Whether you are surfing, reading emails, doing banking or shopping online, protecting your identity and keeping your online activity private and anonymous should be a must. It is as important as protecting your computer, phone, tablets, etc. from viruses, spam and other things that can damage your devices. So along with anti-virus protection, you should also run a VPN.

What Is A VPN?

First, what is a VPN or Virtual Private Network? a VPN is a service that will give you online privacy and anonymity by creating a private network from a public internet connection. Virtual Private Networks also hide or masks your internet protocol or IP address, so what you are doing online is virtually untraceable, another great feature of a VPN is that you get greater privacy than even a secured Wi-Fi connection. So in other words, if you are connected to an already encrypted and secure network you get even better privacy protection.

Why Should I Use A VPN To Protect My Privacy?

Whenever you are surfing or conducting any kind of transaction on unsecured Wi-Fi networks you risk exposing your private information and browsing habits. This is why a Virtual Private Network, more commonly known as a VPN is a must for those concerned about their online privacy/security.

Think about all the times you are on the internet reading your emails, paying some bills, shopping, or checking your bank account, unless you are using a secure, private Wi-Fi network connection that requires a user password, any data transmitted while online could be vulnerable to anyone that may be eavesdropping on the same network.

The VPN service will keep you’re browsing history anonymous. Vpn services provide encrypted and anonymous protection while you are performing any online activities, such as paying bills, shopping, surfing, reading your emails.

If you are not using a VPN your internet provider has access to all you’re browsing history. When using a VPN your search history is hidden and any online activity will be associated with your VPN service IP address, not yours. Most VPN service providers have servers all over the world, which means that your activity looks like it may originate at anyone of them. You should also remember that search engines keep track of online history, but with a VPN service again it will associate that information to an IP address that is not yours. So your online activity, search history, is kept private.

How Does A Vpn Protect My Privacy?

While using a VPN service it creates a tunnel that your data moves between your internet provider to an exit portal that could be thousands of miles away, or in another country, so you look like you are in another place. This allows the benefit of online freedom, or the ability to access any of your favorite websites and apps.

VPN services use encryption to scramble data that is sent over a Wi-Fi network, the encryption makes the data unreadable. Your data security while using an unsecured public Wi-Fi network is of the utmost importance because it will prevent anyone that could be spying or eavesdropping on your internet activity.

If you are not using a VPN your internet provider has access to all you’re browsing history. When using a VPN, your search history is hidden and you’re browsing history. VPN your search history is hidden and you’re browsing history and any online activity will be associated with your VPN service IP address, not yours. Most VPN service providers have servers all over the world, which means that your activity looks like it may originate at anyone of them. You should also remember that search engines keep track of online history, but with a VPN service again it will associate that information to an IP address that is not yours. So your online activity, search history, is kept private.

VPN Privacy – What Does A VPN Hide? 

A VPN service hides a lot of information that puts your security and privacy at risk.

Vpn service can help to protect your devices such as computers, tablets, phones, laptops, from prying eyes, your devices are targets of hackers when you are the internet using a public WiFi network. VPN services help to protect your devices when receiving or sending any information.

VPN service will allow you to access any paid services you may subscribe to while out of your home country while traveling. Some paid streaming services may not be available from that country. VPN services allow you to select an IP address in your home country making any paid streaming subscription available. They also may help with internet service provider speed/data throttling.

VPN service can protect you from your internet service provider from seeing your browsing history. You protected from any government scrutiny or government agency asking to see your internet activity, thus helping to protect your internet freedom. Keep in mind some VPN services do log your browsing history, so look for a VPN provider that does not.

When your IP address is tracked and captured, they have access to see what you have searched on the web, where you are located, and when you searched. Vpn service uses IP addresses that are not associated with yours, so your online privacy, web search and history are anonymous. Hackers gather people’s history, searches to make money, your data and information has value and can be sold.

You must also remember that if you log on a public network using public computers your web activity, searches and history is not protected. You are only protected on devices that you have your VPN service on.

VPN service can help to protect you from identity theft by protecting the data you send and receive. VPN will help protect the information you share/access when on the internet. This is important because if a hacker is using the same public Wi-Fi network, your private information is available, such as passwords, credit card numbers, etc.

Some identity theft is unpreventable, such as a hacker hacking a network or institution you have an account with, a data breach. VPN service will protect any device you used to send or receive information on.

USE A VPN? 

