#Spyware protection

[filehulk]

SpyHunter

SpyHunter is a powerful tool for detecting and removing the latest spyware, trojans, rootkits, ransomware, keyloggers, and other malicious software on Windows PCs. Designed for everyday users, SpyHunter provides an effective solution for identifying and eliminating harmful threats. Developed by Enigma Software, SpyHunter specializes in detecting and removing various forms of malware, such as…

[odinsblog]

How automakers make use of data collected by connected cars is coming under scrutiny in California. On Monday, the California Privacy Protection Agency announced that it will review the data privacy practices of connected vehicle manufacturers. The agency is empowered to do so thanks to a 2018 state law, the California Consumer Privacy Act.

"Modern vehicles are effectively connected computers on wheels. They're able to collect a wealth of information via built-in apps, sensors, and cameras, which can monitor people both inside and near the vehicle," said Ashkan Soltani, CPPA's executive director.

"Our Enforcement Division is making inquiries into the connected vehicle space to understand how these companies are complying with California law when they collect and use consumers' data," he said in a statement.

Connected cars are fast becoming ubiquitous—it may well be impossible to buy a new car, truck, or SUV in 2023 that doesn't have at least one embedded modem in it. In the mid-2010s, many OEMs saw dollar signs at the prospect of monetizing data collected by their deployed vehicle fleets, and unlike with cellphones, it can be hard or impossible to disable location tracking in one's car.

"Under the California Consumer Privacy Act, geolocation is considered personal information. People have the right to say no to being tracked in their cars, but it is unclear if car companies are providing this right," said Justin Kloczko, a privacy advocate at Consumer Watchdog. "These companies know more about us than we know about ourselves, and they’re the ones in control of our personal information, not us," Kloczko said.

(continue reading)

[zeravmeta]

was watching a rando one piece video essay theory, the dude randomly quipped that he hates yamato, and ive never clicked off and erased my browser history of a person so fast

[realbeefman]

everybody chill with me saying im insane until they realize i very genuinely believe the government is going to assassinate me one day because i am occasionally Political on Social Media

[bob3160]

3 Red Flags to Watch Out for in - Malware (General)

[olivergisttv]

The Best Free Tools for Detecting and Removing Spyware

In today’s digital age, protecting your privacy is more important than ever. Spyware is one of the many threats lurking on the internet, capable of tracking your online activities and even stealing personal information. Fortunately, there are several free tools available to help you detect and remove spyware from your devices. Here’s a list of the best free tools for the job:   1.…

[cybersecuritycue]

What is Spyware? Protecting Your Privacy From Hidden Threats

Over the years, spyware has evolved into a stealthy threat that can invade your digital life with chilling precision. This type of malicious software secretly collects your personal information, monitors your online activities, and can even compromise your security without your knowledge. In this blog post, you’ll learn what spyware is, how it operates, and the imperative steps you can take to…

[terranhumannobles]

[viridianriver]

'Artificial Intelligence' Tech - Not Intelligent as in Smart - Intelligence as in 'Intelligence Agency'

I work in tech, hell my last email ended in '.ai' and I used to HATE the term Artificial Intelligence. It's computer vision, it's machine learning, I'd always argue.

Lately, I've changed my mind. Artificial Intelligence is a perfectly descriptive word for what has been created. As long as you take the word 'Intelligence' to refer to data that an intelligence agency or other interested party may collect.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Back when I was in 'AI' - the vibe was just odd. Investors were throwing money at it as fast as they could take out loans to do so. All the while, engineers were sounding the alarm that 'AI' is really just a fancy statistical tool and won't ever become truly smart let alone conscious. The investors, baffingly, did the equivalent of putting their fingers in their ears while screaming 'LALALA I CAN'T HEAR YOU"

Meanwhile, CEOs were making all sorts of wild promises about what AI will end up doing, promises that mainly served to stress out the engineers. Who still couldn't figure out why the hell we were making this silly overhyped shit anyway.

SYSTEMS THINKING

As Stafford Beer said, 'The Purpose of A System is What It Does" - basically meaning that if a system is created, and maintained, and continues to serve a purpose? You can read the intended purpose from the function of a system. (This kind of thinking can be applied everywhere - for example the penal system. Perhaps, the purpose of that system is to do what it does - provide an institutional structure for enslavement / convict-leasing?)

