Simplify Security Consulting

05/01/2026

There’s been a lot of talk this past year about proving your age to use the internet or a computer. I’ve stayed out of the debate—until now, after reading the article below.

When the government starts cracking down on VPN use—no matter why it’s encrypted—we’ve hit a real problem. I’m opposed to age‑restricting the internet and forcing people to hand their data over to third parties like ISPs, Meta, Google, and the rest.

Some claim these measures protect children. I see it as plain‑old control. Rather than letting companies decide what’s private, they’re pushing the responsibility onto users.

I don’t have a perfect solution, but we can start by letting our leaders know that this covert push for more control will have consequences. I’ll vote against any politician who supports this data‑stealing agenda.

For the last couple of years, we’ve watched the same predictable cycle play out across the globe: a state (or country) passes a clunky age-verification mandate, and, without fail, Virtual Private Network (VPN) usage surges as residents scramble to maintain their privacy and anonymity. We've seen.....

03/04/2026

I have seen this kicked about a few times, but this was a much more interesting take.

Use code crayoncapital at https://incogni.com/crayoncapital to get an exclusive 60% off.September 11, 2001. The U.S. government had all the data to stop the ...

02/15/2026

I know that folks are probably getting tired of these posts warning of deepfakes etc. Have you heard of this, almost certainly....but have you ever seen anything directly?

However, this time I am not trying to warn you or give some concern for this might manifest itself. This video is a good example (taken from LinkedIn) of how deep fake might look/sound.
The original post was taken from here = https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7426999683320881152/

02/10/2026

Just a quick reminder.
For those that use a password service/tool/vault - you need to look to do some password updates. Maybe not everything, but if you have a financial accounts and they do not offer MFA - PLEASE for the sake of you and your family, PLEASE change those passwords.

I'm not a crazy person who thinks the world will implode if you use the same password over and over again - I have been in IT too long. I know it happens. BUT it's a risk...
it's
If you are looking to protect your financial status - please make time to go change those important passwords and if there is a multi-factor option, you should strongly consider setting that up.

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11/16/2025

John Strand used to end one of his classes with a powerful reflection about how the world is full of shepherds, wolves, and the flock. Lately, I’ve found myself increasingly tired of watching so many wolves prey on the older members of our flock.

Many of us have the knowledge and skills that shape who we are today. We know how to watch for the wolves that come from all over the internet. The difference is that when the least tech-savvy among us become the targets, we owe it to them to step in and help. We really have two choices: we can try to hack back and go after the wolves (something that might feel satisfying in the moment but never truly works—so I have heard), or we can give our flock the benefit of our experience. We can teach them how to protect themselves.

I know it can be a hassle. But if someone comes to you asking for help or guidance and you brush them off, only to learn later that they lost their life savings to a “wolf,” I hope you’d feel the same way I would. So, as we head into the holidays, take a moment to think about how we can make the wolves’ job just a little harder. We can’t stop them entirely, but we can make their work more difficult.

One person at a time.

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11/11/2025

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀.

We’ve all seen it—you open your inbox and find a message saying you requested a password reset you know you didn’t start. Don’t worry. Here are a few simple steps to help you handle it and understand what’s happening.

When it comes to security, simple is often better than complicated.

𝟣) 𝖣𝗈𝗇'𝗍 𝖯𝖺𝗇𝗂𝖼
Don’t panic. Take a moment to breathe, then respond deliberately. Attackers rely on emotional reactions—clicking unknown links or rushing through steps. Refuse to play into that. Follow a short checklist of simple actions to protect your account.

2) Don't Trust the Message
If you get an email claiming to be from Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Gmail, or any other service—go directly to the site yourself using your saved bookmark or by typing the address manually. Even if the email looks legitimate, it probably isn’t.
Once you’re logged in, check your account activity or login history. Many services show recent login attempts or suspicious activity. This helps you confirm whether someone tried to access your account or made changes without your permission.

𝟥) 𝖤𝗇𝖺𝖻𝗅𝖾 𝖬𝗎𝗅𝗍𝗂𝖿𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗈𝗋 𝖠𝗎𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗂𝖼𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇
If the service has MFA and it is not already enabled, enable it now. This will help add a layer of security BEYOND the simple password.

𝟦) 𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗀𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖲𝖾𝗋𝗏𝗂𝖼𝖾 𝖯𝖺𝗌𝗌𝗐𝗈𝗋𝖽
Simple and direct. There are plenty of great password managers—both free and paid—that can help you keep things secure. For the best protection, use a random, long password that’s hard to guess but easy to store safely.

