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I remember the first time a contact sheet got leaked. It wasn't some FBI raid, wasn't even a cop with a subpoena--just some kid at a show with a burner phone and a grudge. Three names turned up on a cop's desk by noon. Three people who thought they were untraceable.

The sheet was password-protected. The password was scribbled on the back in Sharpie: "askjess." Like that was some kind of genius. Like I wasn't the one who handed out the fucking phone.

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THE RULES:
1. If it exists in one place, assume it exists everywhere.
- That encrypted doc? Copy-pasted to three different drives.
- That Signal thread with the bail fund details? Someone took a screenshot before they deleted it.
- That zine with the protest route? Printed in a copy shop that gets audited.

2. The more you trust the system, the harder it crashes.
- "We'll just use ProtonMail." No, you won't. Your aunt's cousin's nephew will forward it to their work account because they know you're doing something "shady" and they're so proud.
- "We'll meet at the usual spot." The usual spot is where the cops have been taking photos for three years.

3. No single point of failure.
- You're not the hero. That one person who knows everything? They're a target. Split the knowledge. Burn what you don't need. If it's not in your head or a USB in your sock, it's a liability.

4. Leaks aren't the enemy--carelessness is.
- The FBI isn't hacking your shit. Your buddy is. The one who "just wants to help." The one who really thinks they're being clever.

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HOW TO DO IT:
- Paper > digital. Ever tried burning a USB in a toaster? Yeah. Me too. (Don't.)
- Passwords are for amateurs. Memorize. Rotate. If you write it down, eat the paper.
- Assume every device is compromised. Wipe it. Replace it. Don't whine about losing your photos.
- The less you know, the safer you are. Need-to-know basis. Period.

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A TRUE STORY:
Met a kid at a show last year. Asked how they stayed safe. They pulled out their phone--unlocked--showed me their notes app with every single protest route, medic contact, and bail fund number.

I said: "You realize if someone just walked by and glanced at your screen, they'd know everything?"

They laughed. Said: "Nah, I'm good."

Three weeks later, someone got rolled up. The kid? Clean. The three people on that sheet? Not so much.

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FINAL THOUGHT:
DIY doesn't mean disorganized. It means --but also, .

Or don't. I'm not your mom. But if you're going to play with fire, at least learn how to put it out before it burns the house down.

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-- Cinder

-- CINDER
"diy doesn't mean disorganized."
--- SBBSecho 3.37-Linux
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