How to Delete Your Digital Footprint as Per CIA in a Bungalow in Bora Bora, Tahiti | RDCTD Covert Operation Tradecraft The CIA covert operative guide on how to delete your digital footprint online for strategic, professional and personal purposes; internet privacy, operational security, actionable anonymity and general safety.

LINER TRADECRAFT

In today’s interconnected world, your digital footprint — the trail of data you leave behind online — can be a significant vulnerability. For covert operatives, erasing this trail is not just a matter of privacy but of strategy and survival. While most civilians may not face such high stakes, the ability to minimize and control your digital footprint is invaluable.

Whether it’s a social media post, an email, or a simple search query, these seemingly innocuous activities can accumulate into a detailed profile of your habits, preferences, and even your physical location.

For the average person, this data can be a privacy concern, but for a covert operative, it’s a potential threat to their safety and mission integrity. The art of erasing or minimizing one’s digital footprint is critical, and while the stakes may differ, the methods used by CIA operatives offer valuable lessons for anyone concerned about their online privacy.

LINER TRADECRAFT

LINER TRADECRAFT

          I.   UNDERSTANDING YOUR DIGITAL FOOTPRINT

Your digital footprint is the sum total of all the data you leave behind as you navigate the internet, whether consciously or unconsciously. This footprint is far more extensive and revealing than most people realize, consisting of several distinct layers of data that, when combined, can create a comprehensive profile of your life, habits, and identity. Understanding these layers is the first step toward effectively managing and, if necessary, erasing your digital presence.

Active Data: What You Intentionally Share

Active data includes all the information you knowingly and willingly share online. This could be anything from social media posts and comments to online purchases and emails. For example, when you post a photo on Instagram, tweet about a recent event, or leave a review on Amazon, you are contributing to your active digital footprint. This data is often the most obvious and easily traceable, as it’s tied directly to your accounts and publicly available content. However, it’s not just limited to public actions; private messages, emails, and even forms you fill out online also contribute to this footprint. The key characteristic of active data is that you are aware of its creation, even if you don’t fully understand its long-term implications.

Passive Data: What’s Collected Behind the Scenes

Passive data is the information that is collected about you without your direct input or awareness. This can include things like your browsing history, IP address, location data, and the metadata attached to your online communications. For example, websites often track which pages you visit, how long you stay on each page, and what links you click on. Your smartphone might automatically log your location, even if you aren’t actively using a map app. This type of data is more insidious because it’s collected in the background, often without your explicit consent, and can be aggregated to reveal patterns about your behavior, preferences, and routines. Over time, passive data can create a detailed map of your activities that is valuable to advertisers, data brokers, and potentially malicious actors.

Shadow Data: The Hidden Aggregations

Shadow data refers to information that exists about you but that you might not even know exists. This data is often generated by third-party companies, such as data brokers, who collect and aggregate information from various sources to build detailed profiles of individuals. These profiles can include everything from your financial history and purchasing behavior to more obscure data points like your social connections or predicted future actions. Shadow data can be sold, shared, or stolen, often without your knowledge or consent. Unlike active or passive data, which you can see or sense, shadow data is hidden in databases and used behind the scenes, making it particularly challenging to manage or erase.

The Interconnected Nature of Your Footprint

These different types of data are not isolated; they interact and reinforce each other. For instance, your active data can be used to infer passive data, and shadow data can be built by aggregating both active and passive data from multiple sources. This interconnected nature makes your digital footprint more extensive and resilient than it might initially appear. A simple tweet might seem harmless, but when combined with your browsing history, location data, and data broker profiles, it can contribute to a far-reaching digital shadow that others can exploit.

LINER TRADECRAFT

LINER TRADECRAFT

          II.   AUDITING YOUR DIGITAL FOOTPRINT

Before you can effectively reduce or erase your digital footprint, you need to know where it exists. This process begins with a thorough self-audit — a detailed inventory of your online presence. Just as a CIA operative meticulously scans for potential security threats, you must scrutinize every corner of your digital life to identify where your personal information is stored, shared, or exposed. A comprehensive self-audit will uncover the accounts, data, and traces of activity that contribute to your overall digital footprint, giving you the roadmap needed to begin erasing it.

Identify All Online Accounts

The first step in your self-audit is to identify all the online accounts you’ve created over the years. This includes not only the obvious, like your active social media profiles, but also forgotten accounts that may still hold your data. Start by listing out the platforms you currently use:

Social Media:     Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, Snapchat, and any other platforms where you have an active or inactive profile.