So, let's ask ourselves, what does AI do? Since there are so many things out there calling themselves AI, I'm going to start with one example. Microsoft Copilot.

Microsoft is selling PCs with integrated AI which, among other things, frequently screenshots and saves images of your activity. It doesn't protect against copying passwords or sensitive data, and it comes enabled by default. Now, my old-ass-self has a word for that. Spyware. It's a word that's fallen out of fashion, but I think it ought to make a comeback.

To take a high-level view of the function of the system as implemented, I would say it surveils, and surveils without consent. And to apply our systems thinking? Perhaps its purpose is just that.

SOCIOLOGY

There's another principle I want to introduce - that an institution holds insitutional knowledge. But it also holds institutional ignorance. The shit that for the sake of its continued existence, it cannot know.

For a concrete example, my health insurance company didn't know that my birth control pills are classified as a contraceptive. After reading the insurance adjuster the Wikipedia articles on birth control, contraceptives, and on my particular medication, he still did not know whether my birth control was a contraceptive. (Clearly, he did know - as an individual - but in his role as a representative of an institution - he was incapable of knowing - no matter how clearly I explained)

So - I bring this up just to say we shouldn't take the stated purpose of AI at face value. Because sometimes, an institutional lack of knowledge is deliberate.

HISTORY OF INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES

The first formalized intelligence agency was the British Secret Service, founded in 1909. Spying and intelligence gathering had always been a part of warfare, but the structures became much more formalized into intelligence agencies as we know them today during WW1 and WW2.

Now, they're a staple of statecraft. America has one, Russia has one, China has one, this post would become very long if I continued like this...

I first came across the term 'Cyber War' in a dusty old aircraft hanger, looking at a cold-war spy plane. There was an old plaque hung up, making reference to the 'Upcoming Cyber War' that appeared to have been printed in the 80s or 90s. I thought it was silly at the time, it sounded like some shit out of sci-fi.

My mind has changed on that too - in time. Intelligence has become central to warfare; and you can see that in the technologies military powers invest in. Mapping and global positioning systems, signals-intelligence, of both analogue and digital communication.

Artificial intelligence, as implemented would be hugely useful to intelligence agencies. A large-scale statistical analysis tool that excels as image recognition, text-parsing and analysis, and classification of all sorts? In the hands of agencies which already reportedly have access to all of our digital data?

TIKTOK, CHINA, AND AMERICA

I was confused for some time about the reason Tiktok was getting threatened with a forced sale to an American company. They said it was surveiling us, but when I poked through DNS logs, I found that it was behaving near-identically to Facebook/Meta, Twitter, Google, and other companies that weren't getting the same heat.

And I think the reason is intelligence. It's not that the American government doesn't want me to be spied on, classified, and quantified by corporations. It's that they don't want China stepping on their cyber-turf.

The cyber-war is here y'all. Data, in my opinion, has become as geopolitically important as oil, as land, as air or sea dominance. Perhaps even more so.

A CASE STUDY : ELON MUSK

As much smack as I talk about this man - credit where it's due. He understands the role of artificial intelligence, the true role. Not as intelligence in its own right, but intelligence about us.

In buying Twitter, he gained access to a vast trove of intelligence. Intelligence which he used to segment the population of America - and manpulate us.

He used data analytics and targeted advertising to profile American voters ahead of this most recent election, and propogandize us with micro-targeted disinformation. Telling Israel's supporters that Harris was for Palestine, telling Palestine's supporters she was for Israel, and explicitly contradicting his own messaging in the process. And that's just one example out of a much vaster disinformation campaign.

He bought Trump the white house, not by illegally buying votes, but by exploiting the failure of our legal system to keep pace with new technology. He bought our source of communication, and turned it into a personal source of intelligence - for his own ends. (Or... Putin's?)

This, in my mind, is what AI was for all along.

CONCLUSION

AI is a tool that doesn't seem to be made for us. It seems more fit-for-purpose as a tool of intelligence agencies, oligarchs, and police forces. (my nightmare buddy-cop comedy cast) It is a tool to collect, quantify, and loop-back on intelligence about us.

A friend told me recently that he wondered sometimes if the movie 'The Matrix' was real and we were all in it. I laughed him off just like I did with the idea of a cyber war.

Well, I re watched that old movie, and I was again proven wrong. We're in the matrix, the cyber-war is here. And know it or not, you're a cog in the cyber-war machine.

