#Cyber Security hacking Guide

[cypheroxide]

Coding and Scripting for Beginner Hackers

Learning to code and write scripts is a crucial skill for getting into ethical hacking and cybersecurity. Scripting allows you to automate repetitive tasks, develop your own custom tools, analyze data, and program everything from small hacking tools to machine learning models. Understanding and knowing how to code in different languages can be extremely useful when doing deep dives into malware…

[reallytoosublime]

In today's interconnected world, where virtually every facet of our lives is intertwined with technology, the importance of cybersecurity cannot be overstated. As the digital landscape continues to expand, so do the opportunities for both beneficial innovation and malicious exploitation. The ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity represents a constant battle between those seeking to safeguard sensitive information, systems, and infrastructure and those looking to exploit vulnerabilities for personal gain or even geopolitical motives. This intricate dance of innovation and threat mitigation shapes the complex field of cybersecurity.

The rapid pace of technological advancement, commonly referred to as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, has ushered in an era of unparalleled connectivity and digitization. From smart homes and self-driving cars to cloud computing and the Internet of Things, our lives are intertwined with digital devices and online platforms. While this digital transformation has brought unprecedented convenience and efficiency, it has also exposed individuals, organizations, and nations to a plethora of cyber threats.

The threat landscape in cybersecurity is in a constant state of flux. Hackers and cybercriminals are continuously adapting and refining their tactics, techniques, and procedures to exploit vulnerabilities in software, hardware, and human behavior. Traditional threats like viruses, worms, and Trojans have evolved into sophisticated malware strains capable of evading detection and spreading across networks. Additionally, ransomware attacks have become more targeted and damaging, causing disruptions to critical infrastructure, healthcare institutions, and businesses.

Looking ahead, the cybersecurity landscape is poised for further evolution. Quantum computing, with its potential to break current encryption standards, presents both opportunities and challenges. As organizations embrace edge computing and 5G networks, new attack vectors may emerge, necessitating innovative security solutions tailored to these environments. The proliferation of smart devices and sensors in the IoT landscape introduces a vast attack surface that requires careful consideration of security-by-design principles.

The Ever-Evolving Landscape of Cybersecurity | LimitLess Tech

[youtubemarketing1234]

In today's interconnected world, where virtually every facet of our lives is intertwined with technology, the importance of cybersecurity cannot be overstated. As the digital landscape continues to expand, so do the opportunities for both beneficial innovation and malicious exploitation. The ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity represents a constant battle between those seeking to safeguard sensitive information, systems, and infrastructure and those looking to exploit vulnerabilities for personal gain or even geopolitical motives. This intricate dance of innovation and threat mitigation shapes the complex field of cybersecurity.

The rapid pace of technological advancement, commonly referred to as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, has ushered in an era of unparalleled connectivity and digitization. From smart homes and self-driving cars to cloud computing and the Internet of Things, our lives are intertwined with digital devices and online platforms. While this digital transformation has brought unprecedented convenience and efficiency, it has also exposed individuals, organizations, and nations to a plethora of cyber threats.

The threat landscape in cybersecurity is in a constant state of flux. Hackers and cybercriminals are continuously adapting and refining their tactics, techniques, and procedures to exploit vulnerabilities in software, hardware, and human behavior. Traditional threats like viruses, worms, and Trojans have evolved into sophisticated malware strains capable of evading detection and spreading across networks. Additionally, ransomware attacks have become more targeted and damaging, causing disruptions to critical infrastructure, healthcare institutions, and businesses.

Looking ahead, the cybersecurity landscape is poised for further evolution. Quantum computing, with its potential to break current encryption standards, presents both opportunities and challenges. As organizations embrace edge computing and 5G networks, new attack vectors may emerge, necessitating innovative security solutions tailored to these environments. The proliferation of smart devices and sensors in the IoT landscape introduces a vast attack surface that requires careful consideration of security-by-design principles.

The ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity reflects the perpetual struggle between innovation and exploitation. As technology continues to reshape our world, the importance of robust cybersecurity measures cannot be overstated. The collective efforts of individuals, organizations, governments, and international collaborations will be pivotal in safeguarding the digital frontiers and ensuring a secure and resilient digital future. Through ongoing adaptation, collaboration, and vigilance, society can navigate the complex terrain of cybersecurity and harness the benefits of the digital age while minimizing its inherent risks.

#cybersecurity#landscapeofcybersecurity#cyberdefense#informationsecurity#limitlesstech#artificialintelligence#ai#ethicalhacking#cybersecurityroadmap#cybersecurityawareness#cybersecurityfuture#cybersecuritytrends#machinelearning#cyberthreats#technology

The Ever-Evolving Landscape of Cybersecurity | LimitLess Tech

[eponastory]

Watching From the Tower Part 2 (Bucky x F! Reader No Y/N)

Your code name is Scout and your job was easy. You worked the cyber side of things for the New Avengers. You directed them where to go with your hacking skills, and you are the eyes in the sky. There was just one problem... you don't like leaving the tower. You are not a complete agoraphobe, but you are pretty close. Leaving makes you feel so unsafe and people touching you, that's even worse. So, when James Buchanan Barnes the former 'Winter Soldier' tries to get you out for one mission, things got a little hectic after that.

Part 2 Summary: You are getting sick while working comms when the mission takes a slightly scary turn.

Part 1 | Part 2 |

Word Count: ~4.4k words. (6.9k total words so far)

Rating: M (Later parts will be marked 18+ for smut, but for now, it's okay.)

Pairings: Bucky/F!Reader (Non-descriptive, No Y/N) Squint for GhostWalker and Boblena (Platonic)

TW: Angst, Depression, mentions of past SA, phobias, Anxiety, MDNI for sexual content in later parts (Will be labeled).

You weren't exactly feeling great by the time the team landed in Singapore. As a matter of fact, you had already started sneezing and every time Bob saw one coming, he'd tell you to say ‘cucumber’ because he thought it would help. Because he saw you getting progressively worse as you started hacking into one of the Chinese satellites over that region, he opted to help you out with the simplest tasks. You had found out that Bob was not as useless as he thought he was. 

“So… I press this button and the door pops open?” He's sitting in the chair next to you with an extra keyboard you showed him how to hook into the system. 

“Bob… make sure it's the right door.” Bucky's voice comes over the comms linked up to the sound system in the room. “Is it the right door?” 

“I like how encouraging you are, Barnes. So Leader of you.” Yelena's accent comes through, causing Bob to smile as he presses the key you pointed out. “Ah, very good. You have opened the correct door.” 

“Now if only there was a pot of gold and tequila behind it.” Ava's smooth voice comes in making you smile even though your throat is getting scratchy. 

“Cut the chatter.” Once Bucky says something they all shut up. “Walker, status?” 

“Ground clear, moving into position.” You could hear Walker grunting as he likely jumped over something to get into his position. 

“Once inside, let the bot fly so I can get you a readout.” Your eyes are on the screen that is showing footage from the cameras on each team member's person. “I can only do so much with your body cams and the security cameras.” 

“Scoutbot is ready.” Bucky lets you know as he holds the smallest bot you could rig up with Flir and night vision. “On your mark.” 

You look at Bob who is intensely watching the screen to make sure everyone's vitals are as they should be. It was now or never as you pulled the Xbox controller you rigged up to connect to the Scoutbot remotely and the VR headset for better guidance. You think that Bob is ready for this since he's gotten pretty good at gaming with you on slow days. 

“You want to do it, Bob?” You hold the controller out to him and he pulls his soft eyes away from the screen. “Don't worry, you don't have to do anything except control Scoutbot.” 

“Uh… sure. Yeah, it'll be like playing that game with the planes.” He takes the controller and headset before putting them on. “Okay, connect me! I'm going into the Matrix!” 

“Connection established.” You put in your codes and commands for the bot. “Okay, release Scoutbot. Bob is in control.” 

“Are you sure that's a good idea?” Of course Walker would object to letting Bob do this. 

You roll your eyes as you pull up the feed onto another screen and see that Bob is doing very well at guiding the bot around the corners in the long corridors. You have complete faith in Bob. Bob hasn't let you down yet and when you let out a cough, you see that Bucky has gone still. 

“Are you getting sick, Scout?” You can hear the concern in his voice. 

“I'm fine. Corridor is clear, proceed with the directive.” 

“Copy.” 

“Uh… I'm getting some interference.” You look up and see that there is a little static on the bot and that doesn't actually mean too much, at least not at first until. “Too much static to see what is going on.” 

“Bucky, we're getting interference on the bot as it gets closer to the center of the building.” You study the static. It's making the image grainy with white specks showing up every now and then. “Wait… I know what this is. Those are Alpha particles. It's radiation.” 

“I thought the machine was a laser?” Walker questions. 

“It is, but that doesn't mean that there are other things going on in the facility.” You don't have access to a spectrometer, but you do know that Bucky has a small Geiger counter on him. He's always prepared for these things. “Bucky, I'm not positive it's radiation, but maybe use that counter to see.” 

“On it.” You hear the sound of velcro as he reaches into one of his pockets for the small Geiger counter. It isn't long before you see it on his body cam and then the clicking as it measures for charged particles in the air. “Nothing so far, but I'll keep moving in.” 

“Great, so now we have potential radiation.” Ava is moving in after Bucky. “Our day just got so much better.” 

“Could be much worse. We could be in a place like Chernolbyl.” Yelena pipes up after you watch her take out a guard on her side of the building. “You ever been there?” 

“Yes.” Bucky doesn't hesitate to answer. 

“Of course you have.” Her lazy tone makes you smile. “Let me guess, you were there to assassinate a whistle blower in 1986 after the explosion.” 

“More or less.” The counter goes off with a squeal as he turns the corner of another hallway and then eases back. “Unsafe levels.” 

“Shit.” Bob says as the bot goes dark. “Something took out the bot, it just went off.” You look at the screen where your bot has been active only to receive a NO SIGNAL message. “Sorry.” 

“Guys, I think this mission is a botch.” You don't like that the radiation coming from the center of the building is at unsafe levels and possibly a lethal dose. “That radiation is definitely a problem and unless you are resistant, you aren't getting through.” 

“So, what do we do now?” John lets out a breath. 

“I can look into hijacking a satellite that can see the building in infrared. Radiation does sometimes release heat if there is something that is making it react.” You are able to hack into a Russian satellite that is in orbit over the area long enough to get your data. You see the Flir data and the location. It’s white hot in the middle of the building. So much concentrated heat that it has to be a mini nuclear reactor that is leaking radiation. “It’s like a mini reactor– sending the image now.” 

With a few keystrokes, you upload the image to Bucky’s phone and then you hear him grunt in disbelief. You know what he’s going to do next because there is no way to get any further without getting a lethal dose. It’s the one thing that they can’t fight because it’s subatomic particles that are slicing through you at every second. 

“What are the chances the target has been moved versus being dead?” He sounds a little disturbed. 

“High probability that everyone in the building is probably either dead or close to it. I suggest aborting the mission.” You say it with a heavy heart because you know how Bucky handles these missions. You know he’s going to be a storm when he comes back. You cough before looking at the photo again. “I’m sorry Bucky, but none of you would survive radiation this high.” 

“She’s right. I’m already feeling woozy and I’m not even that far into the building.” John is on the end closest to the output. “It’s really hot in here too.”

“Stifling really. This radiation is messing with my phasing.” Ava is in danger too. 

“Bucky, we have to leave.” Yelena stresses to him. 

You can hear Bucky’s thoughts from here. He knows the answer already, it’s just that stubbornness in him that he is fighting. 

“Bucky–” You start out then switch the comms to where you are speaking to him directly. Bob looks at you with the headset still on his head, but he gives you that soft look of understanding before he takes it off and sets it on the desk. He leaves you before he walks into the kitchen. “I know that you will consider this a failure, but it’s not. It’s a tactical miscalculation. We didn’t know this was going on and it could've happened at any point before you got there.” 

“I’m really starting to regret taking on this position.” He grumbles out before you see him turning around. “I’m not good at this.” 

“No time for self doubt, Boss.” He’s already going in the direction of ‘I’m not equipped for this’ when you know he’s got more experience than all of them combined. He just doesn’t believe he can lead this team even though he’s been doing it for six months without fail. But one failure makes him spiral out of control. “Look, there was no indication of this before the mission, so it’s an unforeseen variable that we didn't know about. This isn’t on you, but you all need to get out of there.” 

“Copy.” His tone is dark. He’s back in business mode when he gets over himself. You switch it back to full comms. “Everyone out. Rendezvous at the jet.” 

“Roger.” 

“On it.” 

“Does anyone else taste metal?” 

“That’s from the radiation.” Bucky probably knows because he’s been to radioactive places before, but that still doesn’t dismiss that his experience is what is going to save the team next. “Scout, we need potassium iodide, stat.” 

“Uh– There should be some in the med kit on the jet. I stocked it myself.” You see Bob walk back in with a Grape soda in one hand and your favorite smoothie in the other. Bless him, because your throat is sore and the cold will help. “Only take the recommended dose guys, otherwise you’ll increase your chances of hypothyroidism.” 

“What would be the recommended dose for a super soldier?” You hear John ask and you aren’t exactly sure.

You roll your eyes. “I don’t know, ask Bucky.” You aren’t a nurse even though you’ve patched them up a couple of times. “Thank you, Bob.” He smiles at you as you take the smoothie in hand. He’s such a sweetheart, taking care of everyone because they take care of him. 

“Barnes, how much do we take?” 

“The normal amount.” That made sense. You think. Potassium Iodide is a compound that can be broken down to straight elemental form within the body, but it doesn’t add or subtract anything. At least that is what you remember from high-school chemistry, which was a long time ago. “Just get back to the jet.” 