Email Accounts:     Don’t just consider your primary email — think about any secondary or throwaway accounts you may have created over the years.

E-Commerce Sites:     Websites like Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and any other online retailers where you’ve made purchases.

Subscription Services:     Streaming services like Netflix, Spotify, and news sites where you’ve subscribed.

Old and Forgotten Accounts:     Accounts you might have created for specific purposes years ago—such as online forums, niche social networks, or one-off purchases — can often be overlooked.

Use Tools to Assist in Discovery

Manual searching is a critical part of the process, but you can also use specialized tools to ensure thoroughness:

Google Search:     Begin by Googling your name, email addresses, usernames, and phone numbers. This will give you an initial overview of what’s publicly available and help you recall old accounts or posts.

Data Broker Sites:     Websites like Spokeo, Whitepages, and BeenVerified aggregate personal information from various sources. Search for yourself on these platforms to see what data is already out there.

Account Discovery Tools:     Websites like JustDelete.me or AccountKiller provide a directory of services and instructions on how to delete accounts, including lesser-known platforms.

Create a Detailed Inventory

As you uncover accounts, create a detailed inventory that includes:

Account Names/Usernames:     Write down all your associated usernames, as some accounts might be under different aliases.

Email Addresses Used:     Note which email addresses are tied to each account. This is crucial for recovery and deletion.

Passwords:     Securely store passwords using a password manager if you don’t already. You may need access to these accounts for deletion or deactivation.

Purpose of the Account:     Briefly note why you created the account. This will help you assess its importance and decide whether to delete or maintain it.

Don’t Forget the Dark Corners

Your digital footprint isn’t limited to accounts you actively use. Be sure to dig into:

Archived Emails:     Search through old email threads for confirmation emails or newsletters that might remind you of forgotten accounts.

Old Devices:     If you’ve switched phones, laptops, or tablets over the years, check those devices for stored logins or cached data that could lead to long-forgotten accounts.

Connected Apps:     Review which third-party apps and services have access to your main accounts, such as social media or Google. These apps often retain data independently.

Evaluate Your Findings

Once you’ve compiled your inventory, take time to evaluate the findings:

Critical Accounts:     These are accounts you actively use and may need to maintain, like your primary email or bank accounts. While you might not delete these, you should enhance their security.

Non-Essential Accounts:     Accounts you no longer use or need should be marked for deletion.

High-Risk Accounts:     Identify accounts that contain sensitive information or are tied to financial data. These require immediate attention, either for enhanced security or complete deletion.

LINER TRADECRAFT

LINER TRADECRAFT

          III.   SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT DELETIONS

Systematically deleting your online accounts is a critical step in erasing your digital footprint. Each account you’ve ever created, whether for social media, email, or online shopping, represents a repository of personal data. Simply abandoning an account isn’t enough — most companies continue to store your data indefinitely, and inactive accounts are vulnerable to hacking or unauthorized access. To truly minimize your online presence, you must go beyond deactivation and ensure complete deletion of your accounts.

Deactivation vs. Deletion: Know the Difference

Understanding the distinction between deactivation and deletion is crucial in this process:

Deactivation:     When you deactivate an account, you’re essentially putting it on pause. Your data remains on the company’s servers, and you can reactivate the account at any time by logging back in. While deactivation makes your profile invisible to the public, it does not erase your data. For example, deactivating a Facebook account means your timeline disappears from view, but Facebook retains all your data, including posts, photos, and messages.

Deletion:     Account deletion is the permanent removal of your account and its associated data from the company’s servers. This process is irreversible, meaning once an account is deleted, it cannot be recovered. The challenge here is that many platforms make account deletion difficult, often hiding the option deep within their settings or requiring multiple steps to complete. Some may even delay the deletion process, giving you a grace period during which you can change your mind.

To fully eliminate your digital footprint, always opt for account deletion rather than deactivation. Be aware that some platforms might not offer a true deletion option, in which case you should consider submitting a formal data deletion request under applicable privacy laws, such as the GDPR in Europe or the CCPA in California.

The Account Deletion Process: Step-by-Step Guide

Successfully deleting an account often involves more than just clicking a button. This is a detailed process to follow:

[Back Up Important Data]

– Before you delete an account, decide whether there’s any data you want to keep. Many platforms allow you to download a copy of your data, such as your photos, posts, or purchase history. Take advantage of this option, especially for accounts where you’ve stored personal content.

