How To Make Sure Your Photos Are Not Giving Out Your Homes Location

Not many people know how much information is attached to the photos that they take and put online. This is called exif data. Depending on the device taking the photo this can range from the device model to the name of the owner and the GPS location the photo was taken.

If you enjoy this post take a look at our TRUSTED RESOURCES page. If you decide to use any of the links and purchase anything we may get  a small commission that helps support the site.

Most social media sites scrub this data before you photo is attached to your profiles or posted but you should not depend on them to do it or count on it to to work. In addition you are still submitting this information to them to do with as they please or sell to whoever they please.

Recently we came across a post craigslist when searching the cars for sale for a client. We saved a picture to send them and when we went into our photos app the photo was organized by location. This is because the camera/phone that took the picture had GPS location turned on and embedded the data into the picture file. A criminal could take this information and potentially use it to find the location of the car or where the owner lives in order to steel the car or otherwise target the owner.

Make sure you scrub this information from your pictures before you put them online or send them to anyone (you don’t know what they are going to do with it after you send it to them.) There are may methods that you can use to do this but the most reliable is a dedicated app. There are both mobile and desk top apps made specifically for this purpose.

OTHER METHODS

Screen Shot Method: Open the picture full screen on your device and take a screen shot. This essentially duplicates the picture and none of the original exif data is present. You still however may have some exif data attached but it will almost always be less.

Messenger Method: Some secure messengers will wipe data from files that you send to others. You can then re-download the file from the message thread and the exif data will be gone. Test your messenger with a thread to someone you trust to make sure the data is removed before relying on this method.

New apple IOS Spoofing: Newer apple devices and some that have received recent updates, now allow you to manually change or add certain exif data that is attached to images on the device. This is intended to organization and data base use for individuals who take a lot of photos and video but can just as easily be used to spoof certain data for security and disinformation purposes.

Desktop/Mobile Apps: Dedicated apps can be found on all platforms mobile and desktop for the specific purpose of removing exif data but just like with the messengers, test and verify before you rely on anything.

If you enjoyed this post take a look at our TRUSTED RESOURCES page. If you decide to use any of the links and purchase anything we may get  a small commission that helps support the site.

Sign up for our email list and you will receive exclusive content that adds to the articles we post here.

Get the most out of our posts by subscribing to our telegram

Why You Should Be Networking

Networking has been given a bad name. Most people think of it as meeting in some dining haul and throwing business cards at each other for a couple hours and then going home. True networking is as far from this as could be and it should really be known as relationship building.

If you want to support us take a look at our TRUSTED RESOURCES page. If you decide to use any of the links and purchase anything we may get  a small commission that helps support the

Sign up for our email list and you will receive exclusive content that adds to the articles we post here and Get the most out of our posts by subscribing to our telegram

This relationship building is one of the corner stones that HUMINT operations are built on. whether it’s an intel operative in a foreign country or a patrol officer working his own city. One of the first things the good ones do is start developing relationships. These relationships allow them to keep a finger on the pulse of the area they are working.

Building a network is just as important in every day life but that is amplified when traveling, especially if you are traveling solo, or in times of disaster or crisis. Your network can tell you where the good restaurants are, which neighborhoods to avoid, and are more likely to lend you a hand if something goes wrong.

It’s better to be known than to be a stranger especially if you are somewhere new that you don’t know well. If you’re a stranger people might be suspicious of you, but if they know you they might give you the benefit of the doubt. This can be good if a large emergency or crime is committed as it might keep you from being public enemy number 1 just because they don’t know you and can keep you from becoming a target of their criminals because you have some connection to the locals.

Network building is pretty simple in theory. Build relationships right? Most of us can do this on a natural basis somewhat effectively if all the conditions are right but when we set out to do it deliberately it tends to not work out as well.

This is because most people don’t fully understand the patterns and behaviors that are established in our instincts when it comes to building relationships but whether it’s for business, intelligence, or your personal life, if you want to be successful at anything you need to be deliberate in your actions.