(edit -- part 2 - with the 'how' - is here!)

[have-you-seen-my-sanity]

Which of the moon boys do you think would stalk reader?

Honestly all of them lol

Steven would follow you sometimes but mainly rely on Marc and Jake for putting spyware on your phone. Poor lad gets paranoid whenever you enter a tunnel or there's a dead zone but let's out a sigh of relief when the signal comes back. He always sleeps best when he knows you're safe at home.

Marc 100% has trackers inside your shoes but may follow you personally especially whenever his protective nature kicks in or he thinks it's not safe for you, he often finds himself on top of some roof with the suit on for perfect view. Please don't argue with him, he won't stop. And don't get bratty with him.

Jake likes driving around the vicinity you're at. One hand on the steeringwheel and the other on his lap with his trusty gun in hand. He tracks you via gps. Although sometimes he ends up getting bloody, but he will shrug it off saying Khonshu wanted him to finish some quick work. It's better not to question him...

The boys take your safety very serious. No buts.

[letmeeaseyourburden]

Of course, I put spyware on your phone. Just knowing where you are isn't enough to protect you. I need to see every text you get. Every internet search. Every app you use.

And yes, I turn on the microphone when you are with your girlfriends. It's for your safety.

[weepingtalecowboy]

Random but I just noticed that Wind can essentially use his Windwaker to mind control someone with the command melody

Like if he decides to throw away his morals he could annihilate an entire army without even involving himself in it

He can summon tornadoes to move but also those are tornadoes he could just go and kill every monster possible with them

He can change the wind and therefore he can also control airflow and just deny someone air by moving it away

Like your free trial for air has expired have fun choking

That is a crazy powerful ability if you are creative with it

Not to forget hyoi pears that allow him to control seagulls it would be such a good ability for spyware considering how inconspicuous it is and if you decide to stretch the whole thing out to be able to control any bird it gets even more dangerous because killing any bird on sight is hard and it would still end up with Wind knowing everything even if the bird is dead

But also in phantom hour glass he was able to stop time for himself and was able to walk through walls

Like if Twilight can keep his ability to become a wolf then wind still having some form of access to the spirits abilities would be cool too (even if it is a stretch considering that they are in another realm but considering that Cielia promised to always protect his dreams from nightmares it could maybe work out considering that it literally is fanfiction so…)

Also the amount of combo potential that mind control would allow :

Be it a mind link to everyone to communicate

Wind controlling fierce deity to make sure that time can take the mask off

Or just stopping an enemy from attacking

Even interrogation would be extremely dangerous because you can not resist well against mind control nor can you resist for long

Like essentially in Hyrule Warriors he would be one of the most useful and terrifying soldiers possible just for his spyware and his mind control alone

Adding his physical strength and his magical power he is even more impressive for an army leader who desperately needs soldiers

But it is just something I noticed

It would be pretty fun in fanfiction though

[mygaynesshasnolimits]

Just a heads up. Clicking on links can be dangerous. Especially when it takes you to sus sites. They install trackers, keyloggers, malware, and/or Spyware. Sites like this are notorious for stealing your information and ip addresses. They sell it to others and also put you at risk for hacking. And no, not just the "they'll take over your device" type of hacking but the kind where they steal your personal information;names, address, passwords etc and also pictures and can have access to your camera and microphone. Also note that the people who post the link to sites gain your information as well. So be wary. Don't click on links you don't trust. Report, block, don't interact AT ALL. and practice caution when asking others to report.

and please let's all do better and practice good judgement and respect and protect others.

[bob3160]

Spyware Could Be Spying on Your Phone Right Now! Here’s How to Kick It t...

[zethsdumpster]

New au based on an anime I liked quite a lot when I was a teen (Dog Days)

Anime's summary: protag-kun gets summoned to another world by a dog-eared princess to be her country's hero its a world where the countries and citizens have pastry-themed names, and each country has certain types of animal people, the countries also have protecting wards to keep monsters away hero-kun is summoned to fight in a war, but the wars are literally just an sports events with magic stuff so people can't die, dog princess chose him cuz she used an interdimensional thingy and watched him participate in an America ninja warrior-style thing and did awesomely (he did not win first place tho, he lost to -i think was either his cousin or childhood friend- and she's summoned by the cat kingdom to be their hero in the second season. in the third, the squirrel dukedom joins the wars and summon one of protag's friends tho she's no athlete, she gets to use magic-tech)

