It was a few days before I was flying to Colorado for the GORUCK Ascent this year and I was thinking that it would be great to have a device that allowed me to send and receive messages as well as allow someone to track my current location and movement.
A simple search online produced the usual results; SPOT Personal Tracker, DeLorme inReach, etc. But then I stumbled across a device that no one seemed to have seen before. The CerberLink from BriarTek.
Undoubtedly you’ve seen those boxes with a telescope sticking out of the front used on construction sites and by road survey crews, but have you ever wondered what they were? I guess I never gave it much thought and hadn’t pondered using this type of equipment at home or work.
Those weird looking boxes that surveyors are looking through are called Theodolites and are used to measure vertical and horizontal angles. They’re also the instruments responsible for geodetic surveys since the 1800s. They tell you where you are and the location of what you are looking at (by measuring angles and using formulas.) I’ll stop right there and admit my math skills are horrible and I’m not going to pretend to know much about geometry.
This is where the magic of the iPhone jumps in and helps us knuckle-draggers out. The math voodoo is done for you and gives you quick, accurate information that you can now send via SMS message or email to all your co-workers and friends. [Read More…]
In today’s world, we rely on electronic devices more than ever before. These devices allow us to connect and share information throughout the world at a speed that was never thought possible. We can now share our ideas instantly through laptops, smartphones, tablets and other devices.
In a world where information moves at the speed of light, the need for security has never been higher. Our devices and identities are subject to a variety of attacks both physical and electronic. There are many methods and practices for securing your information. Today, we’ll start with the basics.
Having a network in your home is a great way to share information between your devices without physically transferring it. The most common way people network their devices in the home is through the use of a wireless router. Wireless routers are great because they allow us to access the Internet anywhere in the house. However, if not secured properly, routers can be a great point of attack for someone looking for your information.
Most good quality home networking equipment provides certain settings that can help to secure the wireless network. In this article we won’t cover any specific hardware, but we will discuss common settings and best practices. Remember, network security is no different than security in other areas. We advocate a multi-layered approach that doesn’t rely on just one point of failure. [Read More…]
SHOT Show is almost here and I’m excited about attending with ITS Tactical. In preparation for the show I ran across the SHOT Show 2011 App by FOXPRO.
The initial reviews were pretty harsh; slow start ups, not saving information, maps folding and unfolding was annoying. Of course these were all for v1.0 and this review is based on what’s currently available, v1.2.
After downloading the app and registering with my badge number and zip-code I was off and ready to start. [Read More…]
We talk a lot on ITS about security in the digital age, but what about the security that comes from knowing that in the event of a total loss to your home or business, your data will be protected?
I’m of course talking about backups, whether you use your computer for photos, important documents, financial records or all of these; you need to have a solid backup plan.
Today we’re going to discuss the options out there to not only have access to your important data whenever you need it, but also how to get everything back if something catastrophic happens. [Read More…]
An awesome new product we’ve just recently come across is the LaCie XtremKey, which boasts an impressive array of features and resistance to heat, cold, water, pressure and dropping.
We were recently able to source one of these, despite the lack of stock hitting the market and look forward to bringing you an in-depth review after we’ve had a chance to beat up on it. While we won’t see if it blends, we have some testing in mind to see how the drive performs in the elements.
The LaCie XtremKey features capacities up to 64GB with an “impenetrable shell,” that can apparently withstand the pressure of a 10-ton truck!
Here are the additional features and specs on the XtremKey from LaCie:[Read More…]
Are you looking for that perfect accessory to complement your James Bond wardrobe?
Tux? Check. Walther PPK? Check. Martini, shaken not stirred? Check. USB Cufflinks? Yes, now you can carry those important files on Pussy Galore in your Cufflinks!
The 4GB USB Flash Drive Cufflinks (2GB each) from Cufflinks.com measure 3/4″ x 5/8″ and can even be engraved with your agent number.
Camouflage is an ancient yet simple concept: make your appearance mimic the environment in which you operate so as to appear part of the background noise of visual, auditory and other sensory tools used by those whose attention you wish to avoid.
The brave new world of the Internet has evolved so quickly though that blending in to a new landscape can be difficult; primarily for the lack of options and the obsolescence of the “old” tools we’ve always trusted.
While none of us would walk around with a Ben Franklin hanging out of our shirt pocket, or leave a credit card lying on the dash of our vehicle, we often ignore effective concealment of our online silhouette while patrolling the now-dangerous world of cyberspace. [Read More…]
Here’s a cool tip we were emailed the other day about storing sensitive information right out in the open.
While not a new concept, the idea to store sensitive data on the internal disk of a floppy was something we’d never seen before.
In the article we originally saw on instructables.com, they recommended taking apart the disk, sticking the passwords down with glue, and then putting it back together again. [Read More…]
While Wi-Fi is a blessing if you can find it and Laptop Broadband Cards are usually a joke, what do you do if you need internet in remote locations to transmit sensitive data? Enter BGAN (Broadband Global Area Network).
INMARSAT (International Maritime Satellite Organization) is the international telecommunications company that owns and operates the three I-4 (INMARSAT-4) satellites BGAN operates on. The company started out offering satellite communications to the maritime community, but has since branched out to cater to aircraft and portable users. [Read More…]
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