The Monday Round-Up: Think of Security as a Snuggie, not a Blanket

National Cyber Security Awareness Month is a good five months away, but now is always the right time to refresh basic security practices, especially for travelers and advocacy workers. We're always thinking about new ways to improve our security at NDI, so join the conversation: check out this week's security articles and resources and comment with your thoughts.

• "Mobile device" and "security" are unfortunately oxymoronic. Kenneth Van Wyk of Computer World calls for increased security on mobile devices, since tablets and smartphones are becoming the norm in the workplace.
• The FBI publishes a pamphlet on safety and security for the business professional abroad.
• Internet security and freedom in southeast Asia is a hot topic - OpenNet Initiative offers great insight into cybersecurity in the region. If you need some training, check out UNESCAP's (UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific) self-paced, online course on Basic and Advanced Security in the Field.
• Tripwire's list of the 20 Best IT Security Lessons Ever Learned is a great resource for balancing business and security.
• Security in-a-box is a digital security resource aimed at advocates and human rights defenders - it even includes a cool How-To Booklet and Hands-on Guides for specific security tools.
• The Czech Republic and Slovakia have produced some really popular security software - The Economist talks about why.
• Floss Manuals publishes a guide to Basic Internet Security - learn why security is important, what tools are out there, and how to protect yourself and your friends. (pdf version here)
• What is the Internet of Things and how can we anticipate its security concerns?
• Trend Micro is offering IT Security for Dummies for free. Download the free e-book and brush up on basic security practices.
• TechChange is offering a new online course on Global Innovations for Digital Organizing starting on May 14.
• Moscow and DC expand the Nuclear Risk Reduction Center - established in 1988 to prevent misunderstanding when either country conducts missile tests that could be considered acts of aggression - to handle potential conflict in cyberspace.
• New America Foundation launches their Open Technology Institute, with a focus on Internet freedom and open technology.
• The Guardian publishes a list of the 20 people who have had the most impact on creating an open internet. Think they missed anyone?
• The Africa ICT Alliance is announced, with Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, The Gambia, and Tunisia as founding countries. Dinfin Mulupi suggests what east Africa stll needs to become an IT hub.
• Meet Signal: it's Instagram meets Twitter for citizens journalists.
• Just for fun: Valve, the creators of Half-Life and Portal, have a really awesome employee handbook. And for us programmers, a clever reminder to never trust user input.