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Rick Valenzuela

@threatc.at
243 followers 633 following 80 posts

threat detection. distant past: journalist. 🍜 Slurp with gusto infosec.exchange/@rv TnFxIHpyIHNiZSBndXIgb3JmZyBpcnRyZ25ldm5hIFRyYXJlbnkgR2ZiJ2YgZXJwdmNyIHZhIGd1ciBoYXZpcmVmcg==

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Rick Valenzuela @threatc.at · 19/08/2025
New security risk unlocked, eSIMs edition, and especially the kind you pick up prepping for an international trip www.itnews.com.au/news/travel-...
itnews.com.au
Travel eSIMs secretly route traffic over Chinese and undisclosed networks: study
Convenient tech brings big bundle of security and privacy risks.
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Rick Valenzuela @threatc.at · 15/07/2025
Photo- and videojournalists now have until Aug 8 to brush up on Filezilla or Cyberduck, or ask an old head wetransfer.com/explore/lega...
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Rick Valenzuela @threatc.at · 16/05/2025
Android users now have an analog to iPhone's Lockdown Mode, so now basically everyone can opt in to a more secure phone/tablet. It's part of Google's Advanced Protection Program, which if you use Gmail and work/move in a space where you're more likely to be targeted, is a great thing to enroll in
security.googleblog.com
Advanced Protection: Google’s Strongest Security for Mobile Devices
Posted by Il-Sung Lee, Group Product Manager, Android Security Protecting users who need heightened security has been a long-standing com...
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Kevin Collier @kevincollier.bsky.social · 03/05/2025
I've been traveling so forgive me for not posting this yesterday, but: That Signal clone app for archiving messages that Mike Waltz has been using, TeleMessage? It's unlicensed. Signal was unaware of its existence until they saw it in that Reuters photo. There's no known security vetting.
nbcnews.com
Photo appears to show Mike Waltz using Signal-like app that can archive messages
More than a month after he drew criticism for using Signal to discuss an impending military attack, Waltz was seen using what appears to be a different messaging app to message others in the Trump adm...
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Stephen C. Rea @stevierea.bsky.social · 02/05/2025
Great account of what networked incitement looks like in the year 2025. Kudos to @nedmparker1.bsky.social, @mikespector.bsky.social, @bypetereisler.bsky.social, @lindasoreports.bsky.social & @nateraymond.bsky.social
reuters.com
These judges ruled against Trump. Then their families came under attack.
As federal judges rule against the Trump administration in dozens of politically charged cases, the families of at least 11 of the jurists have been targeted with threats and harassment. The intimidation campaign has strained judges and their relatives – and legal scholars fear it could have a chilling effect on the judiciary.
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Rick Valenzuela @threatc.at · 24/04/2025
For my NJ people who would want to know this, really good air filters don't have to be expensive. Literally talking ~$30. In front of a strong fan, stack an activated carbon filter on top of a HEPA filter and that will screen out both the things you want, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and PM2.5
smartairfilters.com
How to Make a DIY Air Purifier for Your Home – Smart AirFacebook social iconTwitter social iconInstagram social iconLinkedIn social iconYouTube social icon
5 Simple Steps to make a homemade DIY air purifier to reduce air pollution and viruses in your home--plus actual test data showing the DIY filter works.
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Rick Valenzuela @threatc.at · 21/04/2025
test II
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Stephen C. Rea @stevierea.bsky.social · 01/04/2025
The U.S. IC (at least the leadership)
The Drake Hotline Bling meme template (the rapper Drake wearing a bright orange puffy coat against a yellow background, turning away and holding up his hand in the top photo, smiling and pointing “yes” in the bottom photo): the top text reads “OPSEC” and the bottom text reads “OOPSEC”
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Rick Valenzuela @threatc.at · 25/03/2025
ICYMI last week, reupping a digital security tip sheet I helped write with @bostonjoan.bsky.social. More than a few new ones have dropped since January -- the main goal of this one is to give you 5 things you can do to minimally but meaningfully raise your security
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Rick Valenzuela @threatc.at · 25/03/2025
Not me trying to upload pics from my phone to see if they also show up glitched like the thread I just worked on from laptop
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Critical Internet Studies Institute @criticalinternet.bsky.social · 19/03/2025
📢 NEW: Our introductory tip sheet on digital security for journalists & civil servants working under pressure. 📢 Co-authors @bostonjoan.bsky.social & @threatc.at offer 📌 five basic steps 📌 for truth-telling practitioners to protect their work & their communities www.criticalinternet.org/research
criticalinternet.org
Research — The Critical Internet Studies Institute
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Rick Valenzuela @threatc.at · 11/03/2025
The ICC either has massive operational hurdles, or a hell of a business continuity plan. When Trump sanctioned the ICC, the Guardian reported internal worries about their reliance on Microsoft Azure and that suspending access would "paralyse its investigations" www.theguardian.com/law/2025/jan...
Screenshot from linked Guardian article, with photo of ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan and this excerpt from the article:

One key concern to have emerged in recent months is the ICC’s reliance on Microsoft which has deepened in recent years after chief prosecutor Karim Khan formed a partnership with the company to overhaul the court’s systems.