In this day and age of hackers, scammers and some government agencies it is of the utmost importance to protect your identity while using the internet. People are being spied on, scammed, cheated, their information and data is stolen, gathered and sold. It is scary how much we use electronic devices that are not protected properly. We don’t think twice about logging into public Wi-Fi and start searching, shop, bank all the while leaving our personal privacy and data vulnerable, so hopefully you will be aware when using public networks and invest in a VPN service.

I hope you enjoyed and found this post informative and if you have any questions regarding VPN’s please leave me a comment, and I will get back to you soon, Thank you

Take care

Stay secure and always practice

Safe Text !!!

Butch

The post VPN Internet Privacy – What Is A VPN? appeared first on .

Unless you have a secure encrypted connection, and or VPN service you are open to someone who is using the same connection spying on what you are doing. I know myself, I have gone to a restaurant, hotel, out for a coffee and logged onto their public Wi-Fi connection and read my emails without even thinking about my privacy or if some cyber thief was using that same connection to steal my data. It wasn’t until, while using public Wi-Fi connection and someone got my credit card info and made a small purchase, luckily for me my credit card company notified me about a suspicious transaction. I was able to cancel my card and get a new one, and from that day on whenever I log into public Wi-Fi connection I do it through my VPN service.

Think about who might be the most vulnerable in your family, your kids, they use their devices for almost everything, they are on social media more than ever, sadly in some cases, these devices are replacing personal interaction, we also know that they are sharing more personal information on these platforms than they should be.

What Do I Need In A VPN Service?

There are plenty of options to chose from, so you have to think about your personal needs. Think about what is most important to you. Do you want to surf the internet anonymously while hiding your IP address? Are you concerned about your information being stolen while connected to a public Wi-Fi connection? Do you have paid streaming service and want to be able to access while traveling? Do you want to share information with others, once you have your particular concerns addressed you can look at a VPN service that covers your needs?

Choosing A VPN Service 

Some questions you should ask when choosing a VPN ( virtual private network )

• Does the service have a no-log policy, the whole idea is to protect your privacy, by not keeping logon information. Not keeping logon information means that your internet activities can never be tracked.
• Does the service set data limits, depending on your internet usage? Make sure the service provides similar full unmetered bandwidth without data limits.
• Make sure the service provides the location (s) you want. If you want to appear to be located somewhere specific, make sure that they have a server in that location.
• Can you set up a VPN service on multiple devices?
• How much does the VPN service cost?

Keep in mind if the cost is of a concern you can use a free VPN service, but likely you will NOT have access to the most updated protocols.

• The highest bandwidth and connection speeds.
• Selection of countries
• support

and most free VPN services have a high disconnection rate. Although the service is free you may pay for it by pop up ads, also have your personal information collected, possibly sold. Most likely they will log your activity so you can be tracked.

VPN VOCABULARY 

Now that you know the importance of protecting yourself with a VPN service there are some VPN specific terms associated with a virtual private network, most listed will be the most common you will come across. Wikipedia is also a very good source.

Geo-restrictions

One of the main reasons users rely on VPNs? They want to get around geo-restrictions. These restrictions are often put in place by entertainment companies that only want to distribute content to certain regions. For instance, Netflix might offer content in the United States that it doesn’t show in the UK. It might offer programming in the UK that Netflix users in the United States can’t access.

By using a VPN with an IP address based in the UK, U.S. viewers can try to access Netflix programming that isn’t available in their home country. The VPN service — and the VPN connection — hides the location where the actual internet connection is made. Check your streaming service agreement for its Terms of Service, and also be mindful that some countries may have penalties for using VPN to circumvent its rules.

IP address

IP stands for Internet Protocol, and an IP address is a series of numbers and periods that identifies a computer that’s using the Internet Protocol to send and receive data over a network

ISP

Short for Internet Service Provider, this is a service you pay to connect to the internet. ISPs can record your browsing history and may be able to sell it to third parties, for marketing or other purposes.

Kill switch

Users sign up with a VPN provider for online privacy and data security. But what happens if a VPN provider’s network connection fails? Your computer or mobile device will default back to the public IP address provided by your ISP. This means that your online activity can now be tracked. A kill switch, though, prevents this from happening. If your VPN provider’s connection fails, the kill-switch feature severs your connection to the Internet completely. This way, your online activity won’t be monitored by others. Not all VPN providers offer this feature, so look for it when shopping around.

