In an increasingly technology-dependent world, digital preparedness has become a fundamental necessity. This guide will introduce you to the basic concepts that every digital prepper should know, moving beyond mere theoretical understanding to actionable strategies.
What is Digital Preparedness?
Digital preparedness involves having robust systems and procedures in place to maintain access to critical information and technological functionality even in situations of disconnection, data loss, or other emergencies. It's about ensuring your digital life can continue, or quickly recover, when typical infrastructure is unavailable or compromised. This isn't just about natural disasters; it includes cybersecurity threats, economic instability, and even service provider outages.
Fundamental Principles
1. Data Redundancy: Beyond Simple Backups
Data redundancy is the cornerstone of digital preparedness. It means having multiple, geographically separate copies of your critical data. This goes beyond a single external hard drive.
- 3-2-1 Backup Rule: Implement the "3-2-1" rule: at least 3 copies of your data, stored on 2 different media types, with 1 copy off-site. For example, data on your computer, an external hard drive, and a cloud service or a physically separate location.
- Version Control: Don't just back up the latest version; maintain historical versions of important files. This allows you to revert if a file becomes corrupted or you accidentally delete critical information.
- Data Integrity Checks: Regularly verify your backups to ensure they are readable and not corrupted. A backup is only good if you can restore from it.
2. Cloud Independence: Owning Your Data
While cloud services offer convenience, cloud independence is about minimizing your reliance on them for critical data and services. This doesn't mean avoiding the cloud entirely, but rather ensuring you have local, accessible alternatives.
- Local Copies First: Prioritize keeping primary copies of crucial documents, photos, and media on your local devices.
- Self-Hosted Alternatives: Explore self-hosting options for services you heavily rely on, such as personal wikis, note-taking apps, or file synchronization if you have the technical expertise.
- Exportability: Understand how to export your data from any cloud service you use. Can you easily download all your emails, documents, or photos if the service disappears or you lose access?
3. Information Security: Proactive Defense
Information security in digital preparedness focuses on protecting your data from unauthorized access, loss, or corruption. This is an ongoing process, not a one-time setup.
- Strong Encryption: Encrypt your local hard drives (e.g., using BitLocker or FileVault) and use encrypted containers for sensitive files. When transmitting data, use secure protocols (e.g., HTTPS, SFTP).
- Robust Access Control: Implement strong, unique passwords for all accounts, utilize a reputable password manager, and enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) wherever possible.
- Regular Software Updates: Keep your operating systems, applications, and firmware updated to patch known vulnerabilities.
- Principle of Least Privilege: Grant only the necessary access rights to users and applications.
4. Digital Self-Sufficiency: Tools and Knowledge Offline
Digital self-sufficiency means being able to perform essential digital tasks even without internet connectivity or specialized online tools.
- Offline Software Kits: Curate a collection of essential open-source or freeware applications that function entirely offline. This includes document editors, image viewers, PDF readers, communication tools (e.g., Signal desktop client with pre-downloaded contacts), and mapping software with offline maps.
- Knowledge Base Offline: Download and store critical information offline. Think about user manuals for your devices, medical information, emergency contact lists, and guides on essential skills. Consider creating a personal wiki or using tools like Kiwix to download Wikipedia or other educational resources.
- Alternative Communication: Plan for communication methods that don't rely on the internet, such as amateur radio, satellite communication, or mesh networks, depending on the severity of the potential scenario.