Multiple sources in the prosecutor’s office said Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform is critical to its operations and suspending access would paralyse its investigations. “We essentially store all of our evidence in the cloud,” one said.
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Rick Valenzuela @threatc.at · 28/02/2025
In other not-good news, standing down Cyber Command planning on Russia isn’t only bad for Ukraine, but also elections and fighting crime. It worked on election interference (and there’s a bunch of European elections coming up) and Defend Forward took down TrickBot therecord.media/hegseth-orde...
therecord.media
Exclusive: Hegseth orders Cyber Command to stand down on Russia planning
The secretary of Defense has ordered U.S. Cyber Command to stand down from all planning against Russia, including offensive digital actions, sources tell Recorded Future News.
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Jake Williams @malwarejake.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
Technology is inherently political. Anyone who says otherwise is either being disingenuous or is ignorant of history.
media.tenor.com
a rainbow with the words " be more you know " and a star
ALT: a rainbow with the words " be more you know " and a star
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Jen Mercieca @jenmercieca.bsky.social · 21/02/2025
Three online "news" stories published this week that include quotes from me that I didn't say. But I didn't do interviews and get misquoted. And they're not written by actual journalists. My best guess is there are massive amounts of AI slop getting posted as news and now I'm part of it. 😬
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Eric Geller @ericjgeller.com · 20/02/2025
Second round of layoffs at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency definitely happening now. I've heard from at least two laid-off employees tonight.
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Rick Valenzuela @threatc.at · 14/02/2025
Nice one, Access Now
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Rick Valenzuela @threatc.at · 13/02/2025
well damn. aquafaba works great chocolate chip banana bread, sans eggs
loaf of chocolate chip banana bread, with a slice cut, sitting on a cutting board
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Drew Harwell @drewharwell.com · 13/02/2025
The "large scale social deception" contract Musk is conspiracizing about was: * first awarded under Trump * paid to Reuters' data division, not the newsroom * for researching *defenses* against deception * not revealed by "DOGE investigations" and was a public record, visible online for many years
Elon: Reuters was paid millions of dollars by the US government for “large scale social deception”. 

That is literally what it says on the purchase order! They’re a total scam. 