VPN tunnel

You might sometimes hear your virtual private network referred to as a VPN tunnel. This is just another name for the encrypted connection between your device — a laptop, phone, tablet or desktop computer — and the internet. You can create a VPN tunnel at home or on public Wi-Fi. Once you are using a VPN tunnel to connect to the internet, your ISP, private companies, or the government can no longer see the sites you are browsing or the links you are clicking. A VPN tunnel also hides your IP address. Instead of showing your real location, the sites you surf will only register the location of the VPN provider with which you are working.

Do You Think You Need VPN Protection?

Do you think that you need internet protection with a VPN service?
Is your data, information, privacy secure enough while you are on the
internet conducting your transactions?

I hope so, I never gave my
privacy any thought while I was doing my “internet stuff” on Facebook,
shopping, I heard about people’s identity being stolen and their credit
being ruined, data being sold. Who would want my information?

Apparently a lot of criminals do, if it wasn’t for my brush with credit
card fraud, I would still be leaving all my private information out
there to be gathered, sold, and who knows what would happen. I admit I
got lucky, my credit card company notified me, I was lucky it was a
small amount, not sure why? but I am glad just the same.

Take your privacy back, protect yourself, family while conducting any type of transaction online.

I hope you enjoyed and found this post informative and if you have any questions regarding VPN’s please leave me a comment, and I will get back to you soon, Thank you

Take care

Stay secure and always practice

Safe Text !!!

Butch

The post Do I Need To Protect My Information With A VPN? appeared first on .

Think of your internet protection like an onion, every layer of skin you peel is another layer of security. There are many things you can do to protect your online presence. So does a VPN protect me? Absolutely, the use of a VPN along with some of the steps below will help to give you rock-solid internet security and privacy.

Use VPN ( virtual private network ), to add an extra layer of security. Using a VPN service will allow you to encrypt all of your traffic.

Strong unique passwords, use a combination of numbers, upper and lower case letters, also incorporate signs. Avoid using birth dates, names, nicknames, addresses. There are many free apps available that will generate strong, unique, random passwords. The practice of using different passwords for every single online account will ensure even greater security.

Install the antivirus program and update regularly, this will help to reduce viruses, malware. Ransomware that will encrypt files and then demand payment to unlock. Trojan horse programs that seem real but steal your private information. It will also help to stop Bots that can turn your computer into a zombie, which then can be controlled and deny access, send spam, basically can be made to do anything the Bot controller wants. 

The use of Two Factor Authentication although it may be a pain, will make your accounts more secure, and like an onion add an extra layer of security.

The use of different email addresses for different accounts will help to secure sensitive accounts, for example, a bank account. If you receive a phishing email that looks like your bank, to an email account you have set up for a social media account you will immediately know it is not real.

Clearing cache, web history, cookies, and searches will help to eliminate all the personal data your browser stores. Which in turn will prevent someone from accessing family information, home address, etc?

Securing your Wi-Fi with a password helps to protect your online presence. Doing this will prevent unwanted access to your information. Some thieves have been known to slowly drive up and down streets for unsecured Wi-Fi access.

The use of a mobile security app to protect your phone. Download antivirus program, along with scanning for virus, malware some mobile antivirus apps may support remote wipe, so you can securely remove data if the phone is lost. GPS tracking to remotely locate.

Following these steps and incorporating a VPN service will help to keep your online presence secure. Most people don’t think they are vulnerable while using mobile devices and would-be thieves are looking to exploit this.

The Personal Internet Address & Password Logbook (removable cover band for security) Hardcover-spiral

I hope you enjoyed and found this post informative and if you have any questions regarding VPN’s please leave me a comment, and I will get back to you soon, Thank you

Take care

Stay secure and always practice

Safe Text !!!

Butch

The post Does A VPN Protect Me? Should I Use One? appeared first on .

Is there such a thing as FREE? Most of the time things that are free are not. They almost always come with strings attached, and a VPN service is one. With so-called free services they could be many strings attached in the form of compromised security, privacy which is some reasons you want to use a VPN service to protect.

The free service providers still have to turn a profit, the infrastructure used to provide you service costs money to maintain, so in turn, some VPN providers will cut corners and use tactics that leave your online usage at risk.

Track And Sell Personal Data

These VPN providers will track your online browsing data, personal information and will sell to third party entities. In turn, will result in your online privacy being compromised.

Sharing your data with advertisers can result in an onslaught of unwanted ads.
Some free VPNs can hijack your browser and direct you to advertisers’ websites without your consent.

Weak, Easily Crackable Security

Providing free VPN protection is costly, and will cause free providers to use unreliable security and weak encryption, and in so doing your online presence is compromised and vulnerable to hacks.