Like so many things it starts with research and planning. You need to know what your goals are for your network. If it’s for business what are your business goals, who can help you achieve them and if you don’t know the people who can help you, who do you know that does? Map it out if you have to and start there.

Most networks consist of three kinds of people, your inner circle(your most trusted contacts or friends) long term contacts(your vetted, People that will look out for you and vice versa.) and short term contacts(your acquaintances/intel sources) They may owe you a favor, or just be someone you just met that hasn’t moved up the ladder yet.

Short term contacts are just what they sound like short term. These are the people that you have recently met, maybe you haven’t vetted them completely enough to make them long term contacts yet, or you just haven’t found a way to work them into your network in more long term way.

These are the people that you maybe threw a bone and did them an easy favor and now they owe you one, or a trade show rep you just met and had drinks with, or maybe the B&B owner who just let you into the property. They may be able to open some doors or point you in the right direction on something if you need it.

You wont spend as much time or effort maintaining the relationship with these contacts but they are good to keep in some contact with as you never know when you might have a need they can help you with, vice versa, or how they could wind up as a long term contact someday.

On the security side this is where you do need to be careful as this is where you have the best chance of stopping insider threats before they start. Trade shows and other events where you will be meeting these new contacts are usually a hunting ground for corporate espionage agents as they are always looking to gain access to some form of insider information that they can either sell to the highest bidder or take back to their own company.

Someone at the hotel or air B&B might be feeding marks to a thief ring or worse.

Long term contacts, these are those you have vetted and given strategic positions in your network. They maybe business partners, friends, they could be your family members, and trusted intel sources but you still may not trust them completely And most of them are not in your inner circle.

These people support you, and protect you and you them. You can generally depend on them but they may or may not drop everything to help you if you need it and vice versa. You’re regularly in contact with them and you may even spend some of your personal time with them.

From the security stand point as you don’t trust these people implicitly you should remain careful what you say around them and monitor what they have access to as this is where they would likely start having access to the more critical information or access to you or your business. This is where some damage can be done in one way or another if a threat has made it this far.

Your inner circle, is where you have your most trusted friends and business contacts that you trust implicitly. This does provide a security risk as they will have the most access to you and any private information, however you should have vetted them and established a tight enough relationship that you trust them in this position. Provided you are careful, only the long cons, very good liers, and people with good back stories or resources should make it this far as threats. The major threat you need to be carful of is people within this circle becoming compromised to the point that someone can control their actions.

You should always strive to have at least a couple super connectors in your network. Especially when you’re growing a business network.

Super connectors are people that either intentionally or as a side effect of their situation (profession or socially) are connected to a large number of individuals in a variety of bubbles (industry or location), professions, or social circumstances.

If you enjoyed this post take a look at our TRUSTED RESOURCES page. If you decide to use any of the links and purchase anything we may get  a small commission that helps support the

Sign up for our email list and you will receive exclusive content that adds to the articles we post here and Get the most out of our posts by subscribing to our telegram

Escape Route Planning and Methods

Whether it’s a route out of a building or out of a city, you should have escape routes planned in case something happens. We recommend you follow the P.A.C.E method. Meaning a Primary, Alternative, Contingency, and Emergency. You should know the fastest ways out of the building your in a probable safe location outside where you can regroup, and route out of the neighborhood or city depending on the situation. You want alternatives as well should the problem at hand be between you and your primary exit.

 

If you enjoyed this post take a look at our TRUSTED RESOURCES page. If you decide to use any of the links and purchase anything we may get  a small commission that helps support the

Get Out of The Building

Your primary could be a typical exit such as main doors, your secondary could be a door out a different side of the building. Exits that you can use for a low profile exit as well. While you Contingency and Emergency route could also be windows or loading docks etc. Something that under non emergency circumstances might raise eyebrows.