You listen to the chatter between the team as they make their way back to the place they landed the Jet. You just want them to come home safe and hopefully not full of radiation. You don’t think you can handle it if someone came home with radiation poisoning that is very much hard to cure. 

Leaning back in your chair, you sip on your fruit smoothie that you had prepared days ago and put in the freezer just for this occasion as you listen to the banter. They sound like siblings arguing over stupid things, but you love them. You don’t have a family as you were a child placed in the system at an early age before you were fostered over and over again. Family was a foreign term for years until you stuck it out with no real support system. When you finally found someone to hold on to, they vanished for five years. Five long years that ended up with you being put in a horrible situation. 

Five years of loneliness and then ‘it’ happened. 

When the Blip happened, your partner came back and you weren’t the same. They knew that, but they couldn’t deal with you not wanting to leave the house or do anything other than lay in bed. You started using your skills again out of boredom, to the point where you were working on exposing Val because someone anonymous had contacted you about it. Turns out that anonymous person was Congressman James Buchanan Barnes. 

That man that you were trying really hard not to get too close to. But it was hard. It was hard because he was very much your friend and he brought you into this because you were good. You were really good. 

“Scout, we’re on the jet.” His voice comes through and you let out a sigh. “Minimal radiation exposure detected.” 

“Okay, good. Can you just come home now?” You cough before you hear him hum softly. “We’ll regroup and learn from this okay?” 

“Sounds like mother hen is worried about us.” Yelena’s smile comes through her tone. “Don’t worry, we are fine. It was just a snag.” 

“Just get home so I can make sure everyone is fine with my own eyes.” You are worried. They have become the closest thing you have to family and you don’t want to lose them. The thought terrifies you. 

“We’re in the air. Go rest, we’ll see you in eight hours.” You hear the concern in Bucky’s voice before looking at Bob who is happily sipping on his grape soda. He still puts the straw in it like a little kid. He isn’t a kid, but some habits die hard. 

Eight hours later, you’re being woken up by a proximity alert. You had fallen asleep on the couch in the hub, but by now you were running a fever and you didn’t feel like getting up. How on earth did you get sick when you barely leave the tower? It runs through your head that maybe it’s from one of the people that come in and out all the time. Actually, you think back to the guy that dropped of the groceries three days ago that looked half dead and in need of a vacation. He was also sort of coughing. 

You groan when you know it was him because you accepted the delivery while everyone was at their respective places. Sure, Yelena, Bob, Ava, and John lived in the tower full time, but not Bucky and Alexei. Bucky had his own place because he said if he lived here, he would probably go crazy. He was the type of person that needed to have his social battery recharged in solitude. And it rang true because he always went home at night unless the mission was just too much and he’d find a quiet place to crash, usually on your couch that is in your workshop. 

But as it stands, you did not want to get off the couch you were on. You were shivering and partially delirious because you couldn’t get your fever to go away. Bob had thrown a blanket over you at one point, even bringing you a heating pad to keep you warm, but you were both on fire and freezing at the same time. It was awful. You were so tired and all you wanted to do was sleep. 

It isn’t until you feel a hand on your forehead that you realize you fell asleep again. You open your eyes to see Bucky. He’s not in his ‘work clothes’ but rather wearing his standard black t-shirt with a jacket that you desperately wanted to steal off of him and wrap yourself in. Yes, you were definitely sick because you were thinking these thoughts. 

“Hey.” You hear him as he rubs his thumb on your forehead. “We’re back.” 

“Mkay.” It’s a fog because you see his face, but you are so tired and feel so bad that you just want to sleep forever. You wouldn’t mind if he smothered you with a pillow because you feel like you are dying. 

“You’re sick.” The tenderness in his voice does something to you though and that look in his eyes. You want him to actually keep touching you because you are too sick to care at this point. He knows you have an issue with being touched. You have to initiate it or otherwise it’s uncomfortable and pushing the boundaries that you have set in place. You hate that you’re like this because when you see the look in Bob’s eyes when he wants to hug you after you have a tiny meltdown over something stupid or when Bucky wants to touch you to let you know he’s there. 

The fact that he’s not hurting you now is what is keeping you sane. 

Ava isn’t a touchy person either and that is why the two of you see eye to eye. Yelena sees you as a surrogate sister, but she respects those boundaries you have set up. Walker is terrified of you. He barely speaks to you, but he’ll leave your favorite candy on your work bench when he goes out to get food or something. It’s these little things that make you feel like you belong and that there is a healthy respect between all of you. 

But here Bucky is, looking down at you with those blue eyes of his and all you want to do is curl up. “I feel like shit.” You pull the blanket up to cover your face which forces his hand to vacate your forehead. “I just want to die.” 

“Not allowed.” The rough conviction in his voice says a lot to you. “Did you take anything?” 

“Uh– I gave her some Tylenol to make her fever go down a few hours ago.” You see Bob looking down at you from the back of the couch with his hoodie on. He smiles as Yelena comes to stand next to him. 

“Oh, you look like you have been dead.” She doesn’t hold back on her snarkiness even when you aren’t feeling good. “Like you died and then came back to life just in time for us to get home.” The soft smile on her face is enough to make you sigh. 

“Could all of you just stop yelling at me.” Your head hurts because everyone is talking to you now. “And maybe turn off the lights.” Turning over, you hide your face into the cushions as the bright lights start getting to you. “Stupid grocery guy.” You mumble. 

You hear Bucky sigh. “Okay, time to get you to your own bed.” Normally you would shirk away when someone lays a hand on you, but this gentle touch from Bucky to turn you onto your back is more like asking permission. It’s in his eyes when you turn your head to look at him. “Hey.” 

“Hey.” You blink slow like a cat. 

“Will you let me bring you to your room?” The fact that he’s asking makes you feel better about this and all you can do is nod. He peels the blanket off of you as Yelena drags Bob away to work on something else entirely. “Come on.” You don’t protest when he’s helping you sit up enough to put an arm around his shoulder so he can pick you up. 

You cough as he puts his arm under your knees and hoists you up into his arms. Anyone of the super soldiers on the team could do this, but you only let Bucky because you knew him better. You were his friend before you were theirs. Alexei would if you asked him to, but you never would because that was not the relationship you had with him. Still, when Bucky is carrying you out of the hub and to the elevator, you lay your head on his right shoulder because you can’t keep it upright. Your arms are around his neck as he carries you without getting tired, because he doesn’t get tired. 

He’s made out of sturdy stuff and nuclear energy. He goes on forever out of spite at what happened to him in the past and you admire that about him. Although, as seen earlier, he still has some things to deal with on an emotional level. You saw how he started going down this path of self-doubt the moment you told him to abort the mission. The moment you told him the team was in danger. He knows it was the right call, but at the same time, you could tell through his voice that old training was telling him to keep going. The circumstances were just out of their control and he knew that too. Now, he’s probably going to replay this in his head for hours before he actually falls asleep. 

“You’re quiet.” There is nothing but the sound of your voice and the elevator. “You’re thinking about what went wrong.” 

“Nothing went wrong.” He denies it. “Everything went wrong.” He sighs as he grips his hand tighter around your leg just before your knee. “What could’ve caused that much of a radiation leak?” 

You wrack your brain for something. “Cesium.” That’s the only thing you can think of for a radiation leak that big in a medical facility. “They use it in MRI machines. But it would take a lot of it to cause that much radiation.” You are surprised that you are lucid enough to recall that information. “I don’t know, but as soon as I feel better, I’ll be on the case.” You promise even though you feel like shit. 

The elevator stops on your floor and Bucky is carrying you out. Your workshop and apartment are only two doors away from the elevator, so it’s barely five seconds before Bucky is maneuvering himself to press the keypad on your door while you are still in his arms. As soon as the code is in, the one you programmed specifically for him, the door pops open and he’s pushing it with his foot. Once inside he gently kicks the door shut behind him. 

It’s lonely in this apartment, but you like it. You’ve made it your home with the warm colors and low lights that the AI brings up when you enter the room. It’s yours and Val will have to drag your cold body out of there before you ever leave. You are pretty sure the entire team will be turning Val over if she even thought about kicking you to the curb. Bucky would actually kill her. You know it, he knows it, and she knows it. So she lets him do his job and that means you get to do yours. Even if it means fixing Alexei’s phone every two weeks. 

“Did you get more books?” Bucky sees the stacks of books that you have acquired for reading even though it takes you no time to sit and read one. 

“I ordered a few for Bob because he pretty much read all the ones I recommended already.” When you learned that Bob liked to read, you were ready to start your own little book club with him and eventually Ava joined in on it too. “Some of them are for you too.” And Bucky was a reader too, he just didn’t tell anyone. “The small stack with your name on it are the ones I got for you.” You cough again as he passes by the stacks you had sorted out for everyone. 

“You didn’t have to do that, you know.” Yes you did. You have been sneaking books to him for six months, always leaving a copy of something you think he’d like on his desk. Then you’d find it on your workbench a week later with a note in his handwriting about what he liked or didn’t like about the book. 

“I do.” 

“Thank you.” He barely says your real name under his breath as he brings you to your room. 

You weren’t a very tidy person. You like your home looking like you lived in it, but it was clean. It was crowded with things that you kept around for comfort, but the only thing you didn’t have was pictures of a family you can’t remember. You remember the people that you lived with, the good and the bad, but you don’t remember your real family. 

He sits you down on your bed before he’s pulling the white comforter back and organizing the pile of pillows that you have on your bed. You need eight pillows. You do but he is moving most of them to the other side of the bed as you take off your shoes and make yourself comfortable. He finds your penguin Squishmallow buried underneath the pillows and throws it at you. It’s big enough for you to hold at night because sometimes you get nightmares about your time in foster care. 

“Come on, get in.” You aren’t a child. You’re a grown woman with a mind of your own, but this is him taking care of you because there is no one else. “I’ll get some more medicine and water for you.” 

“Okay.” You do as he says because you don’t have the energy to be disobedient. You slip in under the covers in just your hoodie and pajama pants that you had not changed out of since you were working comms. You were still on fire, but still freezing. There was no happy medium. 

When Bucky comes back to your room with a glass of water in his vibranium hand and two Motrin in the other, you sigh. Motrin. The standard go-to for anyone in the military since no one knows when. You curl up on your side with your penguin and watch as he holds the two little orange pills out to you. Your teeth are chattering at this point. You sit up and take the pills, throwing them in your mouth before swallowing. You reach for the water and gulp it down before handing it back to him. 

“Get some rest. I’ll call you in a few hours to check on you and if you don’t answer, I’m coming back here.” He is very serious because he does care. Probably more than he should, but you aren’t complaining. This is how he shows his affection. 

“Okay, Bucky.” You lay back down on the pillow before he’s pulling the covers over you and tucking you in tight. Sometimes you don’t mind that someone wants to take care of you. It rarely happens, but right now, it’s the look in Bucky’s eyes as he makes sure you are okay that has you feeling much better already. Maybe he’s always looked at you like this. You were too busy wrapped up in yourself and in others to really notice. 

“Good night, Sweetheart.” He says before flipping the lightswitch off and closing the door. You think he would probably make a good father someday, if not a good husband to some lucky woman. You definitely weren’t that lucky woman. You had too many problems to be that lucky woman. 

It doesn’t stop you from thinking about him as your body fights off whatever virus is inside you. 

[misscammiedawn]

Dissociative Identity Disorder in Mr. Robot

So I have been writing little essays about Mr. Robot recently.

Dom's Sexuality, Gay Marriage and Whiterose

Back to the Future and Brainwashing

Today I wish to talk about the DID representation in Mr. Robot.

Actually I want to talk about the DID representation in the Hulk comics but there are 40 years worth of storylines involving it and it would require me to write about clinical understandings from the 1980s when it was called MPD (admitedly Mr. Robot's stumbles at the finish line with some of these same outdated treatment models) and that would take a while. Suffice to say it will happen eventually*. I shall make a new tag "Media Myself and I" and post it under that when I have more time to do it justice. Maybe I'll do others. I am uncertain. I believe I want to focus on positive depictions where there are no murder alters. The goal is to get people to want to enjoy things, not to steer them away. I have a few shows and games in mind at the very least.

Regardless… Mr. Robot is an easier topic to cover and is my hyperfocus of the moment.

So Mr. Robot is a show about isolation in the modern world. It's a show about socioeconomic stress, late-stage capitalism and what it means to enact meaningful change on a broken world.

But above all it is about the healing journey of Elliot Alderson, a man with dissociative identity disorder.

I say that at the start because Elliot's condition is never named until the final episode. In many ways a realistic depiction of a real world disorder was an afterthought noted in the final hour of the journey as a means of justifying the split personality trope and hiding a final twist. In spite of that the roadmap for the show was always leading to this destination and along the way they managed to get some fairly good representation out of the mix.

Season 2 even involves the only time I have ever seen a piece of fiction depict "blending" on screen. Blending isn't a symptom listed in either DSM or ICD manuals. It is, however, something one would hear about if they had a conversation with someone who had DID. I have used that scene to depict what it feels like to my partners.

I'm getting ahead of myself.

I love Mr. Robot. It is currently my favorite show of all time. If you have never seen it then please give it a shot. This post will be spoiler heavy and I'd hate to rob anyone the opportunity to watch S4E7 and have a pure emotional reaction to it. The show is on Amazon Prime and the full box set is available for $35-50 depending on format and vendor.

Go with my blessing.