Slow Internet Connection 

With any VPN service, you will experience some speed loss, with paid service speed loss is barely noticeable. Although speed loss is more of an annoyance, it does not affect your security or privacy. With ads and intentional speed throttling your web surfing will be at a snail’s pace. Most free services are using small networks with lots of traffic, and to keep it free must slow down speeds.

Limited Features

Most free VPN providers will keep the cost down and to try to get you to upgrade to paid service will limit access. They limit the number of servers and locations you have access to. They will also limit your usage.

So Is It Really Free?

With the term, FREE is it really free?? here the use of the word free could, in the end, cost more than dollars. If you are only using a VPN occasionally and don’t mind the possibility of constant ads, poor connection, drops, limited access and weak security, a free trustworthy VPN may suit your needs. Just keep in mind Is It Really Free?

I hope you enjoyed and found this post informative and if you have any questions regarding VPN’s please leave me a comment, and I will get back to you soon, Thank you

Take care

Stay secure and always practice

Safe Text !!!

Butch

The post Free VPN Protection, Is It Really? appeared first on .

I outlined in previous post pros and cons to using a Free VPN service, and if you only use the internet occasionally and okay with ads, dropped connections, weak security, then a free VPN service may suit your needs. Should you want to add an extra layer of security to what you already may be using, then a paid VPN service is what you may want to consider. Buy VPN service that will do exactly what you require, whatever that maybe, if it is just for checking emails, surfing, streaming your paid subscriptions, etc. Not all paid VPN services are equal, some log your browsing history, some may limit access, so you have to do some homework to decide which service will provide what you need.

No Logging Or Tracking

The idea behind using a VPN while online is to be anonymous, so a service that does not log or track your browsing history is what you want. This will ensure you have complete online privacy and security.

Servers

With a paid VPN service most offer access to many geographical locations, make sure your location is included. Easy connection to the country of your choice to a server in that country.
More servers will also mean less traffic to slow down the connection, not everyone will be using the same server, in the same country at the same time.

Kill Switch

Will prevent your IP address and sensitive data being exposed online if you experience a connection drop.

Unlimited Bandwidth

Look for a provider who offers unlimited bandwidth, if you are using VPN for streaming the bandwidth can burn up fast. Some will provide acceptable high restrictions as a way to allow a provider to police people who may abuse the service. Speed Throttling is another concern, you want to make sure service does not throttle connection.

Multiple Devices and Operating Systems 

Ideally, you want a service that offers multiple devices, like phones, computers, tablets, etc. You also want multiple operating systems. I personally use a provider that offers protection on my mac computer, IPad, android phone and windows computers.
Along with the number of devices, OS, you also want to be able to have multiple connections, since you may not be the only one using service at any given time.

Interface

Look for one easy to set up, and navigate you should be able to change Geo locations easily. Turn on/off quickly, access your account info easily.

Encryption 

What level of encryption do they offer? The stronger encryption the harder to break and offers better security. Some offer military-grade encryption.

Paid Vs Free

There are many benefits that a paid VPN service provides over free. It is really up to you in the end, what you do online and are you willing to use unsecured connections. If you feel you may need some more protection but aren’t overly concerned, the use of free providers’ VPN service may work for you. If you are more worried about the prospect of being hacked, your information stolen, or just what to watch your favorite TV show while on holiday in another country, paying for a trustworthy VPN service may be for you. Ultimately it is your choice, PAID Vs FREE

I hope you enjoyed and found this post informative and if you have any questions regarding VPN’s please leave me a comment, and I will get back to you soon, Thank you

Take care

Stay secure and always practice

Safe Text !!!

Butch

The post Buy VPN Service, What To Look For appeared first on .

Common sense is just as important to keep yourself secure while online. You can use all the latest and greatest security measures, while online, but if you don’t use good old common sense you can still fall victim to a scam, hack, stolen identity, etc. Common sense is the forgotten security measure and can go along way to keeping your identity, information, and devices safe.

Phishing

Phishing used to be done with a rod, reel, and some bait, now it is done with an email. The idea behind phishing is to trick the recipient into believing the email is real. They are looking for your information, They come in many forms, you have won money, you have to confirm some sort of personal account information, they may have an attachment they want you to open, there is a sense of urgency that if you don’t do what it says something dire will happen, your account will be closed down, the police will arrest you, etc.