[Find the Deletion Option]

– Navigate through the account settings to find the deletion option. Often, it will be under “Privacy,” “Security,” or “Account” sections. Some platforms require you to go through a help center or contact customer service to request deletion.

– For difficult-to-find deletion options, use guides available online or tools like JustDelete.me, which provide direct links to the deletion pages for many services.

[Follow Through with the Deletion Process]

– Platforms may require you to verify your identity or confirm your intention multiple times before proceeding with deletion. Follow each step carefully.

– Some services will ask for a reason for leaving or offer incentives to keep your account. Stay firm in your decision and proceed with deletion.

[Confirm the Deletion]

– After initiating the deletion, check your email for a confirmation message. Many services will send a final notification confirming that your account has been scheduled for deletion or has already been deleted. Keep this confirmation for your records.

– Be aware that some platforms impose a waiting period (typically 14 to 30 days) before fully deleting your account, during which your data is still accessible. If you log in during this period, the deletion process might be canceled, so avoid logging back in.

[Request Full Data Removal]

– Even after account deletion, your data might still reside in backup systems or archives. To ensure complete removal, you can send a formal request to the company to delete all remaining data. Under privacy laws like GDPR, companies are required to comply with such requests.

Specialized Considerations for Different Types of Accounts

[Social Media Accounts]

– Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn hold vast amounts of personal data. Prioritize these for deletion. Consider deleting not only the account but also removing any posts, comments, and photos before initiating the deletion to ensure minimal data retention.

[Email Accounts]

– Email accounts are often the key to many other online services. Delete secondary and unused email accounts first, then focus on your primary email. Remember to set up a new, private email account (preferably using a secure service like ProtonMail) to manage any residual online activities without connecting it to your real identity.

[E-Commerce and Subscription Services]

– Sites like Amazon, eBay, and other e-commerce platforms store detailed records of your purchase history, addresses, and payment methods. Deleting these accounts requires extra steps, such as canceling subscriptions, downloading receipts, and ensuring that any ongoing orders or disputes are resolved before deletion.

– For subscription services like Netflix, Spotify, and news outlets, ensure you cancel your subscriptions first to avoid future billing, then proceed with account deletion.

[Old and Forgotten Accounts]

– Forgotten accounts from years past can still hold personal information. Use tools like Have I Been Pwned to check if old accounts have been compromised in data breaches, which can help you identify which accounts need to be deleted. Additionally, search through old emails for account creation confirmations to locate these forgotten accounts.

[Special Cases]

– Some accounts, such as those associated with financial services, healthcare, or government services, may have different deletion processes due to legal requirements. Contact these institutions directly to understand how your data is handled and what steps you can take to minimize your digital footprint.

LINER TRADECRAFT

LINER TRADECRAFT

          IV.   ERASING YOUR SEARCH ENGINE HISTORY

Search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo track and store your search history, often linking it to your personal accounts and devices. This data can be used to build a profile of your interests, habits, and even your location over time. For anyone concerned with privacy or looking to reduce their digital footprint, it’s essential to erase this search history and take steps to prevent future tracking. Here’s how you can do this effectively.

Deleting Your Search History

Each search engine has its own process for deleting search history:

[Google]

Since Google is the most widely used search engine, it’s likely the most significant part of your search history. To delete it:

1. Sign in to your Google account.

2. Go to “My Activity” (you can search for it in Google or find it in the Google Account settings under “Data & Personalization”).

3. In “My Activity,” you can see all your past searches, voice commands, and other activities.

4. Use the options to delete by day, by a specific activity, or clear all history. Google allows you to delete activities by date or product, so you can be specific about what you remove.

5. You can also set up auto-delete options where Google will automatically erase data older than a specified period (3 months, 18 months, etc.).

