Our world is now online. Everything we know, every move we make is online. Being connected to the internet has grown from “get off the web, I want to make a phone call” to be a basic need like breathing! This means that our privacy is no longer existent!
While one would say that they have nothing to hide, our privacy remains something worth protecting. In Edward Snowden’s words: “Arguing that you don’t care about the right to privacy because you have nothing to hide is no different from saying you don’t care about free speech because you have nothing to say”. This being said, here are 5 ways to go undetected online:
Encryption
With so many texts and calls we do daily, we should really wonder whether or not it is safe to exchange all this data. We never really know who is watching. This is why encrypting is so important. With a mere algorithm and a key, you can prevent others from accessing the contents of your communication.
One of the simplest ways to do so is via a signal. Currently used in iOS and Android, you simply install and follow the instructions. You can then easily communicate with anyone you have shared your details to, using encryption software!
Tor Browser
We are accustomed to using a lot of different browsers (edge, Mozilla, chrome, opera, etc), but we never question the safety of their use. Tor (The Onion Router) Browser provides us with the security we need. It is a free software that provides online anonymity, even more so when following its safety instructions by the book. Basically, by using Tor, it makes it a lot more difficult to trace anything back to the user by hiding from traffic analysis, without withholding the fact that the user is browsing with Tor.
Tails
A live operating system that aims to the preservation of your online anonymity. This is the Amnesic Incognito Live System, or Tails. It is a very smart and complex system that uses GnuPG for e-mail and is basically designed to leave no digital trace. It is also easy to use as it usually runs from a USB or DVD.
Leak testing
One of the most important checks one can perform is a leak test. DNS leaks are nowadays very easy to have, so sites for leak testing were created to be able to keep an eye on your security. Unfortunately, a DNS leak is basically a security flaw, so by checking if you have any leaks is saving your personal data by forestalling your use of a site and later configuring your setting to using the DNS server provided by the VPN service only.
Multiple e-mails
This method might seem childish or unnecessary, but considering we use our emails for communicating not only with friends but also with banks or doctors, creating a few dummy e-mails seems like the right thing to do.
There are sites that practically provide you with an email address that has a time limit and shuts down once that time is up. This not only keeps your personal information safe but also helps you avoid all that annoying spam e-mail from every single site that requires an email to view its content.
There are many threats out there in the digital world. Our digital security has never been more vital in this era of online fraud, hacking and theft. Thankfully, there are ways to be safe and while there are many, the aforementioned five are the basics of a more guarded plugged-in future.
