Now, I am ready to get going on becoming invisible, but don't know where to start. Do you have a recommended guideline to follow? I could go through your book chapter by chapter and write down a list, but I was hoping you already had a suggested step-by-step process to follow. Thanks!

... Each person has different needs and cicumstances, Steve. There is no "one size fits all." But a good starting place is to never get mail or packages or pizzas at your home address.

That's why not only should you NEVER have ANY phone number that can be linked to your physical location because you're really easy to find that way, you should use a service like Vumber to call others, especially those close to you, so they don't inadvertently give you up by their phone records. (I refuse to give family, close friends or business associates my true cell phone number, even though it's not in my name or an address associated with me.) Also, VoIP phones not connected to your name or an accurate e-911 address works just as well to obfuscate your location--especially coupled with a service like Vumber.

Updates I'd love to see would include exploration of "alternative choices" (i.e., still pursuing privacy while not going the #1 recommended route in HTBI). Afterall, everyone's circumstances are different.

Some examples would include: taking reader step by step (with all the minor minutiae) of buying a new car at a dealership (i.e., as opposed to buying from a private party). Or renting a house/apartment at a managed complex. This may not be as good as renting from a private owner but it would be very helpful to know how far one could take privacy in these scenarios (e.g., would one HAVE to give up SSN at a managed complex some of the time?) so that if the reader is forced to go this route he/she has some direction/instruction/experience with what to expect and methods one can deploy. Establishing utilities could also be covered if one can not get a nominee or property owner to do this.

This update would continue the strengths of HTBI (specifics and guided instruction of what some might consider minor details) while expanding the content to more information while simultaneously still advocating the best privacy choice but giving readers details of alternatives should it become necessary.

Love your book! Good luck with the update :)

For instance, say you're shopping at a site, this is what makes it to where what you send (credit card number, address, etc.) cannot be read by anyone other than who you send it. To make this more secure, this is also bundled with certifications of authority (CA certs) that are registered with a trusted source (e.g., Verisign). When a site has a CA cert presented, the browser is told to verify its autheticity.

The process used to do this is called an "MD5 checksum". This is a unique number kept on record with the trusted source of verification in order to filecheck it bit by bit. If everything checks out 100% OK, then a small padlock appears in the bottom of the browser and the DHCP index is changed from "h t t p" to "h t t p s". THEORETICALLY you are browsing a secure server on a site.

For a long time, it was recognized by leading security experts that MD5 was a bit weak, but no one expected it to be this weak or to pose a threat to SSL!

Here is a more detailed explanation if that was not clear enough. It's a bit advanced material, but I'm sure you can handle it you read carefully...

Submitted Link #1: http://www.pcmiservices.com/documents/ssl_explaine...

You could build one of these easily, by simply installing a bunch of LED's with focused narrow beams (or even LASER LED's) on a piece of circuit board in a ring with a hole in the middle to look through and a battery pack. The smaller the ring of LED's, the more concentrated the beam, and the brighter they are, the more effective the device will be. Of course, Spyfinder may have a patent on its product, so be careful.

As to how often, the answer is hard to determine, but it's happening more and more in the US. It's been going on in Russia for a long time. The KGB was notorious for setting up video cameras behind mirrors in the Intourist hotels in Moscow and other major cities. There's no reason to believe they aren't still doing so with more sophisticated video and audio bugs. My advice when traveling to eastern Europe is to bring a roll of duct tape and tape a bedsheet up over all mirrors before doing anything you wouldn't want seen on YouTube. Oh, and keep your yap shut.

Digging Deeper Into the CheckFree Attack

Submitted Link #1: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2008/...

Wouldn't a regular LED flashlight in a darkened room accomplish the same thing as the Spyfinder? It seems like the point is to discover the camera lens' reflection.

Since I travel frequently, now I'm curious. How common is it for hotel rooms to have hidden cameras? Is this something I should concern myself with?

Submitted Link #1: http://www.spyville.com/spy-finder.html...

Now, to another issue. I just replaced my old laptop to one with a Windows Vista OS. Are there any security or privacy precautions I should take to further secure my privacy while using this machine?