Tech Corner

​I came across a couple of easy-to-follow and very valuable articles with tips on safe browsing from traversing the Internet.  Many are pretty basic, but I find it's often good to just feel comforted that you're doing things properly in a convoluted world.  But there are also good suggestions on things you probably aren't doing and might be wise to consider.  Both articles are from last year -- I'm only getting around to writing about them now -- but though some information in them might be out-of-date, most isn't, and the tips are basically evergreen which are good to be aware of all the time.

The first is "17 Safe Internet Browsing Tips" which covers topics like security settings, password managers (offering suggestions on which are the best), how to come up to secure passwords that are easy to remember, how to avoid phishing emails (the kind that try to trick you into thinking they're from a real business), setting up a VPN for anonymous browsing and more.  You can find it here.

The other is a "Guide to Using Public WiFi Safely and Securely" from the Comparitech site.  It's so standard today to sit down at a coffeehouse, connect to their WiFi without a second thought.  But there are a great many issue to be aware of.  For instance, how to distinguish between secured and unsecured networks, rather than just connecting on the fly.  Also, ways to keep sensitive information protected, setting up VPNs (a popular topic, as you can see...), and importantly a discussion on different ways you can be hacked when using public WiFi (for instance, the restaurant where your sitting can have their name spoofed, and so by mistake you've connected to the wrong one).  You can read the guide here.

Some of the suggestions here, while very smart and valid, might not be things you want to do -- like turning off your mobile phone's WiFi until you're ready to use it.  Smart as that is, it's also more inconvenient than most people tend to want.  But it's still good to at least be aware of the reason for the suggestion so that you are kept apprised of Internet safety and generally on the alert.

It's also a good idea to keep links to articles like these so that you can give yourself refreshers every once in a while.