Category: Security

Secure Browser Alternatives for browsing safely on the web!

Paul

Zero day vulnerabilites target Internet Explorer

Cyber Security Awareness Month

If you didn’t know October is Cyber Security Awareness Month and I wanted to give out some ways to keep you safe on the internet.   I know I am not the only to suggest some of this but if you didn’t know please don’t use Internet Explorer to web browse.   If should only be used for updating Windows and that is the extent of what it should be used for it.

Is Chrome more secure than Safari?

Safari, to my knowledge as a few vulnerabilities and thus you should be keep away from using it.   I won’t say much about this because we never really know who is actually going to use these but you can bet hackers know of ways to get into your system.

Which Browser is best?

Any browser you think is safe is probably going to be wrong.   I am going to tell you which browsers are safer but none of them are a 100 percent safe.   Each one of them has good and bad but I am going to at least guide you in the right direction.  

Chrome Browser

Chrome is one of the ones, I do recommend but it shouldn’t just be used by itself.   You should add a few extensions to better protect yourself:

  • Adblock Plus — Good to protect yourself from those annoying advertising.   (Please be aware that I use advertising on my site and that is how I pay for my hosting and other things like that.   Please consider white listing my website to allow advertising.)
  • Lastpass — This is one of those that I recommend on a constant basis because it makes sure you create a strong password that you don’t have to remember.   It helps make sure no account password is ever the same!
  • ScriptSafe — Keep unwanted scripts from playing when you visit a website!  Certain web sites should be allowed and white listed, like mine. 
  • Dolphin Connect — I use the Dolphin browser on my Android Device and this is one of those ways to keep track of all your bookmarks.   Not really security related but it is very useful!

These are just a few that I recommend when you use the Chrome Browser.

FireFox Browser

FireFox is another one that I recommend when you are looking to browse the web securely.  Although it isn’t 100% secure because none are.   Some of the Add On’s you should add to your FireFox Browser are:

  • NoScript Security Suite — It is another No Script app that lets you prevent unwanted scripts from running! 
  • Lastpass — Just like Chrome, it helps keep your passwords safe and helps you keep all passwords unique!
  • Adblock Plus — Just like Chrome this can help keep those annoying advertisements from showing but please remember to white list sites that do need to advertise and do not use annoying advertisements!
  • Web Of Trust — This is a good add on for Firefox to know which web sites you can trust more with and which ones that are not trustworthy!  (if you like my site could you review it and let people know what you think about this site!)

As you can see these are the two that I always tell my family to install, I usually don’t tell them to install both but one of these two but it is up to you if you want to have both web browsers installed on your system.   It just varies from person to person which one is better for your use!   I am sure there are more addon’s or extensions that you should add but these are the ones I tell my friends and family to install first.  Which one of these two browsers are you favorite?  Leave a comment and tell others!

 

Do VPN’s keep my private information private or does it really work?

Paul

Catching up on e-mail...

NSA tells all sorts of tales!

With the current level of people worry about their security and privacy,  I’ve found people wanting to know just how much privacy do they really have on a VPN’s like Vpn4all, which is a sponsor to this blog.  When even more leaked documents that show that the NSA was involved in encryption formulas, people stopped buying VPNS because they were told a lie!   The truth of it is that we can Trust the Math, a great quote from Bruce Schneier.  When I first heard about this blog post, I ran to it to see what it says.   Most of it I believe and some stuff I questioned.  In the end I believe he is right about how the can not possibly break encryption in anything bigger that 256 bit encryption.  There is no super computer that I know of that can do the calculations to break the encryption.  

NSA will eventually see it!

Just know that no matter what you do online securely even if its encrypted that eventually it will be broken and they will see what you did.   I am just trying to keep my privacy until I die.   Hopefully after I die nothing will matter what NSA finds out about me.   I have nothing to Hide but I do not trust the NSA.

Truth about VPNS

The common idea that since VPNS are basic encryption tunnels made people think the NSA either has all keys or can easily get in through a back door.  I would be telling a untruth if I told you I didn’t at least suspect some providers to give all access to their servers just to keep their license’s and other legal stuff!

Vpn4All is a partner to OpenVPN and they use OpenSSL Library, so everyone can see the code and keep others safe from prying eyes.   So you see NSA would be hard pressed to break the encryption.   The other truth of the mater is that most of the time the keys get thrown away and we may never know if they are thrown away or given away!

Something to Consider!

When I first started this journey into encryption, I never knew it would be so hard to grasp it.   I will however tell you why I chose VPN4ALL for my site:

  • Their Business is outside of the US.  Doesn’t mean the NSA can get the key to your encryption just makes it harder.  If someone really ones something, they find a way to do it.
  • AES-256 RSA 2096 Bit Encryption.   We even see RSA making a change from unlinking to the NSA Algorithm.  So it should be safe for the time being.
  • Ultra Fast Connections.   Unlike other VPNS I have tried VPN4ALL made great strides in speed and privacy.
  • Got Over 1,000 IPS to chose from!  Let’s face it we have can choose any one ip we want and keep the NSA guessing!