[Bing]

Microsoft’s Bing search engine also tracks your searches, but you can delete this data:

1. Sign in to your Microsoft account.

2. Visit the Privacy Dashboard on Microsoft’s website.

3. Go to the “Activity History” section where you can find your search history.

4. Delete individual searches or clear all search history at once.

[Yahoo] While not as popular as Google or Bing, Yahoo still holds a significant amount of user data:

1. Sign in to your Yahoo account.

2. Go to the “Manage History” section.

3. From here, you can view and delete your search history.

Clearing Your Browser History

While deleting your search engine history removes records stored by the search provider, it doesn’t erase the history stored on your device. To fully scrub your search activities:

[Chrome]

1. Click on the three dots (menu) in the upper-right corner.

2. Go to “History” > “History.”

3. Click on “Clear browsing data.”

4. Choose a time range (like the last hour, last 24 hours, all time).

5. Make sure “Browsing history,” “Cookies and other site data,” and “Cached images and files” are selected.

6. Click “Clear data.”

[Firefox]

1. Open the menu (three horizontal lines) in the upper-right corner.

2. Click on “History” > “Clear Recent History.”

3. Select the time range you want to clear.

4. Ensure that “Browsing & Download History” and “Cookies” are selected.

5. Click “Clear Now.”

[Safari]

1. Open Safari and click on “History” in the top menu.

2. Click “Clear History.”

3. Choose the time period you want to clear and click “Clear History.”

Clearing your browser history not only deletes your search history but also removes cookies and cached data, which can be used to track you.

Preventing Future Tracking

To prevent search engines and browsers from tracking your searches in the future:

Use Private Browsing/Incognito Mode:     Most browsers offer a private mode (called “Incognito” in Chrome and “Private Browsing” in Firefox and Safari) that doesn’t save your browsing history, cookies, or search history. However, it’s important to note that this doesn’t hide your activity from your ISP, employer, or the websites you visit.

Switch to Privacy-Focused Search Engines:     Consider using search engines like DuckDuckGo or Startpage, which don’t track your searches or store your data. DuckDuckGo, in particular, is known for its strong privacy policies, not storing personal information or search history.

Use a VPN:     A Virtual Private Network (VPN) masks your IP address, making it harder for search engines and websites to track your activities. Combine this with a privacy-focused search engine for maximum anonymity.

Disable Search Engine Personalization:     Most search engines personalize your results based on your past searches and other data. In Google, you can disable this by going to your account settings, navigating to “Data & Personalization,” and turning off “Search customization.”

LINER TRADECRAFT

LINER TRADECRAFT

          V.   SCRUBBING YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE

Your social media presence is one of the most significant contributors to your digital footprint. Even if you’ve deleted your accounts, remnants of your activity may still exist in the form of archived posts, tagged photos, or shared content. To fully scrub your social media presence, you need to approach the task with a comprehensive and methodical strategy.

Delete Old Posts and Content

Even after you’ve deleted your social media accounts, traces of your past activity can remain accessible, especially if you have only deactivated your accounts rather than fully deleting them. This is how you can tackle old posts:

Manual Deletion:     Go through your social media profiles and manually delete posts, comments, and any other content that could reveal personal information. On platforms like Facebook, use the “Manage Activity” tool to filter and bulk-delete posts. On Twitter, tools like TweetDelete allow you to remove old tweets en masse.

Archived Content:     Remember that many platforms archive content for a period even after deletion. Facebook, for example, retains your data for 30 days after you request account deletion. Be patient and ensure all backups and archives are also deleted by the platform.

Untag Yourself from Photos and Posts

Photos, tags, and mentions by others can persist long after you’ve removed your own content. To address this:

Review Tagging Settings:     First, adjust your privacy settings to control who can tag you in posts or photos in the future. On Facebook, you can turn on the option to review tags before they appear on your profile.

Untag Yourself:     Manually go through tagged photos and posts, and untag yourself. On platforms like Instagram, you can also request that the user who posted the photo remove the tag or delete the post entirely.

Reach Out to Connections:     Politely ask friends or acquaintances to delete posts or photos that include you. While this may seem awkward, it’s often necessary to ensure that all traces of your social media presence are scrubbed.

Delete Comments and Interactions

Your interactions with others—comments, likes, and shares—can also reveal personal information. To mitigate this:

Search for Your Activity:     Platforms like Facebook have an “Activity Log” where you can see all your interactions. Go through and delete comments, likes, and shares that could be linked back to you.

Public Interactions:     Focus especially on comments made on public pages or posts, as these are more likely to be indexed by search engines and visible to anyone.

Remove Your Profiles from Search Engines

Even after deleting your social media accounts and content, cached versions may still appear in search engine results. To address this:

Google’s URL Removal Tool:     Use this tool to request the removal of outdated or cached content from Google’s search results. This can be particularly useful for old social media profiles that are no longer active.

Bing and Other Search Engines:     Don’t forget to perform similar actions on other search engines. Each has its own process for removing outdated content.

