You might have navigated to websites that feature a large, colored button labeled “Download” or something similar. Don’t click on these. Usually, they’re ads (or worse) in disguise. Legitimate vendors will not make you download their software this way. Stick to official vendor websites and app stores when purchasing software.

If you use Yahoo Mail, a Yahoo Account Key can be a convenient and secure alternative to a traditional password. It’s a notification sent to a mobile device of your choice, which can be approved or rejected during each login. Note, however, that you should secure any such device with its own passcode or biometric […]

“Going on a big #trip for two weeks! Hello #Cancun” might seem like something cool to post to your social media feeds, but in reality it opens you up to some real risks. Broadcasting the fact that you won’t be home for a specific amount of time could increase the chances of someone vandalizing your […]

Free antivirus software isn’t bad per se, but it is higher-risk than paid solutions because in exchange for not charging a price, it might be attempting to harvest and sell your personal data. In fact, many mobile AV solutions in particular fit into this bucket and don’t even provide any real protection. Get AV software […]

Data breaches happen all the time. Eventually, at least one of your accounts will likely be affected. To stay safe, always change your password as soon as possible after the breach is disclosed, and use a password generator to create something difficult to guess. You should also go further by implementing two-factor authentication if available.

Deleting something from your computer doesn’t mean it’s really gone; it’s just hidden from the operating system. With the right tools, someone could conceivably recover sensitive data you thought was gone. File shredding software provides a solution, in the form of data sanitization methods that overwrite deleted items to make them far less accessible.