security

Let’s start with the good news: Powerbase is not affected by the recently discovered vulnerability in the log4j software package that is getting publicity these days. Powerbase is not affected because the vulnerable software is written in the Java programming language and Powerbase is written in the PHP and JavasSript languages (JavaScript, despite having a similar sounding name, is entirely different then the Java programming language). Now, the bad news: the odds are high that some server in the world holding your personal data or providing some useful service to you is vulnerable and may be exploited.

Spectre and Meltdown: Capitalist values will haunt us for years to come

in powerbase

January 5, 2018

Two significant technical vulnerabilities have been discovered and were publicly announced on January 3. They are called Meltdown and Spectre. Unlike most technical vulnerabilities, which are caused by poorly written software, Meltdown and Spectre are caused by the way computer chips are designed. Therefore, they are much harder to fix. Using these vulnerabilities, an attacker with access to a computer or server (including remote access) can read information used by other programs on the computer or server.

Surveillance Then & Now: How to Protect Ourselves

in general

December 12, 2016

By freiheitsfoo (Own work) CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Resources from the webinar COINTELPRO destroyed movements, relationships, and activists’ lives. It destroyed the trust and hopefulness needed to build and sustain a movement. It destroyed the movement for justice in this country. But this time, we have ways of fending it off and protecting ourselves. More than 200 listeners joined our webinar and hundreds more signed up to access the resource documents and tips we shared when PTP and May First / People Link organized a December call to discuss surveillance and what to do about it.

Keeping Safe: Movement Organizations Face Up to Attacks and Surveillance

in general

October 5, 2016

Dealing with harassment and surveillance need to be part of every organizer’s toolkit This July, PTP asked nonprofit communications expert Gordon Mayer to look at emerging issues we and our partner organizations face. This first piece offers a primer on surveillance and harassment._ Nonprofits have a lot of other things to worry about besides surveillance and online harassment, but with an increase in these kinds of unwanted attention online, what once seemed like paranoia is looking more prudent.