Here are some ways to identify a possible phishing email, these emails are almost every time very poorly written, if it were legitimate wouldn’t all the spelling, grammatical errors are fixed with spell check ??

They are asking to confirm personal information, these emails look authentic and can be very convincing, call your bank, credit card company, etc. to verify before providing any information.

These emails may contain malicious links or attachments, so never click on or open, it could lead to a Trojan, virus or malware installed on your computer.

Encryption

Encryption is a great tool, most devices have built-in security, such as Secure Folder, Encrypt Sd Card. My Samsung phone has both in the settings in Biometrics and Security, this is a great place to store and protect sensitive information.
Locking your screen, and the use of unique passwords.

Limit Sharing

Sharing too much information is always a bad thing and we seem to do it without thinking on social media, tons of information is shared with the public on our social media sites which can be useful to a cyber thief.

In The End

So along with everything else we do to protect ourselves online, don’t forget good old common sense. We all have that gut feeling something ain’t right, and we have to use our instincts.

When in doubt, throw it out, links in emails, tweets, posts, online advertisements are how cybercriminals try to steal, access, compromise your information. If it looks suspicious, no matter the source, delete it.

Think before we act, if something sounds too good to be true, or if asking for personal information. Stop and think about it.

Last but not least, common sense!!!!

I hope you enjoyed and found this post informative and if you have any questions regarding VPN’s please leave me a comment, and I will get back to you soon, Thank you

Take care

Stay secure and always practice

Safe Text !!!

Butch

The post The Forgotten Sercurity Measure, Common Sense !! appeared first on .

Should you delete cookies? Why should I delete cookies? How do cookies affect my privacy ? all great questions, with many answers. The short answer is yes, you should delete cookies, always!!! Hopefully, I will explain why and give you information that will allow you to accomplish it.

First what is a cookie or as it is also known, HTTP cookie, web cookie, internet cookie, third party cookie or a browser cookie? Cookies, whatever their name in computer-speak, are a packet of data that a computer receives and sends back without changing or altering it.

It is generated by a website and saved to your browser, the purpose is to remember information about you. The most common use is to store login information for a specific site, some sites will store username and passwords, while others just store the username, whenever you select ” Remember Me On This Computer ” the website will create a login cookie.

Cookies are also used to save user preferences for a specific site. Search engines may store your search setting in cookies. While cookies themselves are generally not dangerous or harmful, because the data contained does not change, cyber-attacks can hijack them, the danger is in the ability to track individuals browsing history, and personal information that is stored.

How To?

It is wise to delete cookies every time you close your browser, you can do it manually which most people would find a bit of a pain, or you can change the browser setting to do automatically when you close the browser. Most every browser has How To’s in order to disable cookies, clearing history. How-To-Geek is an excellent site with of How To’s

How To Delete Cookies, this link is a great start.

It shows step by step diagrams to disable cookies in windows browsers.

They also have how to block 3rd party cookies on all browsers, this How-To also covers android and iOS devices.

How To Delete 3rd Party Cookies

Browser is a software program that allows you to access to explore content, such as videos, on the web. There are a few different browsers that are used,

• Google Chrome
• Mozilla Firefox
• Apple Safari
• Microsoft Edge
• Microsoft Internet Explorer
• Opera
• Amazon Silk

Blockers   

The use of blockers is also a great way to protect your information. They are many great ones to choose from, some are standalone programs others are extension add-ons to your current browser. Some are paid, some are free and open-source/pay what you want programs. You will have to find one that is compatible with your browser and device.

• Privacy Badger – is a free and open-source browser extension for Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera and Firefox For Android. According to the site it “automatically learns to block invisible trackers” Privacy Badger
• uBlock Origin – is a free and open-source, cross-platform browser extension for content filtering, including ad-blocking. The extension is available for Google Chrome, Chromium, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Opera and releases of Apple Safari prior to 20013.
• Ghostery – Ghostery is a free and open-source privacy and security-related browser extension and mobile browser application. The extension is available for Mozilla Firefox, Android 2.2 and iOS 2.0.2 Ghostery
• AdBlock – AdBlock is a content filtering and ad-blocking browser extension for the Google Chrome, Apple Safari, Firefox, Opera, and Microsoft Edge web browsers. AdBlock allows users to prevent page elements, such as advertisements, from being displayed. The extension is available for Google Chrome, Apple Safari, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and as well as Android. AdBlock
• Facebook Container – Is a Mozilla Firefox extension that prevents Facebook from tracking you around the web. The Facebook Container extension for Firefox helps you take control and isolate your web activity from Facebook.

