Mobile Browser V Apps. and Social Media Notes

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@ -200,9 +200,10 @@ Secure your account, lock down your privacy settings, but know that even after d
**Secure you Account** | Recommended | Profiles media profiles get stolen or taken over all too often. To protect your account: use a unique and strong password, and enable 2-factor authentication. See the [Authentication](#authentication) section for more tips
**Check Privacy Settings** | Recommended | Most social networks allow you to control your privacy settings. Ensure that you are comfortable with what data you are currently exposing and to whom. But remember, privacy settings are only meant to protect you from other members of the social network- they do not shield you or your data from the owners of the network. See how to set privacy settings, with [this guide](https://securityinabox.org/en/guide/social-networking/web)
**Think of All Interactions as Public** | Recommended | There are still numerous methods of viewing a users 'private' content across many social networks. Therefore, before uploading, posting or commenting on anything, think "Would I mind if this was totally public?"
**Think of All Interactions as Permanent** | Recommended | Pretty much every post, comment, photo etc is being continuously backed up by a myriad of third-party services, who archive this data and make it indexable and publicly available almost [forever](https://www.inc.com/meredith-fineman/what-we-post-online-is-forever-and-we-need-a-reminder.html). Sites like Ceddit, and [/r/undelete](https://www.reddit.com/r/undelete/), [Politwoops](https://projects.propublica.org/politwoops/), The [Way Back Machine](https://archive.org/web/) allow anyone to search through deleted posts, websites and media. Therefore it's important to not unintentially reveal too much information, and to consider what the implications would be if it were to go 'viral'
**Don't Reveal too Much** | Recommended | Profile information creates a goldmine of info for hackers, the kind of data that helps them personalize phishing scams. Avoid sharing too much detail (DoB, Hometown, School etc)
**Be Careful what you say** | Recommended | Status updates, comments and photos can unintentionally reveal a lot more than you intended them to (such as location, preferences, contacts etc)
**Don't Share Email or Phone Number** | Recommended | Posting your real email address or mobile number, gives hackers, trolls and spammers more munition to use against you
**Be Careful what you Upload** | Recommended | Status updates, comments, check-ins and media can unintentionally reveal a lot more than you intended them to (such as location, preferences, contacts/ relationships etc). This is especially relevant to photos and videos, which may show things in the background (documents, road names/ signs, credit cards, electronic devices), even more so when there are multiple images uploaded
**Don't Share Email or Phone Number** | Recommended | Posting your real email address or mobile number, gives hackers, trolls and spammers more munition to use against you, and can also allow seperate alliases, profiles or data points to be connected
**Don't Grant Unnecessary Permissions** | Recommended | By default many of the popular social networking apps will ask for permission to access your contacts, call log, location, messaging history etc.. If they dont need this access, dont grant it. For Android users, check out [Bouncer](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.samruston.permission) - an app that gives you the ability to grant permissions temporarily
**Be Careful of 3rd-Party Integrations** | Recommended | Avoid signing up for accounts using a Social Network login, revoke access to social apps you no longer use, see instructions for: [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=applications), [Twitter](https://twitter.com/settings/applications), [Insta](https://www.instagram.com/accounts/manage_access/) and [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/psettings/permitted-services)
**Remove metadata before uploading media** | Optional | Most smartphones and some cameras automatically attach a comprehensive set of additional data (called [EXIF data](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exif)) to each photograph. This usually includes things like time, date, location, camera model, user etc. It can reveal a lot more data than you intended to share. Remove this data before uploading. You can remove meta data [without any special software](https://www.howtogeek.com/203592/what-is-exif-data-and-how-to-remove-it/), use [a CLI tool](https://www.funkyspacemonkey.com/how-to-remove-exif-metadata), or a desktop tool like [EXIF Tage Remover](https://rlvision.com/exif/)
@ -284,8 +285,9 @@ More of us are concerned about how [governments use collect and use our smart ph
**Restart Device Regularly** | Optional | Over the years there have vulnerabilities relating to memory exploits (such as [CVE-2015-6639](https://www.cvedetails.com/cve/CVE-2015-6639) + [CVE-2016-2431](https://www.cvedetails.com/cve/CVE-2016-2431)). Restarting your phone at least once a week will clear the app state cached in memory. A side benefit is that your device may run more smoothly after a restart.