Just wow.
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Rick Valenzuela @threatc.at · 12/02/2025
Bruce Schneier and Davi Ottenheimer lay out in clear, concise terms how DOGE is opening up the government and the country to threats. Cybersecurity can sound exciting, but a lot of it is sober, established policy and process. It's a good read. foreignpolicy.com/2025/02/11/d...
foreignpolicy.com
DOGE Is Hacking America
The U.S. government has experienced what may be the most consequential security breach in its history.
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Jed Willard @jedwillard.bsky.social · 11/02/2025
I have the common bad habit of leaving lots of tabs open. A few days ago I opened the CISA Resources and Tools guide and searched for the topic "Foreign Influence Operations and Disinformation." I was sort of surprised to find 4-5 links. I went back this afternoon to follow them. The page is blank.
cisa.gov
Resources | CISA
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Rick Valenzuela @threatc.at · 11/02/2025
Google caved, but NOAA Weather Radio is still holding strong with Gulf of Mexico
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Runa Sandvik @runasand.bsky.social · 06/02/2025
We now know that Paragon spyware victims include one activist in Sweden; one activist and one journalist in Italy. I suspect this is just the tip of the iceberg. techcrunch.com/2025/02/05/p...
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Kevin Collier @kevincollier.bsky.social · 03/02/2025
There's a current fetish for publishing primary source documents rather than having a reporter describe them, and I totally get it. But remember Reality Winner was caught almost immediately because the Intercept published what she printed out, unaware the NSA printer left an imperceptible watermark.
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Lily Hay Newman @lhn.bsky.social · 23/01/2025
At CISA HQ days before her resignation, Jen Easterly was steadfastly manifesting the future she wanted for her agency. But she was also clear: "Any stepping back of what we've put in place will be to the detriment of the safety and security of the American people" www.wired.com/story/big-in...
wired.com
Under Trump, US Cyberdefense Loses Its Head
Chinese hacks, rampant ransomware, and Donald Trump’s budget cuts all threaten US security. In an exit interview with WIRED, former CISA head Jen Easterly argues for her agency’s survival.
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Rick Valenzuela @threatc.at · 23/01/2025
I didn't know you could send your tweet history to the Internet Archive. The @eff.org has a tutorial on it in its write-up on saving your Twitter account
eff.org
Save Your Twitter Account
Amid reports that the site formerly known as Twitter is dropping in value, hindering how people use the site, and has had controversial removals of accounts. It has never been more precarious to rely ...
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Rick Valenzuela @threatc.at · 22/01/2025
Gutted, and gutting
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Rick Valenzuela @threatc.at · 22/01/2025
Succinctly put
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Evan Greer @evangreer.bsky.social · 21/01/2025
Use Signal to talk about protests Use Signal to talk about your wordle score Use Signal to talk about abortion Use Signal to talk about your mom's knitting club Use Signal to talk about parties Use Signal to talk about gender affirming care Use Signal to talk about the weather Use Signal
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BostonJoan 🏳️‍🌈 🦫 @bostonjoan.bsky.social · 09/01/2025
Wicked proud of Alexei! He’s been working so hard to create this code and write this book: nostarch.com/social-media... Get early access today! @smokegatherer.bsky.social
nostarch.com
Social Media Observatory
Learn to build a web app that can monitor millions of posts across all social media platforms to chart public opinion in real time
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The Rude Pundit @rudepundit.bsky.social · 26/12/2024
I’m no fancy headline writer for The NY Times, but I’m pretty sure this says we can kill more people next time.
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Rick Valenzuela @threatc.at · 10/12/2024
Because all the references to ODB and McDonald's, here's citation you can put in your Zotero. Thanks @classypatrick.bsky.social for running this book excerpt. Since this every time I have a fish sandwich I think Damn, "I ain't had a fish filet sandwich in a minute." web.archive.org/web/20151001...
web.archive.org
BOOK EXCERPT: Ol' Dirty Bastard's infamous arrest at a Grays Ferry McDonald's
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Rick Valenzuela @threatc.at · 02/12/2024
Shortly after moving to Miami I joined a printmaking studio, just when hurricanes Helene and Milton were coming to Florida. So I got a new radio with weather band and made these shirts, a callback to the 90s ones about Black Sabbath, Slayer, Bob Marley. Wasn't meant to be political, but here we are
A pile of four black T-shirts with white, all-caps text in a plain sans serif that says “Listen to NOAA”. In front is a yellow portable radio, the XHDATA model D-608WB, set to 162.550 megahertz on the weather band. In the background is a pile of heather gray shirts.
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Rick Valenzuela @threatc.at · 22/11/2024
Went straight from attending Cyberwarcon virtually to seeing Amy Tan at the Miami Book Fair talking about her new book, THE BACKYARD BIRD CHRONICLES. Since she’s starting off with her birding beginnings and a blue jay, here’s one from our apartment in Cambridge last year
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vx-underground (automated mirror) @vxundergroundre.bsky.social · 22/11/2024
Today at @CYBERWARCON we watched arguably one of the most interesting talks we've seen in awhile. 🧵
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Joseph Menn @joemenn.bsky.social · 22/11/2024
This is wild. Time to mandate 2fa for WiFi. www.volexity.com/blog/2024/11...
volexity.com
The Nearest Neighbor Attack: How A Russian APT Weaponized Nearby Wi-Fi Networks for Covert Access
In early February 2022, notably just ahead of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Volexity made a discovery that led to one of the most fascinating and complex incident investigations Volexity had ever w...
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Rick Valenzuela @threatc.at · 22/11/2024
The nearest neighbor attack -- Russian APT pops target by going after companies across the street and pivoting, with a zero-day and no tools but the ones on victim equipment (cue dril tweet again) Super good talk, and great to see Steven Adair from @volexity.com geek out on it. ⚡ #cyberwarcon ⚡
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Aaron Gersztoff @agerszto.bsky.social · 22/11/2024
"The strongest steel is forged from the fire of a dumpster" #CYBERWARCON
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David Oxley @oxley.io · 09/11/2024
I’ve created a Starter Pack around cyber threat intelligence to make it easier to find that community here on Bluesky. Let me know of folks I missed, as I’m sure there are many! go.bsky.app/TxQYHap
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🎃👻BOO👻🎃rritosec @unauthorized.computer · 22/11/2024
This current talk at #CYBERWARCON about CN insiders selling off PII on CN citizens is fantastic. Bored, underpaid, burned out, and working at a CN telco? Just do some crime on the side!
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Rick Valenzuela @threatc.at · 22/11/2024
Always psyched to hear a Cambodia reference, even if it's in the dril tweet sense that, no you don't gotta hand it to them. Great #Cyberwarcon talk by Aurora Johnson and Kyla Cardona on insiders in China's tech industry siphoning govt-mandated data collection to sell on the gray and black markets
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Gabriella "Biella" Coleman @biella.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
It’s a work in progress: feel free to send over corrections and additions. wherewarlocksstayuplate.com
wherewarlocksstayuplate.com
Where Warlocks Stay Up Late - WWSUL
Where Warlocks Stay Up Late Where Warlocks Stay Up Late is an interview series dedicated to documenting the history of cybersecurity. Inspired by the seminal book “Where Wizards Stay Up Late: The Orig...
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Rick Valenzuela @threatc.at · 15/11/2024
I'm telling myself that I've switched to a light theme in terminal because I've moved into a sunny apartment in Miami, not because my eyes are getting old
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Rick Valenzuela @threatc.at · 12/11/2024
Days without having to mentally subtract an hour from kitchen clocks: 0
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Man in Business Suit Levitating @dfeldman.org · 07/11/2024
BREAKING: X, formerly Twittter, renames itself to Pravda
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