So

the ASL brothers are the heroes that get summoned by the different countries also, the citizens who "die" in the war become furballs and are taken to be treated/rest until they can join again if they want, except the important characters, those get their clothes torn

Germa is the kingdom of the cat people, ruled by Sora (Judge was exiled after trying to experiment on their kids) , they're neighbours with Alabasta (rodents) and Whitebeard (dogs) there are, ofc, other countries but these 3 are the ones that matter and the ones that participate the most in the war games the first to be summoned is Luffy by Alabasta's princess Vivi, they've been in a losing streak and are desperate, so hero time it is the Whitebeard gets Ace and, lastly, Sora gets Sabo Germa and Whitebeard had been absolutely dominating the war games

Until Alabasta brought Luffy Ichiji and Ace met at the war game, ofc, Ace had had the intention of going straight for Luffy but Ichiji got in the way and they were pretty evenly matched, tho Ace ultimately won having been the first to ever tear Ichiji's armour -and clothes- off, giving the Germa -and just all- citizens the fan service they've always wanted -and winning himself Niji's undying hatred-

The brothers get to learn that not all in that world is fun and games when it's time to free Dressrosa but after they do Dressrosa joins in the war game and ends up summoning their own hero, their sister, Uta Oh, yeah, and Dressrosa citizens are mostly sheep and the like

Sora is also a bit of a tech nerd-mad scientist, she's just not that into doing human experimentation or weapons of mass destruction she rather make tech-advanced raid suits and spyware a la Totally Spies the raid suits are supposed to be nearly indestructible so the whole "Ace accidentally burning off Ichiji's clothes on international tv" (because the war games are televised, I think I forgot to mention that lmao, there are commentators and all that jazz) incident was a bit of a shock and Niji will have Ace pay for it, preferably with his life lmao

Robin would be a delight as a commentator actually, she works as an archivist/historian (she does fieldwork as an archaeologist/anthropologist) at Alabasta's royal palace but always makes time to be a presenter at the war games and appreciates Franky's (and Galey-la's crew) effort on designing and making the game's fields}

Now, back to acechiji

Ace keeps accidentally burning off Ichiji's uniforms despite how many adjustments and upgrades Sora does to them and is growing convinced that it must be on purpose theif powers come from god-blessed treasures that respond to their wills and desires which is why Ace's fire keeps accidentally burning off Ichiji's raid suits he does want him nakey but it isn't his intention to leave him nakey on international tv lmao

Ichiji starts aiming to burn off Ace's clothes in revenge but Ace has no shame and has won more times than Ichiji has + Ichiji ends up getting embarrassed if he overdoes it and helps Ace over his privates

All the siblings (+ Ace) also start bringing an extra something for Ichiji to cover himself Ichiji just trying to take them both down but Ace has no problem letting it all hang out lmao Sabo daring him to see who gets censored more on live tv

The moment either of them start moving the show editors have their fingers on the audio censor (for Sabo’s swearing) or image blur (if Ace’s outfit dissolves again)

the worst part is that Ichiji is the only victim of Ace's burning-clothes technique germa citizens love and hate in equal measure this fact and Ace suffers cuz no-one believes that it really isn't his intention to do that (in public)

Sabo keeps scolding him and apologizing to the Vinsmokes on his behalf

Marco: don't you think it's enough? I'm starting to feel bad for the poor boy

Ace, crying on the floor: IT'S NOT ON PURPOSE

his own fire is getting in the way of wooing Ichiji (and then there's Niji) meanwhile Nika is probably laughing in the distance -he is the god who blessed these treasures- it'll take a while but Ace will succeed Ichiji easily fell for his charms but his bruised pride gets in the way

the animal peaple also have omegaverse tendencies, for example, they go into heats

picture -> Ichiji going into heat and getting all handsy with Ace and rubbing against him in public and Ace is flattered but also incredibly flustered and confused until Ichiji is dragged away by his brothers so he can have his heat in peace and someone explains the whole heats ordeal to Ace

[manstrans]

the effects of having my shit constantly looked through didn't protect me against either of the times I was groomed (lol) and now any time someone uses my phone or computer I wanna commit murder-suicide. and I have paranoia about hidden cameras and spyware that makes me go insane