Helpful episodes to listen to first Don't Answer the Phone Bulletproof My Home Home Network Attacks From Within Questions we answer in this episode What is a firewall? Why do I need more than one firewall? Which device already has a firewall enabled? What kinds of devices have an increased need for a firewall? Episode summary Firewalls in buildings stop fire from spreading. Firewalls on computers do something similar: they stop malware from spreading. Your router has a firewall that blocks threats from the internet before they reach your home network. But what if the malware is already inside your network? For that, you need a firewall on each of your computers. These are especially vital for laptops, which often connect to public wifi. And here’s the secret weapon almost nobody talks about: outbound firewalls. They’re a unique and powerful extra layer of protection - and wildly underrated. Call to action Please verify that the firewall is turned on for each computer in your home. Links Change Firewall settings on Mac How to turn on Windows firewall Get the FREE Bulletproof My Identity Starter Kit Get help from Makani…

Helpful episodes to listen to first Don't Answer the Phone Questions we answer in this episode What is a computer virus? How does a computer virus spread? How does patient (device) zero get infected? What protection do we NOT have against these attacks? Episode summary What happens if a device in your home gets infected with a computer virus? Just like a human virus, it wants to spread. But how does that first device get infected? There are plenty of ways, but one that is often underestimated is through Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Smart TVs, Alexa, and other "smart" appliances are prime targets for hackers. Ironically, some of the must vulnerable devices are the ones meant to protect you - like a home security system. And what's worse, your router probably won't stop the malware from spreading once it's inside your network. That's why need layered protection. In this series, we'll walk through at four them (maybe more). Call to action Make a list of all devices in your home that connect to the internet. Specifically look for devices besides phones and computers that might get overlooked. Keep this list handy as you continue listening to the rest of this series of episodes. Links Ring pays $5.8 million for privacy failures Get the FREE Bulletproof My Identity Starter Kit Get help from Makani…

Questions we answer in this episode What are the seven most critical router security settings? What is WPS and when is it okay to use? What is a brute force password attack? Which unexpected setting helps against this attack? Episode summary Default passwords and settings make a hacker's job easy. It's time to take just a few minutes and strengthen your router's security. If you don't know how to access your router, please listen to Episode 54 Call to action Adjust these settings: 1 - use a strong, unique router admin password of at least 14 characters 2 - disable remote administration if you can or use a random username and strong, unique password for the cloud account 3 - enable automatic firmware updates 4 - use a strong, unique wifi password of at least 16 characters 5 - use a unique wifi name with no brand or personal information in it 6 - disable WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) 7 - disable UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) Links Get the FREE Bulletproof My Identity Starter Kit Get help from Makani…

Questions we answer in this episode Why do I need the manual for my router? What's the first step in accessing my router? How many passwords are there for my home network? What are the two methods for connecting to a router? Episode summary If you can install an app, and visit a website, you can learn to access your router. Reading the section in the router's manual should help. Yes, I realize many of us don't read manuals anymore, but that's what I suggest. You also need to know your router's admin username and password is. It's probably printed on the bottom of your router, but if not, here again, the manual is your friend. Finally, install the router's brand app if they have one, and you're ready to go! Call to action Connect to your router, change the admin password, and keep that password in a safe place. Links Common router passwords Get the FREE Bulletproof My Identity Starter Kit Get help from Makani…

Questions we answer in this episode What is the awesome new tool we're building? How can you get free lifetime access to it? What problem does it solve? What is a computer network port? Episode summary Computer network ports are like phone extensions in a corporate office building. But instead of using an extension to reach a specific person, computer use ports to access specific services. Services like visting a webpage, sending an email, checking for new email. Hackers find their way into your home network by checking every extension to see if your router will answer any phone calls. We are building a tool to let you check first so you know if your router is secure. Call to action For a limited time, we are offering free lifetime access to the tool. Register now at https://bulletproofmyhome.com to save your spot. Links Get Free Lifetime Access Get the FREE Bulletproof My Identity Starter Kit Get help from Makani…

