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  1. #1
    DF VIP Member BigBrand's Avatar
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    Default How best to secure my data?

    I've been watching a few programs about system access and how easy we make it most of the time to allow people access to our data.

    This got me thinking, what is the best way to secure my internet data. What I mean by that is:

    * I have a password to my laptop, it's a pretty complex one and would take over 409 years to crack, apparently.

    * I have an Excel sheet which is password protected by another complex password. This Excel sheet contains log on information for things such as my premium bonds account with my savings in, alongside my national insurance number, passport details.

    * This Excel sheet is on my Dropbox, which again, I have ANOTHER complex password for.

    * I also have a password for Google Chrome, which again is pretty complex. But once you're in, you've got access to all my Chrome saved passwords. I have two step security on my Chrome so if logged in from another computer other than my Laptop or phone then I get notification to allow it or not.

    These three passwords I do not share or write down and I know them for each application off the top of my head.

    My phone has fingerprint and pattern recognition, and auto wipe after 3 incorrect tries.


    Is there anything obvious that I'm missing?

    I don't have any social media accounts, nor do I have any footprint on the web, using alias E-Mail for most sign ups, unless I know it's hidden from Web Searches.

    Now I know, a top elite hacker could probably find a way in, but I am more protecting myself against computer attackes, BOTS and such, not sure the big boys would want to come after me.


    Is this safe enough?
    What do you guys do differently?

  2. #2
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    Default Re: How best to secure my data?

    Encryption.

    Your laptop password, is this a Windows password? If so most, if not all, are easy to get through with simple tools that are freely available online. I'm not sure how easy this is to do if you have Bitlocker but I would use a full disk encryption if you were that concerned about your data. There are free forks out there from the Truecrypt project or if you want a paid for one then I have used Deslock+ Pro and it also rates highly on AV Comparatives.

    2 Factor Authentication, you should enable this for anything that you can. I believe the free/personal Dropbox accounts allow this so you should add it there.

    Perfect protection is impractical so it's about finding a balance. I have my personal passwords stored in lastpass which I have 2FA enabled for, they are obviously a big target for hackers but I need the flexibility and fast access. For anyone elses passwords that I need to record I save them in separate Keepass files each with a different password.

    You probably have done this already as you sound like you have good security but your email password should always be unique, never used for anything else and preferably random so an attacker can't use social engineering to gain info for algorithms to brute force as once they have access to your email it is like the master key for unlocking any other accounts that use that email to reset the passwords.

    Thanks to evilsatan

    BigBrand (23rd October 2017)  


  3. #3
    DF VIP Member DJ OD's Avatar
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    Default Re: How best to secure my data?

    A lot of excel/Office passwords can be cracked instantly.

    i would reconsider using excel as a place to Keep sensitive data.


    DJ OD

    Thanks to DJ OD

    BigBrand (23rd October 2017)  


  4. #4
    DF VIP Member BigBrand's Avatar
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    Default Re: How best to secure my data?

    Quote Originally Posted by evilsatan View Post
    Encryption.

    Your laptop password, is this a Windows password? If so most, if not all, are easy to get through with simple tools that are freely available online. I'm not sure how easy this is to do if you have Bitlocker but I would use a full disk encryption if you were that concerned about your data. There are free forks out there from the Truecrypt project or if you want a paid for one then I have used Deslock+ Pro and it also rates highly on AV Comparatives.

    Thank you, I do use standard Windows password encryption, although, I do think my password is pretty strong, and don't ever take the Laptop out the house, so not really worried about someone finding it somewhere, more I guess if I was burgled, would the average thief get in, I guess not, it's an old HP Elitebook 8X so not work more than £250 now.

    I will take a ook further into full disc encryption though.


    Quote Originally Posted by evilsatan View Post
    2 Factor Authentication, you should enable this for anything that you can. I believe the free/personal Dropbox accounts allow this so you should add it there.

    Perfect protection is impractical so it's about finding a balance. I have my personal passwords stored in lastpass which I have 2FA enabled for, they are obviously a big target for hackers but I need the flexibility and fast access. For anyone elses passwords that I need to record I save them in separate Keepass files each with a different password.
    2FA now activated on my Dropbox!

    I use Lastpass at work, and I'm not a fan of it to be honest. I too also need fast access sometimes to account passwords, I guess regular changing of my Google password and keeping it complex is as solid step as any!


