Combat Studies Group

GroundRod courses are back.... Upcoming courses in Salt Lake City, UT and Boise, ID. We are looking at February 10-11 for SLC. Details to follow.....

I recently had a short interview with  Forward Observer  regarding Bitcoin and Crypto-assets.  There is a lot of interest being generated right now in this field, and for good reason. Whether your interest lies in protecting your assets, seeking better investment vehicles or just enhancing your privacy; you would be wise to study up on crypto......it's not going away. You can listen to it  HERE

*** SOLD *** I have a special going right now on a SEPIO secure laptop. This is on special due to my putting a couple light scratches on the lid while working on it. The specs are as follows: - i7 CPU (versus the normal i5) - 12GB DDR4 RAM - 256GB SSD - 15.6 inch Full HD touchscreen - Full aluminum chassis with backlit keyboard - SEPIO Secure OS (latest build) This model normally goes for $1400, but I am knocking $100 off due to the scratch. My mistake is your gain.... As with all SEPIO's, the RAM and SSD can be upgraded on request. The i7 models are rare, so get it while you can.

As many of you are now aware there was a rather dangerous hack released the other day ( CVE-2017-13077) that affects nearly all devices' utilization of the WPA/WPA2 wireless security protocol. The details of which can be read about here: https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2017/10/new_krack_attac.html Now before anyone panics I should point out a couple things: 1. A patch for this has been released already for the following distros:     SEPIO OS     Linux Mint     Ubuntu     Debian (and most distros based on Debian)     opesource Android Lineage OS Simply run your update manager (or sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade in terminal) and you are good to go. 2. If you were following my advice and utilizing the WPA2-CCMP/AES version as opposed to WPS or TKIP the damage would have been far less. 3. There are currently no patches available for:     Windows (I know, shocking)     Mac OSX ...

SEPIO Secure Laptops will be on sale for $100 off normal price until November 1st. Some of the recent system upgrades include: - Added support for Yubikey secured boot - Added support for KeepKey, Trezor and Ledger crypto-currency hardware wallets - New artwork and icons - Option for custom Secure Boot certificates and many other software updates and upgrades.

Can you actually protect yourself from online thieves, government snoops and malicious software? What is the "Darkweb" and is there any legitimate use for such a thing? What is Bitcoin and why should I concern myself with it? How is the Internet Of Things dangerous to me? Can the government read my emails and messages? Can they break my encryption? These are all common questions coming from the public on a more and more frequent basis and they are just a few of the questions that we answer in the GroundRod training series. The courses are designed for the layman and the professional alike and are hands on. You don't just listen to a lecture, you implement the subject matter in real time during class. We cover the spectrum from system hardening and secure communication to human tradecraft and escape & evasion skills. You leave class with a broader understanding of the threats and a real set of tools with which to protect yourself, your family and your...

In the interest of spreading useful information regarding tactics/training I wanted to relay this conversation I had with some folks from the tactical community a while back. I was asked several pointed questions which I do my best to answer below: Question 1: Of all the various training disciplines available, which one should be top of the training list right now in light of world events? Rifle training? Land Navigation? Communications? Patrolling , etc... Answer: Well, there are definitely some sacred cows on that list. It of course kind of depends on where you are as an individual with regard to the various skillsets, but lets assume you are a competent shooter with some basic fieldcraft under your belt....I would put information gathering on top. You could also label it Intel/Comms if you wanted. Why? 1. Intelligence drives the fight. Without it, you are just a bunch of armed guys in the woods. 2. Everyone can do it. Your 75 year old aunt can do it, your kid can do...