My mouse was giving up my privacy

Tuesday is my personal, security review day. It’s when I take a step back from my laptop and look at how well I’m protecting my work, my family’s information, and my clients’ information. Everything was looking pretty good as I went through my checklist (contact me through Monozukuri Arts & Technology for a free copy of this).

  • antivirus and anti-malware systems are running
  • network settings are as secure as possible
  • virtual private network (VPN) is connected and not leaking information
  • web browser is configured properly for best security and privacy
  • laptop operating system and software are fully up-to-date with the best upgrades, updates, and patches
  • and so on, until…

I opened the Bluetooth settings on my laptop and my phone. Scanning the local area for Bluetooth devices, I found, “Jeffrey Kaye’s Mouse” and “Jeffrey Kaye’s Keyboard”. Why care about this? People in the area can assume that someone named Jeffrey Kaye is nearby. I don’t normally walk into rooms telling everyone my name and I don’t like my computer accessories doing it for me. Worse, anyone can target me based on knowing my name.

There’s a simple fix on Mac and Windows. Just open the Bluetooth settings and rename your devices. I’ve already done this on my computers and phone. I was shocked that I missed my accessories. Thus is the path of continuous improvement. There’s always a way to get better.