    Quote Originally Posted by evilsatan View Post
    You probably have done this already as you sound like you have good security but your email password should always be unique, never used for anything else and preferably random so an attacker can't use social engineering to gain info for algorithms to brute force as once they have access to your email it is like the master key for unlocking any other accounts that use that email to reset the passwords.
    That's a good point, I saw many accounts hacked by resetting the password and once they had you're E-mail they were in with lots of information. I mean I've got fuck all to hide really, but I just don't like the idea of being tracked or being left open to public attack.



    Quote Originally Posted by DJ Overdose View Post
    A lot of excel/Office passwords can be cracked instantly.

    DJ OD
    I would reconsider using excel as a place to Keep sensitive data.

    Any other recommendation? I could always export to a PDF file and password protect that, would that be more secure than an Excel sheet?

  5. #5
    DF VIP Member BigBrand's Avatar
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    Default Re: How best to secure my data?

    Should state, I do also use PIA for my browsing anonymity.

  6. #6
    DF VIP Member DJ OD's Avatar
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    Default Re: How best to secure my data?

    I use evernote.

    But who knows how secure that is or any other password manager type thing is.

    All I know is with some freely available software I open up office files all the time at work for people that forget what the passwords are.


    DJ OD

    Thanks to DJ OD

    BigBrand (23rd October 2017)  


  7. #7
    DF Super Moderator
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    Default Re: How best to secure my data?

    Look at Keepass, it is free, you can store it in your Dropbox and it will encrypt the data contained. You set up different categories based on what you're saving and if you really want you can set up separate Keepass files although that may not be necessary. Perfect replacement for Excel when storing passwords and it has a search facility to quickly find the password you're looking for, it can auto-type logins, open the URLs for the login etc.


  8. #8
    DF VIP Member CominAtcha's Avatar
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    Default Re: How best to secure my data?

    Can Winrar passwords be cracked?*

    Reason I ask, is that I have a huge archive of photos that has been sat on one of my external HDD's forever and a day, simply because I forgot the password I used to protect them.

    Pretty sure, I've asked on here a few times over the years and it's been either a no or it would take a brute force attack years to do it. But as this thread came up and peeps were saying some passwords can be cracked instantly, it made me wonder if there had been any advances in Winrar password cracking.

    *Sorry for the mini hijack.

  9. #9
    DF Super Moderator
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    Default Re: How best to secure my data?

    Quote Originally Posted by CominAtcha View Post
    Can Winrar passwords be cracked?*

    Reason I ask, is that I have a huge archive of photos that has been sat on one of my external HDD's forever and a day, simply because I forgot the password I used to protect them.

    Pretty sure, I've asked on here a few times over the years and it's been either a no or it would take a brute force attack years to do it. But as this thread came up and peeps were saying some passwords can be cracked instantly, it made me wonder if there had been any advances in Winrar password cracking.

    *Sorry for the mini hijack.
    I just found a couple of things in google but haven't had time to read thoroughly or test so use your own due diligence and if the file contains sensitive info don't send it to any service before checking it's legit:
    Code:
    http://www.rarpasswordcracker.com/
    http://www.crark.net/
    A brief read says that brute force with passwords under 7 characters and if you can provide clues as to what the pass may be are all needed.

    Thanks to evilsatan

    CominAtcha (26th October 2017)  


  10. #10
    DF VIP Member DJ OD's Avatar
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    Default Re: How best to secure my data?

    Quote Originally Posted by CominAtcha View Post
    Can Winrar passwords be cracked?*

    Reason I ask, is that I have a huge archive of photos that has been sat on one of my external HDD's forever and a day, simply because I forgot the password I used to protect them.

    Pretty sure, I've asked on here a few times over the years and it's been either a no or it would take a brute force attack years to do it. But as this thread came up and peeps were saying some passwords can be cracked instantly, it made me wonder if there had been any advances in Winrar password cracking.

    *Sorry for the mini hijack.
    Can be done much quicker if you have one file exactly the same as one in the .rar package.

    Common with installers is to pick a common .dll file.

    The file is used as a mask to highlight the differences with the encryption or something. Did it once years ago with some jukebox software that was protected.


    DJ OD

    Thanks to DJ OD

    CominAtcha (26th October 2017)  


  11. #11
    VIP Member CzarJunkie's Avatar
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    Default Re: How best to secure my data?

    If only B14ck 0r4c13 was still about, he'd put you right. Some fucker banned the poor cunt. I liked him.

    5 Thanks given to CzarJunkie

    DJ OD (25th October 2017),  hoponbaby (26th October 2017),  Mystical_2K (25th October 2017),  Northernbloke (27th October 2017),  piggzy (25th October 2017)  


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