Computer/Internet Privacy Tips

[sir baconface]

I'm still alive, nobody has (yet) stolen my identity and I'm not at all worried that Microsoft/Google might know who I've selected in my Fantasy Football team. I do have a VPN though!

It’s Lukaku, isn’t it? Just admit it.

 

[markbmcfc]

It’s Lukaku, isn’t it? Just admit it.

If id picked him i'd be using every pro-privacy tool available to me to ensure the world never finds out.

 

[noblelord]

Good post. I switched from Windows 10 to Linux Mint about six months ago and haven’t regretted it. I must admit though that I still need the odd Windows programme as I can’t find a Linux equivalent. I overcome this by running a virtual Windows 7 machine under Linux. The main reason for using the virtual W7 machine is that I can’t find out how to update my Sat Nav without using Windows.

 

[Chippy_boy]

Something I would definitely add to the list (and for me I think it should be near or at the top of the list) is that it is imperative that people use a password manager tool such as Dashlane, Lastpass, 1-Password etc.

So many people rely on the same, or nearly the same password for every site they sign up to, be it a shopping site, a forum, twitter, facebook, iplayer or whatever.

The cast iron certainty is that one day, one of these sites will be hacked and then the hackers will have your email address and password and maybe even your name, address and credit card details. Worse, they will sell the list to other criminals who will pay money for this. And why? Because they absolutely do plan on trying all the email address and password combinations on a variety of popular websites - amazon, ebay etc. So even if your credit card details weren't stolen, you're still in trouble.

God help you if your email password - Gmail, or Hotmail or whatever - is the same or you're in even bigger trouble.

I don't mean to alarm people but this is such a serious risk. You really should have a different, strong password for all the sites you visit and CRITICALLY important, under no circumstances use the same password for online shopping accounts such as Amazon as you do for forums or other social channels. The only practical way to do this, is with a password manager.

As as start, check to see if your email address has been found on any stolen lists:

https://haveibeenpwned.com/

 

[noblelord]

First class post from Chippy_boy above. Agree with every word. I’ve even persuaded Mrs Noblelord to change all her passwords and use unique ones for each site she visits.

 

[citizen_maine]

Something I would definitely add to the list (and for me I think it should be near or at the top of the list) is that it is imperative that people use a password manager tool such as Dashlane, Lastpass, 1-Password etc.

What do these password manager tools do then?

 

[Chippy_boy]

What do these password manager tools do then?

When you register on a website, instead of having to think up a password, they generate a secure password for you and store it (encrypted) in their own vault. And when you revisit the site, they fill in the password automatically for you. So you never have to remember a password ever again, and all of the sites you visit have different, very strong passwords.

You need to know only 1 strong password in order to access your password manager's vault and it's a good idea to have multi-factor authentication so that even if your vault password is compromised, no-one apart from you can access it anyway.

Take a look at https://www.lastpass.com/how-lastpass-works for example

PS, they can also store things like credit card details. This is great because it means you don't have to store credit card details with the shopping sites you visit. (e.g.) Lastpass just fills them in automatically for you every time. So if the site you are visiting is hacked, the hackers don't get your credit card details because the retailer doesn't have them.

 

[Chippy_boy]

I use two email addresses, and both of them are compromised, i.e. hackers have broken into site(s) I visit and have stolen the username, email address and password. I've even had blackmail attempts with the criminal emailing me telling me his knows my email and password and demanding money. Fortunately he said my password was u^zDRyJmr8wCX1&z#u$W so I had nothing to fear as I knew it's unique and where it came from (LinkedIn). If I had used the password across multiple sites, I would have been in deep trouble.

 

[quiet_riot]

+1 for last pass. So so useful, and free.

 

[Tragic meat van guy]

Pleased with this thread. I'm fucking windows 10 off tomorrow.. not cos of the spying,, just cos of its fucking updates twatting my computer every other week. Is Linux mint easy enough to use for a newby??

Edit,, also gonna look into lastpass as I have about 100 bookie accounts and its a right pain in the A remembering them all