Privacy Browsers 

There are also privacy browsers that you can download.

• Brave – Brave is a free and open-source web browser developed by Brave Software, Inc. based on the Chromium web browser. The browser blocks ads and website trackers. It is available for Windows 64 bit, Windows 32 bit, Mac OS and Linux. Brave
• Epic – Epic is a privacy-centric web browser. It was developed by Hidden Reflex from Chromium source code. Epic is always in “private browsing mode”. Exiting the browser causes all browsing data to be deleted. Even during browsing as little as possible is stored. It is available for Windows and OS X. Epic Browser
• DuckDuckGo – is a browser extension add-on, it is available for iPhone, iPad, Android, and Firefox. DuckDuckGo

Should I?

If the question is should I do everything to protect my privacy and information while online? The answer is absolutely yes, you should. It may be a bit of hassle to search your device, browser, compatible extension and program, but once you are set up, your privacy and information will be rock solid. With the use of antivirus, VPN, cookie and history deletion, add-on extensions and privacy browsers you should not have to worry about tracking, stolen information, privacy issues, you will be able to browse, search, surf, stream without worry.

The Personal Internet Address & Password Logbook (removable cover band for security) Hardcover-spiral

I hope you enjoyed and found this post informative and if you have any questions regarding VPN’s please leave me a comment, and I will get back to you soon, Thank you

Take care

Stay secure and always practice

Safe Text !!!

Butch

The post Cookies, Should I Delete? appeared first on .

While we should all endeavor to protect ourselves online, Antivirus and VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) have become the most popular tools to protect our devices and ourselves. These tools can work independently of each other, or as popularity grows developers are combining both into one program. Which one should you use to protect your online activity, your data, and your privacy?

Online Threats

There are many threats you can encounter while online. There is malware (malicious software), this term is used to describe any form of harmful software that is meant solely to harm your devices. This includes AdWare which is designed to hijack your browser, spyware, and many types of viruses. While there are many types some most common are,

• Resident Virus – This virus lives in your RAM memory ( Random Access Memory ). It is designed to interfere with normal system operation, which in turn could lead to file and or program corruption.
• Trojans – look like programs that are disguised as a useful app, but have viruses embedded in them.
• Direct Action Virus – Are designed to attack certain.EXE files ( .EXE files are Executable file, most common on Windows systems and are only ever used to launch an application and should only be opened with caution and knowledge it is safe to do so ) and.COM files ( .COM file is an executable file similar to .EXE file, they contain commands that are used by the computers operating system ). The purpose of this virus is to infect files in folders.
• Worms – Are designed to infect numerous devices by replicating themselves without any assistance.
• Browser Hijacker – Has the ability to infect your browser, so when you type a domain name into the address bar it can direct you to a fake website. They also have the ability to open multiple fake websites that can, in turn, harm your computer.
• Ransomware –
  Is one of the newer types of virus, it can prevent users from accessing their computers, by locking screen, or files until a ransom is paid. Some more modern Ransomware will encrypt files, and then force the user to pay a ransom for decryption key through one of the varied online payment methods such as Bitcoin, UKash, and others.

These are just some different viruses you might encounter, and once they infect your device they can corrupt files, and possibly destroy your device beyond repair. While malware is not the only danger you may encounter when online browsing the web, you may also come across

• Phishing scam and spam
• Hacking and Identity theft
• Surveillance and Data theft

Viruses are one of the many tools hackers used to gain unauthorized access to your devices and steal your private information. Antivirus Software and VPNs both protect you, but in different ways. Both having their own strengths and weaknesses.

How Antivirus Software Protects

Every time you open anything on your device you are vulnerable to virus infection, be it your email, a website, app or browser. What keeps you safe is the use of a trustworthy and reputable Antivirus Software program.
Antivirus Software continuously monitors your activity by scanning for anything unusual.

When the Antivirus Software detects a potential threat it will ( depending on your settings ) automatically delete, quarantine the threat. By quarantining threat it allows you to inspect the possible virus and you can then delete.

The ever-evolving sophistication of these threats it is imperative you keep your Antivirus software up to date. Most programs will allow you to set automatic updates. This is probably the easiest and safest way to ensure your software is up to date.

How A VPN Secures Your Personal Data

Reputable and trustworthy VPN services allow you to surf the internet anonymously, it accomplishes this by connecting to secure private servers and hiding your IP address. The process in which a VPN does this is known as a VPN tunnel, the VPN encrypts and encapsulates your data. This process both hides and renders your data unreadable.
It is then sent to destination and is decrypted so you can access whatever it is you were trying to gain access to.

