Dan Andrews Knoxville Focus

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Friday, November 28, 2014

#Jestersblackphone Friday!

So, here is what I am willing to donate to Silent Circle forever! If I win #jestersblackphone.
1) The Silent Circle baseball cap. The original preproduction autographed brochure! The personal letter possibly the first written letter ever recorded  (not via email) to have a saying "Circle up." Oh and as "Journalist Zero," I have one more gift I would love to send to Silent Circle for the Museum or the office...On June 25th, 2014 the Supreme Court came back with a monumental ruling. http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/13pdf/13-132_8l9c.pdf During that day, I placed an email to Silent Circle...later on that day I would receive a phone call that would change my life! Phil Zimmermann, the founder of Silent Circle, made a call to me directly! It was an amazing phone call. Which I would later document throughout my blogs....

So, as some of you may know, I am really huge on saving history. I know that from being a volunteer at a lighthouse many years  ago. The lesson I still carry with me to this day is when history is lost, it is lost forever! So, that brings me to this. If I win #jestersblackphone, I will gladly donate it forever to Silent Circle. History should be kept in museums, not in people's basements. That being said; I will also donate everything you see below.  Including the notes, I took while on the phone with Mr. Zimmermann.  If I do not win, hey that is cool. I will still be willing to donate my " Silent Circle Artifacts" to the circle. However, if you can cut me a discount on my current subscription that would rock! Well, as we have said from the beginning Circle up!





Today's Encryption forecast for Knox County

Good morning. Here is today's encryption forecast.  Highly recommending all precautions be taken when communicating with any reporters in  the St. Louis area. Knox County has many former reporters in that area. After monitoring cyber traffic last night it appears that due to the Ferguson shooting, many hackers are making everything in that area a target. At this time I would strongly advise high levels of encryption be implemented on all communications. Also, I think that with such a high amout of hackers going after St. Louis reporters, we in Knox County may get some "daisy chain." Meaning if they can hack into one reporter's communication device, then they will try to use that to hack into other reporters devices by slipping malware.

As for the color code of the day: Still at Red.

End of report.
Remember I am not an expert. This is just my opinion. Consult with an expert.

Thursday, November 27, 2014

How to prevent remote spying on your phone for under ten cents

Yes two rubber bands some black electrical tape and we are all good!  First, create a slide on slide off camera cover for front and back. To do that we simply place the rubberband horizontally. We place the electrical tape VERTICALLY! Next, add a lot of tape to the second rubberband in one specific spot.  Now simply place the rubberband over the case going VERTICALLY! Now line up the black electrical tape over the other microphone.Now with the pressure from the  added padding (electrical tape) you have just defeated any girlfriend, boyfriend, government agency, or hacker group. trying to remote spy on you!
PS. I thought of this clever idea while trying to win #jestersblackphone So I am going to call this #silentjester ! In honor of Silent Circle  and Jester!


Please note. I am not an expert so consult with an expert and your on your own. I take no responsibility for this.






Creating a new Journalist Encryption Alert Level

Working on a new way to bring awareness of encryption for journalists. Today, I introduce an open source idea.  I call it #journalistzero. Each morning we look at the current local and global society and formulate why we believe that encryption is neccessary.

While I firmly believe everything should be encrypted, I feel if we create a number system as to why people should encrypt, it will give the public and journalists more reasons to do so.

THIS IS EXPERIMENTAL...Remember encrypt everything!

Journalist Encryption level for Knox County...

Currently: Red

Situation or reason: Multiple high profile open source (openly reported in media) ongoing federal  investigations.

Suggestions: At this time it is highly advisable to encrypt all phone communicatications. 
At this time I have done the following.
a)Rooted Android

b)Backed up all data to the cloud (phone numbers and contact info via people calling me on Silent Circle app is not backed up, rather it is destroyed.

c) Strengthened the Kernal, 

d) Mobile: Installed VPNs, multiple walls of protection, multiple antivirus apps (paid), 

e) Home: I ran a number of scans on computer.

.

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Ghosting a cellphone?

Journalist Zero is back. OK, so what if we made a cellphone with the best of both worlds. One that could go on and off the grid instantaniously? Huh? As I have mentioned before the problem with cellphones is they have to go to a cell tower. So what if we made a duel supply cellphone with a physical micro power cut? Think of an external battery with two pistons for connectors. If you want to use VOIP then they power only the core of the VOIP.  If you want to power the cell phone, no problem. This would be done manually so you know phone is off.

The end result is if you need to go dark to avoid a pattern of life or high value location setting attacks, then you can easily perform the feature with my idea,

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

#jestersphone

Why do I want the #jestersphone so bad. Seriously, Google "FBI+ Knoxville+Investigation." and look at the section of news! So a lot of people want the #Jestersphone." But I got a couple "historic" encryption articles of my own I would like to donate to the museum. As an original believer in Silent Circle I was one of the few journalists that covered the start of Silent Circle http://www.knoxfocus.com/2012/10/five-questions-with-silent-circle/   So what do we got? An original signed brochure by Phil Zimmerman Mike Janke and Vic Hyder. An original baseball cap. Finally a personal thank you letter from Christine Blake an original member of the PR team.  If I receive the Black Phone, I will donate this to the Spy Museum...

In conclusion I bleed encryption. Have been covering and writing about it for years. If you believe as strongly in encryption as I do... You will select me for this prestigious award . Sincerely , Journalist Zero! Dan Andrews