George Mansour Wants to Help You Become “Unhackable"

It’s a common occurrence for many who use the internet: the book you had been eyeing on Amazon is now in the sidebar of a different website. You pay your car note online, and then an ad for your car brand appears in your Instagram feed. You go grocery shopping, and your phone tells you how long it will take for you to get home. All these events are things which drive Westwood resident George Mansour in his passion for educating people about data security, which he outlines in his newest book, “Unhackable: Your Online Security Playbook: Recreating Cyber Security in an Unsecure World*.”

“My vision is to empower people,” says Mansour. “Whether we like it or not, technology is here to stay, the digital age is upon us. So, the only way we can protect ourselves is being prepared. Just as we went to school to read and write, we must also educate ourselves on the principles of intelligent technology. Internet literacy is a personal choice, if you want to become part of the digital age. Then take the necessary precautions to educate yourself, family and business. Learn to leverage technology so it works to your advantage. Be on the web, not part of the web.”

The issue of data security is one that Mansour views as being especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic, as more people working and learning from home makes data more vulnerable than ever. Protection is something everyone needs, especially now. Mansour emphasizes that becoming literate in data and internet security is a choice people should take very seriously. In the opening to “Unhackable,” he furthers this idea by using the metaphor that there is no driver’s education before someone gets on the information superhighway.

“The key is to control our mindset before we connect real-time with any device,” he explains. “Unhackable” is Mansour’s second book—"You Are The #1 Target” was released last year.

Mansour states devices (computers, tablets, or smartphones) should be looked at as employees working for you, the employer. He also compares devices to a sports coach, where you are the General Manager and your data is the player. Thereby, creating your online security playbook. Recreating cyber security in an unsecure world.

To Mansour, protection of valuable personal data by readying your device can be summarized in three steps:

1. Set up system defaults, which becomes your shared responsibility with your device. (DEFENSE)
2. Configure your patterns, protocols, and policies, which is your accountability. (OFFENSE)
3. Install your transformative hybrid prioritization and organization of privacy and transparency controls. (SPECIAL TEAMS)

Mansour ended our conversation by having me do three basic security checks. He had me log onto my Gmail and check the “Data & Personalization” in my Google settings. Although I had reduced my Activity Controls, Google was still able to follow my data to personalize my ads (he suggested I turn off this option). He recommends Proton Mail as a more secure email client, and Startpage.com as being a more private search engine.

Finally, Mansour had me check my iPhone’s location settings. By going into Settings->Privacy->Location Services->System Services->Significant Locations, I found out that my iPhone knew I had been in Westwood, Dedham, and Medfield. I then pressed further, and learned that not only did it track where I had been and how long, but my phone also had details. For example, it knew exactly where I stood when I photographed the parade last Friday!

If you are looking for more information on Mansour, feel free to visit his website, Linkedin, or Amazon author page. Also check out the post he made on Medium, “Unhackable.” Mansour and I are also working to release more cybersecurity tips to Westwood residents via Westwood Patch.

*Mansour provided me with a free copy of “Unhackable” following our phone discussion.