personalsecurity2019
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Experts share their (mostly) hassle-free security tips
It seems like every day another big corporation discloses a breach. Equifax, Capital One, Marriott, and a whole host of other companies have leaked the personal data of millions of their customers. That pilfered information could be used to steal identities or hack into other accounts. This sobering reality is a reminder that more than ever, we should secure our accounts and take control of our data. You probably can't stop hackers from breaking into a hotel chain, but you can put up roadblocks to stop them from infiltrating your life.
How to pay for things securely
We are essentially a cashless society. With the rise of debit cards in the late 1980s early '90s, fewer and fewer of us use paper money to pay for things. Throw in online shopping and single-retailer payment apps like the one from Starbucks, and ATMs seem almost quaint.
Dark-alley defense: Tech tools to keep you safe
"One of the best gadgets you can have is a doorstop." Douglas White has been in the personal security business for nearly 30 years. He started training in martial arts 24 years ago, and he's been a bail enforcement agent -- a bounty hunter -- for 13 years. He's done international security tours with Linkin Park and the Stone Temple Pilots, but he's currently prioritizing fatherhood and capturing fugitives from his home base in Connecticut. White can handily navigate a dark alley filled with foes, even when his only weapons are his hands. However, in an ideal scenario, White will always have a tool at his disposal. Not necessarily a weapon -- then again, anything can be weaponized if you try hard enough.
The safest messaging apps
So you want to send a short, instant, text-based dispatch to another human. The options are endless -- iMessage, Slack, Instagram, WhatsApp, Skype, Snapchat -- but their security is variable. Short of whispering words into another person's ear, it's difficult to guarantee that no one else will ever be eavesdropping. For anything you wouldn't want to be seen by your ISP or used against you in a court of law, end-to-end encryption is necessary. It works by giving every user of an app a public key and a private key. Messages sent to you are encrypted with your public key and can only be opened with the private key. To anybody without your private key -- including the app company or a government that comes for the data later -- the text is indecipherable.
How to make your smart home more secure
Making your house "smart" is an exciting process but you also want to make sure you're keeping your home (and everything and everyone in it) protected. We talked to a security expert about the best ways to keep your smart home secure.
Spies, lies and data thieves: It's time to get a VPN
If we've learned anything in the past few years, it's that the internet is full of creeps trying to spy on us. And I don't just mean malicious hackers, scammers, wi-fi snoopers, account hijackers and wankers in trench coats. Often the creeps in question are companies snatching our private data. And advertisers following us around like mouth-breathing Peeping Toms.
How secure is DNA testing?
Scientists only mapped the human genome 16 years ago, but today you can get a basic test of your genetic code from Walgreens. It's estimated some 26 million people have already sent their spit to direct-to-consumer DNA-testing companies, and the number is predicted to multiply to 100 million by 2021.
You need a password manager -- right now
Who loves dealing with passwords? No one. Password managers help by saving all your passwords in one, secure place. Let's break down how they work and the best password manager apps available now.
Engadget is diving into security this week
It seems not a week goes by where Engadget doesn't report on a data breach. Banks. Hotels. Credit monitoring. Medical records. Your smart home. Slack. Here at Engadget, we felt we needed to do more than just summarize the bleak facts of each new case and repeat the same advice (change your passwords, rinse, repeat). And that's to say nothing of the data you're giving up every day through Facebook, DNA tests and mundane web searches. Throughout this week, we'll be publishing a series of stories focused on security -- mostly online security, with a nod to smart home and personal safety in the physical world. Join us as we make a case for password managers, VPNs and secure messaging apps -- and then name-drop the best ones. Speaking of DNA kits, we looked closely at all the major options in an attempt to gauge which has the most robust privacy policies. Last but not least, we spoke to security experts for tips on how to do everything more safely, from shopping online to posting photos on Instagram. Read on (with Do Not Track enabled, of course).
