In today’s growing cyber threat landscape, it is important to learn how to protect yourself. In this article, I'll share my five favorite tools you can use to protect your privacy online.

Why Online Privacy is Important

Have you ever wondered how valuable your data is?

Every app, website, and business is fighting to get more information about you. The more they know, the better they can predict what you want. Sometimes even before you do.

Personal privacy protects us from potential harm or unwanted intrusions into our lives. It also allows us to maintain our dignity and autonomy.

Most importantly, personal privacy is our fundamental right. Without it, we are just data points used to train an AI model.

Cynics argue that “personal privacy is a relic of the past”. Not really.

In today’s data-hungry world, it is still possible to protect your privacy and use the great products the internet offers.⁠ Here are five tools that will help you protect your privacy online.

Brave Browser

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Photo by Rubaitul Azad on Unsplash

Brave is a web browser that focuses on privacy and security. It blocks third-party ads and tracks cookies by default. It also allows users to control which ads they see and how their data is used.

Here are a few of the key features that set Brave Browser apart:

  • Privacy: Brave blocks third-party ads and tracking cookies by default, which helps protect your privacy online.
  • Security: Brave uses HTTPS Everywhere to upgrade insecure websites to secure HTTPS connections. This helps protect you from man-in-the-middle attacks and other forms of online surveillance.
  • Performance: Brave uses the same technology as Google Chrome — the Chromium open-source project. This means it is fast, stable, and has support for the latest web standards.
  • Rewards: Brave allows users to earn rewards in the form of the Basic Attention Token (BAT) for viewing privacy-respecting ads. This gives users a way to support the websites they visit and content creators they enjoy, without having to share their data with advertisers.

Brave browser offers a combination of privacy, security, and performance. Brave is a safer alternative to Chrome or Edge to protect your privacy.

1Password

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CC: PcMag

1Password is a password manager and secure digital wallet. It is a software program that allows you to store and manage your passwords, credit card information, and other sensitive data in a secure, encrypted vault.

With 1Password, you only need to remember a single master password. This will help make it easier for you to use strong, unique passwords for all of your online accounts.

1Password is available on a wide range of devices and platforms, including Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android.

There are other alternatives to 1Password like Lastpass and LogMeOnce. But here are a few reasons why 1Password is a better choice:

  • Security: 1Password uses strong, industry-standard encryption to protect your data. It has many security features to help prevent unauthorized access to your vault. This can give you peace of mind that all your information is safe and secure.
  • Ease of use: 1Password is easy to use. It has a simple, intuitive interface and support for a wide range of devices and platforms. It also integrates with your web browser, so you can save and fill in passwords as you browse the internet.
  • Features: 1Password offers a range of features including the ability to generate strong passwords. 1Password also can store credit card information, and you can choose to share passwords with others if needed.

Overall, 1Password offers a combination of security, ease of use, features, and support that make it a popular choice among password manager users.

Privacy Badger

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CC: Wikipedia

Privacy Badger is a free browser extension that helps protect your privacy online. Privacy Badger is a product from The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). EFF is a nonprofit organization that advocates for digital rights and civil liberties.

Privacy Badger works by detecting and blocking third-party tracking cookies. It also analyzes the behavior of third-party trackers to see which ones are tracking you without your consent. Privacy Badger is available for Chrome, Firefox, and Opera web browsers.

Here are a few reasons why Privacy Badger is a great tool:

  • It’s free: Privacy Badger is a free and open-source browser extension, which means you can use it without paying any money.
  • It’s simple: Privacy Badger is easy to use, with a simple interface and no complex settings to configure. You can just install it and let it do its thing.
  • It’s effective: Privacy Badger uses advanced algorithms to detect and block third-party tracking. It also has the ability to learn and adapt as it encounters new trackers. This means it can be effective at protecting your privacy without requiring you to do any work.
  • It’s transparent: Privacy Badger’s developers are EFF, which is a well-known and trusted organization in the community. EFF regularly publishes reports and updates about Privacy Badger’s development and performance.

Privacy Badger offers a simple and effective way to protect your privacy online. With a simple interface powered by AI algorithms, Privacy Badger is an essential tool to protect your privacy.

Express VPN

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CC: PcMag

ExpressVPN is a virtual private network (VPN) service that lets you access the internet safely.

ExpressVPN encrypts your traffic and routes it through a remote server. This can make it appear as if you are browsing from a different location.

This is useful for many reasons, including protecting your privacy. You can also access restricted content in your region, and bypass internet censorship.

ExpressVPN is one of many companies that offer VPN services, but it is known for its speed and reliability.

Here are a few reasons why ExpressVPN is a great choice:

  • Speed: ExpressVPN is popular for its fast speeds, which make streaming videos or playing online games easier.
  • Reliability: ExpressVPN has a reputation for being a reliable and stable VPN service. ExpressVPN has a large network of servers and a team of engineers working around the clock to maintain the service.
  • Security: ExpressVPN uses strong encryption to protect your data. It also offers many security features, such as DNS leak protection, to help keep you safe online.
  • Privacy: ExpressVPN has a strict no-logs policy. This means it does not collect or store any information about your online activity. This can give you peace of mind that your privacy is protected.
  • Compatibility: ExpressVPN is available on a wide range of devices and operating systems. This includes Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS. It also offers custom VPN apps for routers, gaming consoles, and other devices.

ExpressVPN offers a combination of speed, reliability, security, privacy, and compatibility. This makes it a popular choice among VPN users.

HaveIBeenPawned

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CC: Sophos

Have I Been Pwned (HIBP) is a website that helps you to check if your personal information has been exposed to a data breach.

Security researcher Troy Hunt created HIBP in 2013. It has since become a widely-used resource for checking compromised personal information.

If HIBP finds that your information is exposed, it will recommend steps you can take to protect yourself. These may include changing passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and so on.

Here are some features of HIBP:

  • Data breach search: You can enter your email address or username to see if it has been included in any of the data breaches in the HIBP database.
  • Notification service: You can sign up for HIBP’s notification service, which will alert you if your email address appears in a new data breach.
  • Breached password search: You can enter a password to see if it has appeared in any data breaches. This can help you determine if a password is secure or if you should change it.
  • Pwned Password API: HIBP offers an API that lets developers use the breached password search feature in their own applications.
  • Data breach statistics: HIBP provides statistics on data breaches. This includes the number of records compromised and the types of data that were exposed.

Even if you set a strong password, the applications you use can encounter a data breach. HIBP helps you keep track of these breaches and make sure your data is secure.

Summary

Online privacy is not a myth. There are great tools that we can use to secure our digital life and use the internet safely.

Use these five tools in addition to standard safety practices like setting strong passwords and enabling two-factor authentication. Here are a few more tips on staying safe online.

Loved this article? Visit https://www.stealthsecurity.io/ to find more cybersecurity content. You can also connect with me on LinkedIn.