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Jonathan Roadblock

I am a security expert with over 10 years in corporate security, information security, physical security, and privacy!

When is Public Information Not Really Public???

Published January 7, 2012 | By Jonathan Roadblock

 

Good Morning Readers!


Today I was reading an article about the police worrying about criminals using smartphones to listen to their radio traffic, and how this poses a threat to police as criminals are able to get away from the police, or worse, set up an ambush.  This article brings up some good points that I would like to talk about.

Where do we draw the line between the flow of public information and blocking of sensitive information?  What is considered “public” information, and what defines the criteria?

While serving in the US Navy cryptologic community, I would constantly hear the phrase, “Loose Lips Sink Ships.”  This means, if you spill the beans about a ship leaving port or alerting someone to where the ship’s port calls will be, you are putting the ship in danger.  This concept is called operational security, or simply, OPSEC.  The military uses OPSEC to protect unclassified but sensitive information from getting into the wrong hands.  

As I have written before, a social engineer can get information out of people to further their cause by conning their mark into revealing personal information and not really knowing it.  Spies do the same thing when trying to find out information about other countries.

Back to the article, the police have a right to be worried about this concern.  Their operations should not be available to everyone, as the key to their success is typically the surprise factor.  If the police are trying to wrangle up criminals, they need to be able to sneak up on the bad guys without fear they are listening in on their transmissions.  The police have a right to utilize OPSEC as much as the military does, so why are journalists and radio hobbyists upset about the police moving to encrypt their radios, saying that would “impede the flow of public information?”  You see, a police operation is not public until they decide to make it public.

At the end of the day, this all comes down to privacy.  What is heard on a radio transmission can impede on the privacy of both the police officers and the alleged criminals.  Just food for thought.
Remember:
Protect your information, protect yourself; Coffee is brewing people, it is time to wake up!!!

The Story of NOT Becoming A Victim!!!

Published January 6, 2012 | By Jonathan Roadblock

Good Morning Readers!!!

Today is a glorious day for writing about not becoming a victim… I read a Fox News report (http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/01/04/teen-mom-shoots-kills-intruder-with-11-dispatcher-on-phone/) where an 18-year-old widowed mother of a new-born child, shot and killed a home invader.  What makes this even better; she was on the phone with an emergency dispatcher when she fired the shot!  According to the article, the Oklahoma girl will not be charged in the shooting death of the invader, as she was acting in self-defense.  Instead, (this makes some of our laws wonderful), the man’s accomplice is being charged with first degree murder!!!

Now I typically write about non-lethal or less than lethal measures when it comes to protecting yourself, and here is the reason:  When you kill someone in self-defense, you may not be charged in criminal court; however, you can still be in hot water civilly, when the family members of the deceased go after you for wrongful death.  This is what happened to OJ Simpson back when he allegedly murdered his ex-wife and her lover.   He was acquitted for murder, but lost a lot of money in the wrongful death suit.  I have heard it stated:  “It will cost you $10,000 when you kill someone in self-defense.”  That amount is what you will need to pay for the attorney fees.

I am happy that the woman in Oklahoma protected herself from becoming a victim.  I am happy that the dispatcher told her, “Well, you have to do whatever you can do to protect yourself; I can’t tell you that you can do that, but you have to do what you have to do to protect your baby.”  Folks, you have to do whatever you have to do to protect yourself.  You are the only person responsible for this task.  Security guards at the mall or your place of business, and police officers on the streets, are a reactionary force, which means you must be the proactive force in your own protection.  I have used the words throughout my blog like “self defense” and “protection,” but here is a new phrase that I would like you to clearly think about “SELF PRESERVATION.”  In all honesty, that is what this all about.  If I am writing about protecting your information or protecting yourself, what I am really talking about is preserving your life and your lifestyle.  In closing:

Protect your information, protect yourself; Coffee is brewing people, it is time to wake up!!!

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