**Avoid SMS** | Optional | SMS may be convenient, but it's [not particularly secure](https://www.fortherecordmag.com/archives/0315p25.shtml). It is susceptible to threats, such as interception, sim swapping (see [this article](https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateoflahertyuk/2020/01/21/the-surprising-truth-about-sms-security)), manipulation and malware (see [this article](https://www.securitynewspaper.com/2019/09/13/hack-any-mobile-phone-with-just-a-sms)). <br>SMS should not be used to receive 2FA codes, (as demonstrated in the video in [this article](https://www.theverge.com/2017/9/18/16328172/sms-two-factor-authentication-hack-password-bitcoin)), instead use an [authenticator app](/5_Privacy_Respecting_Software.md#2-factor-authentication). SMS should not be used for communication, instead use an [encrypted messaging app](/5_Privacy_Respecting_Software.md#encrypted-messaging), such as [Signal](https://signal.org)
**Keep your Number Private** | Optional | [MySudo](https://mysudo.com/) allows you to create and use virtual phone numbers for different people or groups. This is great for compartmentalisation. Alternativley, use a VOIP provider like [Google Voice](https://voice.google.com) or [Skype](https://www.skype.com/en/features/online-number/), or for temporary usage you can use a service like [iNumbr](https://www.inumbr.com). Where possible, avoid giving out your real phone number while creating accounts online.
**Watch out for Stalkerware** | Optional | This is a malware that is installed directly onto your device by someone you know (partner, parent, boss etc.). It allows them to see your location, messages and other app data remotely. The app likely won't show up in your app draw, (but may visible in Settings --> Applications --> View All). Sometimes they can be disguised as a non-conspicuous app (such as a game, flashlight or calculator) which initially don't appear suspicious at all. Look out for unusual battery usage, network requests or high device temperature. If you suspect that stalkerware is on your device, the best way to get rid of it is through a factory reset. See [this guide](https://blog.malwarebytes.com/stalkerware/2019/10/how-to-protect-against-stalkerware-a-murky-but-dangerous-mobile-threat/) for more details.
**Consider running a custom ROM if you have an Android device** | Advanced | For Android users, if your concerned about your device manufacturer collecting too much personal information, consider a privacy-focused custom ROM, such as [Lineage](https://lineageos.org) or [CopperheadOS](https://copperhead.co/android/) - [see more](/5_Privacy_Respecting_Software.md#mobile-operating-systems)
**Watch out for Stalkerware** | Optional | This is a malware that is installed directly onto your device by someone you know (partner, parent, boss etc.). It allows them to see your location, messages and other app data remotely. The app likely won't show up in your app draw, (but may visible in `Settings --> Applications --> View All`). Sometimes they can be disguised as a non-conspicuous app (such as a game, flashlight or calculator) which initially don't appear suspicious at all. Look out for unusual battery usage, network requests or high device temperature. If you suspect that stalkerware is on your device, the best way to get rid of it is through a factory reset. See [this guide](https://blog.malwarebytes.com/stalkerware/2019/10/how-to-protect-against-stalkerware-a-murky-but-dangerous-mobile-threat/) for more details
**Favor the Browser, over Dedicated App** | Optional | Where possible, consider using a secure browser to access sites, rather than installing dedicatd applications. Both Android and iOS applications often have invasive permissions, allowing them intimate access to sensitive data and your devices sensors and radios. But [the extent to what these apps can access](https://www.wired.com/story/app-permissions/) is often not clear, and even [zero-permission apps](https://www.leviathansecurity.com/blog/zero-permission-android-applications) can see more data than you think: accessing phone sensors, vendor ID's and determine which other apps you have installed. All this is enough to identity you. In some situations you can still use a service, without having to install an application, through accessing it via the browser, and this can help mitigate a lot of the issues cause by untrustworthy apps
**Consider running a custom ROM (Android)** | Advanced | For Android users, if your concerned about your device manufacturer collecting too much personal information, consider a privacy-focused custom ROM, such as [Lineage](https://lineageos.org) or [CopperheadOS](https://copperhead.co/android/) - [see more](/5_Privacy_Respecting_Software.md#mobile-operating-systems)
**Recommended Software**
- [Mobile Apps, for Security + Privacy](/5_Privacy_Respecting_Software.md#mobile-apps)