Make sure you remain flex-able, No plan survives contact with the enemy. You might make it al the way to your exit right as a second threat appears there and you need to move for a different one.

Out of the area

This could be the neighborhood or the city it is basically the same process. You should know the area you’re in or at least be somewhat familiar. Know the main paths out as well as some alternates that are less used. Figure out the routes that are going to get congested and avoid those routes in escape route planning. Apply this same process to roads and highways for the city itself.

Have at least one route going in a different direction than the rest incase the direction of your routes is compromised from a wildfire, earthquake, civil unrest or alien landing.

Also consider alternative modes of transportation when you are considering routes. For example at just about any major city all the roads or going to grid lock but maybe you have a major water way that you have access to with a boat or you have access to small recreational vehicles like dirt bikes or ATVs that can take routes cars cannot.

When to leave

Should also be considered. Some events you can see coming and you can get out before the rush such as wildfire. Maybe the neighborhood down the road is evacuating but you have not been notified yet. You have no absolute need to stay there at the moment and you can leave and stay at a family members property. You might consider leaving as there is no down side to getting out early.

Non Typical Routes and Transportation

You don’t need to stick to roads, sidewalks, or “designated paths” You can cut through buildings, parking lots, parks, or maybe a hiking trail starts near you and crosses a road farther down that you can then use or hitch a ride. Can you swim? Jump in the river and use the current to float away from the threat, the skies the limit. Transportation can be more than just your feet or your car, if you have an office maybe put a bike in there as a back up, maybe you work on the coast and a marina is close by where you can dock a small boat or store a canoe, kayak or paddle board. If it moves and can carry you it could be a form of transportation in an emergency.

Conclusion

Make sure that you have Primary, Secondary, and at least a Contingency if not also an Emergency, route out of your buildings, and cities. Apply the same PACE plan to modes of transportation if you can. If you can take your car great if not maybe you have a bike in your office, a boat at the marina and as a last resort….RUN

 

If you enjoyed this post take a look at our TRUSTED RESOURCES page. If you decide to use any of the links and purchase anything we may get  a small commission that helps support the

Sign up for our email list and you will receive exclusive content that adds to the articles we post here.

Get the most out of our posts by subscribing to our telegram channel

How to Secure Your Valuables at the Beach

At very crowded beaches it is not unusual to see a beautiful women walking along the beach, distracting the beach goers(usually men just saying)

What most people do not see is the the small crew following slightly behind her and off to the side snatching what they can from anyone who is side tracked by the beautiful view. This is a petty theft version of the honey pot which is a tactic that is used in almost every aspect of society. Ranging from business sales to criminal activities to espionage, it boils down to the age old adage, “Sex Sells”

Now whether orchestrated as a honey pot or not the majority of thefts when traveling are going to happen at the beach even if the beach is in your home town. Average beach goers are often distracted by one thing or another or leaving their valuables unattended to take a dip in the ocean.

Swim wear is not usually good for carrying an EDC or any other items more than maybe a set of keys and there is little to no way to truly secure belongings, however there is things you can do to better your odds.

Personally I have never been big on the whole go to the beach to sit around thing so I recommend getting off the beach and exploring more whether thats the urban areas or the wild areas is up to your. No for the people that “Have” to go to the beach, Most consultants advise only taking to the beach that which you are willing to loose, I agree to a point, but as I have covered before I am not a fan of leaving your stuff unattended in your room either especially if that is your passport or other important documents.

If you enjoyed this post take a look at our TRUSTED RESOURCES page. If you decide to use any of the links and purchase anything we may get a small commission that helps support the

Sign up for our email list and you will receive exclusive content that adds to the articles we post here.

Get the most out of our posts by subscribing to our telegram or Matrix/element rooms ​

 

Urban GHB

Being crisis “proof” is a misnomer, crisis resistant is a more accurate description. Regardless becoming that way is more about your mind set, your skills, and your ability to handle stress.