-

The first season of the show begins with Elliot Alderson (Rami Malek) living a double life. By day a cyber security expert and by night he spends his time at his computer hacking people's accounts and satisfying a "little itch in the back of his head" that guides him to uncover the murky facts about people. The first scene of the show has him take down a cafe owner who hosts an illegal and deeply unpleasant website. I have seen individuals walk away from the first episode thinking that the show is "Dexter but with computers" but it is more lulsec activism with a Fight Club aesthetic.

The show has 4 seasons and each season depicts a different stage of Elliot's healing journey and with it completely different rules and depictions of his condition. I'll break down each season for what they do right and what they do wrong.

Season 1: Discovery

Elliot's system in season one is undiscovered but he has overt symptoms, meaning he is unaware that he has any alters but he suffers from clean breaks in his consciousness and drastically altered behavior patterns both which are a detriment to the "hidden" nature of the condition.

Commonly most people do not discover their condition until their 30s. I was 37/38 when our therapist started guiding us towards accepting our condition.

DID manifests in childhood but it's a hidden illness that does its best to go undetected. The point of the condition is to remain hidden. The internet and the educational resources it offers are helping younger individuals to recognize their symptoms and advocate for themselves at an earlier age but the standard medical understanding is that most people are developed adults before they are diagnosed.

Published statistics for DID indicate the global population of those with the condition is about 1.5% (some organizations argue the number should be higher due to how difficult it is to receive an accurate diagnosis, but 1.5% is the most consistent figure) which is rare but not to the point of never encountering it. For comparison, according to a 2023 census 1.0% of people in the USA identify as transgender. There are no tested classifications for Covert vs Overt display of symptoms but it is widely agreed that an overwhelming majority of cases within the 1.5% are covert.

We learn that Elliot is desperately lonely, abuses morphine and has paranoid delusions about men in black stalking his every move. Whenever Elliot is on screen we can never be sure what is real and what isn't, so there are times when men wearing black suits are on screen and we cannot be sure if Elliot is paranoid or delusional.

The show takes place through his perspective after all and we are a character in the show.

See… the narrative device of the show involves Elliot speaking to "friend", us. The audience. "Hello, friend." is a common refrain spoken throughout the show. The narrative begins a short while after Elliot had a complete mental breakdown and smashed up a server room, he is seeing a court appointed therapist, is socially paralyzed to the point of which we see him linger outside a birthday party and retreat home to cry in loneliness.

The entire first season Mr. Robot is depicted as another character, akin to Tyler Durden, a wild revolutionary who wants to encrypt the data of the world's largest bank in order to seal the debt records and reset everything back to 0. He starts off appearing in scenes involving the men in black stalking Elliot to mingle him in with the paranoid delusions and eventually begins interacting with him in earnest. Though the reveal is treated as a twist 8 episodes into the show Elliot does accuse the audience of knowing the entire time and he refuses to speak to us for some time, even going as far as to keep secrets from us because he cannot trust us any longer.

It's at this point that I will note that media depictions of DID tend to lean heavily on the phrase "it's a visual medium" and depict ways that characters can see, interact with and communicate with alters/parts in a dramatic setting. Off the top of my head Hulk is about the only form of fiction I've seen where the temptation to do this doesn't take over and even then the old "other face in the mirror" trope shows up there.

So for what it's worth the paranoid thinking and hallucinations are not DID symptoms and typically a person with the condition cannot see or hear their alters. In fact a testing criteria included in the MID exam is to rule out schizophrenia by eliminating the possibility that the voices heard are external or that any hallucinations exist. In Mr. Robot they are likely caused by Elliot's morphine addiction, but he gets clean after season 1 and Mr. Robot is always there.

There are some plot elements which I want to talk about but they do spoil the final "twist" of the show. So I want to warn again that anyone in the process of watching should be warned we are getting into entire show spoiler territory.

The Elliot we see in the show is the result of the stress fueled breakdown that Mr. Alderson had 6 months prior to the show starting. The timeline is fuzzy in my head but there were two triggers which set him off and began his condition flaring up (and/or caused him to lean harder into his drug addiction which in turn fueled his condition). The one we know about is that he was locked in a server room and forced to work long into the night on an issue and the already upset and stressed Elliot snapped and had a black-out.

We come to learn that he has had these his whole life but this is the first time such an incident occurred that he couldn't self-justify what had happened. He smashed up a server room, something he felt himself not capable of.

But the second trigger is the more important one.

His sister, Darlene, moved to NYC and started visiting him.

The bigger and better twist of season 1 is that Elliot and Darlene are siblings. This is hidden from Elliot and the audience for the first 7 episodes and her presence is treated much like Marla Singer from Fight Club, of whom she likely contains some inspiration, where she keeps showing up in Elliot's apartment and acting overly familiar with him.

In the earliest episodes when we are learning about Elliot's lonely life he looks at a photograph of himself and his mother at Coney Island. Due to some hallucinations we know that Magda is an abusive mother and screamed at/hit Elliot a lot. We learn more about her in future episodes and she is a truly horrible parent. Likely more than was ever depicted in the show.

The photo is actually of the full Alderson family including Darlene and Edward but is not shown as such until the reveals that Darlene is Elliot's sister and Mr. Robot is modeled after Elliot's father. The photograph is a reference to Back to the Future.

But it also is a fairly good visual representation of self-filtering information, even when it is contradictory in nature. This is common not just in DID but in all forms of CPTSD.

Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a condition that develops during prolonged exposure to trauma and makes radical changes to the nervous system. CPTSD is considered a root of DID and it is universal for those diagnosed with DID to have a CPTSD diagnosis also.

One of the ways CPTSD symptoms manifest is "Emotional Avoidance". The nervous system is activated when triggers related to the trauma exist within the person's life. In order to function their brains push away these reminders and naturally avoid interacting with them. This causes those with the condition to become withdrawn, to isolate and to have distorted and often contradicting patterns of thought. For instance Elliot needs connection and safety that he associates with family but his family were his primary abusers and so he edits his memories to focus on positive associations such as a family trip to Coney Island that has become an obsession to him in adulthood. We later learn that Elliot's obsession with movies was born from it being his primary way of connecting with his father... which is fairly relatable.

His positive memories of his parents are held in high regard even though we know that his father "pushed him out of a window" and his mother used to put out cigarette butts on Darlene, tried to force her to commit animal cruelty and is often depicted in hallucinations as beating and screaming at Elliot.

In a case where it is impossible to avoid the traumatic trigger, for instance the return of relative who is a living reminder of his abusive childhood, the individual may begin to dissociate. Dissociation being where a person, overwhelmed by what they are experiencing has a separation from their normal state leading to a disconnect from emotions, sense of self and reality.

Episode 8 in particular contains a visual depiction of it when Elliot is having a quiet meltdown over finding out he has a 2 day deadline and his boss at work has known about the server exploit he installed all along.

(the show often uses the camera in ways to emphasize emotional walls, dissociation and isolation like this. This sequence does so by having hard cuts, shaky cam and frantic pace melt into a gliding slow lull where the background noise filters out and we can share in Elliot's distance from his situation for a moment)

Elliot's form of blocking out is extreme but has half a foot in reality (and half a foot in the logic born from the "twist" ending) in that in order to continue interacting with Darlene he views her as a member of Fsociety and edits out their connection until it is revealed in episode 7.

A small brilliancy about Fsociety is that the entire group is formed around Elliot and Darlene's need for childhood safety. The hacking elements of the show undoubtedly born from 9 year old Elliot spending time at Mr. Robot computer repair with a smile. The anon-mask that the show uses comes from an in-universe movie that Darlene and Elliot watched every Halloween and their base of operations is Coney Island. A place that both siblings seem to associate with safety and happiness...

Which is extra messed up when you factor Season 2's revelation that Darlene was kidnapped while on a family trip to Coney Island.

Darlene's panic attacks, need to feel special and her abusive upbringing are not the topic for this essay, but I wanted to make mention that Magda was such a horrible mother that a 4/5 year old Darlene thinks of being kidnapped from a family trip to Coney Island as one of her most precious childhood memories.

The desire to reach into the past and change things to create an ideal future is a heavy theme of the show and I feel it's important to note that though the Alderson siblings reject Whiterose and her scheme, they are both living in an almost literal fun house distortion of the few unambiguously GOOD childhood memories that they each have and have wrapped them around themselves like a protective blanket.

The plot of season 1 gets a lot more uncomfortable when you realize how much of Fsociety is two traumatized kids recreating positive elements of their childhood and trying to live inside of those memories while lashing out at those who took their father away from them. The entire plan is centered around events from 1995. The show takes place in 2015.

Mr. Robot himself is, of course, the ultimate symbol of that take on events.

Edward Alderson was a monster. He's referred to as such overtly in Elliot's detox fever dream. Everyone asks him who his "monster" is while handing him the key that we learn was to his childhood bedroom. A key that he hid to prevent Edward from entering his room late at night.

Yet throughout the first 3 seasons of the show we are only shown him in context of the positive memories that he and Elliot shared. Elliot was 9 years old when Edward passed away from leukemia.

At a point, Elliot is picked up from school. He has a bruise on his cheek and the scene begins with Edward asking "If I had to guess, you didn't tell Principal Howard your side.", assuring him it's okay to share his side of the story. Because Edward is convincing him to tell his side I am going to assume Elliot got into a fight but it's not impossible to assume that the school pulled Edward in to discuss the signs of physical abuse on the child. Edward would never tell Elliot to tell his side of that story so I assume it was a fight.

It's unclear if Mr. Robot is the one who participated in those fights (we only have 2 confirmed instances of Elliot's alters showing up in childhood. The window incident and the day Edward died) but Edward picks him up and protects him from his mother's wrath and bonds with him during that drive, he reveals his diagnosis to Elliot before inviting him to work with him at the computer repair store. Likely this is what leads to Elliot's hacker skills being born.

A hauntingly similar event in my own life is why I am a photographer.

Given that the majority of Season 1 has Elliot in the dark about his condition we are only given context as to why he is the way he is and see the display of dissociative symptoms which manifest from CPTSD. Mr. Robot existing at all is actually not required for this to be a good depiction of adults who grew up in abusive environments and the way they maladaptively cope.

I also want to give a little praise to the "itch at the back of [Elliot's] head" that shows up when he feels the desire to hack someone or dig deeper and the way he pushes forward with his own will until he calms down enough to let a creeping hesitation overcome him and prevent him from acting.

Passive Influence is part of DID. It's a situation where a "fronting" (that is to say part that is in control at a time) performs an unthinking action or is emotionally swayed by the influence of another part/alter that is not presently conscious. These are one of the biggest ways that the condition flies under the radar for many. When they are close to discovering proof of their condition they will often feel an unconscious push away from it. The phenomenon is fairly easily brushed aside internally as "a gut feeling" or an "impulse" but it's observable under the right conditions.

An instance I can think of in my own life is when our survival part is trying to push people away and our emotional part desperately tries to reach out. I will often find my hand grabbing a person's wrist and clinging tightly to it without even noticing that I've done it.

In the show Elliot is compelled by Mr. Robot when he feels someone is a danger or has a weakness that can be exploited. Part of him knows he needs to do something about it and so he lets himself be guided.

The season ends with The 5/9 Hack succeeding, all the financial data being encrypted and Elliot sent to prison for (minor) hacking charges.

He knows who Mr. Robot is now and he fears him as his enemy.

Season 2 (and the book): Exploration

The first 8 episodes of Season 2 are a filter for those watching the show, many drop off. Personally I love it but I can see why it's not for everyone. Season 2 is much slower than the first and Elliot is in prison for those 8 episodes. He's also imagining that prison is his mother's house.

That daydreaming coping mechanism is largely there to add a fairly unearned sense of mystery to a character development season and make things a little more visually interesting. For the most part I don't really want to focus too much on it or the way Elliot treats "us"/"friend".

The fact is that for this season Mr. Robot and Elliot are in direct conflict but they are feeling out their landscape and trying to find common ground. They are pulling in different directions but they are reacting and responding to one another. The show uses a chess match as a visual symbol of this and in such they are keeping one another in a constant state of check. They are opposed to one another but they are communicating and working things out.

So let's start by looking at the book. The book is a recreation of the in-universe journal that Elliot keeps while he is in prison. We see him writing in it during the show and the entire thing is available, it even includes little ARG elements to let you decode the messages Mr. Robot is receiving from The Dark Army.

The book is detailed like this and it's possible to note when Elliot's handwriting turns into Mr. Robot's handwriting. There are even points where there is "blended" handwriting. It's easy to spot in the above image because Mr. Robot writes with a heavy hand and in all caps where Elliot is soft and uses lower case, in the top line of the second page "you NeeD atteNtioN aNd aRe Willing to pay a lotta MoNey to get it." you can see Elliot slipping from one headspace to another while becoming upset at society.

Even still if you look above the FUCK SOCIETY image you see Elliot's calmer handwriting as clear and flowing.

When we were in denial of our condition we poured through journal after journal and chatlog after chatlog hunting for evidence to prove or disprove the theory.

It was when I looked at our old gaming journals (we took notes in pen/pencil live during TTRPG sessions because memory issues are gonna memory issues) that we noticed similar. Cursive used in some phrases, individual letters separate on another, the letters g and y getting curled at times and not at other times.

Subtler than what is displayed above but no less real.

Season 2 introduces us to Ray the warden brilliantly played by Craig Robinson. He empathizes with Elliot because he speaks to his dead wife as a means of coping with grief and assumes that Elliot is the same.

