Fort
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As groundbreaking leaders in personal security and risk management for travelers, we stand ready to equip and serve as you are called to the ends of the Earth.
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ARE YOU PREPARED?
Faith-based guidance and practice in prevention, protection, interaction, and survival
Vertical Divider
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Collaborative workshops on assessing risks, mitigating crises, and managing contingencies
Vertical Divider
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Partner together to provide 24/7 emergency access, consultation, and threat analysis
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~ Most people traveling overseas on mission trips take out insurance policies that cover sickness, death and evacuations. How are these policies being affected by the corona-virus outbreak? ~ US government assistance is being increasingly limited. What changes are the US Department of State putting into place? ~ Can a worldwide pandemic cause harassment toward foreign travelers? What should you be preparing for? <Read the 1-page summary here> |
NEWS FOR YOU
YOUR EMAILS ARE NOT AS SAFE AS YOU THINK THEY ARE
Unless you are using a secure email service that respects your privacy, the answer is probably NO. Most large email providers (think Gmail & Yahoo) do not respect the privacy of your inbox. How many out there use one of these? Wait, DON'T RAISE YOUR HANDS While Gmail and Yahoo may be convenient and super popular, there are 3 big issues: 1. Your inbox is used as a tool for data collection. You do know that Google tracks your purchasing history using the receipts in your inbox, right? 2. Rather seeing just emails, your inbox is also used for showing ads and marketing. Everybody nod your head 3. The contents of your inbox are being shared with others. WAIT. WHAT?! Oh yes, when you remain logged in to your Gmail account, Google can easily track your activities online as you browse different websites, which are typically hosting Google Analytics, or Google Adsense. Another concern is where your email service is located and how this may affect your data and privacy. Some areas have laws to protect data privacy (think Switzerland), while others have laws in place to circumvent it (like good ole USA & Australia). Since everybody wants something different, there is no single "best secure email" service that will be a top choice for everyone. Some may prioritize maximum security and strong encryption, while others may want convenience and and simplicity with user-friendly apps for all devices. Regardless, here are some alternatives for you to check out that are better secured and that protect your privacy: 1. PROTON MAIL 2. MAIL FENCE 3. TUTANOTA 4. COUNTERMAIL 5. STARTMAIL |
TIPS & ADVICE
Device Cleaning Time!
STEP 1: Freshen Your Devices
A) Update software on all Internet-connected devices to reduce risks from malware and infections.
B) Delete unused apps, keeping others current, and reviewing app permissions.
STEP 2: Secure Your Devices
A) Turn on two-factor authentication on critical accounts like email, banking, and social media.
B) Secure your router by making sure it has a strong password and does not broadcast who you are through its name, such as “The Kitchen Family” or “901 Division Street”.
C) Make better passwords by combining upper and lower case letters with numbers and symbols.
D) Make unique passwords for important accounts like email, finance, and healthcare.
E) Check to ensure ALL devices are password or fingerprint protected.
STEP 3: Purge Old Items
A) Clean out your old email and empty “trash” folders. If you need to keep old messages, move them to an archive.
B) Unsubscribe to newsletters, email alerts, and updates you no longer read.
C) Delete or back up old photos, including those on your social media sites.
D) Review your lists of friends on social networks and all contact lists to make sure everyone still belongs.
E) Copy important data to a secure cloud site or another drive where it can be safely stored.
F) Password protect back-up drives and keep them in a different location off the network.
G) Permanently delete all old files and cleanse the cache.
STEP 4: Renew Your Online Profile
A) Review the privacy and security settings on websites you use to be sure they are set at your comfort level for sharing.
B) Update your “online self” by reviewing your personal information and updating it where needed.
WHERE DOES THE SIDEWALK END?
What ?
Adding to the familiar Amazon products such as Drive, Prime, Fresh, Video, and Publishing, we now have Sidewalk. What, you say?! It’s a low-bandwidth, long-distance wireless network that smart-home gear (like Echo & Ring) uses to interconnect. In other words, it allows your devices to stay connected further away from your router, and even stay online when your Wi-Fi goes down.
Are there issues ?
Well, the more controversial part of Amazon Sidewalk is the way it shares some of your internet bandwidth with your neighbors (and gets some back in return). If your internet goes down, your Ring camera, for example, can connect to the internet next door to keep sending you alerts and vice-versa, assuming both of you are set up with Sidewalk. Part of the concern is that you won’t know who’s piggybacking off your network. Amazon says sharing is capped at 500MB per month.
The other issue may be security. Amazon says that the Sidewalk network uses three layers of encryption to keep data shared over the network safe, and the same encryption standards are required for all applications and devices that use the network. But it really comes down to how much you trust Amazon—the company that seems driven to collect as much data as possible about you and your behaviors, and then shares that information with various entities.
Well then ?
If you end up deciding that Amazon Sidewalk isn't for you, you need to act. It's ON BY DEFAULT on all your compatible devices.
~ To turn Sidewalk off (or to turn Community Finding on), open the Alexa app and tap the More icon at the bottom right.
~ Tap Settings > Account Settings > Amazon Sidewalk to find the main toggle for Amazon Sidewalk.
~ Tap Community Finding to find the second toggle for location sharing.
What ?
Adding to the familiar Amazon products such as Drive, Prime, Fresh, Video, and Publishing, we now have Sidewalk. What, you say?! It’s a low-bandwidth, long-distance wireless network that smart-home gear (like Echo & Ring) uses to interconnect. In other words, it allows your devices to stay connected further away from your router, and even stay online when your Wi-Fi goes down.
Are there issues ?
Well, the more controversial part of Amazon Sidewalk is the way it shares some of your internet bandwidth with your neighbors (and gets some back in return). If your internet goes down, your Ring camera, for example, can connect to the internet next door to keep sending you alerts and vice-versa, assuming both of you are set up with Sidewalk. Part of the concern is that you won’t know who’s piggybacking off your network. Amazon says sharing is capped at 500MB per month.
The other issue may be security. Amazon says that the Sidewalk network uses three layers of encryption to keep data shared over the network safe, and the same encryption standards are required for all applications and devices that use the network. But it really comes down to how much you trust Amazon—the company that seems driven to collect as much data as possible about you and your behaviors, and then shares that information with various entities.
Well then ?
If you end up deciding that Amazon Sidewalk isn't for you, you need to act. It's ON BY DEFAULT on all your compatible devices.
~ To turn Sidewalk off (or to turn Community Finding on), open the Alexa app and tap the More icon at the bottom right.
~ Tap Settings > Account Settings > Amazon Sidewalk to find the main toggle for Amazon Sidewalk.
~ Tap Community Finding to find the second toggle for location sharing.
