MS+Google for ALL security?
Discussion
Often see questions about do I need a VPN, which VPN is the best, which password manager is the best, what antivirus is the best, etc etc. I just use Microsoft inbuilt anitvirus and use google chrome for password management and suggestions, is this a wise move? Should I be using third parties for this stuff? It is just me using one computer and smartphone and smart tv.
The only thing I think I don't need is a VPN so the question is more about PW manager and antivirus/firewall stuff.
The only thing I think I don't need is a VPN so the question is more about PW manager and antivirus/firewall stuff.
Mr-B said:
Often see questions about do I need a VPN, which VPN is the best, which password manager is the best, what antivirus is the best, etc etc. I just use Microsoft inbuilt anitvirus and use google chrome for password management and suggestions, is this a wise move? Should I be using third parties for this stuff? It is just me using one computer and smartphone and smart tv.
The only thing I think I don't need is a VPN so the question is more about PW manager and antivirus/firewall stuff.
Defender is pretty good and Chrome or Edge with uBlock Origin seems to work well enough.The only thing I think I don't need is a VPN so the question is more about PW manager and antivirus/firewall stuff.
I wouldn't rely on Chrome as a password manager myself but that's more down to flexibility than a lack of faith in Google.
Main thing is keep all your devices and software up to date and don't browse obviously dodgy sites.
I think for the average home user, writing your passwords down in a book makes much more sense.
Hear me out, the actual chances of someone breaking into your house, especially for your little notebook of passwords, I bet is almost zero.
You could even 'back up' your little book and keep a copy at a relatives if you're really, really worried, where again there's almost a zero chance of a security breach.
Hear me out, the actual chances of someone breaking into your house, especially for your little notebook of passwords, I bet is almost zero.
You could even 'back up' your little book and keep a copy at a relatives if you're really, really worried, where again there's almost a zero chance of a security breach.
Many years ago I did just that writing them on paper but then I migrated to a password protected spreadsheet but laziness has lead me to storing passwords via chrome. I do use ublock origin too, have been for years and that makes using the internet so much better without being bombarded by ads - 9 million ads and counting so far!
A VPN generally won't make you much more secure.
It should offer more privacy if you use it correctly and it can be useful for accessing region-locked services.
As for passwords, I use an app on my Phone 'eWallet', had it since the PocketPC days. It's pretty good but it I was starting now I'd go for something like KeePass which is open source and available on many devices. Definitely go to the trouble of using proper, unique passwords for each site. Sites get compromised all the time and if you share passwords across different sites you can then be in big trouble.
It should offer more privacy if you use it correctly and it can be useful for accessing region-locked services.
As for passwords, I use an app on my Phone 'eWallet', had it since the PocketPC days. It's pretty good but it I was starting now I'd go for something like KeePass which is open source and available on many devices. Definitely go to the trouble of using proper, unique passwords for each site. Sites get compromised all the time and if you share passwords across different sites you can then be in big trouble.
Edited by Lucas Ayde on Tuesday 17th January 11:38
Lucas Ayde said:
A VPN generally won't make you much more secure.
It should offer more privacy if you use it correctly and it can be useful for accessing region-locked services.
As for passwords, I use an app on my Phone 'eWallet', had it since the PocketPC days. It's pretty good but it I was starting now I'd go for something like KeePass which is open source and available on many devices. Definitely go to the trouble of using proper, unique passwords for each site. Sites get compromised all the time and if you share passwords across different sites you can then be in big trouble.
Yes I might have been guilty in the past of the one password fits all It should offer more privacy if you use it correctly and it can be useful for accessing region-locked services.
As for passwords, I use an app on my Phone 'eWallet', had it since the PocketPC days. It's pretty good but it I was starting now I'd go for something like KeePass which is open source and available on many devices. Definitely go to the trouble of using proper, unique passwords for each site. Sites get compromised all the time and if you share passwords across different sites you can then be in big trouble.
Edited by Lucas Ayde on Tuesday 17th January 11:38
At least I use random ones now.With VPN's I recently found that in Samsung phones there is a built in secure wifi with 1GB free per month so if I had to use public wifi I guess I could use that as a last resort.
Mr-B said:
Lucas Ayde said:
A VPN generally won't make you much more secure.
It should offer more privacy if you use it correctly and it can be useful for accessing region-locked services.
As for passwords, I use an app on my Phone 'eWallet', had it since the PocketPC days. It's pretty good but it I was starting now I'd go for something like KeePass which is open source and available on many devices. Definitely go to the trouble of using proper, unique passwords for each site. Sites get compromised all the time and if you share passwords across different sites you can then be in big trouble.
Yes I might have been guilty in the past of the one password fits all It should offer more privacy if you use it correctly and it can be useful for accessing region-locked services.
As for passwords, I use an app on my Phone 'eWallet', had it since the PocketPC days. It's pretty good but it I was starting now I'd go for something like KeePass which is open source and available on many devices. Definitely go to the trouble of using proper, unique passwords for each site. Sites get compromised all the time and if you share passwords across different sites you can then be in big trouble.
Edited by Lucas Ayde on Tuesday 17th January 11:38
At least I use random ones now.With VPN's I recently found that in Samsung phones there is a built in secure wifi with 1GB free per month so if I had to use public wifi I guess I could use that as a last resort.
There's not really any valid case I can see for using a VPN at home for just browsing and checking bank accounts. Probably not worth using one while travelling either for most people, unless you are connecting to SSIDs called "Free-not-fake-hot-spot" and clicking away any warnings saying this is a bad idea to connect to it... Naturally if you are a high-ranking government official or high-value business person that is a different matter (have personal experience of dealing with state-level hacking of a high value individual in the financial sector).
Also the chances of someone nefarious breaking into your ISP data center, splicing in proxy equipment to inspect HTTPs /man-in-the-middle attack the connections to steal your banking credentials is close zero. The government is another matter, although the ISPs will give them any information they require anyway.
You can set up a vpn at home to connect back to when mobile, so you always connect via your ISP.
On privacy VPNs, they don’t really offer true obfuscation because of fingerprinting, cookies, tracking etc.
Also your vpn provider can just end up being a sub-isp type affair, so just another business holding your browsing data.
You have to really control your browser and use a good vpn to make it worth it, to truly have a hope of obfuscating your activity.
In the end it’s just not worth the faff.
Ime running uMatrix is better bet. Just block out all the trash on a per-site basis.
On privacy VPNs, they don’t really offer true obfuscation because of fingerprinting, cookies, tracking etc.
Also your vpn provider can just end up being a sub-isp type affair, so just another business holding your browsing data.
You have to really control your browser and use a good vpn to make it worth it, to truly have a hope of obfuscating your activity.
In the end it’s just not worth the faff.
Ime running uMatrix is better bet. Just block out all the trash on a per-site basis.
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