Reputable and trustworthy VPN services will also use a military-grade security measure such as 256-bit keys AES ( Advanced Encryption Standard ) to prevent tracking, this is used by the US Government, NSA for securing classified information including TOP SECRET level.

This type of security is known as Symmetric-key Encryption, there is only one key for both encryption and decryption of the data.

Both parties need the same key to communicate, because of the increasing power of today’s computers the keys have become increasingly long to prevent Brute Force attacks ( Brute Force attack is a method used to guess a secret code by trying every combination of characters, you simply try every combination from 000 to 999 until you get the right combination to open ) so 256 bit is the gold standard as it cannot be brute-forced, because using today’s computers, to run through the all the possible combinations would take billions of years.

Most reputable and trustworthy VPN services also use what is known as a Kill Switch, the kill switch will automatically disconnect internet connection in the event of VPN server disconnection, which in turn could lead to tracking, hacking and stolen data.

In The End

So while you can plainly see that both Antivirus Software and VPN service protect you, they do it in different ways. Antivirus Software is better at protecting you from online threats, and while the VPN service is better suited to protect your data information and privacy.

In the end, they are designed to work together, they are no Antivirus Vs VPN, with the use of both whether they are stand-alone programs or Antivirus Software with VPN added they will protect you from almost anything you may encounter while online, surfing, shopping, reading emails, banking, etc. You shouldn’t choose between one or the other you should have both!!!

I hope you enjoyed and found this post informative and if you have any questions regarding VPN’s please leave me a comment, and I will get back to you soon, Thank you

Take care

Stay secure and always practice

Safe Text !!!

Butch

The post VPN Vs Antivirus, You Decide !!! appeared first on .

Product: NordVPN Internet Privacy And Security Software Review

Price: $ 99.99

Place To Buy: Amazon.com

Term: 18 Month VPN Subscription

# Of Devices: 6 Devices

Use on: Mac/PC/iOS/Android/Linux

My Rating: 8.5 out of 10

NordVPN Internet Privacy & Security Software | 18-Month VPN Subscription | 6 Devices | Mac / PC / iOS / Android / Linux, Product Overview :

If you are like me you are concerned about your online privacy the use of a VPN is one good way to protect yourself. Nord VPN offers is to use and easy to install software, your internet traffic is secured with a few clicks. Military-grade encryption.  Hide your browser habits. Nord VPN also provides 24/7 Customer Service with a professional support agent via email or live chat.

Great Benefits With NordVPN Internet Privacy And Security Software

NordVpn offers protection on 6 devices, works on Mac/PC/iOS/Android /Linux

• 256-bit key encryption, the gold standard in encryption, while some of its competitors use weaker encryption.
• Strict No-Log policy, no logs are kept on your online activity.
• DNS Leak protection
• Stream your favorite shows from paid subscription service while travelling.
• 18 Month renewable subscription
• Servers in multiple countries and cities around the globe
• And Much More, Just $99.99

NordVPN prevents ISP data collection and stops unwanted advertisers from tracking your online activity.

NordVPN may be a bit more expensive than some of its competitors, they can’t come close to the security, privacy, and customer support offered by NordVPN.  The old adage ” you get what you pay for ” and with NordVPN Internet Privacy And Security Software, this rings true!!

In The End:

If you’re serious about your internet privacy and security.  If you want the benefit of secure encryption and blocks ads and malware.  If you want 24/7 support, and looking to protect all your devices, including smartphones, tablets, computer, and router.  If you want the privacy of strict no-log policy on your internet activity. If you want the ability to stream your paid subscription service with no limit and speed or bandwidth.  If you this and much more…

I highly recommend NordVPN Internet Privacy And Security Software!!!!!

I hope you enjoyed this review and if you have any questions about NordVPV Internet Privacy And Security Software, leave a comment below

Take care

Stay secure and always practice

Safe Text !!!

Butch

The post NordVPN Internet Privacy & Security Software Review – For Your Privacy appeared first on .

First, we will look at how encryption works and the types of encryption used, to encrypt your email messages.

How Email Encryption Works

Email encryption is basically scrambling the contents of an email message making it a puzzle, which only you have the key to solve. The PKI ( Public Key Infrastructure ) is used to encrypt and decrypt email messages. Each person is assigned a public and private key, this is in the form of a digital code.

