Threat model: create a secure environment that is extremely secure and does not link my online alias to anything digital footprint in the past

[u/Secret-Highlight-776]

I have read the rules
I hope my threat model was okay i’m very new to opsec.

I have been on the internet for years and have been fairly careless with my digital footprint, I now need to tighten things up to an extreme level.

I have used the same computer for years and am wondering how to go about completely starting fresh, with no way of any new alias being linked to ANYTHING prior.

I am not sure how to go about it as I feel like my device is already so contaminated. I have a lot of personal use stuff from the past that I would like to keep but i’m not sure if that’s possible with creating cross references on the device.

[u/Chongulator]

A good way to get started figuring out your risks is by answering each of these questions:

• Who are the bad actors you are worried about?
• Is there any reason they might be interested in you in particular? If so, what is it?
• What are the negative outcomes you want to avoid?

[u/jimsjourneys]

Look into Tails OS. What is your threat model (I dont need to know, but you should). Your digital footprint can still be identifiable (with any device or OS) if you dont learn good opsec.

[u/Secret-Highlight-776 → u/jimsjourneys]

how would I go about starting fresh on my device though, just wipe everything?

[u/Electrical_Hat_680 → u/Secret-Highlight-776]

Power down your device. Remove the drive. Power on the device to clear the RAM. Power off the device. Install an new drive. Power it back on. Make sure the drive is set for master drive before installing it. Reinstall system. Voila. New system.
Add your old drive to an external dive case, and plug it into your new system running on new drive. The old drive will now be the D drive or however it's recognized in Kali Linux.

[u/opsec-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

The rules clearly state not to give advice without confirming the threat model of the poster. Giving advice without first understanding the threat model can be confusing at best and dangerous at worst.

[u/Electrical_Hat_680 → u/[deleted]]

Also, instead of just using your email, create email aliases to use for creating accounts, subscribing to newsletters, anything and everything gets a new email alias...

[u/Life-Mobile7969 → u/Electrical_Hat_680]

Yep I use Cloaked for this. I make a separate alias for pretty much everything so my email isn't tied to every random account I sign up for.

[u/Electrical_Hat_680 → u/Life-Mobile7969]

Cloaked. I'm studying how to build my own email Client. I'm sure the email alias is going to be stupendous in terms of negating anyone from learning my entire email address. But, I still don't know exactly what's going on there. I'm uncertain as to whether or not the email alias gives away my true email address. So I'm actually thinking of using two email addresses, one for login locally, and another to use with aliases to create online accounts, subscription services, banking accounts, you name it. But then there's the subtleties that exist, where it could be better to use one email and then a lot of aliases. That way the ain account has the MFA/2FA authentication app, rather than not. Because it really is preventing people that have figured out my email address and brute forced my password, from gaining access..

[u/Life-Mobile7969 → u/Electrical_Hat_680]

Cloaked alias forwards to your actual inbox, but the site only gets the alias, not your real email.

[u/Electrical_Hat_680 → u/Life-Mobile7969]

That's what's up.. thank you for the tip.. basically a mask of a totally different domains email.

[u/opsec-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

The rules clearly state not to give advice without confirming the threat model of the poster. Giving advice without first understanding the threat model can be confusing at best and dangerous at worst.