He offers Elliot guidance by asking him to play chess "against himself" and this leads to Elliot and Mr. Robot playing endless games of stalemate against one another with deletion on the line for the loser. It's the same brain and neither side wants to lose (nor do they truly want to win, Elliot admits as much in Season 3 that he likes having Mr. Robot and misses him when he's not around) and as noted above with passive influence, the games are always guided to end in a stalemate because no matter how opposed they are as forces, they both want the same things.

So... how about the Sitcom episode?

Elliot breaks his promise to Ray and looks at the website that he is tasked with doing tech support on. It's--- not good.

Ray uses a combination of crooked cops and convicted Neo-Nazis to have Elliot beaten into submission so he won't report what he saw. Elliot cannot handle this and has a mental break and wakes up in a 90s 4 camera sitcom world.

Alf is there. Because old episodes of Alf are playing in the medical ward at the time Elliot is being treated for his wounds.

The entire time he is taking a beating Mr. Robot is protecting Elliot by fronting and forcing him into an inner-world fantasy.

Okay... so Inner-Worlds.

In the show we actually had one of these in Season 1 during the detox trip but I want to talk about it now and round back and talk more in Season 4.

Inner-Worlds are a thing within DID treatment. Emphasis on the word treatment. It's one of the more commonly misunderstood things within discussion on the condition because it's regularly reported as part of the experiences within those who are diagnosed with DID but it's important to know that the existence of the diagnosis indicates the existence of treatment.

During any adapted 3 or 4 phase trauma treatment program that includes parts work, whether this be Internal Family Systems model which is used for individuals who do not have DID or system mapping and stabilization for those who do, the patient must work on creating a "meeting" space to visualize (or sense out emotionally for those with aphantasia) and much of the work of developing safety and structure within comes from filling that space with comforts and generating communication between parts.

I'll talk more on the "conference table" in Season 4.

It is possible for those not going through therapy to create one outside of the context of a therapeutic alliance but the creation of one is an intentional act. Not something that comes free with your childhood trauma.

Elliot's trip to the inner-world keeps him from experiencing any of the beating that the body is receiving and at the end Mr. Robot earnestly says he only wanted to take the punches for Elliot, nothing more. Elliot falls against him, tearful and whimpers out "Thank you" before we are given the flashback of the day Edward picked up 9 year old Elliot from school after the fight and confesses his leukemia.

For the record, my heart swells every time I see Mr. Robot acting as a protector.

So, let's talk S2E9 and the "blending" incident.

Blending is what happens when two parts/alters are co-conscious and are present enough that they are sharing control of the body. It's an uncomfortable experience. Co-Consciousness means that more than one part/alter is actively perceiving the world at any given time.

It's more complicated than binary yes/no. Every one of these experiences exists on a spectrum and no two people with the condition experience it quite the same way but there are levels of presence that one has.

The following is me talking more from anecdotes and personal experience than textbooks. I like to be clear when I'm not being academic because I do not want to spread misinformation in my arbitrary analysis of TV shows that will get 20 notes on Tumblr Dot Com.

Front is to be driving the body, to have your inner monologue playing (if you have one, most people do, but it's not a given) and have your emotions interact with the nervous system if you are grounded enough to feel your experiences. As I said, it's a spectrum. Everyone gets dissociated at times and can just go into auto-pilot or a trance. That all still counts as being in front.

To be conscious but not front is to exist in an emotionally reactive state. If Fronting is driving then co-consciousness is to be in the passenger seat.

It's truly difficult to describe and my therapist doesn't even fully comprehend it despite her being the one who educates me on these topics. Presently as I type this I can only feel one of our system (5 parts) active and "with" me right now. She's not speaking but she's reacting. I can feel her apprehension to us typing this much about our personal life, little flits of paranoid thinking that we'll get anon-hate or that people from our former life will see this and judge us. It's a presence and exists on a gradient. She's "awake" right now but I do not consider her fully "co-con" because if I asked her to tell me what she thinks about this sentence I can feel an emotional reaction (apprehension) but not a direct answer akin to "I think you should edit out references to our journal and focus on talking about the show" (which is what I imagine she would say right now). That's the spectrum.

Closer to the front a part/alter is the more direct communication happens.

There's also "asleep" and "dormant" when they are unresponsive. Pretty self explanatory. Elliot's system has 5 parts(plus "friend") and until Season 4 we only really see Mr. Robot and the main character version of Elliot. Magda and Young Elliot show up in hallucinations in Season 1 and Young Elliot is co-con in Season 4. Magda never shows up outside of emotional flashbacks and the inner-world.

So after Elliot and Mr. Robot combine forces (though Mr. Robot is still working with the Dark Army and is trying to move in secret) they have moments where they rapidly switch and cannot keep straight who is fronting at any given time.

There's a scene where Elliot is in another room thinking to "friend" when he hears an argument in the next room and realizes Mr. Robot is in the argument. As he walks in, Mr. Robot is surprised to see that Elliot is aware when he is fronting and he trails off and they switch.

Mr. Robot says that something feels off about how they are acting and that they feel like they're overheating.

A later scene depicts Elliot phasing out mid-conversation on the subway and picturing himself in the next car observing Mr. Robot talking to Cisco while a passenger plays erratic music on a keyboard.

That is such a horrifyingly accurate depiction of something we live with that I was stunned to see it on screen. I've included it in some of my stories that go over living with these experiences but the idea is when we are stressed out, can't keep our head straight and are blended like this we tend to have snippets of music playing over and over in our head. We also get what I refer to as "static" and that seems to be relatable in support groups.

A++ for the show depicting something about the DID experience that simply does not get spoken about outside of the spaces of people dealing with it. It was the moment I knew they actually spoke to people who experience this stuff and did proper research that wasn't just media depictions and medical textbooks.

The final part of Season 2's wild ride I want to talk about is the "lucid dreaming" bit.

Mind awake. Body asleep. Mind awake. Body asleep.

This again goes into Overt DID which I cannot comment on as much as covert depictions but the idea is that Elliot trains himself to remain awake when Mr. Robot takes over. We have seen from the blending experience that he is starting to remain when Mr. Robot is active and so he tries to force himself to stay when Mr. Robot is active.

In therapy this would be achieved through trust, communication and awareness. It's said in communities that systems tend to become more overt as they go through treatment as they are able to identify lines, parts can advocate for themselves and there's better understanding of what "self" means for every alter.

In my experience there's also an element of trying to pretend to be consistent and whole. We were coming out transgender when our therapist guided us towards DID diagnosis and there was a lot of tearing ourselves apart because we needed to act in a certain way for our safety and inability to do so put us at risk of being targeted. In accepting our system we have stopped trying to be the same individual and that has lead to a more overt presentation. As I tell my therapist "we need to act out our gender expression anyway. Every action we take is a performance."

That is to say, Mr. Robot has never attempted to maintain the illusion that he is Elliot Alderson (albeit he never identifies himself. He's even surprised to learn that Elliot calls him that) and Elliot doesn't even know he is "The Mastermind".

In opting to remain hidden and conscious he gains a greater degree of control and agency in his situation.

These things get easier as you learn your condition, build system trust and allow yourself to experience that which you feel comfortable experiencing. With the example of the beating earlier, Mr. Robot shut Elliot out and took the beating for him and Elliot resisted but ultimately did not want to be present. In this episode he learns that if he wishes he could have pushed through and been there and experienced everything, albeit as a passenger rather than the driver.

Therapy also teaches how to "go into the back room" to maintain stability. A technique that lets you volunteer to not be involved in a situation. My system all use this whenever I (Dawn) perform erotic intimacy of any kind. They cannot handle the thought of associating with those acts and prior to treatment it would emotionally disregulate our nervous system if parts that couldn't handle the concept were to be present during those moments because parts of me would be trying to dissociate while I am trying to act. It would either trigger a switch, cause blending or make a part shut down and become unresponsive for a large period of time- one of our partners actually discovered our system this way. She saw us shut down during a scene and realized it wasn't just a "mood swing" as we had insisted.

Elliot learns how to intentionally open up and be present when Mr. Robot is active and because Plot happens he is shot and decides to use this skill to close himself off and create a stronger divide between parts.

Season 3: Rejection

If Season 2 was the pair working things out on a chess match where they keep one another in check then Season 3 is after Elliot has tossed the board and decided to shut Mr. Robot out completely.

The arc words are "battling in our own voids", in Season 1 Mr. Robot was always aware of what Elliot was doing but Elliot was unaware of Mr. Robot's actions and in Season 2 they were fairly co-conscious to the point of overheating. Season 3 the connection is shut down. Mr. Robot has no concept of what Elliot is doing and Elliot no concept of what Mr. Robot is doing.

This goes back to the Overt/Covert thing mentioned at the start. It's a rare thing even within a rare disorder to have that level of amnesia barriers between parts and so I can't really comment on accuracy. It's a frustrating season for me in that regard because Season 2 was doing so well at depicting something that I have lived through that going back to Fight Club tropes was fairly disappointing to me.

Season 3 is great by the way. It's a debate on if 3 or 4 is the best but it's close enough that there is a debate.

The real meat of the discussion, spare for the events of the final episode where they reconcile, is in how other people treat them and talk about their condition.

Angela Moss is Elliot's childhood best friend and also lost a parent to the disaster that claimed Edward Alderson's life. She discovered Elliot's condition during his breakdown in S1E8 and was brainwashed by the show villain Whiterose in S2E11 (I have a write-up of the psychological principals at play with the brainwashing here).

In Season 3 she acts as Elliot/Mr. Robot's handler and is responsible for helping Mr. Robot continue his hacktivist terrorism without Elliot finding out. She betrays Elliot and exploits his condition. She also tells people about it without his knowledge or consent, which is pretty fucking monstrous in my eyes.

Don't out a person. Just don't do it.

When Mr. Robot asks how she can tell who she's talking to she responds "Your eyes. You're never trying to look away." which is accurate enough that I messaged my girlfriend to be sappy and grateful towards her as the first time she noticed our condition she told me it was our eyes.

From a 2022 IM chat, shared with permission:

"it's ... well, it's [...] your eyes soften, kind of, when going to Cammie. Dawn has this piercing gaze, like she's looking right into my heart and soul. Camden is just very alert, noticing so many things but not the level of piercing. Cammie... her gaze is softer. More focused, but in a ... drinking everything in, rather than seeking it out sort of way"

and added today when I asked for permission to share the quote:

"(for the record, Craig draws his eyebrows down in a particular way that makes his gaze intense in a good way)"

The show works as hard as it can to never let the audience wonder who they are seeing on screen at any time. Most scenes where Rami Malek is depicting Mr. Robot it is a brief perspective view to remind us what the other characters are seeing before switching back to Christian Slater playing the character. There are a few scenes which involve Rami playing the character for a full sequence. One is the context for a flashback where we see a scene Slater performed through another character's eyes where they see Malek.

The others usually involve us being in Darlene's perspective to highlight her unease and uncertainty of what is happening with her brother.

The only scene where it is ever treated as a surprise is when Darlene plants a bug on Elliot's computer while staying overnight and is roughly interrogated by "Elliot", only to realize midway through the conversation "Jesus. It's you".

The camera cuts back to reveal it has been Mr. Robot the entire scene. They avoid that trick throughout the show so it has large impact when it actually happens.

I feel like that scene (as well as the scene where Elliot wears the real Mr. Robot jacket and gives birth to the 2 Stage plan to take down Evil Corp) are important for reminding that no matter how differently Malek and Slater play their roles, to an outside observer they are the same person and when he acts "out of character" it could easily just be an emotional outburst.

Incidentally you can see the physicality of the acting if you go back and watch it again.

The end of the season has Elliot, betrayed, alone and terrified for the safety of his sister; finally reach out to Mr. Robot and open a dialogue.

He even goes out of his way to have this discussion on the Ferris Wheel at Coney Island both as a Season 1 callback and as a sign of trust. Elliot admits in this conversation that he missed Mr. Robot while he shut him out and wants him to be part of his life and in the season finale Mr. Robot says that he wants the two of them to keep talking.

Elliot also finds out that the window incident wasn't his dad pushing him out of a window. They jumped. Elliot asks in a kind and soft way to Mr. Robot, representing both his protector and an element of the loving father he wished he had, "did you know?"

Mr. Robot, the one who jumped. The one who wanted to protect Elliot from Edward says nothing. But he finally feels an alliance form with Elliot.

The road to healing finally has opened.

Season 4: Integration and Fusion

So let's address the elephant in the room right away. The show uses the word "real" to describe the Elliot who existed before the show started and considers him to be the only legitimate alter. There is enough wiggle room within the show to think that is in-universe ignorance but the show does nothing to prevent the fumble at the finish line.

I want to say upfront and before I start dissecting this season that outdated models of DID believed that there was a crack formed in a person's sense of self and that healing involved restoring the identity prior to the crack.

This is 100% UNTRUE and it upsets me that people once believed it. DID is formed in childhood during a time of a person's life (between ages 4-9) where the child is taking in data from their surroundings and integrating it into their socialized survival mechanics to form a personality. The child is working out what traits it can exhibit to receive nurture, care and protection from other humans and will adapt to those processes. Attachment Theory goes into greater detail about how this relates to the formation of psychological disorders, especially personality disorders.

For a traumatized child they will find that their environments do not offer consistent and reliable safety and thus they are unable to adapt to a version of their reality where they are able to maintain stable safety. This may be horrifying forms of physical, emotional and sexual abuse placed upon a child and is often depicted as such but it can also be a confused child trying to get affection from a cold and distant parent or having a parent who abuses alcohol and becomes inconsistent in their ability to give affection and care. Child psychology is a heavy and depressing field, sadly.

