hackers. This is not a list of “change your password” basics. These are survival rules for those who walk the tightrope between freedom and exposure. Many of them are inconvenient. That’s the point. 🔒 Security Begins With Your Devices 1.⁠ ⁠Enable Lockdown Mode (iOS/macOS): It’s not paranoia. It’s protocol. Lockdown Mode turns your iPhone into one of the hardest targets in the world. 2.⁠ ⁠Reboot Your Phone Daily: It breaks many forms of persistence used in advanced exploits. 3.⁠ ⁠Enable Auto-Delete in Messengers: If your chat app doesn’t support disappearing messages — switch. 4.⁠ ⁠Turn Off iMessage If You Don’t Use It: A common attack vector. 5.⁠ ⁠Never Back Up Messages: Ephemerality is your friend. 6.⁠ ⁠Use MVT (Mobile Verification Toolkit) regularly to scan your phone for compromise. 7.⁠ ⁠Delete Backups After Scanning: Always. Identity & Access Management Identity & Access Management 1.⁠ ⁠Use Two Hardware Security Keys (e.g., Yubikey). Add to every critical account. 2.⁠ ⁠Never Use SMS for 2FA: It’s an exploit, not a protection. 3.⁠ ⁠Check Connected Devices Often: Especially Google, Apple, Microsoft, socials, messengers. 4.⁠ ⁠Use a Password Manager: Complex, unique, random. Remember just the vault and device passcodes. 5.⁠ ⁠Check for Credential Leaks: Use Have I Been Pwned or built-in tools in password managers. Data Protection Data Protection 1.⁠ ⁠Make Backups. Encrypt Them. Store Offsite. Repeat monthly. 2.⁠ ⁠Always Update Software: Or enable auto-updates. 3.⁠ ⁠Don’t Share Your Location unless absolutely necessary. 4.⁠ ⁠Avoid Messenger Desktop Apps: Especially for sensitive communication. 5.⁠ ⁠Avoid Telegram: Assume it’s compromised. 6.⁠ ⁠Absolutely avoid Telegram Desktop. Use web if you must. 7.⁠ ⁠Use Local Firewalls: Catch apps phoning home unexpectedly. Communication Hygiene Communication Hygiene 1.⁠ ⁠Delete Old Emails: Anything older than 2 years is probably liability, not legacy. 2.⁠ ⁠Encrypt All Local Drives: That includes USB sticks. 3.⁠ ⁠Avoid Cameras While Typing Passwords: Yes, even webcams. 4.⁠ ⁠Hardware Key Theft is Rare — But Clone Attacks Are Not: Watch your devices. 5.⁠ ⁠Enable Auto-Wipe After Failed Logins: Where possible. 6.⁠ ⁠Disable Biometric Unlock When Traveling: It’s easier to force a fingerprint than a passcode. 7.⁠ ⁠Wipe Devices Before Risky Travel. Restore After. 8.⁠ ⁠Consider Adding “Distraction Content”: Sometimes fake normality works better than silence. Safer Communications Safer Communications 1.⁠ ⁠Never Use Regular Calls for Sensitive Topics: Signal, Threema, WhatsApp or FaceTime only. 2.⁠ ⁠Obfuscate Contact Labels: “John Doe – Intelligence Officer” is not helping anyone. 3.⁠ ⁠Signal is the Standard in Ukraine. Use It. Internet Use & Metadata Internet Use & Metadata 1.⁠ ⁠Use VPN 24/7: Choose a no-log provider with multi-hop. 2.⁠ ⁠Yes, 24/7. Even at Home. Your ISP is not your enemy — but they are an easy target. 3.⁠ ⁠Private Browser Tabs = Minimum Standard 4.⁠ ⁠Different Browsers for Work, Play, and Personal 5.⁠ ⁠Never Save Passwords in Browsers Advanced Tools & Tactics Advanced Tools & Tactics 1.⁠ ⁠Install Tor Browser: Not for anonymity — for accessing dangerous sites. 2.⁠ ⁠Turn Off Location History on All Accounts 3.⁠ ⁠Never Ship to Sensitive Locations 4.⁠ ⁠Use Biometric Locks on Apps, Not Just the Phone 5.⁠ ⁠Do Not Enter Confidential Data into ChatGPT or Similar AI Tools 6.⁠ ⁠Use Ollama + Open WebUI for Local LLMs on Apple Silicon devices. 7.⁠ ⁠Retire Outdated IoT and Routers: If it's unpatchable, it's vulnerable. 8.⁠ ⁠Restrict App Permissions Aggressively: GPS, mic, contacts — all need a reason. 9.⁠ ⁠If You Lack EDR — Use Pareto Security 10.⁠ ⁠Familiarize Yourself with Objective-See Tools for macOS surveillance detection. Operational Isolation Operational Isolation 1.⁠ ⁠Use VMs to Open Suspicious Files 2.⁠ ⁠Use Separate Devices for Separate Roles 3.⁠ ⁠Check for Rogue MDM/VPN/Proxy Profiles Regularly 4.⁠ ⁠Scrub Metadata from documents with exiftool or mat2 5.⁠ ⁠Avoid Admin Rights: Apps asking for them without reason = red flag 6.⁠ ⁠Never Use Rooted or Jailbroken Phones: All your security assumptions collapse. Yes, many of these tips assume you're using Apple hardware. That’s not brand loyalty — it’s cold calculation. The locked-down nature of the ecosystem makes it dramatically harder to exploit at scale. But nearly all of the principles above are platform-agnostic. Cyberwarfare isn’t future tense. It’s happening now. And if you work on the edge of change — you're already part of it. So act like it. Stay encrypted. Stay updated. Stay alive. — Denys Tsvaig

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Cybersecurity for High-Risk Individuals: 51 Essential Rules for Surviving in a Digital World

Cybersecurity for High-Risk Individuals: 51 Essential Rules for Surviving in a Digital World

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