Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons with Carey Parker

Easy Prey

We all use technology. Things like internet browsers, search engines, instant messaging, and payment apps. But we aren’t always aware of the data being collected. This information can not only impact your privacy, but those around you as well.

Today’s guest is Carey Parker. Carey is the author of Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons, a step-by-step guide to computer security and privacy for non-techies. He also hosts a podcast by the same name. He recently retired from a career in software engineering to focus on teaching others how to defend their digital devices and protect their personal data.

Show Notes:

• [0:53] - Carey shares his background and what provoked the motivation for a career shift.
• [4:07] - If we all did the small things that protect privacy, we would all be stronger.
• [5:20] - Even if you have already shared a lot of your information online, it is not hopeless and it’s not too late.
• [6:32] - Your security and privacy overlap with other people’s.
• [8:35] - We need to be protecting privacy for all of us, not just ourselves as individuals.
• [10:17] - Carey explains why and how apps and companies collect data.
• [11:48] - Foreign governments would love to get their hands on the data that is collected by countless companies and apps.
• [13:53] - Data is valuable to software developers for honest reasons. Collecting data isn’t inherently bad.
• [17:16] - When determining what connection to use, you are trading off who you trust - your ISP, the public wifi connection, or a VPN.
• [23:10] - Carey shares some easy things you can change right now to protect your privacy.
• [25:25] - Companies love to get your email address and your phone number. These become unique identifiers.
• [27:05] - Search engines collect data as well. This is important to remember.
• [28:05] - Payment apps are another obvious type of website that collects data. Which ones should you avoid?
• [30:32] - There is value in social media. Make sure the things you post are not public by default.
• [32:19] - Metadata and location tools are used on any social media image.
• [34:37] - Messaging apps collect data and share it. There is a gold standard app though that Carey suggests.
• [36:31] - Email is trickier because it is open standard. It wasn’t designed with encryption in mind.
• [38:55] - Carey discusses automated AI systems like Alexa.
• [41:26] - When using AI tools, assume that the information is collected and could be public.
• [42:35] - Car privacy is horrible and there is almost nothing you can do about it.
• [46:18] - It is not true that you need to give up privacy for security. Carey discusses the differences.

Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review.

Links and Resources:

• Podcast Web Page
• Facebook Page
• whatismyipaddress.com
• Easy Prey on Instagram
• Easy Prey on Twitter
• Easy Prey on LinkedIn
• Easy Prey on YouTube
• Easy Prey on Pinterest
• Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons Website
• Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons Podcast
• Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons by Carey Parker