People in the crypto industry are particularly targeted by hackers & malware. When joining Status as a Core Contributor, make sure you follow the following recommendations to ensure your safety & the security of the organization as a whole.
## General recommendations
Those recommendations are valid for most Core Contributors who are not particularly exposed.
### 💻 Hardware
#### 🖥️📱 Computers & mobiles devices
- [ ] Be aware of unwanted additions & customizations some manufacturers practice in the PC & Android world https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-installed_software,
- [ ] Be aware of the various End-of-life/Guaranteed security update policy for each manufacturer & device, especially in the Android world. For example [Google Pixel](https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/4457705?hl=en) & [Nokia](https://www.nokia.com/phones/en_int/security-updates) are known to offer fair update policies. Some manufacturers do not. Once a device do not receive security updates, do not use it anymore,
We recommend the use of hardware authentication devices supporting the FIDO2 protocols such as the [Yubico Yubikey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YubiKey)
Status allows to expense 1 authentication device per contributor.
#### 📟 Hardware wallets
- [ ] For important crypto accounts, we recommend the use of hardware wallets such as the [Ledger](https://www.ledger.com/) or [Trezor](https://trezor.io/),
Status allows to expense 1 hardware wallet per contributor.
- [ ] Enable notifications/alerts for breaches of your email on [have i been pwned?](https://haveibeenpwned.com/) or [Firefox Monitor](https://monitor.firefox.com/)
- [ ] A software-based authenticator such as [Google Authenticator](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Authenticator).
### ☁️ Online services & cloud
- [ ] Do not backup directly highly critical data such as seed phrases,
- [ ] Regularly review the Connected/Authorised/Installed/OAuth Apps section on services such as Google, [Github](https://github.com/settings/installations) & cloud storage.
### 💽 Backups
- [ ] Whether you backup on a hardware device or the cloud, make sure they are encrypted.
### 🕵🏻 Privacy
- [ ] Be careful with what you publish on social media,
- [ ] Review carefully social media settings, for eg Facebook [Security](https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=security), [Privacy](https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=privacy) [Applications](https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=applications) & [Timeline](https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=timeline) settings,
- [ ] Consider making use of [Email aliases](https://www.privacytools.io/#email-alias) for some non-critical accounts,
- [ ] Consider the software & service listed on https://www.privacytools.io/ as alternative to the popular ones.
### 📋 Others & General recommendations
- [ ] If you are unsure about something, just ask the security team on dedicated channels,
- [ ] Follow the `#security` channel in Logos Discord server and in the Status app to keep yourself up-to-date, make use of those channels if necessary.
Those recommendations are intended for Core Contributors whose role & tasks could make them more exposed.
- [ ] Consider the use of separated systems on a virtual machine, partition, or hardware for sensitive data & tasks according to [this guide](https://github.com/status-im/status-security/blob/master/drafts/linux-recommendations.md),
- [ ] Use a [Good](https://www.privacytools.io/#vpn) VPN provider,
- [ ] Regularly reset or reinstall your devices & operating systems to start from a clean slate.