Generally I recommend splitting the gear into what you carry on you and what you carry in your GHB (get home bag) In my case in the colder seasons I pull some stuff out of my GHB and put in my jacket as well. We covered EDC in a past post to this one will revovle around your GHB

GHB/GO BAG

I use a Mystery Ranch 3day assault pack right now for my GHB. It is not too out side the base line for areas in my usual life while getting the size, organization and durability that I Look for in a pack.

Water: A titanium/steel non-vacume bottle is best because you can use it to boil water if needed.

24hrs of calories: Power bars, Freeze dried food, MRE etc. For the average person would range between 2200-2500 calories. In an emergency situation or if your stuck in the elements you’ll want 3000-3500.

All black shemagh: Shemaghs offer a number of uses beyond being a scarf. In urban environments they typically stand out however and the all black pattern finds a balance to my satisfaction. I still keep it in by pack and out of site unless being used.

Backup lighter and fuel: A zippo lighter in a pyrovault with an additional capsule of fuel.

Roll of quarters: when grasped in a fist this can offer some more umph to your punches as well as can be used for pay phones or vending machines if needed

2 locking carabiners with a length of either 8mm cord or climb spec tubular webbing: This can be used for a host of reasons including creating a harness and using for escape from multi story buildings in case of fire or other incidents.

Headlamp: Allows for hands free light if needed

GPS + paper map: 2 is one one is none, this GPS should use standard batteries that you can scavenge if need be and you wont rely on having to recharge like your watch. Always have a low tech way of navigation as well and know how to use it.

Full size lensatic compass

Back up communications: This can be a beartooth, gotenna, Ham radio, a DIY Lora device like meshtastic or a combination. I currently use beartooth with Iphone but am looking into a DIY device. I also recommend having an un activated burner phone on an alternate network than your primary phone with what ever minute cards etc required to activate them in a time of need.

Change of cloths +/- a hat: Make these clothes match the base line but be different colors or shades than what you are currently wearing. This gives you quick change capability. If you don’t wear a hat bring one to throw on if needed. Bonus points if you choose clothes that can also just be added as an additional layer if you get caught in bad weather. I also carry a small compressible rain layer.

Additional assorted small escape/bypass tools:

Fixed blade knife if not on your person (check local laws)

Battery pack/spare batteries and charging cords for all devices you carry. You can also find small solar panels for recharging if you are in a blackout or more rural scenario

Faraday bag(s) for any of the electronic device in your bag as well as for stashing your phone if needed.

Headphones: Hands free comms or in minor scenarios for podcasts or music when delayed. They can also be used to appear less threatening if you appear to be paying attention to them and not the world around you.

Deck of cards or some form of analog entertainment: If stranded or delayed when traveling and don’t want to or cant run down your batteries or maybe you want to play a friendly game of cards with the stranger at the cafe.

If you enjoyed this post take a look at our TRUSTED RESOURCES page. If you decide to use any of the links and purchase anything we may get  a small commission that helps support the

Sign up for our email list and you will receive exclusive content that adds to some of the articles we post here.

Get the most out of our posts by subscribing to our telegram or Matrix/element rooms ​

 

 

Phone locations can be tracked without GPS

The location of your phone can be tracked even If your GPS is turned off, and used to track your location. This is done by a method triangulating the phone using cell towers and the signal from them in called Radio Direction Finding.

Quick defense tactic to counter this tracking is a faraday bag, get yours here and support our site in the process

When your phone connects to a cell tower the cell tower generally can tell what general direction your phone is from that tower based on the strength of the connection in different directions. This is the same concept of how wildlife tracking collars have used for decades and how the FCC tracks down pirate radio stations, this is because “cell service” is really just a radio signal sent out from the tower, same as any radio station, or hand held radio just on a different frequency.

The result of this is a general direction/heading from that tower that your phone could be found. With typical cell phones now the signal sent out by the cell tower is a wide beam
that spreads out and gets weaker over distance, imagine a cone with the wide end extending out from the tower.