The result is that the child never forms a permanent sense of identity. This is a large factor in the formation of Borderline Personality Disorder and is why DID and BPD are so often thrown together within medical treatment and diagnosis. It's at the point of which when my therapist gave me our diagnosis she presented a clinical list of "myths" regarding DID and "BPD is the same thing as DID" was 5 on the list of 6.

The point of this detour is to say that there is no original self. A person who has DID never managed to form a stable sense of identity in childhood and thus they find themselves acting as chameleons in their day-to-day life, adapting to what they feel they need to become in order to receive the things they need from their surroundings. It's why there is a stigma in the BPD community over the concept of being "manipulative". In reality people with that condition are unconsciously adapting to their environment as a survival mechanism. With DID the added layer of dissociation is there to help the self function even when they are forced to interact with materials that are incompatible with their ability to function.

Pre-show Elliot was living a fairly comfortable life but his emotional needs were not met and at the time he was alienated from his sister. He was miserable and lived in a society that he felt was crumbling. His daydreaming gave birth to "The Mastermind" to remove the threats from his reality and Mr. Robot who had been there all along went into Protective Sicko Mode and decided to expedite the process in a way only a protector's morality could.

We'll get into system roles a little later.

The point is that day-to-day life Elliot (Janina Fisher's book "Healing the Fragmented Self" refers to the part untouched by trauma as the "going about daily life" part) is not Real. He is not The Original. Those terms do not exist and are meaningless in this space.

True/Real/Orignal-Elliot is as much a construct as Mr. Robot. He's a version of Elliot who does not have to think about the trauma, he can just live a happy normal life. The kind that Elliot speaks often and derisively about in Season 1.

With that out of the way, I'm going to ignore the bad use of language and talk only about what is depicted on the screen and not said out loud. Because if you remove the misconception about real/original from the mixture, this is a perfect depiction of final fusion model healing.

Season 4 introduces us to the conference table in the inner world. A conference table is a therapeutic technique used in trauma therapy where you bring the alters/parts to a conference. The idea is that it needs to be a neutral ground where everyone is comfortable and able to share their thoughts and ideas. With practice it can be a space one can close their eyes and imagine, seeing their system and allowing communication to happen between parts.

Mine is based on the Minerals Gallery in the Natural History Museum in London. I refer to it as The Library. You didn't need to know that but I didn't want to discuss this section without mentioning it.

Elliot's is the conference room in Evil Corp where he and Tyrell spoke in the first episode.

Interestingly enough there are only 4 seats in this set. I'm not sure what the implication is here as in the scene depicted above Magda (Persecutor Alter) is scolding Young Elliot (Child Alter) for sitting in a chair that isn't his. They mention all 3 alters who are not present (Elliot, Mr. Robot and The Other One).

My thought is that this is the show going all in on the idea that Elliot ("Real") is not an alter and does not take a seat at the table. Which I have issues with.

I'll note as I did with the inner-world that this is a therapy technique and not something Elliot would just have in his mind. It's an accurate depiction of DID treatment but Elliot isn't being treated for DID. Krista is no way near close enough to be able to help Elliot. She's wonderful and deserves the world and more for how she handles things in this season but she's in the pre-stabilization phase of therapy where she knows more than Elliot is willing to accept and needs to wait for him to come around.

Speaking of Krista. Episode 7 is the greatest hour of television rivaled only by Ozymandias from Breaking Bad and the M*A*S*H finale. At present it has a 9.9 on IMDB.

The episode is structured as a bottle episode in way of a 5 act play depicting the stages of grief. This is the episode where Elliot peels back to dissociative layers and understands the truth. The truth of what his father did.

I won't type it.

I don't need to.

The next episode involves Elliot seeing Young Elliot and following him to a museum exhibit with a model of Manhattan. In Season 1 when Elliot had his psychotic break after realizing Darlene is his sister Darlene and Angela checked this location stating it was a place he used to go in times of crisis.

It turns out when he was young Elliot hid the key to his bedroom here to prevent Edward from getting in. All these years later adult Elliot (or "The Mastermind" if you prefer, which I do not) discovers it and has a heart-to-heart with his younger self, screaming into the emptiness that he's sorry for not protecting him. Sorry for letting him get hurt.

The scene is lit in the golden hues that symbolize safety in this show. The final season also takes place during Christmas in New York so it gets to show off that color palette more often which is great for symbolism and aesthetic.

Young Elliot shows that the act of hiding the key from their father was protecting him. It was fighting back. Sometimes surviving is the best you can do and you need to forgive yourself for not being able to do more.

God I love this show so much.

That episode ends with the scene I most want to just overtly show off to an audience.

I already loved the show. The final episode may have broken my heart a little with its talk of "Real" but this scene? This scene gets it.

Prior to the above video clip Mr. Robot cautiously approaches and says "Hey, kiddo". Something he always says. It's who he is. Regardless of anything else he, Mr. Robot, is designed from the father Elliot wishes he had and when he hears Mr. Robot-- no Edward's voice he tenses up in terror, allowing the above scene to take place with Mr. Robot so scared that he has failed as a protector by allowing Elliot to remember and that he cannot be there for him any longer because of who he is based off of.

Those with the condition commonly create alters who are based on the traits of those in the child's life at the time the symptoms developed. I... have experience.

The lines I want to focus on the most are:

Mr Robot: If I could go back in time and change everything that happened to you... just make it all go away...

Elliot: Then I wouldn't be me... *He turns to finally look at Mr. Robot* ...and I wouldn't have you.

The final arc of the show is where the "Mastermind" twist takes center stage and Elliot enters his inner-world and finds out that he created a peaceful reality for "Real" Elliot to exist in so that he is unharmed by the horrors of the world that is crumbling in reality. Mr. Robot, as a protector, wanted to expedite the whole hack and destruction of capitalism in order to rescue "Real" Elliot from the inner-world prison. In time he came to accept "Mastermind" as a part of the whole and not a rogue alter who was endangering the body and their "Host".

S4E13 lays it all down. An imagined version of Krista speaks directly to Elliot and explains the system and their functions. Mr. Robot a father and protector who could prevent Elliot from intolerable situations. Magda, a persecutor who blamed Elliot for the abuse. Young Elliot, who Elliot could push the traumatic situations on, a common thing that many do unconsciously in CPTSD situations, dissociating from the person the trauma happened to, disconnecting until they are just another version of self.

Elliot then says "I guess she doesn't know about you." referring to us, the audience.

Krista(*) looks into the camera and addresses us directly, calling us the voyeurs who pretend we're not a part of it even though we have been here for it all. She even claims we are on her side in getting "Mastermind" to accept he is a constructed personality who was there to lash out at the society that caused him so much pain.

"You loved him so much you wanted to keep him safe, no matter the cost."

The episode ends with "Mastermind" Elliot waking up in a hospital and reuniting with Darlene only to realize that she has known the entire time that the person we have been following throughout the show wasn't her "real" brother.

...and god damn it I hate this element of the show so much.

I'll accept that they had very little time to clean things up and needed to get a way to have Mastermind agree to the fusion. I'll even demonize Darlene and say she was being selfish and ignorant in saying something hurtful because she missed the version of her brother that existed before Fsociety.

But Our version of Elliot says that he loves her and she doesn't reply. Her disappointment and resignation causes Our Elliot to go back inside and agree to the fusion.

The show ends in a first person perspective of Darlene seeing her "real" brother wake up and that's it. I'm glad we never actually see "Real" Elliot, that feels fitting.

Here's the thing about that last minute fumble though.

Let's talk about Integration and Fusion. They are different things.

Integration is when dissociative barriers come down. The system is stabilized to the point of which the alters are capable of communicating openly, sharing thoughts, memories and experiences and every part has the ability to opt in or out as life goes on.

"Functional Multiplicity" is what happens when a system is in harmony, no memories are being withheld and the system is able to go about everyday life with minimal disruption or disregulation. It is a valid goal for trauma therapy and there's a decent amount of medical stigma around it being used as the goal and not a step towards the goal. Many clinicians prioritize the appearance of normalcy over the function of the individual(s).

Fusion is when you go the extra step and take this communication and sharing of memory and experience and as you tore down the dissociative barriers you tear away the division between parts.

A system is made up of parts that make up a whole person and Fusion is the process of all parts uniting to "become" that whole person. It is a valid and normal goal for treatment. It shouldn't be held up as the only legitimate method of healing but it shouldn't be demonized for being an option. I say this because I have seen some people in support communities get real upset when the topic comes up.

The final sequence of the show, prior to Elliot opening his eyes, involves the system at the inner-world conference table agreeing to go through with it and walking towards a cinema screen. Elliot says this will only work if we go too.

The family (and audience) sit down in the movie theatre and memories flood onto the screen and pour out until all experiences and emotions are shared in one pool and Elliot Alderson opens his eyes with all 5(+audience) alters fused into one.

It was almost perfect if only Darlene hadn't have rejected the "not real" brother.

The cinema screen projecting memories, all the thoughts and experiences being shared as the Alderson System accept their parts in the whole and agree to the process? It was a beautiful visualization of a healing journey.

There are imperfect moments here and there. There are great moments I skipped over such as S3E8 (I'm not up for talking about Self-Deletion today) but all in all it's the best depiction of DID for a main character we'll likely get on TV. It's a whole and complete narrative and I love it so much. It makes me feel seen.

[interstellarleap]

Masterlist of Free PDF Versions of Textbooks Used in Undergrad SNHU Courses in 2025 C-1 (Jan - Mar)

Literally NONE of the Accounting books are available on libgen, they all have isbns that start with the same numbers, so I think they're made for the school or something. The single Advertising course also didn't have a PDF available.

This list could also be helpful if you just want to learn stuff

NOTE: I only included textbooks that have access codes if it was stated that you won't need the access code ANYWAY

ATH (anthropology)

only one course has an available pdf ATH-205 - In The Beginning: An Introduction to Archaeology

BIO (Biology)

BIO-205 Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association Essentials of Human Anatomy & Physiology 13th Edition

NOTE: These are not the only textbook you need for this class, I couldn't get the other one

CHE (IDK what this is)

CHE-329

The Aging Networks: A Guide to Policy, Programs, and Services

Publication Manual Of The American Psychological Association

CHE-460

Health Communication: Strategies and Skills for a New Era

Publication Manual Of The American Psychological Association

CJ (Criminal Justice)

CJ-303

The Wisdom of Psychopaths: What Saints, Spies, and Serial Killers Can Teach Us About Success

Without Conscious: The Disturbing World of the Psychopaths Among Us

CJ-308

Cybercrime Investigations: a Comprehensive Resource for Everyone

CJ-315

Victimology and Victim Assistance: Advocacy, Intervention, and Restoration

CJ-331

Community and Problem-Oriented Policing: Effectively Addressing Crime and Disorder

CJ-350

Deception Counterdeception and Counterintelligence

NOTE: This is not the only textbook you need for this class, I couldn't find the other one

CJ-405Private Security Today

CJ-408

Strategic Security Management-A Risk Assessment Guide for Decision Makers, Second Edition

COM (Communications)

COM-230

Graphic Design Solutions

COM-325McGraw-Hill's Proofreading Handbook

NOTE: This is not the only book you need for this course, I couldn't find the other one

COM-329

Media Now: Understanding Media, Culture, and Technology

COM-330The Only Business Writing Book You’ll Ever Need

NOTE: This is not the only book you need for this course, I couldn't find the other one

CS (Computer Science)

CS-319Interaction Design

CYB (Cyber Security)

CYB-200Fundamentals of Information Systems Security

CYB-240

Internet and Web Application Security

NOTE: This is not the only resource you need for this course. The other one is a program thingy

CYB-260Legal and Privacy Issues in Information Security

CYB-310

Hands-On Ethical Hacking and Network Defense (MindTap Course List)

NOTE: This is not the only resource you need for this course. The other one is a program thingy

CYB-400

Auditing IT Infrastructures for Compliance

NOTE: This is not the only resource you need for this course. The other one is a program thingy

CYB-420CISSP Official Study Guide

DAT (IDK what this is, but I think it's computer stuff)

DAT-430

Dashboard book

ECO (Economics)

ECO-322

International Economics

ENG (English)

ENG-226 (I'm taking this class rn, highly recommend. The book is good for any writer)

The Bloomsbury Introduction to Creative Writing: Second Edition

ENG-328

Ordinary genius: a guide for the poet within

ENG-329 (I took this course last term. The book I couldn't find is really not necessary, and is in general a bad book. Very ablest. You will, however, need the book I did find, and I recommend it even for people not taking the class. Lots of good short stories.)

100 years of the best American short stories

ENG-341You can't make this stuff up : the complete guide to writing creative nonfiction--from memoir to literary journalism and everything in between

ENG-347

Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need

NOTE: This i snot the only book you need for this course, I couldn't find the other one

ENG-350

Linguistics for Everyone: An Introduction

ENG-351Tell It Slant: Creating, Refining, and Publishing Creative Nonfiction

ENG-359 Crafting Novels & Short Stories: Everything You Need to Know to Write Great Fiction

ENV (Environmental Science)

ENV-101

Essential Environment 6th Edition The Science Behind the Stories

ENV-220

Fieldwork Ready: An introductory Guide to Field Research for Agriculture, Environment, and Soil Scientists

NOTE: You will also need lab stuff

ENV-250

A Pocket Style Manual 9th Edition

ENV-319

The Environmental Case: Translating Values Into Policy

Salzman and Thompson's Environmental Law and Policy

FAS (Fine Arts)

FAS-235Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic Classroom in a Book (2023 Release)

FAS-342 History of Modern Art

ALRIGHTY I'm tired, I will probably add ore later though! Good luck!

