Take Control of the Privacy and Security

I strongly believe that privacy is a basic human right, and in today’s digital world, protecting your personal information is very important. In this blog post, I will dive into a key aspect of safeguarding your online identity—using strong, unique passwords and secure authentication methods. These steps are just the beginning of strengthening your digital defenses. Moving forward, I will also explore other strategies to help you regain control over your digital life, from securing your browsing habits to managing your data across various platforms. My goal is to empower you to protect your personal information and privacy in practical, effective ways. Before all that, remember the following.

Introduction

In today’s digital landscape, maintaining our privacy is becoming increasingly challenging. With the proliferation of social media, online advertising, and government surveillance, every internet user is at risk. Our personal data has become one of the most valuable commodities on the web.

My foray into digital privacy began with a personal experience, which I will share in a future post. For now, I want to focus on how you can regain control of your online life.

There are numerous helpful resources available to anyone seeking to enhance their privacy and security. Whether you are just starting out or delving deep into the more “paranoid” aspects of privacy, the digital privacy community is exceptionally active and supportive, providing guides, tools, and advice to help you get started.

Although I am not an expert, I have dedicated a lot of time to researching and experimenting with privacy tools that have been effective for me. I will be sharing these throughout this series. It is important to remember that privacy and security are serious matters. It is crucial that you conduct your own research to determine what best suits your needs.

This post provides an overview of the tools and strategies I have used to take control of my digital life. I hope it encourages you to start making your own changes and delve deeper into these topics.

Passwords

Passwords are meant to be our little secrets—pieces of information that only we should know. When it comes to security, there are three main factors of authentication:

1. Something you know (like a password or passphrase)
2. Something you have (like multi-factor authentication codes or security keys)
3. Something you are (like your fingerprint or Face ID)

Typically, we can use more than one of these authentication methods, and we’ll dive into that in a later section. For now, passwords remain the default security method on nearly every platform. Sometimes, they’re the only option available, which makes it super important to be extra careful when creating them.

One golden rule? Never use the same password across multiple accounts. This is a huge issue nowadays, and I’ve been guilty of it myself in the past. If one of your accounts gets compromised, it’s like handing the hacker a master key to all your other accounts since you used the same password everywhere. So, make sure to come up with a different password for every single account!

Another thing to consider is how easy it can be for someone who knows you to guess your password. Many people opt for passwords based on insecure words, phrases, or even significant dates, which is a massive red flag.

People often try to keep it simple by using short passwords. Even when sites require at least one capital letter, two digits, a symbol, and a minimum of eight characters, many will go for something like “John@1990.” While that may meet the platform’s requirements, it’s still a weak password!

And let’s be honest: we all have terrible memories when it comes to keeping track of passwords. With hundreds of accounts scattered across the internet, it’s tough to remember unique, lengthy passwords for each one. So what’s the answer to keeping everything secure without losing your mind over forgotten passwords?

The solution is a password manager! Let’s explore what they are and how to use one next.

What is a Password Manager?

I want to stress the importance of using a password manager to keep your passwords safe. These programs securely store your passwords and can even generate strong new passwords for you. They also have the ability to automatically fill in your login information when you visit a website where you have an account. By using a password manager, you only need to remember the master password for the manager itself. This allows you to use complex, random passwords for your accounts without the burden of remembering each one.

In my experience, two password managers stand out: Bitwarden and KeePassXC.

BitWarden

BitWarden is a cloud-based password manager that provides strong security. Cloud-based managers allow you to sync your passwords across all your devices, but some people might have privacy concerns about this method.

KeePassXC

KeePassXC, on the other hand, is a local password manager, which means your passwords are stored directly on your computer. You will need to manage backups if you want to access your passwords on multiple devices, but this method is highly secure.

A recent addition to the list of password managers. Proton is one of the best privacy respecting service providers in the world today. They have a good reputation n the matter. Proton Pass is one of thheir offerings. Proton Pass is a recommended product in the community.

Proton Pass

Proton Pass is also a cloud-based password manager that provides strong security. It has a bult in aliasing option that comes in handy for generating email addresses on the fly. Proton pass is developed by the Proton team. They are considered to be privacy respecting company in the comiunity.

Adding Another Layer of Security

Now that you have a password manager and strong, unique passwords for all your accounts, it’s time to enhance your security. How? By adding an extra layer of security to something you possess. While a password is something only you know, this second method makes sure that authentication also requires something only you can physically have. You have two main options here: two-factor authentication (2FA) codes or a hardware security key.

2FA Codes

Two-factor authentication (2FA) codes come in three forms: SMS, email, and from a code generator app. SMS is not secure because attackers can easily intercept messages and get your 2FA code. Email is slightly better, but not by much. The most secure option is Time-based One-Time Passwords (TOTP) generated by an app. The app uses a “seed code” provided by the website to calculate a new 2FA code every 30 seconds. It’s important to ensure that your device’s time is synced for the code to work.

For TOTP codes, I recommend Aegis for Android and Ente Auth for iPhone. You can also use password managers to generate TOTP codes, but it’s generally advised to keep your 2FA separate from your password manager.

Aegis

Aegis Authenticator is a free and open-source app for Android to manage your 2-step verification tokens for your online services. Aegis Authenticator operates completely offline/locally, but includes the option to export your tokens for backup unlike many alternatives.

Ente Auth

Ente Auth is a free and open-source app which stores and generates TOTP tokens. It can be used with an online account to backup and sync your tokens across your devices (and access them via a web interface) in a secure, end-to-end encrypted fashion. It can also be used offline on a single device with no account necessary.

Hardware keys

The second option for extra security is a hardware security key. These physical devices hold an encrypted private key used for authentication and are one of the most secure forms of 2FA because they require physical possession to complete the login process.

Hardware keys are secure due to physical presence and phishing resistance. Yubico’s YubiKeys, for example, use a security standard that blocks phishing attempts and don’t require batteries or charging.

I personally use the Yubico key, which is widely trusted and supports multiple authentication methods. While hardware keys may feel like an overkill for some users, they provide an almost foolproof layer of security for those serious about online privacy.

If you’re interested in hardware keys, you can find more details on setting them up by visiting Yubico’s website or similar vendors like Nitrokey. It’s important to store backup keys in a safe place to avoid getting locked out of your accounts.

YubiKeys

The Yubico Security Key series is the most cost-effective hardware security key with FIDO Level 2 certification. It supports FIDO2/WebAuthn and FIDO U2F, and works out of the box with most services that support a security key as a second factor, as well as many password managers.

Nitrokey

Nitrokey has a security key capable of FIDO2 and WebAuthn called the Nitrokey FIDO2. For PGP support, you need to purchase one of their other keys such as the Nitrokey Start, Nitrokey Pro 2 or the Nitrokey Storage 2.

Conclusion

As we conclude this part of the series, it’s evident that safeguarding your digital privacy is no longer a choice—it’s a necessity. Utilizing a password manager, enabling multi-factor authentication, and even considering hardware security keys are all fundamental steps toward establishing a more secure online presence. Each tool and method provides an additional layer of defense, making it significantly more difficult for potential attackers to compromise your accounts.

Remember, digital privacy isn’t about having something to hide—it’s about maintaining control over your personal data and keeping it safe from prying eyes. With the knowledge and tools we’ve discussed so far, you can begin taking meaningful steps toward protecting your online identity. And while this might seem overwhelming at first, implementing even just a few of these changes can make a huge difference.

Stay tuned for the next part of the series, where we’ll delve even deeper into the next key areas of privacy and security. The next post will be coming in the near future, and we’ll continue to explore practical ways to protect yourself in this ever-evolving digital world. Keep an eye out!