On Safer Internet Day, TOG members share some tips on how to stay safe online. Please share this with anyone you think will find it useful.
How to Encrypt your Texts and Emails
First, don’t send text messages, use Signal instead. Signal is an open source project that lets you send encrypted messages to other Signal users. It replaces your SMS app so you can use it for encrypted and regular messages.
You can encrypt your emails using a technique called PGP. The following video explains how this works, but you don’t need to know this to use it.
Extensions like Mailvelope for Firefox and Chrome help manage your PGP keys. You can get a Thunderbird extension and other extensions listed here.
It is important to note that the text of that message is encrypted. Any attachments and the fact that you send the message are not encrypted.
How to Browse the Internet Securely
HTTPS encrypts the connection between your browser and the site you want to connect to. You should always check if HTTPS is in place before entering personal information like addresses or credit card numbers.
You can install the HTTPS Everywhere extension, which will automatically make your connection secure if the site you are connecting to uses https.
Use a different password for every site you use. This can be difficult, but if one password is compromised, all the others remain secure.
uBlock Origin or other ad blockers can help speed up your browsing, but it can also help hide your identity.
The Onion Router, TOR Project, is a fully encrypted browser. It uses 3 layers of encryption to hide your traffic. This can be overkill for some users and there are ways to break the encryption, but it is a useful project.
Two-Factor
Most email providers and social networks support two-factor login. This means to log in you need your password and a code sent to your phone. It is always helpful to check your security settings.
Share your ideas?
Got a tool you think is useful? How do you stay safe on the Internet? Leave any ideas or questions in the comments and check out upcoming TOG Events.