Monitor Regularly:     Set up Google Alerts for your name or any known usernames you’ve used. This will help you stay informed if any of your data resurfaces online.

Lock Down or Delete Remaining Accounts

If there are social media accounts you wish to keep but reduce their visibility:

Tighten Privacy Settings:     Adjust your privacy settings so that only trusted friends can see your posts, and ensure that your profiles are not indexed by search engines.

Use Aliases:     For platforms where you still want to engage but wish to minimize exposure, consider using an alias or pseudonym. This will create a layer of separation between your real identity and your online presence.

Account Deletion:     For platforms where you no longer need an account, the best course of action is complete deletion. Ensure you’ve backed up any essential data before proceeding, as this process is irreversible.

LINER TRADECRAFT

LINER TRADECRAFT

          VI.   MINIMIZING SHADOW DATA

Minimizing shadow data is one of the most challenging but crucial aspects of erasing your digital footprint. Shadow data refers to the information collected about you without your direct input, often by third parties like data brokers, advertisers, and even large corporations that aggregate data from various sources. This data can include everything from your browsing habits and purchase history to inferred interests and social connections. Unlike active data, shadow data is often collected covertly and is used to build detailed profiles that can be sold or used for targeted advertising. To minimize your shadow data, you need to adopt a multi-layered approach.

Opt-Out of Data Broker Sites

Data brokers collect, analyze, and sell your personal information to companies and organizations. To minimize the impact of this, start by opting out of data collection from major data brokers like Acxiom, Experian, and Oracle Data Cloud. Each data broker has its own opt-out process, which often involves submitting a request through their website. This process can be time-consuming, as you may need to opt-out from multiple brokers individually, but it is crucial for reducing the amount of shadow data about you circulating in the market. Services like DeleteMe or PrivacyDuck can assist in this process by handling opt-outs for you across multiple data brokers, saving time and ensuring thoroughness.

Disable Ad Tracking

Ad tracking is a significant source of shadow data. Advertisers track your online behavior to deliver personalized ads, which can reveal a lot about your interests, habits, and even location. To combat this, adjust the privacy settings on your devices and browsers to limit ad tracking. On smartphones, you can reset your Advertising ID and disable personalized ads by navigating to your device’s privacy settings. On your browser, consider using privacy extensions like uBlock Origin or Privacy Badger to block trackers. Furthermore, regularly clear your cookies and cache to remove tracking data that websites have stored on your device. Another effective measure is to use the “Do Not Track” setting in your browser, although not all websites honor this request.

Use Privacy-Focused Tools

To further minimize shadow data, incorporate privacy-focused tools into your daily online activities. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a crucial tool for masking your IP address and encrypting your internet traffic, making it much harder for third parties to track your online behavior. Additionally, consider using privacy-focused browsers like Tor or Brave, which are designed to protect your anonymity by blocking trackers and using encrypted connections. These browsers offer features like built-in ad blockers and enhanced privacy settings that reduce the amount of data collected about you. For communications, switch to encrypted messaging apps like Signal or Telegram, which offer end-to-end encryption to protect your messages from being intercepted or monitored. These tools are essential for maintaining privacy and reducing the shadow data that is inevitably collected during online activities.

Limit Data Sharing with Third-Party Apps

Many apps and websites request access to personal information that they don’t necessarily need to function. When downloading new apps or signing up for online services, carefully review the permissions they request and deny access to any that seem unnecessary. For example, a weather app doesn’t need access to your contacts or camera, and social media apps don’t need access to your location unless you’re explicitly using location-based features. Limiting the data you share with these third-party apps can significantly reduce the amount of shadow data being collected and aggregated across different platforms.

Regularly Audit and Clean Up Your Online Presence

Even with these preventive measures in place, shadow data can still accumulate over time. To combat this, perform regular audits of your online presence, including checking which apps and services you’ve authorized to access your data. Revoke permissions for any apps or services you no longer use or trust. Additionally, review and update your privacy settings on social media and other online platforms to ensure they align with your current privacy preferences.

