On the internet, you can never be too safe that’s why we need to use Privacy Protecting Apps Right Now. New threats keep coming up all the time, whether attacking your security or trying to mine your data. It only makes sense to do whatever you can to stay secure.
And just as the internet takes, the internet also provides. Developers have made everything from extensions that will stop data-miners to simple apps that monitor how secure you are.
Just to have a good anti-virus protection app in your smartphone doesn’t mean a complete Security.
As Mobile Device Security is comprised of security of different features, such as:
- Data privacy and security features
- Permission restrictions for snoopy apps
- A blacklist for undesired calls
- An excellent backup capability, in case your smartphone gets deteriorated.
- As well as encryption functionality.
Here are 10 of the best that you should use right away.
1. Two Factor Auth (Web): Lock Your Accounts Twice!
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is fast gaining popularity as a must-have security measure for any digital account. In case you’re new to the concept, Tina has explained 2FA in detail. But which services can you use it with? That’s what this site is here for.
Two Factor Auth has every single website that supports or doesn’t support 2FA, and which type of 2FA is available. For example, your secondary token can be hardware or software related, and differ in how you receive it: email, phone call, or SMS.
There are some services you should lock down with 2FA right away, but make this site your weekend project. In case the worst happens, you’ll feel mighty thankful.
2. Signal (iOS) (Free)
Open Whisper Systems’ Signal (Android, iOS) is a fantastic messaging solution for security conscious mobile users. It is a free all-in-one messaging and voice-call solution that uses end-to-end encryption. You can send text messages, voice calls, group messages, media and attachments to your phone contacts, all without having to mess with PIN codes or special login credentials. Ease of use and strong, open-source, regularly audited encryption makes it a favorite of the security-conscious, with accolades from Edward Snowden and other privacy advocates. User-friendliness without compromising on security makes Signal a good option for users looking for an encrypted messaging and calling app.
3. IOT Scanner (Web): Are Your Devices “Open” on the internet?
The “internet of Things” (IoT) promises to change how we live our lives. But it’s also fraught with risk. When you have things like your fridge or your smart TV always connected to the internet, that also leaves them open to hackers. In fact, IoT is a potential security nightmare.
IoT Scanner is a simple tool that figures out which of your devices is open publicly. It checks the IP devices of all the gadgets in your home network, and sees if they are available openly on Shodan. Shodan is a database of publicly-accessible devices on the internet.
After you click the “Check if I am on Shodan” button, it’s a good idea to also do the Deep Scan. That’s the one which you want to know about, and ideally, you’re looking for the green tick at the end of it.
4. TextSecure Private Messenger (Free)
There are vast number of secure messaging apps available in Play Store, but the trouble part is that most of them work only if both the parties use the same application for encryption to work.
5. Deseat.me (Web): Scan Gmail, Find Everything You Signed Up For
Over the years, you’ve probably used your Gmail account to sign up for several services. Whether you used the power of Gmail aliases or not, you might have forgotten which places you have an account at. And if you used the same password and one of those gets hacked, suddenly, you’re in grave danger.
6. Wickr (Android, iOS)
Deseat.me scans your Gmail inbox to find everything you have subscribed for over the years. It reads your emails, yes, but your privacy is guaranteed by working entirely offline. The app does not send any data to its servers. So run it once, let it find everywhere you have registered, and then start visiting those sites to delete the accounts you no longer use.
Wickr Me (Android, iOS) is a free end-to-end encrypted-messaging app that allows users to send private, self-destructing messages (text, photo, video and voice) to other Wickr contacts. It takes user privacy seriously, using strong encryption and deleting metadata such as geotags and message times, and users can configure how long it takes for messages to self-destruct. A Secure Shredder included in the app even allows you to erase attached files, messages and other data to prevent recovery. There’s even a $100,000 bug-bounty program for anyone who gets in touch with the company to point out a security flaw.
7. Privacy Badger 2.0 (Chrome, Firefox): The EFF’s Privacy Protecting Extension
Websites are always tracking you. On any page you go, even something as small as Facebook and Twitter’s social sharing buttons are tracking you. All of this information is used to build a “profile” of you, sold to advertisers. Want to stop that? Privacy Badger is what you need.
Privacy Badger is made by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a non-profit independent group protecting consumers on the internet. We’ve reviewed Privacy Badger earlier, but the new version deserves to be mentioned again. In v2.0, Privacy Badger works faster than before and adds more protection. Specifically, it tackles the problem of websites and malware trying to find your IP address, which can lead to more harm later.
Privacy Badger is completely free. The EFF recommends also enabling Do Not Track, but we found that Do Not Track doesn’t do much. Still, better safe than sorry, eh?
8. LastPass Password Manager Premium (Free)
Unless you are a human supercomputer, remembering password is a tough job nowadays when we have numerous online accounts on different websites and have a different password for each site.
9. Passlock (Web, Chrome, Android, iOS): Easy Email Encryption for Everyone
You already know that sending sensitive data on emails is risky. You never know who might be snooping. The ideal solution is to encrypt your emails, but it’s a messy process. Passlock makes it simple.
In a nutshell, Passlock is a client for the Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) standard. The app creates a “lock” and a “key” for you. You can send your lock to others. Others can apply your lock to any email they want to send you. This way, since only you have the key, only you’ll be able to open the lock and read the email. Even if someone else intercepts the email, they can’t open it since they don’t have the key.
Passlock works on smartphones as well as with email, including Gmail. It’s extremely easy to use, and it is built by a security professor to boot.
10. Telegram (Android, iOS)
Telegram Messenger (Android, iOS) is another, free secure-messaging app that targets even less tech-savvy users. Once you’ve linked a Telegram account to your phone number, you can use the app to send fast, encrypted chat messaging over the cloud, with client-server encryption for standard chats. A Secure Chat mode provides end-to-end encryption so that only you and your intended recipient can read it. You can even set messages to self-destruct. You can share videos, documents and participate in group chats of up to 200 users.
11. Orbot: Proxy with Tor (Free Privacy and Online Anonymity)
Orbot is a mobile phone app that allows users to access the Internet, email and instant messaging without being threatened to be monitored or blocked. Orbot brings the functionality and features of Tor directly to the Android OS.
12. True Key (Android, iOS)
What’s Your Privacy Fear?
Privacy is an area of increasing concern in the internet age. From what we share on social networks to what we share privately, so much of our personal data is online. And it’s difficult to control who sees it.
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