Welcome
Cybersecurity and privacy, in plain English — for artists and anyone who’d rather not be the product.
I’m Paul Caloca, a 30-year security professional. Essential Risk Management is where I translate the stuff the bad guys count on you not understanding into something you can actually act on. Start anywhere below.
Free to Read Right Now
No paywall, no purchase — just open and read.
They Don’t Hack Your Computer. They Hack You.
How the bad guys talk their way past every wall you’ve built — and why AI made them far more convincing.
https://essentialriskmgt.com/p/they-dont-hack-your-computer-theyWhy Ransomware Is the New Customer Your Solo Creative Business Never Asked For
The FBI and CISA now say it plainly: one-person studios are the easy mark. Here’s why — and what to do.
https://essentialriskmgt.com/p/why-ransomware-is-the-new-customerI’m NOT Giving MY Credit Card to a F*&%ing AI Agent
20 years in payment card security, and every question Visa still hasn’t answered about handing your card to a bot.
https://essentialriskmgt.com/p/im-not-giving-my-credit-card-to-a
Guides and Tools
Built specifically for artists and solo creators. One-time purchase, yours to keep.
Cyber Incident Response Plan for Artists
A fillable plan covering Mac and Windows side by side, a companion guide, a walkthrough video, and an audio guide — plus a one-page quick reference for the moment your computer won’t cooperate.
https://buymeacoffee.com/pcaloca/e/533150ERM AI Privacy Settings Guide
Verified opt-out steps for nine AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Adobe, Canva, Copilot, Notion, Midjourney, Runway), a scorecard comparing all nine, and a worksheet for your own settingsStop Being the Product: Your Complete Google Privacy Makeover
A step-by-step guide and Excel workbook to take back control of your Google account — no technical background needed. Templates cut data collection by up to 90%.
https://buymeacoffee.com/pcaloca/e/416002
See everything in the shop: https://buymeacoffee.com/pcaloca/extras
More Deep Dives
Fuller pieces for paid subscribers. Not ready to subscribe? The companion guide for each is in Guides & Tools above.
A Birthday Card. That’s All It Took
The personal story behind why this publication exists — and the incident response plan I built from it.
https://essentialriskmgt.com/p/a-birthday-card-thats-all-it-took
(Prefer to skip the paywall? The plan itself is the $29 guide above.)How to Stop Nine AI Tools From Collecting Your Creative Work
The research that turned into the full AI Privacy Settings Guide.
https://essentialriskmgt.com/p/how-to-stop-nine-ai-tools-from-collecting
(Prefer to skip the paywall? The $9 guide above is the finished version.)v2.0 Disrupt the Data Surveillance Industrial Complex
How browser fingerprinting tracks you everywhere — and how to feed the data brokers garbage instead.
https://essentialriskmgt.com/p/v20-disrupt-the-data-surveillance
Find Me Elsewhere
Substack profile - https://substack.com/@paulcaloca1
Bluesky profile - https://bsky.app/profile/essentialriskmgt.com
Threads profile - https://www.threads.com/@essentialrisk
Instagram profile - https://www.instagram.com/essentialrisk/
Facebook Business page - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590225039113
TikTok profile - https://www.tiktok.com/@paulessentialrisk
LinkedIn profile -https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-caloca-erm/
Be safe out there; make something that brings joy and beauty to the world!