Last fall, news broke of a new cyberattack that specifically targeted the current industry standard encryption protocol for wireless devices. Now, tech security leaders realize it’s time to update the way we connect to online networks. In today’s alert, learn how to protect your privacy until the new encryption standard is ready to roll out.

When the SHTF, the best way to avoid getting caught up in the chaos is to avoid locations that will likely be hit by looters. Today, Modern Combat & Survival’s Jeff Anderson runs down nine “looting hot spots” you should be aware of in the event civil unrest erupts in your town.

This “best of” edition of the Weekly Drop is a collection of reader questions that focus on emergency preparedness. Because when it comes to surviving disasters, preparation is key.

Today, our colleagues over at 4Patriots explain why indoor pollution is worse than outdoor pollution and run down eight ways to keep your home contaminant-free. They even highlight an amazing device that works around the clock to keep you — and your family — safe. ​

In this edition of “Survival Stories,” discover how to survive all manner of natural disasters from avalanches to tsunamis, in addition to what you should teach your children so they can avoid being kidnapped and more. ​

The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists’ Science and Security Board recently moved the minute hand of the Doomsday Clock to 11:58 — two minutes to catastrophe. For a detailed breakdown of what this means, what’s in store and what major threats contributed to the time change, check out this article.

I know many people who are visual learners. That’s why this week, instead of the usual batch of must-read articles, I put together a list of must-watch videos covering a variety of survival skills and easy-to-build gadgets.

Recently, I stopped by Harry Connick Jr.’s talk show Harry, where I revealed five essential items that will help you survive until help arrives if you’re stranded in the middle of nowhere. I also demonstrated precisely how to break out if you’re ever kidnapped or trapped in a rapidly sinking vehicle.

We’ll call her “Lindsay.” After asking her two simple questions that I use to determine the quality of a potential employee — she flunked out. Now, I understand you might not be an employer, but this method of questioning can be used anytime you need help determining if someone is being honest with you or not.

There are a ton of great recommendations in this edition of the Weekly Drop — from the best self-defense weapons that aren’t a gun… to where you can buy QuikClot if you’re not a medical professional… to how to get your hands on a discontinued Baofeng UV-5R two-way radio.

In a recent edition of the Weekly Drop, a reader asked about how to execute a zip tie escape if your hands are bound behind you. In the following article, Jeff Anderson does a great job of breaking down his escape method step by step.

A new email scam has emerged, and the scariest part is who the sender appears to be. Here are some things you should do immediately if you’ve downloaded a suspicious file or think you may have been targeted by phishers.

As the gun debate in our country heats up, take a look at one of the most popular articles ever published in Black Bag Confidential. In it, former CIA officer and firearms expert Jason Hanson addresses the question of whether or not convicted felons should be stripped of their Second Amendment rights. ​

This week’s batch of must-read articles covers all sorts of threats from disease to digital and everything in between. But first, see why sometimes it pays to think like a criminal. 

According to the FBI, a vehicle is stolen every 44 seconds in the United States. I realize that for many people spending hundreds of dollars on a fancy car alarm isn’t a viable option. So here are a few other ideas to help prevent your car from being broken into or stolen.

Sure, Mason jars are “trendy” — you see them all over crafty websites like Etsy and Pinterest — but they’re also super useful and CHEAP. In today’s article, our friends over at 4Patriots have collected over 15 uses for Mason jars. Check it out.

Sometimes it’s not easy to explain certain spy and survival techniques in writing. Which is why I included a video in my answer to the first of this week’s mailbag questions. In it, you’ll discover how to pick a lock using just two simple tools.

When you decide to be part of an event or activity that is located at a “soft target,” you owe it to yourself and others to perform this simple set of steps.

There are homes across the U.S. built near hillsides or narrow channels that can easily turn into a deadly mudslide — yours may be one of them. So today, I want to share four tips to help you stay safe in the event of a mudslide where you live.

Today, our resident Special Operations physician, Omar Hamada, reviewed the basics of trauma care for civilians. These skills could come in handy not only after a shooting incident, but also after a car accident or any number of other emergencies.

This week’s must-read articles cover how to stop major blood loss in gunshot victims, safety tips for school and work and the most important thing you can do to protect yourself absolutely anywhere.

Even though you may not be an intelligence operative, you never know when you may need to blend in to a strange environment or convince someone to believe you in a life-or-death situation. Whatever your reasons may be, here are four spy tips for blending in.

In this week’s mailbag, learn how to store a secret cache of survival gear, which models to try if you’re looking for a shotgun with less recoil and how to create a simple Faraday cage out of household items. Plus, one reader offers a fantastic solution for protecting your data if you choose to use cloud storage.

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