The public key is stored on a key server, along with the persons’ name and email address. This public key is used to encrypt email messages, for example, if someone sends you an encrypted email message they would use your public key to encrypt. Your private key is used to decrypt the email message. The private key is stored on your computer in a secure and private place in which you are the only one that has access.

Your key can also be used as a digital signature as proof that an email message was sent by you.

Microsoft How to Encrypt Email

How to Encrypt Gmail, Outlook, iOS, OSX, Android, and Webmail

Types Of Email Encryption

The two main types of email encryption are S/MIME and PGP/MIME. S/MIME stands for ( Secure Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions ) it is built into most iOS and OSX devices. S/MIME relies on a central authority to choose the encryption algorithm. S/MIME is most often used because it is built into larger web-based email companies such as Outlook and Apple.

The other type of email encryption used is PGP/MIME which stands for ( Pretty Good Privacy Multipurpose Internet Email Extensions ). PGP/MIME uses a decentralized trust model and was developed to address security issues that are inherent in plain text messages. PGP/MIME provides more control and flexibility over the encryption used in your email messages. PGP/MIME encryption requires 3rd party encryption tool app.

Some various email services and the encryption they use are :

• Gmail – Has S/MIME built into the app. Encryption only works if both the sender and receiver have enabled.
• Outlook – Uses S/MIME, but requires additional user setup.
• iOS, OSX – Uses as default the built-in S/MIME encryption.

Email service providers that require 3rd party encryption tools :

• Yahoo – Uses 3rd party app to encrypt with either S/MIME or PGP/MIME. Yahoo also uses as an extra layer of protection that is known as SSL ( Secure Sockets Layer ).
• Android – can use both S/MIME and PGP/MIME, but requires extra user setup and 3rd party app.

Email Encryption Services

As mentioned earlier, they are a variety of free/paid email encryption services you can use, some of them are :

FREE SERVICES

• Cipher Mail – is a free app for use with Android devices. It uses S/MIME encryption.
• Mail Envelope – This is a free app used on Chrome and Firefox browsers, compatible with Gmail, GMX, Outlook, and Yahoo. It uses open PGP/MIME encryption
• Enig Mail – Is free extension used on Mozilla Thunderbird. It uses open PGP public key email encryption and decryption, it is compatible with Microsoft Windows, Unix-like, and Mac OSX operating system.
• Gpg4win – Is a free email and file encryption package. It uses GnuPG public-key encryption for data and digital signatures. It is compatible with most versions of Microsoft Windows.

FREE/PAID SERVICES

• Proton Mail – Has free and paid plans, it allows end-to-end encryption with PGP/MIME compatibility. The paid service price levels are dependent on how many domains and messages are sent per day.
• Vitru – Provides open end-to-end encryption, used on Chrome and G Suite browsers and is compatible with Gmail, Outlook, Hotmail, and Yahoo.
• Send 2.0 – Provides military-grade encryption. It works with Outlook plug-in and is compatible with Outlook and Gmail.

These are only a few of the service providers, they are more that you could research and choose one that would fit your specific needs.

Fake, Disposable, 10 Minute Email Services

These are just a few of the names to describe these types of email services. Fake email services will provide you with a fake email address from which you can send, receive email messages. These email services allow you to send encrypted emails anonymously. The fake email address will protect your primary mailbox from spam, junk email, etc. Most of these services are free to use, there are many to choose from, so you may want to research and find the one that will fit your needs. Here are a few :

• Guerrilla Mail
• ZMail
• Temp Mail
• Email Fake
• Trash Mail
• Dead Fake

I have also included link to help in research:

In The End

So again a VPN does not protect emails, but if you are worried about email privacy, and or your emails being seen and read by other than the intended recipients, you can protect by means of encryption.

The good thing about using email encryption, for most users it is free, with either user enabled, or 3rd party downloadable app or web browser extensions. You can safely secure your email content, you can ensure your privacy.

With the varied means to protect yourself from viruses, malware, spam, junk email, hackers, email encryption will help with the whole internet, online security needed when navigating the web today. There are so many unforeseen threats that lurk on the internet, waiting for an unsecured connection, to steal, harvest and sell your information. Email encryption is just another tool to totally shut out these threats.

I hope you enjoyed and found this post informative and if you have any questions regarding VPN’s please leave me a comment, and I will get back to you soon, Thank you

Take care

Stay secure and always practice

Safe Text !!!

Butch

The post Does A VPN Protect Email? Hmmm… appeared first on .