Mobile phones are needed for communications when out in the world but they are a nightmare for security. This is a guide for those with a elevated threat profile.
Your Phone Is a Liability. Burn It.
Phones are snitches. Constantly leaking your location, habits, contacts. Doesn’t matter if it’s “off.” Doesn’t matter if it’s a flip phone. It still pings. Still connects. Still gives you up.
This isn’t paranoia. It’s facts.
So what do you do when you need to talk but can’t afford to leave a trail?
You get a burner. Use it. Then burn it.
Not cute. Not clever. Just necessary.
What’s a Burner, Really?
A burner phone is a temporary tool. Disposable. Meant for short term use, then destroyed.
You don’t link it to your name, your habits, or your real phone. You don’t carry it around like a second device. It’s not a backup. It’s a compartmentalized layer.
They’re cheap. Sold at gas stations, Walmart, and random kiosks. Paid in cash. No ID. Use prepaid SIMs or cards. Think throwaway, not treasure.
How to Buy One Without Screwing It Up
- Go to a store out of town if you can. Fewer patterns.
- Leave your real phone at home. Always.
- Park down the street. Cameras are everywhere. Don’t be lazy.
- Cover identifying features. Tattoos, jewelry, scars. Use a hat. Use a mask. Covid gave you cover. Use it.
- Pay in cash only. No cards. No rewards programs. No receipts.
- Get out. Don’t shop. Don’t linger. Don’t make it a day trip.
How to Set It Up Without Tying It to You
- Use public WiFi: library, coffee shop, whatever. Not your home or associate.
- Again, no other devices on you. This matters.
- Unbox and activate using random info. Random area code.
- Download these:
- Briar and SimpleX (NOT regular SMS)
- VPN (set to always on, kill switch enabled)
- Firefox Focus and if needed, Tor
- Strip the bloatware. Delete unused apps. Minimize the footprint.
- Harden the settings:
- Turn off WiFi, Bluetooth, sounds, vibrations
- Disable hotspot, notifications, “Find My Device,” location, all permissions
- Use password screen lock. NO biometrics.
- Kill anything that phones home or “improves experience”
- Destroy the packaging. Now. Don’t leave evidence.
Using a Burner Without Blowing Your Cover
- Never log into anything real. No names, no saved accounts.
- Never contact real people from your life. Use aliases.
- Keep distance in time and location from your main phone. One hour. Few miles. Minimum.
- When not in use:
- Remove the battery (if possible, hard to find) or
- Drop it in a Faraday bag
- Never use SMS or voice calls. Only Briar or SimpleX.
- No saved files. No pics. No downloads. Especially nothing sketchy.
- Only bring it with you if absolutely necessary.
When in doubt? Burn it. Start over.
And don’t reuse usernames, contacts, or habits from the old one. That’s how they connect the dots.
How to Burn a Burner
- Factory reset it.
- Remove and destroy SIM.
- Take out battery (lithium blows up).
- Smash the internals. Not the case. The board.
- Destroy it completely. Fire. Water. Hammer. River.
Don’t save a trophy. Don’t sell it. Don’t hand it to someone else.
Final Warning
The device itself can be clean, but if they catch you with it and it links to you? Game over.
So be ruthless with what goes on it. Treat it like a contaminated surface.
Minimal. Quiet. No patterns.
You won’t get it perfect. That’s fine.
Just don’t be stupid.
Stay quiet.
Stay clean.
Burn when ready.
-GHOST
Written by GHOST, creator of the Untraceable Digital Dissident project.
This is part of the Untraceable Digital Dissident series — tactical privacy for creators and rebels.
Explore more privacy tactics at untraceabledigitaldissident.com.
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