Why This Security Expert Doesn't Use a Phone (Buskill Interview)
Show notes
Even with encryption and 2FA, if someone steals your logged-in laptop, you're compromised. Michael Altfield created Buskill - an open source USB "dead man switch" - to solve this analog attack vector. In this interview, you’ll hear about the real incidents that inspired it, the advocacy work that fueled it, and the collaborative engineering efforts that turned it into a practical tool for protecting sensitive data.
🔗 SOURCES & LINKS
• https://tech.michaelaltfield.net/
• https://buskill.in/
• https://github.com/BusKill
⏱️ TIMESTAMPS
00:00:00 INTRO
00:01:43 WHAT GOT YOU INTO SECURITY?
00:02:32 WHEN DID YOU GET INTO SECURITY?
00:03:31 WHAT IS A DEAD MAN SWITCH?
00:04:33 WHY DID YOU DEVELOP BUSKILL?
00:06:25 WHEN DID YOU START MAKING BUSKILL CABLES?
00:06:42 HAS THE PRODUCT CHANGED SINCE THEN?
00:07:42 WHO ELSE IS BUSKILL FOR?
00:09:08 WHAT OPTIONS CAN BE TRIGGERED?
00:10:53 IS IT POSSIBLE TO TRIGGER A FALSE OR ALTERNATIVE ENVIRONMENT?
00:12:16 CAN YOU WIPE ON WINDOWS OR MACOS?
00:13:40 LINUX INSTALL OPTIONS
00:14:16 MACOS & WINDOWS INSTALL OPTIONS
00:14:25 CAN THIS BE DONE ON MOBILE?
00:16:39 REAL-WORLD BUSKILL EXAMPLES
00:18:13 BUSKILL COMMUNITY
00:19:17 BUSKILL + OPEN SOURCE
00:19:44 STL FILES + 3D PRINTING
00:20:38 IS IT GOOD TO CREATE IT YOURSELF?
00:20:50 INTERDICTION
00:21:42 EDWARD SNOWDEN ON INTERDICTION
00:23:24 OTHER ACQUISITION METHODS
00:25:13 NOVACUSTOM PARTNERSHIP
00:26:00 BUSKILL + NICHE LINUX DISTROS
00:26:57 QUBES DOM0
00:28:27 UBUNTU & TAILS
00:30:02 DOES BUSKILL SUPPORT CHROMEBOOKS?
00:31:19 GETTING INVOLVED IN PRIVACY + ADVOCACY
00:33:05 HOW PRIVACY IS VIEWED WORLDWIDE
00:36:55 PERSONAL CHALLENGES WITH PRIVACY
00:39:11 GO-TO PRIVACY & SECURITY TIPS
00:40:11 BUSKILL + SECURITY KEYS?
00:43:06 SECURITY THROUGH OBSCURITY
00:45:25 CLOUD-BASED PASSWORD MANAGERS
00:46:09 LIVING WITHOUT A PHONE
00:51:57 CAN IT GET WORSE?
00:53:18 PROPRIETARY BROADBAND
00:58:49 WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT NOVACUSTOM?
01:00:56 OUTRO
🎥 VIDEO
Watch on YouTube
🧡 SUPPORT TECHLORE
Keep Techlore Talks independent & growing: ★ Support this podcast ★