How to improve your computer security, as recommended by Edward Snowden – The Canary

In an era of state snooping by GCHQ and its five eyes partners, more people want to improve their online security. Concerns include avoiding identity theft and online monitoring by consumer organisations. Journalists also want protection, especially as the Law Commission recommends they be jailed for up to 14 years for publishing state secrets.

The choice of operating system (OS) is fundamental to improving your computer and online security. An excellent choice is Tails, which we have reported on previously.

Another is Qubes, which is free. And whistleblower Edward Snowden recommends it:

Firstly, Qubes has an in-built firewall. This means its incredibly difficult for hackers, including state hackers, to penetrate your computer.

Secondly, Qubes includes a feature called compartmentalisation. This provides greater protection from malware by sectioning off areas of content from other areas. For example, all documents can be quarantined in one compartment. Similarly, images. Or even specified online transactions.

Qubes recommends you run Tor browser via Whonix, which adds safeguards and ensures your online activity remains anonymous. Qubes also provides full disk encryption.

You can choose whether to install Qubes on a PC or laptop, or run it from a USB. With the latter, you can move Qubes from one device to another.

Qubes can be downloaded and installed here.

This is what your new operating system could look like

But dont forget that using a highly secure OS is just one aspect to improving online security. There are a range of other precautions to take.

Heres some excellent advice from Anonymous, German anarchists, and Snowden. Good luck!

Get Involved!

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Read up on the latest from Big Brother Watch.

Donate to the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Featured image via Wikimedia Commons

Tom Coburg

Tom Coburg broke a number of stories in the 'underground press' in the 1970s/80s, including a) an unredacted page from the banned 'Spycatcher' book by Peter Wright that named Sir James Goldsmith as a member of the coup plot against Harold Wilson, b) how Lord Chalfont funded a far-right surveillance agency that spied on environmental protesters (included Hilda Murrell, who was murdered) and c) how Rupert Murdoch co-funded the MI6-managed 'British Briefing' bulletin that specialised in smears against Labour and the left. Coburg was also a co-founder of the subversive League Watch, which played a pivotal role in the demise of the 70 year old blacklisting/espionage organisation, The Economic League. More recently, Coburg has published stories in Undercoverinfo (www.undercoverinfo.wordpress.com) on the spycops scandal (revealing confidential police notes/recordings) and on the many links between the Turkish Government and ISIS. Twitter: @Undercoverinfo1

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How to improve your computer security, as recommended by Edward Snowden - The Canary