# Reporter Quick-Start Card

**Audience**: Field reporters using a SooSeF Tier 1 bootable USB device.
No technical background assumed.

**Print this page on a single sheet, laminate it, and keep it with the USB stick.**

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## Getting Started

1. **Plug the USB** into any laptop
2. **Boot from USB** (press F12 during startup, select the USB drive)
3. **Enter your passphrase** when the blue screen appears (this unlocks your data)
4. **Wait for the browser** to open automatically

You are now running SooSeF. The laptop's own hard drive is never touched.

---

## Taking and Attesting a Photo

1. Transfer your photo to the laptop (USB cable, SD card, AirDrop, etc.)
2. In the browser, click **Attest**
3. Select your photo and click **Sign**
4. The photo is now cryptographically signed with your identity

This proves you took this photo, where, and when. It cannot be forged later.

---

## Hiding a Message in a Photo

1. Click **Encode** in the browser
2. Select a **carrier image** (the photo that will carry the hidden message)
3. Select a **reference photo** (a photo both you and the recipient have)
4. Type your **message**
5. Enter your **passphrase** and **PIN** (the recipient needs the same ones)
6. Click **Encode**

To send via WhatsApp, Signal, or Telegram, select the platform from the **Transport**
dropdown before encoding. This ensures the message survives the platform's image
compression.

---

## Checking In (Dead Man's Switch)

If your admin has enabled the dead man's switch, you must check in regularly.

1. Click **Fieldkit** in the browser
2. Click **Check In**

Or from a terminal:

```
soosef fieldkit checkin
```

If you miss your check-in window, the system will destroy all data after the grace period.

> **If you are unable to check in, contact your editor immediately.**

---

## Emergency: Destroying All Data

If you believe the device will be seized:

1. **Pull the USB stick** -- the laptop retains nothing
2. If you cannot pull the USB: click **Fieldkit** then **Emergency Purge** and
   confirm with `CONFIRM-PURGE`

Everything is gone. Keys, photos, attestations, messages -- all destroyed.

---

## Shutting Down

1. **Close the browser**
2. **Pull the USB stick**

The laptop returns to its normal state. No trace of SooSeF remains.

---

## Troubleshooting

| Problem | Solution |
|---|---|
| Laptop does not boot from USB | Press F12 (or F2, Del) during startup to enter boot menu. Select the USB drive. Disable Secure Boot in BIOS if needed. |
| "Certificate warning" in browser | Normal for self-signed certificates. Click "Advanced" then "Accept the risk" or "Proceed." |
| Cannot connect to web UI | Wait 30 seconds after boot. Try refreshing the browser. The URL is `https://127.0.0.1:5000`. |
| Forgot passphrase or PIN | You cannot recover encrypted data without the correct passphrase and PIN. Contact your admin. |
| USB stick lost or broken | Get a new USB from your admin. If you had a backup, they can restore your keys onto the new stick. |

---

## Key Rules

1. **Never leave the USB in an unattended laptop**
2. **Check in on time** if the dead man's switch is enabled
3. **Back up your USB** -- your admin can help with this
4. **Verify fingerprints** before trusting a collaborator's key
5. **Use transport-aware encoding** when sending stego images through messaging apps