The Truth of the matter is that VPNs are my friends and they shall always be used in any situation I deem necessary to keep my privacy safe and secure!

 

 

Yet Another Android Scarevertising!

Paul

 

Androidsecurityfree.org

These are on the Rise!

I’ve seen more and more of this in the last few week.   One blogger, on barfooin.net talked about TunIn their advertising practices.  This one however came up with from Defrag+ and the advertising was simple yet to some very scary “Virust Detected! Remove Now!” and you saw a little animated bar like it was actually doing something.   This form of advertising should not be allowed and you should not install it!

The story behind installing this app, was a very simple one.   My Acer tablet was starting to get unresponsive and I wanted to see if the internal memory needed to be cleared and re-arranged.  I guess I could of bought the 10$ version but if they are going to allow this type of advertising on their app then I guess it doesn’t really do anything else. 

Third Party Advertising!

I should say this isn’t a big problem right now but I can see that if you got did your research to find me and you probably did.   You will see that there isn’t any real information out their about this and others like androidantivirusfree(dot)org which is one of the few that I’ve actually documented and talked about in the past! 

I don’t know which advertiser networks are allowing this sort of thing but I am sure sooner or later someone will start giving this people a mess of problems and they will see that they need to fix the problem.  

Push Notifications problems!

It definitely seems that this little app wants to advertise every chance it gets and it kind of seems the publisher is money hungry.   So I am unsure how trust worthy this app is and how much I want to keep it on my android device.   No wonder he is charging 10$ for the pro version of this app.   Oh well, I am going to delete this app and figure out how to fix the problem with out paying for apps like this one and others.   I am sure there is a simple solution to the problem but first I will go through and remove some of the apps that I don’t use anymore for starters and see where that leads me!

 

 

Some stories of the week!

Paul

News around the web!

Use Coupon Code “savenow15” and save 15% off the lifetime of your account!I really didn’t have a lot to say this week but I thought it would be nice to provide some useful links to my readers:

As you can see there are these and more are out and about.   I have been reading all these blogs and thought these could be of value to my reader!

I’ve busy with looking for another laptop and I have yet to find one that I can afford or want but it does help that you have been using my VPN4ALL link — Surf Anonymously Super easy-to-use yet powerful VPN Client with many useful functions Instant VPN Download and Activation!  I’ve had so many start using it, I am really surprised.   Keep up sharing my link and my Coupon Code and you keep helping me with getting me a new laptop! 

 

If you want to keep your Privacy, look no further!

Paul

 

Privacy and the NSA!

When I first said something about NSA wiretaps the Internet, you probably thought I was joking.   Well, it looks to be a real issue now a days and that is a problem!  So we have heard about the NSA will consider any encryption being at risk, so they will be keeping those encrypted data for later inspections. Privacy is everything in my book and this is a continuing series for those who want to know how to protect their privacy from thief and criminals.   

Programs to protect your Privacy!

There are programs out there to help keep people from snooping on you.   Although it has gotten a lot easier because of Firesheep and most web sites now offer secure connections but not all.  This is where I suggest you use something like VPN4ALL and I’m not saying that because they paid me to say it.   I am saying this because they have become a sponsor for me for the whole year.  I get paid every time someone uses buys a subscription and they are affiliate links!   They’ve given me a free 1 year account and I really am impressed at how well they get around the library restrictions and that they are a OPENVPN provider.  There are others such as SecureVPN and CyberGhost VPN and even ProXPN VPN.  Each one has their merits and I have nothing against any of them.   I just have had a better experience with VPN4ALL and I think you will to.

Streaming Music and Videos

I’m no advocate for people getting around international borders to watch BBC and other such videos but you could if you wanted to and be able to watch Netflix and Hulu from outside the USA.  This is one of the many reasons I like this service because you don’t have to pay for watching a show that is being played over seas.   

Online Activity

Keep your online activity safe from prying eyes and people who are looking to cause trouble.  It isn’t going to be bulletproof but it will at least help with coffee shops and if you use it all the time at home also.   You don’t have to look over your shoulder as much, figuratively, and wonder who is see the insecure connection.

Mobile Devices!

 

Another reason, I love this service is that you can take your Tablet, like my Acer 200 to a free wifi hotspot and not worry because they even have a very good PPTP(Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol) that allows you to use your device anywhere you may go and keep people from spying on you while you on an un-encrypted free wifi hotspot.   So you can sit back and watch or do what you want and no one will know or see your actions.  You can use this for Mobile Phones also but that is totally your call.   I use it strictly for my Acer 200!

30-day money-back guarantee

Although this has some conditions, and I will be honest with you it is really always a full refund.  You have to have use under 100 megabytes of data or have some other issue that has been document with a support ticket and usually they will refund your money but it is still a better way to go then not to have any privacy or risk your identity from being taken.   You owe it to yourself and others to protect your privacy and identity and give yourself and others peace of mind.  Give VPN4ALL a try and Save 15% with Coupon Code “savenow15”, and I am sure you will be as happy as I am when I’m at a insecure location.