LINER TRADECRAFT

LINER TRADECRAFT

          VII.   CIA TACTICS AND STRATEGIES
Use of Burner Identities and Devices

REDACTED LOCKER

Utilize Cutouts and Intermediaries

REDACTED LOCKER

Physical Media Destruction

REDACTED LOCKER

Use of Decoy Information

REDACTED LOCKER

Operation Security (OPSEC) Routines

REDACTED LOCKER

Surreptitious Data Manipulation

REDACTED LOCKER

Operational Dead Drops

REDACTED LOCKER

Digital Presence Obfuscation

REDACTED LOCKER

Covering Tracks through Layered Identity Use

REDACTED LOCKER

Controlled Online Presence Cessation

REDACTED LOCKER

LINER TRADECRAFT

LINER TRADECRAFT

          VIII.   DEVICE MANAGEMENT

Securing your devices is a critical component of minimizing your digital footprint. Even the most thorough online data scrubbing can be undone if your physical devices are compromised. Just as a CIA operative would take meticulous steps to protect their operational tools, you must ensure your smartphones, computers, and other connected devices are fortified against potential breaches. This means going beyond basic security practices to implement comprehensive measures that protect your data both at rest and in transit.

Wipe Old Devices

Before you dispose of or recycle any device, it’s essential to wipe all data from it completely. This goes for old smartphones, tablets, laptops, and even hard drives. Simply deleting files or performing a basic factory reset often isn’t enough to remove all traces of your data. Residual data can often be recovered with forensic tools, making it possible for someone to reconstruct your digital history. To prevent this, you should use specialized software like **DBAN (Darik’s Boot and Nuke)** for hard drives, which overwrites the entire disk with random data, making recovery impossible. For smartphones, use the manufacturer’s specific wiping protocols, and consider encrypting the phone before wiping it to add an extra layer of security. Additionally, remember to remove and securely destroy SIM cards and SD cards, which may also contain sensitive data.

Encrypt Your Devices

Encryption is one of the most effective ways to protect the data on your devices. When you encrypt a device, you convert the data into a form that can only be accessed by someone with the correct decryption key—typically a password or PIN. For an operative, encryption ensures that even if a device is lost, stolen, or seized, the data remains inaccessible to unauthorized individuals. **Full-disk encryption** should be enabled on all laptops, desktops, and smartphones. Modern operating systems like Windows (with BitLocker), macOS (with FileVault), and iOS and Android devices offer built-in encryption options. Activating this feature is straightforward and provides a significant boost to your data security, protecting everything from personal files to operating system data.

Regularly Update Software

Software updates are often overlooked but are crucial for maintaining device security. Many updates include patches for vulnerabilities that have been discovered since the last version was released. Failing to update your software can leave you exposed to these vulnerabilities, which can be exploited by hackers to gain access to your device. A CIA operative would never leave such a gap unaddressed. To maintain a secure device, make it a habit to regularly check for and install updates for your operating system, applications, and firmware. This is particularly important for security software, such as antivirus programs and firewalls, which need to be up to date to defend against the latest threats.

Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) adds an additional layer of security to your devices by requiring more than one form of verification before granting access. Typically, MFA combines something you know (like a password) with something you have (like a smartphone) or something you are (like a fingerprint). For an operative, MFA is a non-negotiable part of securing their devices, as it significantly reduces the chances of unauthorized access. Enable MFA on all accounts that support it, particularly email, cloud storage, and banking apps. If possible, use hardware-based authenticators like YubiKey for an even higher level of security, as these are more difficult to compromise than software-based MFA.

Use a VPN for All Online Activity

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) encrypts your internet connection, masking your IP address and making it difficult for anyone to track your online activity. This is crucial for maintaining operational security, as it prevents eavesdropping on your communications and shields your location. Whether you’re using public Wi-Fi or your home internet connection, a VPN should be active on all your devices whenever you’re online. Choose a reputable VPN service that does not log user activity and has strong encryption protocols. Remember, a VPN is only as good as the provider, so select one that prioritizes user privacy and has a proven track record.

Secure Physical Access to Devices

Mever underestimate the importance of physical security for your devices. Even the most encrypted and secure device can be compromised if someone gains physical access to it. To prevent this, always keep your devices with you or stored in a secure location. For operatives, this might mean using tamper-evident seals on devices or storing them in locked, RFID-shielded containers when not in use. For civilians, it can mean using laptop locks, keeping devices out of sight when not in use, and avoiding leaving devices unattended in public places. If you’re traveling, consider using Faraday bags, which block all wireless signals, to prevent remote access attempts or tracking.

LINER TRADECRAFT

LINER TRADECRAFT

Erasing your digital footprint requires diligence, patience, and a strategic approach, much like the tradecraft employed by an operative. While it may be impossible to completely erase every trace of your online existence, following these steps will significantly reduce your visibility and protect your privacy.