𝟧) 𝖲𝖼𝖺𝗇 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖽𝖾𝗏𝗂𝖼𝖾𝗌 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗆𝖺𝗅𝗐𝖺𝗋𝖾
This step gives you the chance to scan your devices for any malware that may have slipped in unnoticed. I saved it for last because—while it’s the most important—it’s also the one people tend to skip. Don’t overlook it!

If you need any specific information or want greater detail, please let me know.

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11/07/2025

In the last few years a lot has been made of the possible BAN of TP-Link Routers. I wanted to give a quick update regarding an article that I read just recently. It has a LOT of data in that article; some of which I may agree or not. But its a good start to understanding why the government may be looking to ban it.

https://www.cnet.com/home/internet/i-asked-four-cybersecurity-experts-if-they-would-still-use-a-tp-link-router/
At the bottom were some suggestions. Here is their take, and my own:

• Keep your firmware updated: One of the most common ways hackers access your network is through outdated firmware. TP-Link told us that customers with TP-Link Cloud accounts can simply click the “Check for Updates” button in their product's firmware menu when logged into the TP-Link app or website. You can also find the latest updates in TP-Link’s download center.
𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘶𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘛𝘌𝘚𝘛 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘮𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘦, 𝘐𝘔𝘏𝘖/𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘯𝘰 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘥𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥. 𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦. 𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 – 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘷𝘶𝘭𝘯𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭.

• Strengthen your credentials: If you’ve never changed the default login credentials on your router, now’s the time to do it. Weak passwords are the cause of many common attacks. “Devices using default or weak passwords are easy targets,” Cohen told CNET. “Default or simple passwords can be easily brute-forced or guessed.” Most routers have an app that lets you update your login credentials from there, but you can also type your router’s IP address into a URL. These credentials are different from your Wi-Fi name and password, which should also be changed every six months or so. The longer and more random the password, the better.
𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘢𝘶𝘭𝘵 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘴. 𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘦 - 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭.

• Consider using a VPN service: For an added layer of protection, a virtual private network will encrypt all of your internet traffic and prevent your internet provider (or anyone else) from tracking the websites or apps you’re using. You can find CNET’s picks for the best VPN services here.
𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘢 𝘝𝘗𝘕 (𝘢 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯) 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵?

If you’re one of the millions of U.S. internet users who own a TP‑Link router, it’s understandable to feel confused or even concerned about the company’s reported ties to the Chinese government (Yes, it can be hard to find many products that aren’t made in China).

Think about how much trust you place in your device and the level of risk you’re willing to accept. I’m not suggesting you dump a $100+ router and buy another one, but if you don’t know much about how yours works, how can you feel confident in it?

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10/31/2025

Here is a qu**ky for anyone on social security:
If anyone gets a call, email, text etc ... Indicating that with the government shutdown the social security administration is having problems getting payments out and they need your contact data and mailing address.... Please understand that this is pure bunk.
The social security admin is not going to send text or email asking for personal information. Please ignore, delete or report that comm

And yes folks this is happening!

05/28/2025

GMAIL FILTERS -- Great way to control your inbox with GMAIL.

This is old but still just (it not more) apropos....

For those that still use Google email services, did you know you have a built in filtration system for throw away account options?
You can create unlimited aliases for things that you can then FILTER.

For instance - you need to provide your address for a gaming site that you know will spam you....You can use a spam alias for your account and then make a filter that says for any message with that alias move to the temp "label".

You can give out [email protected] and get lambasted with spam, or you could make it john.doe+[email protected]. All will still get to your inbox. Please Go try it! We can wait :-)

Once that is done, you need to write a filter.

In Gmail web client - top right you should see a gear. Click that - then click see all settings. On the 5th tab over you should see "filters and blocked addresses". In the middle of that area there is a link for CREATE A NEW FILTER. Click that.

In the TO field - put your alias - john.doe+[email protected]
then "continue"
The next screen scroll down and click "MARK AS READ". Down a few more and click apply label and - it should prompt you to use an existing label or MAKE NEW. Give it a name - in this case SPAM works.
THEN at the bottom- click CREATE FILTER.

What this does is tell gmail that for any email that comes in with that address john.doe+[email protected] tag it as spam and mark it read. You can still read these messages as you may need things like codes, signin data etc. BUT its no longer in the main inbox.
You could also chose to for the filter to immediately delete!

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05/04/2025

Made a post regarding URL and how you can look at a URL to at least understand what you are telling your browser to do.

It’s the address of the website that you’d like to visit or use. Those options vary with each site. Knowing the URL and how it works may…