Questions we answer in this episode What is the simple rule to keep your home network safe? Why is breaking that rule so common? How do I know if MY router is following the rule? What new tool are we building? Episode summary Your home network's guardian from internet based attacks is your router. To keep your home safe from these attacks, your router needs to follow one simple rule: Don't answer the phone! Unfortunately, convenience often tempts us to have our router break this rule. Some of the biggest temptations include: remote administration, the internet of things, universal plug and play, and port forwarding. Call to action Our call to action in this episode is to find your router's manual - either a physical or digital copy. We'll be using it soon to close any holes in your router's security. I suggest you identify your router's brand, and search for the official website for that brand. Then go to that official brand website, and look up the specific model of router you have and download the manual there. Links Get the FREE Bulletproof My Identity Starter Kit Get help from Makani…

Questions we answer in this episode What is a router? How many episodes will be in this series? Is Makani trying to turn me into a network engineer? What is the metaphor we will use for this series? Episode summary Every internet connected device is under constant threat of attack. Especially the router on your home network. In order to protect your devices, you don't need to become a network engineer. But you need to understand 3 things about computer networks: 1 - Our devices are super chatty. Think of it like them making frequent phone calls to each other. 2 - A computer network is a set of devices that can make calls to each other. 3 - Your home network router is what lets the devices at your house talk to devices far away on the internet. Call to action Take a moment now to locate the router in your home. Write down the brand and model number. You'll be using that information in a future episode in this series. Links Get the FREE Bulletproof My Identity Starter Kit Get help from Makani…

What are the phone protections the FCC mandated in 2024? What is a sim swap attack? What is a port-out attack? What is your second most important online account? How to lock your phone number FCC Adds Rules for Cell Service Providers FCC Explains Cell Phone Fraud

You may have heard the official announcement from the government. Nine major telecommunications companies in the United States have been hacked. Including Verizon, AT&T, and Lumen. Yup, you read that right. The bad guys? A group dubbed The Salt Typhoon, working for the People's Republic of China. Is it time to panic? No, but it is time to start using Signal, my favorite secure communications app. The Signal App Podcast Episode 20 about Signal Telecommunications companies hacked History of Our Phone System and Flaws…

The short answer: yes! Passkeys are the future of secure logins. Start with email -- the most critical account you own. It's the master key to your online identity. Before you get started with passkeys, listen to this episode, the final one in our series on passkeys. The purpose of this episode is to pave the way for you to have a smooth first passkey experience. We start by talking about 3 issues that passkeys still have: - you still need a password - passkeys can be confusing - passkeys can't be transferred Then we cover the importance of using an impossible-to-guess password along with your passkey. Finally, we review the benefits of using a passkey with your email account. Ep 7: Too Many Secrets Ep 8: Your Master Password Ep 9: Who We Trust: The 1Password Edition Ep 10: Preparations for 1Password Ep 12: The Master Key to Your Online Identity Ep 44: Listener Question: The Promise of Passkeys Ep 47: Picking a Password Manager for Passkeys…

Ready to start using passkeys? First, you’ll need a password manager. By default, your phone or laptop might offer to store your passkeys in your browser. But here’s the catch: if you do, your secret isn’t so secret anymore—Google or Microsoft could have access to it. The smarter move? Use a dedicated password manager. I recommend 1Password, ProtonPass, or Bitwarden. In this episode, we dive into why browser-based options fall short. Get started with 1Password Get started with ProtonPass Get started with Bitwarden Google Password Manager official information Microsoft Edge Password Manager official information Apple iCloud KeyChain official information…

What is the one key difference between a passkey and a password? How can I create an unforgeable digital signature? What are the 4 steps of logging in with a passkey? How is logging in with a passkey safer than with a password? Join us for free in the IHP Academy!

What is a public key? What is a private key? How do they work together? What are the 4 steps of creating a passkey? How do they compare to the steps in creating a password? Join us for free in the IHP Academy!

There is a master key to your online identity. Listen now to learn what it is and one way you can safeguard it. You can sign up for notifications of new podcast episodes by clicking here . Join us for free in the IHP Academy!

What is a protection partner and how can having one help you? It's a free strategy that anyone can use. It will give you an extra layer of security against many types of threats, but especially scams. Listen now to learn the details. You can sign up for notifications of new podcast episodes by clicking here . Join us for free in the IHP Academy!…