Data Privacy Workshop Series

Series of 5 Workshops covering:

1. Cell Phone settings and practices (July 1)

2. Laptops and desktops (July 8)

3. Digital Communication-email, social media, texting platforms, etc. (July 15)

4. Authentication-passwords, password managers, multi-factor authentication (July 29)

5. Anonymization - VPNs, proxys (August 5th)

*No class on July 22nd because of the regular monthly KFA meeting scheduled that day.

Click on the links to each session to register.

The cost of each workshop is $25 to be paid to Kentucky Family Association. You can pay by cash or check, or online at this link. https://www.afaky.org/donate If you register for all 5 sessions you will get a $25 discount or $5 off/per session.

Guided Instruction Provided to Complete During Session

We want you to leave each session feeling that you have achieved a measure of data security and protection on your personal devices. We know that the onsite assistance will contribute to the level of achievement in this area. Please note that all recommendations will be contingent on the level of privacy you wish to achieve. This will be for you to decide on a case by case basis with each recommendation. We know that many of you need to balance privacy with convenience and that not all privacy recommendations will suit your lifestyle. The pros and cons will be presented for you to make the personal decision on which privacy settings may be right for you.

Minimum 10 people per session needed to provide the training.

Training provided by Varqa Sharif of Advanced Ingenuity who is the Linux IT Specialist for Kentucky Family Association.

Varqa Sharif

Founder & president ∙ Advanced Ingenuity

Introduction

Going back to 1996, at Indiana University / Department of Psychology / Speech Research Laboratory, Varqa served as a lab technical personnel and computer programmer - designing and developing research software, and user interfaces, for the assessment of audible sensation and perception in individuals with cochlear implants.

Varqa then joined the Indiana University / University Information Technology Services / Knowledge Base team, where he served as a programmer and technical writer/editor.

Shortly after, at Indiana University / University Information Technology Services / Departmental

Support Lab, Varqa provided expert (Tier 3) support for inter-departmental technical staff, and designed and developed the IUware CD software distribution engine. He also developed, and maintained, IU’s imaging server, which was used for the university’s inter-departmental systems backup and archiving.

Afterwards, at Indiana University / University Information Technology Services / Information

Technology Security Office, as Lead Security Engineer, Varqa served as a Unix and GNU/Linux

systems specialist, security analyst, and systems developer. He was also in charge of maintaining and monitoring the security vulnerability scanners for all IU campuses. Moreover, he was one of the curriculum developers, and instructors, for the first 400-level computer science cyber security course taught at Indiana University.

Varqa worked for Kully Chaha Native Stone as a software engineer and systems developer. He

designed and developed a custom ERP system for the inventory, production, manufacturing, and

distribution of Kully Chaha’s products.

Varqa is currently the founder and president of Advanced Ingenuity, an IT company specializing in cyber security.

With over 25 years of experience in computing, cyber security, and the IT industry, he has gained

expertise in systems security assessments, vulnerability and risk management, compliance auditing, digital forensics, incident response, as well as change management, configuration management, and a wide range of control measures.

Varqa’s fascination with, and his impelling drive to learn, new technologies has not only advanced his professional career, but also his enthusiasm towards his hobbies, which include programming, electronics, robotics, artificial intelligence, and vintage computer systems.