Spring Cleaning

Spring Cleaning

From Firewalls Don't Stop Dragons Podcast by Carey Parker

March 23, 2026 · 1h 16m

About this episode

This episode discusses the importance of removing unnecessary apps to enhance security and privacy.

When we think about improving security and privacy, we tend to add things: password managers, VPNs, encrypted communication apps. But one of the most effective ways to protect yourself is much simpler: remove what you don’t need. Safety through subtraction . Every app you install exposes you to more data collection and security vulnerabilities. Over time, these apps can automatically update, collecting more data and adding new exploitable features. And with the current global unrest, the risk of attacks is greater than normal. I’ll give you several top tips for reducing your attack surface. Article Links Check Your Asus Router for Malware ASAP: https://lifehacker.com/tech/check-asus-router-for-malware Instagram drops end-to-end encrypted chats: https://proton.me/blog/instagram-end-to-end-encryption Viral ‘Quittr’ Porn Addiction App Exposed the Masturbation Habits of Hundreds of Thousands of Users: https://www.404media.co/viral-quittr-porn-addiction-app-exposed-the-masturbation-habits-of-hundreds-of-thousands-of-users/ Papers, please: Age verification laws threaten everyone’s online security and privacy…

Topics covered

  • security
  • privacy
  • app management

Keywords

  • safety through subtraction
  • attack surface
  • data collection
  • security vulnerabilities

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Firefox, iPhone, Mac, E2EE, password managers, VPNs, encrypted communication apps

Places: US

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