Security while Traveling -
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Having just returned from Chicago Land - one of the items I had in the back of my mind was security.
I didn't join any networks I wasn't 'aware of' per-say - I used the Hotels and the training center - nothing else.
I had no reservations at the training center... but places like McDonald's (barf) and the airport are places I kept off network.
Other than using something like Wireshark - is there any application which could be used to monitor attempts at gaining access to my device (laptop)?
There is of course the option to ignore all, and use a vpn or remote session to a secure system,.. but that's another topic.
Tagging: @scottalanmiller @JaredBusch @IRJ
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Linux... OS firewall. Https. VPN.
Not something you need to really worry about or monitor.
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There will always be endless attacks on your machine as long as you have an IP address. But why monitor? You know that they are happening. Keep your defenses up. That's all that there is to do.
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@gjacobse said in Security while Traveling -:
monitor attempts at gaining access to my device (laptop)?
What kind of access and by what means? SSH? Use key based Auth only. Keep the firewall closed of all incoming ports which is default. It's not like you are running a web server on your laptop. Maybe you are, I do... but accessible from local host only .
Be careful of the sites you browse and downloads you open, etc...
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@obsolesce said in Security while Traveling -:
@gjacobse said in Security while Traveling -:
monitor attempts at gaining access to my device (laptop)?
What kind of access and by what means? SSH? Use key based Auth only. Keep the firewall closed of all incoming ports which is default. It's not like you are running a web server on your laptop. Maybe you are, I do... but accessible from local host only .
Be careful of the sites you browse and downloads you open, etc...
No ports should be exposed on a traveling laptop, for example.
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In addition to the obvious like VPN with kill switch, you could use a burner as well. Using a bootable thumb drive with Fedora or even better tails can be another way to limit risks. If you want to get really crazy you could always use Qubes.
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We set all three Windows Firewall profiles to ON by default. Then, we enable both the New Protocol pop-up and enable Firewall Logging. This allows for quick and simple troubleshooting to eliminate the firewall as a problem.
In some cases, the Public profile is locked right down to not allow any unsolicited inbound packets on any port with no user exceptions allowed.
As an aside, a Faraday wallet that hides RFIDs in the cards carried is always a good idea.
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The problem with public WiFi is not the attacks that your device is subjected to, but the vulnerability of the packets as they traverse the unknown AP. Aside from the basics I spend more time and energy securing that traffic because the modern OS with no public services is fairly secure. Most attackers will go after the low hanging fruit, and that is the internet bound traffic.
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@kelly said in Security while Traveling -:
The problem with public WiFi is not the attacks that your device is subjected to, but the vulnerability of the packets as they traverse the unknown AP. Aside from the basics I spend more time and energy securing that traffic because the modern OS with no public services is fairly secure. Most attackers will go after the low hanging fruit, and that is the internet bound traffic.
Right, it's an outbound concern, rather than an inbound one.
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@scottalanmiller said in Security while Traveling -:
@kelly said in Security while Traveling -:
The problem with public WiFi is not the attacks that your device is subjected to, but the vulnerability of the packets as they traverse the unknown AP. Aside from the basics I spend more time and energy securing that traffic because the modern OS with no public services is fairly secure. Most attackers will go after the low hanging fruit, and that is the internet bound traffic.
Right, it's an outbound concern, rather than an inbound one.
If it's an "outbound" issue,.. then two things will protect your device.
- Don't connect it
- Don't turn it on
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@gjacobse said in Security while Traveling -:
@scottalanmiller said in Security while Traveling -:
@kelly said in Security while Traveling -:
The problem with public WiFi is not the attacks that your device is subjected to, but the vulnerability of the packets as they traverse the unknown AP. Aside from the basics I spend more time and energy securing that traffic because the modern OS with no public services is fairly secure. Most attackers will go after the low hanging fruit, and that is the internet bound traffic.
Right, it's an outbound concern, rather than an inbound one.
If it's an "outbound" issue,.. then two things will protect your device.
- Don't connect it
- Don't turn it on
Along with loads of other protections like using HTTPS, only using sites with accepted certificates, etc. It's not the big issue that people pretend that it is.
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Annoyingly I just discovered the mobile device VPN I use ExpressVPN doesn't have a kill switch for the Android version of the app... grrrr. Support says its coming but now I'll have to shop for another service... and I liked ExpressVPN too..
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@dariena Why not just setup your own?
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On my android device, for untrusted APs, I typically use Orbot for the combination of VPN and Tor. I typically don't run it all of the time though.
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I don't give a shit.
My email is all TLS based. I don't open banking apps on random wifi. Granted I trust them to be using TLS because, hello lawsuit, if not. But I still don't use them.
Anything else I do is chat, all using TLS, but it is public anyway, so the history is obtainable. And then web browsing. Well, jsut don't sign up or enter creds to stuff.
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@aaronstuder #lazy? :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:
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@JaredBusch said in Security while Traveling -:
I don't give a shit.
My email is all TLS based. I don't open banking apps on random wifi. Granted I trust them to be using TLS because, hello lawsuit, if not. But I still don't use them.
Anything else I do is chat, all using TLS, but it is public anyway, so the history is obtainable. And then web browsing. Well, jsut don't sign up or enter creds to stuff.
This is how I feel. No reason not to use public WiFi today. Just make sure your pages are HTTPS when using creds and you should be fine.
If the WiFi antenna is disabled, then you aren't subject to any attacks.
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I've often wondered about my phone.
I need my Hay Day activity to be discrete.
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So my brother sends me this:
GL-iNet Mini Travel Router/Repeater OpenVPN Client; OpenWRT
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/5157YwcDmgL.SL1000.jpg
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71WnAQYwb5L.SL1500.jpg
Could something like this or similar be supplemental?
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@gjacobse said in Security while Traveling -:
Could something like this or similar be supplemental?
Seems pretty silly.
So here is the question....
- What threat do you perceive there being?
- How do you feel this device addresses that thread?
I don't really see any threat in the first place, and so that makes it extra hard to know how to assuage your fears. But how this device is supposed to help, I'm really unsure.