[mariacallous]

Amid Israeli airstrikes this week and the imminent threat of further escalations by the United States, Iran started severely limiting internet connectivity for its citizens, limiting Iranians' access to crucial information and intentionally pushing them toward domestic apps that may not be secure. Meanwhile, the Israel-tied hacking group known as Predatory Sparrow is waging cyberwar on Iran’s financial system, attacking Iran’s Sepah Bank and destroying more than $90 million in cryptocurrency held by the Iranian crypto exchange Nobitex.

With the US still reeling from last weekend's violent shooting spree in Minnesota targeting Democratic state lawmakers and their families, an FBI affidavit indicates that the suspected shooter allegedly used data broker sites to find targets’ addresses and potentially other personal information about them. The finding highlights the potential dangers of widely available personal data.

This week, WIRED published its How to Win a Fight package, which includes our roundup of tools for tracking the Trump administration’s attacks on civil liberties, plus the most up-to-date versions of our guides to protecting yourself from government surveillance, protesting safely in the age of surveillance, and protecting yourself from phone searches at the US Border. While you're at it, don't forget to print your own copy of the How to Win a Fight zine! Better yet, print two and leave one at your local coffee shop or library.

And there's more. Each week, we round up the security and privacy news we didn’t cover in depth ourselves. Click the headlines to read the full stories. And stay safe out there.

Israel Reports That Iran Is Hacking Security Cameras for Spying

Israeli officials said this week that Iran is compromising private security cameras around Israel to conduct espionage as the two countries exchange missile strikes after an initial Israeli barrage. A former Israeli cybersecurity official warned on public radio this week that Israelis should confirm that their home security cameras are protected by strong passwords or shut them down. “We know that in the past two or three days, the Iranians have been trying to connect to cameras to understand what happened and where their missiles hit to improve their precision,” Refael Franco, the former deputy director general of the Israel National Cyber Directorate, said. Like many internet-of-things devices, surveillance cameras are notoriously vulnerable to takeover if they are not secured with strong account protections. They have previously been targeted in other conflicts for intelligence gathering.

Ukrainian Hack Reportedly Caused Comms Blackouts, Data Deletion in Russia

The Kyiv Post reported this week that hackers from Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) launched a cyberattack against Russian internet service provider Orion Telecom that disabled 370 servers, took down roughly 500 network switches, and wiped backup systems to hinder recovery. The attacks reportedly caused internet and television outages. Orion Telecom reportedly said that it was recovering from a large DDoS attack and would quickly restore service. The attack came on June 12, the national holiday known as Russia Day. “Happy holiday, disrespectful Russians," the attackers wrote in a message circulated on Telegram groups. "Soon you’ll be living in the Stone Age—and we’ll help you get there. Glory to Ukraine.” The attackers claim to be part of Ukraine's BO Team hacking group. Sources told the Kyiv Post that Russian security agencies working on the country's war against Ukraine use Orion Telecom and were affected by the connectivity outages.

Viasat ID’ed as Another Victim in China’s Salt Typhoon Telecom Hacking Spree

Bloomberg reported this week that the satellite communication firm Viasat discovered a breach earlier this year perpetrated by China's Salt Typhoon espionage-focused hacking group. In early December, US authorities revealed that Salt Typhoon hackers had embedded themselves in major US telecoms, including AT&T and Verizon. After revelations last year of the group's extensive telecom hacking spree in the US and elsewhere, WIRED reported in February that Salt Typhoon was still actively breaching new victims. Viasat says it has been cooperating with federal authorities to investigate its breach.

23andMe Hit With UK Fine Over 2023 Data Breach

The United Kingdom's Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) said this week that it issued a £2.31 million ($3.1 million) fine to the beleaguered genetic testing company 23andMe as a result of the company's damaging 2023 data breach. Attackers were able to access user accounts and their data using stolen login credentials, because at the time 23andMe did not require that users set up two-factor authentication, which the ICO says violated the UK's data protection law. The company has since mandated this protection for all users. More than 155,000 UK residents had their data stolen in the breach, according to the ICO, which said that 23andMe “did not have additional verification steps for users to access and download their raw genetic data” when the breach occurred.

[socialpants]

The world is on fire, here's what you can do

There are selected links at the end for further reading and i’ve drawn from some of them to make this post.

I want to emphasize that the way to go forward is to keep focusing on how you personally can empower yourself, and empower your communities. Because right now the Musk-Trump-Thiel coalition’s goal is to keep throwing shit at you to make you keel over in despair because it’s all so overwhelming, and to combat that despair, that overwhelm, you have to focus on what you can do:

1. Connect with your communities. You’re gonna have to talk to people. Not just people online, but people you know. Get to know more people. Create mutual aid communities. Brain storm together what skills and supplies can be shared. How needs can be met. I’m not advocating you don’t use government programs/help, I’m advocating preparing for situations where those may not exist. In fact, if you are using a government program/service, keep using it, no matter what the TV says about how some executive order shut it down. It’s not shut down until it’s legally shut down. Until the workers on location tell you it’s shut down. Keep using them. Do not comply in advance. Do not comply at all. Make them make you.

2. Skill up. Learn new skills that will help you and your communities, and teach the skills you have to others. This is the perfect opportunity to learn first aid, basic chemistry, fixing cars, how to organize or protest, how to preserve food, how to grow more, how to make fabrics and upcycle existing items, how to read law, how to hack a computer or a system. Learn alternative methods of keeping in contact over long distances. Practice good cyber security, drop those big social medias and get on federated ones. Switch to Mozilla and Linux. Learn a new foreign language. Take up some self-defence.

3. Use the internet with intent. Don’t doom scroll. It’s not going to help. You’re not getting good information even from “left wing” videos when they advertise their content with clickbait. Those videos will not help you. They’ll either make you feel despair, or they’ll give you a false sense of security that someone else, somewhere else, is already taking care of this, and you don’t have to do anything. It’ll be fine. That’s not a proactive state of mind. When you get online, have a goal what information you’re looking for or what you’re communicating, then get out. When you need your lil relaxation time, if you want to do that online, set a time limit. There are a lot of ad-ons you can use on browsers to do this if you don’t quite trust yourself yet.

4. Get involved in politics. Check who your local representatives are, and contact them. Press them on their stances and what they’re doing about them. Show up at town hall. Make flyers, make zines, make stickers. Hell, show up in your community meetings. These are the people you live with. They may not be perfect, but life is not perfect. We can still keep making it better all the time. We got from celebrating public dismemberment with horses to that being an abhorrent idea. Humans do develop for better. But we can’t do that alone, and we can’t do that passively. It’s a conscious, combined effort.

LINKS

For tracking what laws you should be keeping an eye out:

For keeping track of Trump BS:

Find out who your political key figures are on every level in your state: https://ballotpedia.org/Local_Politics

How to create a mutual aid network: https://afsc.org/news/how-create-mutual-aid-network

How to survive an oppressive government from an indigenous anarchist perspective (includes further links):

Some handy guides for no particular reason:

There's a fun video in this link:

[abivanceconnect]

Social Media and Privacy Concerns!!! What You Need to Know???

In a world that is becoming more digital by the day, social media has also become part of our day-to-day lives. From the beginning of sharing personal updates to networking with professionals, social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have changed the way we communicate. However, concerns over privacy have also grown, where users are wondering what happens to their personal information. If you use social media often, it is important to be aware of these privacy risks. In this article, we will outline the main issues and the steps you need to take to protect your online data privacy. (Related: Top 10 Pros and Cons of Social media)

1. How Social Media Platforms Scrape Your Data The majority of social media platforms scrape plenty of user information, including your: ✅ Name, email address, and phone number ✅ Location and web browsing history ✅ Likes, comments, and search history-derived interests. Although this enhances the user experience as well as advertising, it has serious privacy issues. (Read more about social media pros and cons here) 2. Risks of Excessive Sharing Personal Information Many users unknowingly expose themselves to security risks through excessive sharing of personal information. Posting details of your daily routine, location, or personal life can lead to: ⚠️ Identity theft ⚠️Stalking and harassment ⚠️ Cyber fraud

This is why you need to alter your privacy settings and be careful about what you post on the internet. (Read this article to understand how social media affects users.) 3. The Role of Third-Party Apps in Data Breaches Did you register for a site with Google or Facebook? Handy, maybe, but in doing so, you're granting apps access to look at your data, normally more than is necessary. Some high profile privacy scandals, the Cambridge Analytica one being an example, have shown how social media information can be leveraged for in politics and advertising. To minimize danger: 👍Regularly check app permissions 👍Don't sign up multiple accounts where you don't need to 👍Strong passwords and two-factor authentication To get an in-depth overview of social media's impact on security, read this detailed guide. 4. How Social Media Algorithms Follow You You may not realize this, but social media algorithms are tracking you everywhere. From the likes you share to the amount of time you watch a video, sites monitor it all through AI-driven algorithms that learn from behavior and build personalized feeds. Though it can drive user engagement, it also: ⚠️ Forms filter bubbles that limit different perspectives ⚠️ Increases data exposure in case of hacks ⚠️ Increases ethical concerns around online surveillance Understanding the advantages and disadvantages of social media will help you make an informed decision. (Find out more about it here) 5. Maintaining Your Privacy: Real-Life Tips

To protect your personal data on social media: ✅ Update privacy settings to limit sharing of data ✅ Be cautious when accepting friend requests from unknown people ✅ Think before you post—consider anything shared online can be seen by others ✅ Use encrypted messaging apps for sensitive conversations These small habits can take you a long way in protecting your online existence. (For more detailed information, read this article) Final Thoughts Social media is a powerful tool that connects people, companies, and communities. There are privacy concerns, though, and you need to be clever about how your data is being utilized. Being careful about what you share, adjusting privacy settings, and using security best practices can enable you to enjoy the benefits of social media while being safe online. Interested in learning more about how social media influences us? Check out our detailed article on the advantages and disadvantages of social media and the measures to be taken to stay safe on social media.

[spacepiratenemo]

Haking the Nation -

Dare to mess with the best Mecha in this goddamn universe? Why not be hacked in an instant, all your computers and machines obey - Technology meets its Boss.

Nemo’s Quantum Hack Ability may be mostly useless skill in the Blue World; but against Machines, any Computer or Tech, it’s like a natural counterpart. Pacifista? Scared? PAH! These guys are hacked faster than you can bat an eye! ✨

Whereas a candle could never beat an ocean of water, Tech can never beat the Mouse. Oh, yeah! Mice! They know how to bite dem cables *puns intended* Do not forget, according to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy which heavily inspired my Lunarian Guide to the Blue World (OBVIOUSLY!) - Mice are the most intelligent species on earth! And since Nemo is lovingly dubbed a mouse too - GUESS WHAT?! (* ￣3)(ε￣ *)

Honestly, I just wanted to draw my cheeky lil’ space pirate doing some hackin’ work in cyberspace; breaching security systems like a pro. And dem glasses are just HAWT! 💥⚠

I also wanted to play with some lighting, give it some neat cyber effect and make it pop.

This was so much fun to do; like I might do a few more of that. Hope all ya’ll enjoy some cyberpunky Nemo.

[socialmediahackerweb]

How to Hire a Social Media Hacker Safely: A Complete Guide

In today’s tech-driven world, social media accounts are more than just a place for socializing—they are gateways to personal and business data. Whether you're locked out of your account, worried about digital privacy, or need to strengthen your security, hiring a hacker might seem like a quick fix. However, it's important to approach this cautiously. In this guide, we'll explain how to safely and legally hire a social media hacker, what to look for, and the risks involved.

1. Why Hire a Social Media Hacker?

There are a variety of reasons why you might consider hiring a hacker for your social media needs. Some of the most common include:

Account Recovery: Losing access to a social media account due to hacking or forgotten passwords can be frustrating. A professional hacker can bypass recovery protocols and get you back in.

Security Audits: Ethical hackers can identify weaknesses in your social media security, helping you prevent future cyber-attacks.

Data Retrieval: For business purposes, some companies hire hackers to retrieve important information or gain insights into competitors.

While the idea of hiring a hacker might seem risky, when done ethically and legally, it can be a helpful resource in regaining control over your online assets.

2. What is a Professional Social Media Hacker?

A professional social media hacker is an expert skilled in identifying and exploiting weaknesses in social media platforms to recover accounts, enhance security, or gather data. These hackers fall into two categories:

White-Hat Hackers: Ethical hackers who work within legal boundaries. They are typically hired for account recovery, security testing, and digital protection services.

Black-Hat Hackers: Individuals who use their skills for malicious purposes, such as unauthorized access or data theft.

It's essential to make sure you're hiring a white-hat hacker to ensure the legality of their actions. White-hat hackers use legitimate methods to help you regain access or fortify your account.

3. How to Hire a Social Media Hacker

Finding a reliable social media hacker takes more than just a quick Google search. Here’s how you can find a legitimate hacker without falling for scams:

Freelance Platforms: Websites like Upwork, Freelancer, and Fiverr host professionals offering hacking and cybersecurity services. Be sure to check reviews and ask for verifiable past work.

Cybersecurity Firms: Many reputable companies specialize in ethical hacking services. Hiring through these firms ensures that you’re working with professionals who will operate within legal boundaries.

Hacker Forums: There are many online forums where ethical hackers offer their services. However, proceed with caution, as these forums can also be a breeding ground for scams.

Once you find a hacker, ask for credentials or proof of their experience with the platform you need help with, such as Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

4. The Benefits of Hiring a Professional Social Media Hacker

When you hire a social media hacker, you're not just gaining access to your account; you're investing in your online security and peace of mind. Here are the key benefits:

Quick Account Recovery: Forget the long, frustrating customer support routes. A professional hacker can help you regain access faster.