Now if your phone can connect to multiple towers this gives multiple directions/headings that if laid over a map would create a cross point, al be it a wide one where theoretically your phone would be located. Now the more towers your phone can connect to the more accurate the location will be because the
the area within that cross point where your phone can connect to all the towers theoretically gets smaller the more towers there are. Now in most areas your phone will connect to 1 or maybe 2 towers with the exception of larger major cities where you may connect to more.

This method can also be used to track location via Bluetooth connection. It was announced a few years ago that the UK was using Bluetooth hotspots in trashcans and other city fixtures to track “traffic patterns” by connecting to peoples phones that walk near them.

Any device that uses cell service or any radio frequency, can be tracked in this fashion, Tablet, Car, laptops, smart watches, ham radio, etc. If it has cell service or uses radio frequencies, it can be tracked by radio direction finding.

S2_Underground has a great video on Radio direction finding on their #lbry channel.

If you enjoyed this post take a look at our TRUSTED RESOURCES page. If you decide to use any of the links and purchase anything we may get a small commission that helps support the

Sign up for our email list and you will receive exclusive content that adds to the articles we post here.

Get the most out of our posts by subscribing to our telegram or Matrix/element rooms ​

 

Stop Getting Deliveries at Your Home

For the security conscious, or if you are a targeted Individual(LEO,Govt., SOF, Celebrity, etc. a habit that you should break is having things delivered directly to your home(especially in your own name). For one this links your physical address to your name.  This information is then easily accessible in people search databases who get this data from the shipping companies.

Now if you have ever had anything delivered to your home address its already out there but you can stem the damage by not taking further deliveries until you can remedy the situation later. Your name and address are still out there to find but if stuff is not coming to your house any more the possibility that someone legit would be just dropping by is much less allowing you to respond more quickly with out having to figure out if they should actually be there.

The biggest step you can take to further your home and personal security is to separate your name from your physical address, with that said this is much easier said than done and can take much more work than be covered here but the information is out there for those that want to pursue this. We will also cover this in more length in our telegram and Matrix rooms.

Back to the topic at hand, when you have things delivered to your home directly you open the door for people to have a justified reason to be on your property. This can be anything from Take out to UPS to appliance deliveries We mean everything, This means that when someone drops by unannounced, you have to then figure out if they belong there or not and if the situation is suspicious or the person poses a threat. Keep in mind that just because they are wearing a uniform of some kind does not mean they are legit.

If you enjoyed this post take a look at our TRUSTED RESOURCES page. If you decide to use any of the links and purchase anything we may get  a small commission that helps support the

Sign up for our email list and you will receive exclusive content that adds to the articles we post here.

Get the most out of our posts by subscribing to our telegram or Matrix/element rooms ​

Disaster Ready

There is no cut and dry method for preparing yourself for any and all emergencies or life-threatening situations

there is not enough time to allow you master all of the skills needed to successfully defeat these situations either. You can However determine what skills are most likely to be useful to you in your daily life, as well as the emergencies you are most likely to encounter. As well as getting in a good mindset of never giving up and always learning ( this will come in later)

What type of person you are will partially dictate what you determine to be an emergency but for most people the true genuine emergency that most people will encounter is a medical emergency of some kind, whether trauma from a shooting, car wreck, a larger scale incident such as a natural disaster, a heart condition or someone having an allergic reaction at work.
One of the most useful skills you can acquire is medical training.

Another basic skill if you can call it that is your physical fitness. If you cant move your body around how will you get your self out of a situation if need be. Don’t forget in a real emergency no one is coming to help you it’s up to you. Get used to moving your body around. Even if this is all you do, you will be better off than most. Even in a fight, an untrained fit person stands better odds than untrained unfit person.

Next is a martial art of some kind. Now if you are really looking to fight I don’t believe you should stick to any one system as I have not found a system that is truly complete. Not all systems train weapons, not all train ground work and so on as well you might not be able to find the system you want at a convenient to you location.

