Our 12-Step Program For Securing Your Digital Assets and Protecting your Family

Step 1:  Take inventory of all technology your family uses: Mobile apps, operating systems, internet/WiFi, and devices (computers, tablets, phones, etc. which are connectable. 

Step 2:  Evaluate the necessity of each item in Step 1.  Delete or remove or cancel any service which is not necessary. 

Make a hard list of acceptable technology for your children and family. 

Do not accept any apps for your kids which you cannot monitor or which use secret, hidden or clandestine operations such as the "calculator picture gallery."

Step 3: Back up all data on large external, encrypted drive. 

Reset all devices to factory reset state.   Phones, Computers, Routers, Modems, TVs, Video Cameras, Vehicles, Gaming Consoles, Etc.

Use encrypted secure online storage:  We suggest  ProtonMail Secure Disk Storage.

Step 4: Create new, strong passwords for everyone in the family. 

Use three sets of passwords:

1. Most secure: A Sentence over 18 characters including numbers, caps, and special characters. 

2. Medium: 11 Characters with numbers, caps and special characters and

3. Lowest: 8 random characters.  Write list and place in your safe. 

Step 5: Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) on every device, service, and internet login. Banks, schools, email, social media etc.

This is the most important step you can take to secure your personal information, files, data and identity!

Use the list created in Step 2 to ensure all logins are protected via MFA.


Google MFA instructions here
Android MFA instructions here
Apple Computer MFA instructions here
Apple Iphone/Ipad MFA instructions here
Windows MFA instructions here

Step 6: Share location information for each family member to each family member. 

In case of emergency, and at many other times, everyone needs to know where everyone is.

Android Instructions here.
IOS (Apple) instructions here.

Step 7: Create a secret code word for your kids and family to use in a text or phone call which will indicate the person is in trouble and needs to be found quickly. 

Your kids can also use this code word to verify a stranger. 

This step will build on Step 6 which is ensuring all family members are sharing their locations with each other.  Parents, you should also know how to share the info with Police quickly if needed.

Step 8:  Turn on Full Disk Encryption for all computers. 

This step will encrypt your entire hard drive  when your computer is off, and ensure your valuable data cannot be accessed by anyone if your computer is stolen or lost. 

Use BitLocker for Windows devices (Here's How).

Use File Vault for Apple devices (Here's How). 

Step 9: Obtain a family domain (IE: JPFamily.com) and sign up for secure, encrypted, non data mining email.

Give each family member their own email address which parents control and can monitor. 

Include secure VPN, Secure Family Calendar, and Secure Online Drive. 

We are a trusted partner with Proton Mail and we highly recommend them for family digital encryption and security.

Step 10: Install Monitoring and Blocking software on your children's and Teen's phones, computers and other devices.

Utilize parental controls on Iphone, Mac, and Android devices.  

Apple Family Sharing here;
Google Family Link here.

Only allow approved apps on the devices of your kids. 

We highly suggest using the Bark child's phone or mobile app to ensure you are aware of everything your child is doing on their mobile devices.

Step 12: Secure your valuables, including a laptop containing all your photos, important documents, and other critical data in "plain sight" instead of placing them in a safe.

Burglars will steal a safe without even looking into it.  We've seen them put a tow strap around a safe and drag it out of the house and down the street. 

Use cutting-edge hidden technology by Tactical Walls to secure valuables, weapons, and digital assets in "plain sight" where a criminal will never be able to find or access them. 

More about Tactical Walls here.

Step 11: Use Mozilla Firefox to surf the web on both computers and mobile devices.  Firefox is minimally invasive and does not track you as much as others.  Free and easy. 

Use Duck Duck Go as your default search engine.  It does not store your search histories, mine your internet use, nor sell your data.   It has its own browser or can be added easily to Firefox.  Best of all its Free.

Go here to learn more about DDG. 
Go here to download Firefox

Don't want to do this all yourself?  Live in or near Utah?  We have partnered with a Private Investigation company in Utah which specializes in Family Digital Protection. 

Their specialty is SAME-DAY cellphone extractions and reports for parents of kids experiencing depression, suicidal ideation, viewing pornography, or are a victim of sextortion, bullying or other illegal activity.  

To have EJM DIGITAL staff contact you for a custom Family Digital Security Plan, or to have a cell phone examined TODAY.  Go HERE.