Improved Security: By running security checks and vulnerability assessments, hackers can help you secure your social media accounts and prevent future breaches.

Competitive Advantage: In business, accessing legally obtained data from competitors can help improve your strategies.

Hiring a hacker can be a valuable tool for both personal and professional needs, but only when done ethically.

5. Legal Risks of Hiring a Social Media Hacker

While hiring a hacker can solve a number of problems, it’s essential to understand the risks involved:

Illegal Hacking: Hacking someone else's social media account without permission is illegal and can result in serious legal consequences. Always make sure that your actions, and the actions of the hacker you hire, are within the legal framework.

Scammers: Unfortunately, there are many untrustworthy individuals who claim to be hackers but are really out to scam people. Be careful when sharing personal information, and only work with vetted professionals.

Ethical Concerns: Even if a hacker offers to retrieve information from someone else’s account, remember that doing so without consent is unethical and illegal.

Before you hire, ensure that the hacker’s actions will be lawful and ethical to avoid any legal trouble.

6. How to Protect Yourself When Hiring a Hacker

To safely hire a social media hacker, here are some best practices to follow:

Do Your Research: Take the time to verify the hacker’s credentials. Look at their previous work, ask for references, and check for any feedback from past clients.

Use Secure Communication: Always communicate securely with the hacker to protect your personal information. Avoid sharing sensitive data over unencrypted platforms.

Create a Clear Agreement: Before any work begins, have a formal contract that outlines the services to be performed and the legal limitations. This protects both parties and ensures that the work stays within ethical boundaries.

7. Hiring a Social Media Hacker: What to Expect

When working with a professional hacker, clear communication and expectations are essential. Here’s what to expect:

Transparent Pricing: The cost of hiring a hacker can vary depending on the complexity of the task. Be wary of hackers who offer extremely low rates, as they might not be legitimate.

Clear Communication: A professional hacker should explain the process clearly and answer any questions you have along the way.

Results: Whether you’re looking for account recovery or a security audit, a professional hacker should deliver results within the agreed-upon timeframe.

Conclusion: The Right Way to Hire a Social Media Hacker

Hiring a social media hacker can be an effective way to recover lost accounts, strengthen security, or gain strategic insights. However, it’s essential to hire a reputable, ethical hacker who operates within legal boundaries. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can safely and legally hire a professional social media hacker to help with your digital needs.

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Unlocking Cyber Security: Your Essential Guide to a Safer Digital Journey

The world of Cyber Security—a digital fortress protecting your online world. In this guide, we unravel the mystery of Cyber Security to empower you with the knowledge needed to navigate the virtual landscape safely.

Buckle up as we embark on this journey into the heart of Cyber Security. Together, we'll demystify the complexities, providing you with the tools and most importantly, knowledge needed to fortify your digital presence. Let's make your online experience not just secure, but also stress-free.

Understanding Cyber Threats

In the vast digital expanse, Cyber Threats lurk like unseen shadows, aiming to disrupt your online peace. Let's peel back the layers and understand these virtual adversaries.

The Basics: What Exactly are Cyber Threats?

Cyber Threats are the mischievous characters of the internet world, sneaking around to cause trouble. They come in various forms, from sneaky viruses to cunning hackers. 

Breaking it Down: Types of Cyber Threats

Viruses and Malware: These are like digital infections, spreading through the online world.

Phishing Attacks: Picture online scams as fishing expeditions, trying to hook your sensitive information.

Hacking Shenanigans: Cybercriminals who attempt to break into your digital fortress, such as burglars trying to pick locks.

Why Cyber Threats Matter to You

Understanding Cyber Threats is crucial because, without this knowledge, your online world is similar to an unguarded fortress. Because they can infiltrate, disrupt, and can also cause chaos. It's like leaving the front door wide open.

How Support, Managed Service, and Uptime Play a Role

 They're here to fortify your defenses, ensuring Cyber Threats have a tough time infiltrating. Click on these terms to discover how they form the backbone of your online security.

Facing Cyber Threats Together

Now that we've unveiled the shadows of Cyber Threats, the next step is arming yourself with knowledge. Stay with us as we explore the tools and strategies to outsmart these digital troublemakers. Together, we'll make your online journey not just safer but also more enjoyable. Onward!

Importance of Cyber Security Measures

In the vast playground of the internet, Cyber Security stands as your reliable companion, offering protection and also peace of mind. It's not just for big companies; but also everyone who uses a computer, a phone, or anything online. So now let's dive into why Cyber Security is your digital shield, while also keeping the bad stuff away.

Protection Beyond Passwords

Cyber Security goes way beyond just having strong passwords. However, it's like having a smart guard at your digital gate, watching out for any suspicious activity and also making sure only the good stuff gets through.

Guarding Your Digital Castle

For instance, think of your digital life as a domain, and Cyber Security as the essential shield fortifying its boundaries. It keeps the cyber-dragons (those pesky online threats) at bay, while also ensuring your personal information stays safe and sound inside.

Why You Need Support, Managed Service, and Uptime

Now, here's the secret sauce – Cyber Security is not a one-time thing. It's a continuous effort. That's why you need Support, Managed Service, and also Uptime in your corner, however, it keeps your digital world running smoothly.

Support: Your Digital Lifesaver

When things get tricky, our Support team is here. They're like your digital lifeguards, ready to rescue you from any online wave that might knock you off your feet.

Managed Service: Making Your Life Easier

Our Managed Service takes care of the tricky technical work for you. It's similar to a reliable companion managing all the tech details, while also allowing you to concentrate on your preferred online activities.

Uptime: Keeping You Connected 24/7

It measures how consistently a computer system or service remains operational, reflecting the reliability and accessibility of the system over a specified period.

Best Practices for Cyber Security

Navigating the digital world can be tricky, but with these Cyber Security best practices, you can navigate the online landscape with confidence.

1. Fortify Your Passwords

Creating a strong password is your primary defense. Think of it as locking the door to your digital house. Much better to use a mix of letters, numbers, and if possible, includes symbols – it's like adding extra locks.

2. Keep Software Updated

Imagine your digital world, where software updates function as essential elements to keep everything running smoothly. Regular updates make sure your digital programs stay safe and sound, keeping the danger away.

3. Be Cautious with Emails

Emails can sometimes be like tricky. Be mindful – because if something seems off, don't you open it. That is why our Support team is here to guide you through any email mysteries.

4. Back Up Your Digital Treasures

Keep your important files, keep it as treasures – back them up! It's like having a secret vault, so even if something goes wrong, you won't lose your precious digital memories.

5. Embrace Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Two-Factor Authentication is similar to having an extra protection. Because it adds an extra layer of security, this one ensuring only you can access your digital world.

Why You Need Support, Managed Service, and Uptime

Following these best practices is much important at all, however it's not a solo act. That's where Support, Managed Service, and Uptime come in – like your trusty support team, making sure you stay on the right path of cyber-heroism.

Support: Your Digital Guides

Our Support team is your go-to guide, that is to say our team is helping you navigate the digital landscape. That is why if you ever feel lost, they're just a click away.

Managed Service: Your Tech Wizard

Having a tech professional by your side – which our Managed Service can handle the tech stuff so you can focus on the fun.

Uptime: Your Digital Assurance

Uptime is your digital assurance. Because it ensures your online world is always open for adventure, and also never leaving you stranded.

By following these Cyber Security best practices and having your digital allies, you'll be surfing the digital waves worry-free.

Conclusion

As we wrap up our journey through the world of Cyber Security, always remember – your digital safety is our top priority. Whether it's learning more about Cyber Security or even exploring the benefits of Managed Service, your digital adventure continues. Click, explore, and embrace the limitless possibilities of a secure and also enjoyable online world. Your digital tomorrow awaits – so let's make more it extraordinary together!

[industry212]

What are the 10 must-read cybersecurity books for beginners and experts alike?

Cybersecurity is a rapidly evolving field, and staying updated with the latest trends, techniques, and best practices is essential for both beginners and experts. Here are ten must-read cybersecurity books that cover a wide range of topics, from fundamentals to advanced concepts:

For Beginners:

"Cybersecurity for Beginners" by Raef Meeuwisse: This book provides a comprehensive introduction to cybersecurity concepts, principles, and practices. It covers topics such as threat landscape, risk management, cryptography, network security, and incident response in a beginner-friendly manner.

"The Art of Invisibility: The World's Most Famous Hacker Teaches You How to Be Safe in the Age of Big Brother and Big Data" by Kevin Mitnick: Written by renowned hacker Kevin Mitnick, this book offers practical advice on protecting your privacy and security in the digital age. It covers topics such as online anonymity, encryption, social engineering, and secure communication.

"Social Engineering: The Science of Human Hacking" by Christopher Hadnagy: Social engineering is a common tactic used by cyber attackers to manipulate human behavior and gain unauthorized access to systems. This book explores the psychology behind social engineering attacks and provides insights into how to recognize and defend against them.

"Hacking: The Art of Exploitation" by Jon Erickson: This book offers a hands-on introduction to the technical aspects of hacking and cybersecurity. It covers topics such as programming, network protocols, buffer overflows, and exploit development, providing practical exercises and examples for readers to follow along.

"The Web Application Hacker's Handbook: Finding and Exploiting Security Flaws" by Dafydd Stuttard and Marcus Pinto: Web applications are a common target for cyber attacks, and understanding their vulnerabilities is essential for securing them. This book provides a comprehensive guide to web application security testing, covering topics such as injection attacks, authentication bypass, and cross-site scripting (XSS).

For Experts:

"Practical Malware Analysis: The Hands-On Guide to Dissecting Malicious Software" by Michael Sikorski and Andrew Honig: Malware analysis is a critical skill for cybersecurity professionals tasked with defending against advanced threats. This book offers a practical, hands-on approach to analyzing malware samples, covering topics such as static and dynamic analysis techniques, reverse engineering, and threat intelligence.

"The Tangled Web: A Guide to Securing Modern Web Applications" by Michal Zalewski: As web technologies continue to evolve, so do the security challenges associated with them. This book provides a deep dive into the complexities of web security, covering topics such as browser security models, web application architecture, and common vulnerabilities like cross-site request forgery (CSRF) and clickjacking.

"Blue Team Handbook: Incident Response Edition: A condensed field guide for the Cyber Security Incident Responder" by Don Murdoch GSE: Incident response is a critical aspect of cybersecurity, and having a well-prepared blue team is essential for effectively detecting, containing, and responding to security incidents. This handbook provides practical guidance and best practices for incident responders, covering topics such as incident detection, triage, and containment.

"Network Security Assessment: Know Your Network" by Chris McNab: Conducting thorough security assessments is essential for identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities in network infrastructure. This book offers a comprehensive guide to network security assessment methodologies, tools, and techniques, covering topics such as reconnaissance, scanning, enumeration, and exploitation.

"The Hacker Playbook 3: Practical Guide To Penetration Testing" by Peter Kim: Penetration testing is a crucial component of cybersecurity, allowing organizations to identify and remediate security weaknesses before they can be exploited by attackers. This book provides a practical, hands-on approach to penetration testing, covering topics such as reconnaissance, vulnerability assessment, exploitation, and post-exploitation techniques.

Conclusion:

Whether you're just starting out in cybersecurity or you're an experienced professional looking to expand your knowledge, these ten books offer valuable insights and practical guidance for navigating the complex landscape of cybersecurity. From understanding the fundamentals of cybersecurity to mastering advanced techniques in malware analysis, web security, incident response, and penetration testing, these books cover a wide range of topics to help you stay ahead of emerging threats and protect against cyber attacks.

Read More Blogs:

Top 10 Cybersecurity Trends for the Next Decade

Cybersecurity in Healthcare: New Innovations and Developments

Challenges in Implementing Cybersecurity Frameworks

[attorneyadamburke1]

What Every Columbus Resident Must Know About Federal Criminal Defense

Facing a federal criminal charge is a life-altering experience. Whether you live in Columbus, Ohio, or anywhere else in the United States, understanding how the federal criminal justice system works is vital if you ever find yourself or a loved one under investigation. Federal cases differ significantly from state cases in terms of complexity, consequences, and legal procedures. This blog will walk you through what every Columbus resident should know about federal criminal defense—from how the system works to the kinds of crimes typically charged and the role of specialized attorneys.

Understanding the Federal Criminal Justice System

The federal government handles crimes that cross state lines, involve federal agencies, or violate specific federal statutes. Agencies like the FBI, IRS, DEA, and Homeland Security often lead investigations into these offenses. Once charges are brought, the case proceeds through federal court, not state court, and follows federal rules of criminal procedure.

Federal crimes usually carry harsher penalties, longer sentences, and stricter guidelines. They also involve more thorough investigations, often lasting months or even years before an arrest is made. That’s why having the right legal representation is crucial from the start.

Types of Federal Crimes

Federal criminal charges cover a wide range of offenses, many of which are financially motivated or involve complex systems. Here are some of the most common:

Tax Fraud: Willfully evading taxes or filing false returns can result in felony charges. A skilled tax fraud lawyer can help navigate these intricate legal issues and potentially reduce penalties.

Cyber Crime: This includes hacking, identity theft, and online fraud. A knowledgeable cyber crime attorney understands digital evidence and can challenge its validity in court.

Welfare Fraud: Misusing government assistance programs can lead to severe consequences. A welfare fraud attorney can work to prove lack of intent or errors in documentation.

Securities Fraud: This covers insider trading, Ponzi schemes, and misleading investors. A securities fraud lawyer can analyze financial records and negotiate with federal prosecutors.

