Phishing is one of the oldest and most effective cyberattack techniques. Never click on any emailed or texted links claiming to take you to your account page for a password reset or other modification to decrease your risk of having sensitive data stolen. Instead, if you’re uncertain whether action is warranted, type the URL directly […]

Bluetooth access can serve as an entry point to your laptop or mobile device for malicious actors, and leaving it on could drain the battery. Try alternatives that allow you to reduce the attack surface while lasting longer on a single charge. For instance, if you play music from an external source, plug in using […]

Catastrophic incidents and ransomware can leave you without access to important data. Back up everything according to the 3-2-1 rule. That is, have at least three copies of the data, two of which should be stored on different types of media, and one located elsewhere. Use an external HDD for the local backup.

Outdated Chrome Extensions can be exploited by malicious actors. Periodically review your Extensions to make sure they appear in good working order and that they’re properly updated. If you’re no longer using an Extension, delete it, particularly if it appears to no longer be supported by the developer.

Connecting your laptop to an external monitor gives you much more real estate for working and for viewing media like video. Positioning is important, though – since these monitors are so big, they can broadcast a lot of information in plain view. To avoid walk-by surveillance, position them somewhere where they can’t easily be seen, […]

If you want to keep what happens on your laptop screen to yourself, you might need a screen protector. These specialized accessories block certain lines of sight, so that nearby people can’t see what’s happening. This is particularly useful for keeping usernames to yourself; it also lets you turn off automatic password scrambling, a feature […]