Data Security Now! or, What Your Data is Doing Behind Your Back and What You Can Do About It

This four-part workshop series will cover a number of topics in computer security to help people, particularly activists and organizers, use computers and the internet more safely. These workshops will be collaborative efforts that build off the interests and knowledge of everyone in attendance. In the spirit of free software, we'll all work together to decide which topics we want to explore and how much focus we want to give to each one.

The tentative plan for the workshops is as follows:

Session 1 will cover an introduction to computer security topics, debunk common myths, and review some simple options for browsing the internet more safely and anonymously, at home and on the road.

Session 2 will focus on ways to protect yourself against hackers, including such topics as different ways you can be attacked, creating strong passwords, protecting against phishing and Trojans, and using anti-virus software.

Session 3 will focus on protecting yourself against state surveillance and searches, including such topics as how to encrypt your email and personal data, trends in law enforcement attacks on activists' personal and political data. and different ways internet activity can be tracked, hacked, and controlled by the government (and what to do about it).

Session 4 will focus on protecting yourself from yourself, including such topics as setting up encrypted backups for your data and securely erasing data and disposing of old computers more safely.

The workshops will shamelessly plug the benefits of Linux-based operating systems (e.g., Ubuntu, Debian) but will provide information on Windows and Mac systems as well. Folks with knowledge to share about good security practices on any platform(s) are especially welcomed to attend, but no previous computer expertise is required to benefit from this workshop. All are welcome.