If you enjoyed this post take a look at our TRUSTED RESOURCES page. If you decide to use any of the links and purchase anything we may get  a small commission that helps support the

Sign up for our email list and you will receive exclusive content that adds to the articles we post here.

Get the most out of our posts by subscribing to our telegram or Matrix/element rooms ​

Secure Your Trash

A lot of information can be gleaned from your trash and most people don’t give too much thought to what they throw away up to and including their bank statements. Most will think who would go through my trash and in most cases its true they are not actively being targeted to this level.

However this another one of those tactics that if you don’t apply it before you are targeted you’re already too late. Think about stalkers. The victims usually don’t know for at least a little while that they are being stalked (unless they had a prior relationship). The stalker could (and they do) steal the trash and use the info the glean to further their activity. Or if you are a wealthier individual or a C level employee or even just a head of a department at a larger company. You have access to info that is desired by a lot of individuals in the realm of corporate espionage. The info they could glean from your trash could lead to anything from black mail to robbery to in extreme cases murder if its just easier to make you go away to set your project back a bit.

To counter this, a good rule of thumb to follow is that only organic (food or food containers) get thrown in the trash (or recycling). If the packaging from other items is clear they can be thrown away to.

If its paper/card board it either gets shredded and then mixed up with other shreds and thrown out in batches or its burned. (especially important with anything financial or with personal info on it), or you it can be shredded then burned if you are particularly paranoid or you have a high level security concern.

Now when traveling or on the go never throw out anything with personal information and avoid using any trash cans that are in your room/office or location that can be tied to you. Take your trash with you when you leave and if it doesn’t need to be shredded or burned throw it out in a common area trash preferably the dumpster or a trash can at another location. This makes it harder to link any info you may be throwing out specifically to you.

If you enjoyed this post take a look at our TRUSTED RESOURCES page. If you decide to use any of the links and purchase anything we may get a small commission that helps support the

Sign up for our email list and you will receive exclusive content that adds to the articles we post here.

Get the most out of our posts by subscribing to our telegram or Matrix/element rooms ​

 

Avoiding attention in urban environments

You can draw unwanted attention to your self in an urban environment in a lot of different ways for a lot of different reasons. Most of which stem from some form of stereotype.

There are many reasons that you don’t want to be associated with one or more of these groups as well drawing unwanted attention to your self can lead to other not so pleasant scenarios.

To name a few…

CCW/LEO/Military/First Responder/Firearms

Camo
Military surplus items
Visible paracord
Tactical gear, packs and clothing(branded specifically)
Visible pocket clips
portable radios (any tech beyond a cell phone)
morale patches
Hand checking your EDC or weapons
Military or most short hair cuts.

In times of violence these people have a higher likely hood of being targeted first as they would pose the greatest threat(theoretically) to the perpetrator.

Criminal/Thug/Gang Member

hoodies
loitering individual or grouped
Small groups specifically of younger men
tattoos
aggressive behavior
hands in your pockets when temps don’t dictate it

Being associated with this group could get you increased attention from law enforcement, security guards, or you may be denied access to certain areas, or drive away average people that start to feel uneasy.

Wealthy

Jewelry
Fancy clothing
High end cars or devices

Flaunting your wealth or appearance of wealth is likely going to get you attention from thieves and criminals as you look like a prime target, especially if you are not taking any other security precautions.

Anxious Behavior

Rapid glances
Constant adjusting clothing
constantly checking your watch
staring

This can draw attention to your self in a couple different ways depending on whose attention you draw. These behaviors can mean anything from some low lever social anxiety on up to someone who is preparing to commit an act of violence.

If you enjoyed this post take a look at our TRUSTED RESOURCES page. If you decide to use any of the links and purchase anything we may get a small commission that helps support the

Sign up for our email list and you will receive exclusive content that adds to the articles we post here.

Get the most out of our posts by subscribing to our telegram or Matrix/element rooms ​