If you've decided to send a regular email, you'll have to spend a little money to make sure the information cannot be traced back to you. Your first purchase should be a computer or tablet that you will only use to communicate with the journalist to whom you're leaking information.It doesn't have to be a fancy computer – a cheap machine running Windows is sufficient. Buy a new machine, not a used one, because you don't know what's on a used one. This machine shouldn't set you back more than a few hundred dollars.
Get the information or data you need onto the computer, but do not email yourself anything from your own work or personal email address, and don't log onto any of your personal accounts on this computer. If you do, the computer can potentially be traced back to you.
Do not access your home or work Wi-Fi network using this computer.
 Almost all newer personal computers provide you the ability to encrypt all information on the hard drive with a few clicks. Once enabled, no one will be able to access any information stored on your hard drive without your username and password.On a Windows machine, enter "encryption" from the start menu and select "change device encryption settings." Choose the "Manage BitLocker" option, turn on BitLocker, and follow the instructions from there to set it up.On a Mac, click on "Security & Privacy" from your system preferences. Choose the FireVault tab and unlock it with your username and password so you can update your preferences. Then turn on FireVault and follow the instructions.If the dedicated computer you bought does not have an option for full disk encryption, you also can download software that will do this for you. Download a free program such as TrueCrypt or DiskCryptor.
 To securely leak to the press using email, go to a café or other place that has open Wi-Fi available to the public. Look for a location that isn't in an area you normally frequent, and don't go to the same location more than once.Once there, turn the Wi-Fi on the computer and connect to the network. Don't bring any personal devices with you, because they can be traced and you don't want them to show that they've accessed the same network.
Both on the way to the location and once you get there, use cash to pay for any purchases you have to make – do not use your own credit or debit cards, even a prepaid card, because they can be traced back to you.
 Encryption can be set up on any computer and protects your information and data from being read or understood by even the most sophisticated government surveillance technology.You can install encryption software within your email service, as well as on the computer as a whole. Once encrypted, the information is scrambled and cannot be read unless the person has the right key to decrypt it.
"Pretty Good Privacy" (PGP) is a free encryption service for emails. Go to the PGP website at http://www.pgpi.org/ and download the latest version of the software for your computer. Save the file to your computer, then unzip and install it.
Follow the prompts on the installation screen to finish setting up PGP. You will then be prompted to restart your computer to complete the installation. Once PGP is running, no one can read emails you send without the proper key to decrypt them.
 You don't want to email the journalist from a personal or work email account. A free account from a service such as Gmail will work just fine. Avoid using any name that can be connected to you.The best email address for purposes of anonymity is a series of random letters and numbers.
Do not use a personal email address or any email address that can be traced back to you, as a "recovery" email address.
 Two-factor authentication will keep your new email account more secure because it adds an additional step to the log-in process. Most of them send a text message to your mobile phone. Even if someone obtains or hacks your password, they still won't be able to get into your email account.If the email service you're using sends a text message as the second factor, make sure you don't enter the phone number associated with a personal or work phone. You might use the phone number associated with your burner phone.
You can find a list of all websites and email services that support 2FA at https://twofactorauth.org/.
 Once you've got your email address set up, use it to email the journalist the information you want to leak. If you're writing a personal account, avoid giving any personal information that could lead to the discovery of your identity, or your role in the organization from which you're leaking information., After you've finished typing your email and sent it, turn off the Wi-Fi on the computer and close all apps. Fully delete the cache and cookies from the web browser, then shut down the computer.After you've shut down the computer, remove the battery. If at all possible, carry the battery separately from the computer. For example, you might put the battery in your pocket and carry the computer in a backpack.
 If you no longer need to communicate with the journalist, or if you fear you're about to get caught, you must thoroughly destroy the computer so that no information can be pulled off of it.Wipe the device back to its factory settings, using the most secure erase option that is available. Then turn the device off and smash it with a hammer.
Place the pieces in another piece of trash, such as a fast-food snack. Then go out for a walk and throw it away in a public trash can or dumpster well away from anywhere you live, work, or frequent.
Buy a dedicated computer.
Enable full disk encryption.
Find a location with open Wi-Fi.
Set up email encryption.
Create a new email account.
Activate two-factor authentication (2FA).
Email your contact.
Shut everything off.
Destroy the device when you're done.
{"src": "wikihow-all_test", "title": "How to Securely Leak to the Press2"}