Ever-increasing trouble is targeting our technology from every angle – your phone, text, email, laptop, and tablet. It has never been more important to protect yourself from these pervasive threats that are only getting better at breaking in.
My goal is to help you get protected and ready in the best ways to fend off these sophisticated criminal minds.
Tackle these safety measures one at a time to boost your position of protection for you and your family.
1/ Deploy top anti-virus protection on all of your devices
Through the myriad of software security options to fight off computer virus, malware, and ransomware attacks, the one I like best we tested is TotalAV. You can see my 2022 review of the top antivirus security software and apps here.
2/ Upgrade home WiFi: Don’t let your old router let in trouble
Routers that came with your original installation of broadband Internet at home are likely out of date when it comes to offering good performance and protection.
In addition to increasing WiFi speeds and ridding your home of Internet dead spots, today’s newer mesh routers are easier than ever to set up and do a much better job than anything your cable or telephone high-speed connection is providing (and many times charging a monthly fee for it).
My favorite choice is this eero mesh wireless router bundle that is super easy to set up in minutes and powerful. The eero app lets you control your home network even remotely when you’re away. You can learn more about upgrading home internet routers here.
3/ Install a Password Manager to strengthen access
This is the best way to keep passwords strong and never forget how to log in to everything. Good password managers can automatically remember your login credentials to any site or app.
My favorite from a list of others we tested is LastPass. You can see my article about how to check your existing passwords to see if they are already compromised here.
The free version allows you to use it on only one device, like your phone, tablet, or computer. The LastPass full version is a better value and easier to use on every device without restrictions.
4/ Use a VPN to keep everything private and away from prying eyes
When you activate your own VPN, short for Virtual Private Network, it’s like putting a security bubble around everything you are doing online.
The connection goes securely from one end to the other without much chance of anyone breaking into it. Read my guide to VPNs here including why you would want a VPN. My favorite is ExpressVPN since it’s reasonably priced, solidly strong, and easy to use.
5/ Make regular backups to avoid becoming a ransomware hostage
Make sure to have a secure backup of everything important to you and make sure to periodically create backups at intervals. I use this SanDisk Extreme Pro SSD that starts with 1TB storage. I originally got it for using during trips to offload photos and videos.
Today, I use it for my most important backups. SanDisk Extreme Pro SSD is rugged IP55 water and dust resistant exterior that can survive a drop of 2 meters which is about 6 feet 7 inches.
At least once a month, I plug in my backup SSD to offload another copy of my stuff from my primary computer. This is super fast at reading and writing. That way, if I were ever successfully attacked with malware or scammed into a ransomware lock, I can restore from a protected version of my data.
Tip: Make sure to unplug the drive between uses to isolate it from a hacker being able to gain access.
Make sure to share this with those who you love in life.
🛍️ SHOPPING GUIDES:
KIDS | MEN | WOMEN | TEENS | PETS |
FOR THOSE WHO LOVE:
COOKING | COFFEE | TOOLS | TRAVEL | WINE |
DEVICES:
LAPTOPS | TABLETS | PRINTERS | DESKTOPS | MONITORS | EARBUDS | HEADPHONES | KINDLES | SOUNDBARS | KINDLES | DRONES |
ACCESSORIES:
CAR | KITCHEN | LAPTOP | KEYBOARDS | PHONE | TRAVEL | KEEP IT COZY |
PERSONAL GIFTS:
PHOTOBOOKS | DIGITAL PHOTO FRAMES |
SECURITY
ANTIVIRUS | VPN | SECURE EMAIL |
CAN'T GO WRONG WITH THESE:
6 comments
Survivalists’ info to live by.
You recommend both the Eero Mesh router bundle, as well as Express VPN for the router. When I contacted Express VPN I was told that Express VPN is not compatible with the Eero Mesh router.
Does that sound correct?
Hi Gary – Good question. ExpressVPN with eero works best when used in bridge mode from another ExpressVPN compatible router ahead of it. Or otherwise ExpressVPN will work when on devices connected downstream from eero, but not on the eero router itself.
What a lot of people do who want the best of both worlds is: keep/get your ExpressVPN-compatible router > setup your eero > change eero to bridge mode > turn off wifi from the ExpressVPN router. Side note: I’m a big fan of eero, not a big fan of the add- on “eero secure” so I skipped enrolling into eero secure.
eero support offered the following guidance: “Our setup process assumes you are doing a simple modem–eero setup and fully replacing your old router. You can absolutely leave the old router in place in what is known as a Double NAT configuration modem–VPN router–eero. Once the eero is fully setup, enable Bridge mode via the DHCP & NAT section of the Advanced Settings menu, and our system will allow VPN traffic to pass through, allowing the use of the eero’s extended range, while still using the VPN software of the old router.”
Found your site after seeing you with Varney on FBN, thanks for the tips. I am a very experienced computer user, but it’s always good to check new sources for information…there’s always more to learn!