Archives - Security Best Practice


Be wary if a vendor pressures you to act quickly

Hackers don’t want to give you time to think about an offer, because you may figure out their scheme. They might tell you that the offer is only valid for one day, or even just the next few minutes. Always be wary of such an offer and research the vendor in question before moving forward.

Don’t pay the ransom if you get attacked

Paying the ransom does not guarantee you will get your files back, so it could be a waste of money. That money could then go towards illegal activities and encourage cybercriminals to continue targeting people. Instead of paying the ransom, report the incident to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), who will investigate the […]

Avoid password managers that can recover your master password

If a password manager claims it can recover your master password if you lose it, that means the service will receive access to that information when you create the account. This approach puts your sensitive information at risk. Normally, your passwords are all encrypted, and even the password manager does not have access to your […]

Use OpenStreetMap for directions

OpenStreetMap is run by a nonprofit organization, and it’s updated by the very people who use it. Anyone can create an account and add pictures or other information to make location details more accurate. You do not need to log into your account to use the app, and there are no ads. Some limited data […]

Use Startpage for private web searches

If you appreciate Google for its accuracy in finding relevant information while you’re searching, but don’t appreciate the added tracking and clickable ads, Startpage might be a great alternative for you. This privacy-focused search engine pays Google for the right to use its search algorithm, so you get results that are just as helpful, but […]

Use the Epic Privacy Browser for more protection while searching

Epic Privacy Browser is secure because it uses a virtual private network (VPN) with servers in eight countries and provides free VPN access. It blocks ads, trackers, fingerprinting, cryptomining and ultrasound signaling, and it can stop over 600 tracking attempts every browsing session. Epic Privacy Browser is available for Apple, Windows and Android devices. To […]