Let’s dive in on a few successful ways I have leveraged AI and technology to get work done in the uncomfortable commute environment.

I’m excited to share a post about buying a house online. The home buying process is pretty crazy right now as the majority of the work that you might do in order to complete the purchase is oriented on the internet. There are so many steps that you need to take in order to purchase a home that it could seem incredibly overwhelming to individuals trying to balance work, family life, and retaining time for hobbies. I hope this post can serve as a guide or reminder for those considering a home purchase in the digital age.

Welcome back, it has been a while since I’ve been able to work on my projects within Bastion Industries. Life has been super busy with family and career responsibilities. I have found small pockets of time to devote to creating resources and cannot wait to get back to developing for readers, listeners, and viewers.

This week Instagram rolled out a number of features focused on algorithms that changed the user experience across their platform to more closely mirror the experience users have on TikTok. They quickly rolled back the updates after major backlash across user feedback systems. This is a huge win for users as they are contributing to the way technology systems are implemented across the business and entertainment industries. Features should drive user enjoyment and should be dominated by best fit, rather than copying a competitor for attention.

Welcome to this week’s edition of the Bastion Brief! I hope everyone has crushed their goals for the week and can enjoy some deserved rest this weekend. In this week’s edition, let’s chat about advanced technology tools breaking down and keeping a system to stay productive.

In this week's edition, we will explore building skills using video across the available technology platforms users use to connect over the internet. Have you ever tested out making short format videos, long video guides, or live streaming? If you're a business owner and not currently working on video content, now is the perfect time to start. Most users online love video content and prefer platforms like TikTok & Instagram.

Phishing, scams, and spam are rampant across any platform users gravitate toward in the current digital age. We can consider how we got to a point of unavoidable messages, social engineering campaigns, and some of the strategies we can use to mitigate their impact in this week's edition.

The past weeks have been turbulent in the United States as policy makers have exhibited a show of power when ruling on critical issues for citizens. Anyone interested in technology should keep a close eye on power and policy as major decisions could change the way we interact with tech as general users. Every time we connect to the internet, we give data to an information system that can identify the device type used, the location it’s in, and some of the activity being conducted. While some may insist encryption is the grand protector of their data, you should still be cautious. Advanced attackers may not need the whole picture to determine key details about the function a device serves for another user. So why does this matter for power and policy in technology?

Recently, I had a few students ask how to get into the Information Technology field from a point of zero experience. I created the Cyber Zero to Hero series on YT to provide some hard skills learning but thought I should address the challenges of jumping into IT through a straightforward article.

Let's examine a concept in cyber security that extends to many other industries and markets: availability.

Here in the United States, are our devices in distress? You may say, no way... I have the latest editions that have more features than ever. Where did the headphone jack go? How about the power block with a charger? Forced accessory types tied to the brand of device (lightning chargers, wireless headphones, various adapters to compensate)?

Facial recognition is a simple idea that should be met with extreme caution. Scanning a face to verify an identity has become pretty common to authenticate users for device use. In the past, I did not think much of it. I routinely participated in this sequence: grab your phone, hold it in front of your face, and bam... we're unlocked.

Most users move throughout the day with the idea that this feature is protected, and facial recognition data is not that risky. Should we be so quick to trust big tech, an application, or even a device with biometric data? Absolutely not.

Here's why:

We have an "always on culture" when it comes to devices, where convenience dominates in the form of saved connections to networks or Bluetooth devices. Is your Bluetooth always on? Do you click that "remember this network automatically" button when moving from network to network during your day?

This opening week, let's keep it short and sweet by talking about career paths. After graduating with my master's degree in cyber security last weekend, I took some time to reflect on my career path. It certainly has not been linear and at times -- it was filled with uncertainty.

Hope the weekend was refreshing!

In this short and sweet post, let’s explore the risky behavior behind oversharing on the web and what you can control when it comes to your information. It might feel great to load up your profile to share how things are going, but are you putting yourself at risk by featuring your whole life online?

Let’s focus on being competent in all aspects of our lives.

Competence is based on having the required knowledge or qualities to complete a task or sustain yourself. Long ago competence may have been focused around being able to create a homestead, build shelter, grow food or raise animals, and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Modern competence is hard to define today as a sprint toward automation has a grip on modern society. The focus is centered on major systems controlling information flow, finances, and supply chains.

So how do we make competence the responsibility of an individual? We can consider modern competence from a few angles that can keep you focused on your goals, without major burnout.

Is the remote world here to stay?

There are positives and negatives to every production model.

Remote work offers incredible benefits to employees that range from extra free time to better health and satisfaction. Enjoy working in your PJ’s? Remote is for you. Love to take a walk, get some fresh air, and reset on a lunch break? Remote is for you. Tired of the boring commute? Remote is for you. Multi-tasking, like folding your clothes while listening to a meeting, your jam? Remote is for you.

How about a life hack? No…no, the real thing.

Let’s get technical again and talk about the types of hackers you may hear mentioned in the news or otherwise.

Happy Hump Day!

Thus far, we have explored some broad ideas and concepts. Sometimes current events come up that are just too alarming to pass on. Let’s focus in on data and privacy today related to surveillance. I think the recent breaches in privacy centered around data collection can only be described as data thuggery.

Design is incredibly important for modern technology systems. In the past, flaws in design have become the best exploits for those with questionable intent. Let’s peek at a couple examples to dissect how design can influence technology.