Health Care Fraud: Involves overbilling, fake diagnoses, or fraudulent Medicare claims. A health care fraud attorney is essential for defending against these complex accusations.

Financial Fraud: From wire fraud to embezzlement, these cases often rely on paper trails. A financial fraud lawyer can identify weaknesses in the prosecution's financial data.

The Stakes Are Higher in Federal Cases

One of the most important things to understand is that federal cases are not just "bigger" versions of state cases—they are entirely different animals. Federal prosecutors are highly experienced, and the federal sentencing guidelines are rigid.

Convictions can lead to:

Lengthy prison sentences

Large fines and restitution

Loss of professional licenses

Asset seizure

Immigration consequences for non-citizens

This is why immediate action and proper legal representation are non-negotiable.

Why Early Legal Help Is Critical

If you even suspect that you are under federal investigation, it is essential to contact an experienced attorney immediately. This is not the time to wait and see. A federal case can escalate quickly, and any statements or actions you take early on could be used against you.

Your lawyer can:

Intervene with investigators before charges are filed

Negotiate to reduce or dismiss charges

Develop a strategic defense early on

Guide you through complex federal procedures

Having a lawyer who understands federal law and has experience in federal courts is a must—not all criminal defense attorneys are equipped for this.

What to Look for in a Federal Criminal Defense Attorney

Choosing the right attorney can make all the difference in the outcome of your case. Here are some things to consider:

Federal Experience: Make sure the lawyer has handled federal cases, not just state-level offenses.

Strong Communication Skills: Your lawyer should explain things clearly and keep you informed.

Access to Experts: The best federal defense involves expert witnesses, investigators, and financial analysts.

Track Record: Look for testimonials, case results, or peer recognition.

Don’t hesitate to ask questions during your consultation. Your future is on the line.

The Process of a Federal Criminal Case

Understanding what to expect can help you stay prepared:

Investigation: Federal agencies collect evidence and build a case.

Grand Jury Indictment: Charges are formally filed.

Arrest and Initial Appearance: You are taken into custody and appear before a judge.

Bail Hearing: The court decides if you will be released or held.

Pre-Trial Motions and Hearings: Legal groundwork is laid.

Plea Bargain or Trial: Many cases are resolved with a plea deal, but some go to trial.

Sentencing: If convicted, sentencing follows federal guidelines.

Why Columbus Residents Need Local Representation with Federal Experience

While federal law is the same nationwide, having an attorney who understands the local courts, judges, and prosecutors can provide a strategic edge. Columbus residents should seek lawyers who practice in Ohio’s federal districts and know how to work within that system effectively.

Common Defenses in Federal Criminal Cases

Every case is different, but here are some common defense strategies:

Lack of Intent: Proving the crime was not committed knowingly.

Insufficient Evidence: Challenging the strength or legality of the evidence.

Entrapment: Showing law enforcement induced you to commit a crime you wouldn’t have otherwise.

Mistaken Identity: Demonstrating that the authorities have the wrong person.

Your attorney will tailor the defense strategy based on the specific details of your case.

Contact Attorney Adam Burke at the Law Firm Today

If you or a loved one is under investigation or facing federal criminal charges, now is the time to act. The earlier you get legal help, the better your chances of protecting your rights and securing your future. Attorney Adam Burke has experience defending clients in complex federal cases, including fraud, financial crimes, and more.

[himanshu123]

Navigating the IoT Landscape: Choosing the Platform That Fits Your Business 

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, businesses are increasingly adopting IoT technology solutions to enhance their operations, streamline processes, and provide innovative services. The Internet of Things (IoT) connects physical devices to the internet, enabling them to collect, exchange, and process data in real-time. However, choosing the right IoT platform for your business needs is crucial for maximizing the potential of IoT technology solutions. The right platform will enable seamless integration, scalability, security, and easy management of IoT devices, helping businesses stay ahead of the competition. In this blog, we will guide you through the key factors to consider when selecting the perfect IoT platform for your business. 

Understanding the Role of an IoT Platform 

An IoT platform acts as a bridge between IoT devices and the applications that process the data generated by those devices. The platform handles various aspects, including device management, data processing, and application integration. It is crucial to choose a platform that suits your specific business needs, as it will determine how efficiently you can collect and use the data generated by your IoT devices. 

The key functions of an IoT platform include: 

Device management: Ensuring IoT devices are connected, monitored, and maintained. 

Data processing and storage: Collecting, storing, and processing data generated by devices. 

Security: Protecting data and devices from unauthorized access or cyber threats. 

Application integration: Ensuring seamless integration with other software or business systems. 

Scalability: Enabling your IoT infrastructure to grow as your business expands. 

Choosing the right platform will allow you to leverage IoT technology solutions to their full potential, improving operational efficiency, reducing costs, and enhancing customer experiences. 

Key Considerations for Choosing the Right IoT Platform 

When selecting an IoT platform, there are several critical factors you need to consider: 

1. Business Requirements 

Your specific business requirements will largely dictate the type of IoT platform you need. For example, if your business focuses on smart home devices, you may need a platform that excels in managing low-power, low-cost devices. On the other hand, if you’re in the industrial or manufacturing sector, you may require a platform capable of handling large-scale deployments, managing complex devices, and processing vast amounts of data. 

Identifying your business goals and understanding the specific needs of your industry will help you narrow down the best IoT platform for your business. 

2. Scalability and Flexibility 

As your business grows, your IoT infrastructure needs to be scalable. The platform you choose should be able to handle a growing number of connected devices and process increasing amounts of data without compromising on performance. Additionally, the platform should be flexible enough to accommodate new device types, protocols, and applications as your business evolves. 

It’s important to assess the scalability of the IoT platform in terms of both horizontal and vertical growth. Horizontal scalability ensures that the platform can support an increased number of devices, while vertical scalability ensures that the platform can handle higher volumes of data processing and storage. 

3. Security Features 

Security is a top priority when it comes to IoT devices and platforms. Since IoT devices are often connected to the internet, they can be vulnerable to hacking, data breaches, and other cyber threats. Choose a platform that offers robust security features such as encryption, secure data transmission, user authentication, and device access control. 

The platform should also comply with relevant security standards and regulations to protect sensitive business and customer data. Ensure that the platform provides continuous security updates and vulnerability patches to mitigate emerging threats. 

4. Data Processing and Analytics Capabilities 

One of the main benefits of IoT technology is the ability to collect and analyze vast amounts of data generated by IoT devices. However, managing and making sense of this data can be a challenge without the right tools. Choose an IoT platform that offers powerful data processing and analytics capabilities. 

Look for platforms that offer real-time data processing, machine learning (ML) integration, and advanced analytics tools. These features allow you to gain insights from the data collected, optimize business operations, and improve decision-making. 

5. Integration with Existing Systems 

Your IoT platform should seamlessly integrate with existing business systems, including enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM), and other software applications. This integration enables better data flow across systems, enhances efficiency, and provides a unified view of your business operations. 

Before choosing an IoT platform, assess its ability to integrate with your current infrastructure and third-party applications, either via APIs or pre-built connectors. This will ensure smooth data sharing and reduce the time and effort needed to manage disparate systems. 

6. Cost and Return on Investment (ROI) 

Cost is always a critical factor when making any business decision, and IoT platforms are no exception. Some IoT platforms offer flexible pricing models based on the number of devices, data usage, or storage needs, while others may have a subscription-based model. 

To make a cost-effective decision, evaluate the pricing structure of different IoT platforms and determine which one offers the best value for your business. Additionally, use a mobile app cost calculator to estimate the potential cost savings or ROI of implementing an IoT platform based on your business needs. This can help you better understand the long-term financial impact and benefits of the platform. 

If you're interested in exploring the benefits of Iot development services for your business, we encourage you to book an appointment with our team of experts. 

Book an Appointment 

Conclusion: The Future of IoT and IoT Mobile App Development 

Choosing the right IoT platform is crucial to the success of your business’s IoT strategy. It ensures that you can efficiently manage your IoT devices, collect and process data, and scale your infrastructure as your business grows. With the right platform, you can unlock the full potential of IoT technology solutions, improving business efficiency, reducing operational costs, and enhancing customer experiences. 

If your business is considering developing an IoT-enabled mobile app to further leverage IoT capabilities, partnering with an experienced team for IoT Mobile App Development is the next logical step. An experienced development team can help you design and build apps that seamlessly integrate with IoT platforms, ensuring a smooth user experience and providing valuable insights from your connected devices. 

[98edits]

The Ultimate Guide to Cyber Security for Companies in the Digital Age

In today's digital-first world, cyber security for companies has become more than just a technical necessity—it is a core part of business strategy. As organizations increasingly rely on technology for operations, communication, and data storage, the risks of cyberattacks grow exponentially. From small startups to large enterprises, no company is immune to the threat of hacking, data breaches, ransomware, and phishing. Strengthening digital defenses not only safeguards sensitive information but also protects brand reputation, customer trust, and operational continuity. This guide explores the essential aspects of cyber security for companies and why every business must invest in robust cyber protection strategies.

Understanding the Importance of Cybersecurity for Companies

Cyber security for companies is essential in safeguarding critical assets such as financial data, customer information, and proprietary technology. Without strong defenses, businesses face financial loss, legal consequences, and reputational damage. A single cyberattack can cripple operations and result in long-term fallout. Investing in cybersecurity is not just about prevention but also about resilience—ensuring a company can detect, respond to, and recover from incidents effectively. In a world where cyber threats evolve constantly, companies must prioritize security as a fundamental business function, integrating it into every layer of their organization and making it part of their long-term risk management strategy.

Key Threats Facing Businesses in the Digital Era

Cyber security for companies is increasingly challenged by sophisticated and persistent threats. Common dangers include phishing scams that trick employees into giving up credentials, ransomware that locks critical files, and insider threats that compromise sensitive data. Hackers also exploit outdated software and unpatched systems, gaining unauthorized access to business networks. With the rise of remote work and cloud services, attack surfaces have expanded dramatically. Small and medium-sized businesses are especially vulnerable, as they often lack dedicated IT security teams. To counter these evolving risks, companies must continuously monitor threat landscapes and adopt proactive measures to secure their digital environments.

Best Practices for Company-Wide Cyber Protection

Effective cyber security for companies involves adopting best practices across all departments and systems. This starts with conducting regular risk assessments to identify vulnerabilities and implementing firewalls, anti-malware software, and data encryption. Creating strong password policies, using multi-factor authentication, and regularly updating software are critical steps. Businesses should also establish incident response plans to act swiftly during breaches. Backing up important data regularly and securely storing it offsite ensures recovery after an attack. By fostering a culture of security awareness and embedding these practices into daily operations, companies can create a resilient cyber defense structure that minimizes exposure to threats.

Cybersecurity for Companies Begins with Employee Training

Human error remains one of the biggest vulnerabilities in cyber security for companies. Employees can inadvertently fall victim to phishing emails, download malware, or use weak passwords. Therefore, comprehensive training programs are vital. Regular cybersecurity awareness sessions help staff recognize suspicious behavior, understand safe browsing habits, and learn how to report incidents. Simulated attacks and real-life scenarios prepare teams to respond correctly during threats. Empowering employees with knowledge not only reduces risk but also fosters a collective responsibility for digital safety. A company’s cybersecurity is only as strong as its least informed employee, making training a cornerstone of defense.

Choosing the Right Cybersecurity Tools for Your Business

Selecting the appropriate tools is a crucial component of cyber security for companies. The right mix of software and hardware can protect against various threats and ensure compliance with data protection regulations. Businesses should consider endpoint protection, intrusion detection systems, firewalls, and secure email gateways tailored to their needs. Cloud security platforms and vulnerability scanners can further strengthen defenses. It’s also important to integrate security information and event management (SIEM) tools for real-time monitoring. Choosing scalable solutions that grow with the business helps avoid gaps in protection. With expert consultation and regular evaluations, companies can ensure their tools remain effective.

How Cybersecurity Policies Help Protect Company Data?

Strong policies form the backbone of effective cyber security for companies. A well-defined cybersecurity policy outlines protocols for handling data, accessing systems, and responding to security incidents. It ensures that all employees, vendors, and contractors adhere to strict guidelines that reduce risk. These policies should address data classification, acceptable use, mobile device management, and incident reporting procedures. Regularly reviewing and updating the policy ensures it adapts to new technologies and emerging threats. When enforced consistently, cybersecurity policies create accountability, promote compliance with legal standards, and protect the organization’s most valuable digital assets from unauthorized access or accidental leaks.

Future Trends in Cybersecurity for Companies

The future of cyber security for companies is shaped by emerging technologies and increasingly complex threats. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are transforming threat detection by identifying anomalies faster than ever. Zero-trust architecture, which verifies every user and device before granting access, is gaining traction. As businesses adopt Internet of Things (IoT) devices, securing interconnected systems becomes essential. Quantum computing also poses new challenges for encryption methods. Companies must stay informed about these trends and continuously innovate their defenses. By investing in adaptive technologies and future-proof strategies, businesses can stay one step ahead of cybercriminals in the years to come.

Conclusion

Cyber security for companies is no longer optional—it's an essential aspect of modern business operations. With cyberattacks growing in sophistication and frequency, companies must take proactive steps to protect their digital environments. This includes understanding potential threats, implementing best practices, training employees, and choosing the right tools and policies. The cost of inaction can be devastating, affecting revenue, reputation, and long-term viability. By treating cybersecurity as a strategic priority and staying ahead of evolving risks, companies can build a secure foundation for growth and innovation. A strong cybersecurity posture not only protects data but also ensures trust, compliance, and business resilience.