Tools and tasks
When it comes to security, it is undoubtedly important to be able to back up your data securely. These days, all common operating systems support backups as part of their system applications, so the key is primarily to choose the location or medium to which you wish to back up your data. Alternative tools you can use include, for example, Bvckup 2, Aomei Backupper or Acronis True Image. If you are only backing up selected documents and they are not too large, cloud storage services such as Google Drive or OneDrive may be a suitable option.
It is also useful to ensure that data – particularly sensitive data – is encrypted, so that no unauthorised person can access it. You can use applications such as VeraCrypt, BitLocker or Crypt4Free (among many others), which allow you to effectively encrypt files or entire drives. Data protected in this way can then be backed up, for example, to cloud storage services (Mega.nz, for instance, can be considered an exceptionally secure option) that support end-to-end encryption. This ensures that the server operator does not have access to the data, or rather, only to its encrypted form.
Passwords are a major security weakness. Whilst it is now fairly common for mobile phones to use fingerprint authentication, this is not the case with standard applications or web services. One possible (and frequently used) solution is to use a digital password manager to store passwords. Tools such as LastPass, KeePass or Bitwarden can be used for this purpose. These applications are useful because they allow you to use long and complex passwords and easily manage almost any number of them – for example, a different one for every online service. Should a password leak occur on the part of a specific service, the security risk is minimised. Chrome also has its own password manager.
When using web browsers, it is worth considering when it is best to use incognito mode, which does not store any browsing information; however, the user can still be relatively easily located or identified by servers via their IP address. Cookies are not stored long-term, though. It is, however, possible (and advisable) to manage or regulate them in certain ways. Examples include browser extensions such as the robust EditThisCookie or Cookie Editor for Chrome.
It is possible to use the so-called digital identity systems for single sign-on to the services - today, the most widespread Google account and Facebook account, but if you want to work more with your privacy, you can use MojeID or international OpenID. These tools provide the ability to log in to various services without giving a password to those services. All you have to do is log in to your digital identity system.
In terms of ensuring anonymity on the Internet, it is possible to use technologies that are associated with Onion routing, especially the Tor network. It is not possible to trace the IP address and, therefore, the identity of the user. It thus becomes anonymous not only for the server to which it wants to connect but also for someone who wants to monitor network traffic (for example, a national regulator, secret service, etc.). It is also possible to connect to Tor via Tor Browser, which makes all network browsing both easy and anonymous at the same time. An interesting solution for everyday work is the Brave browser.
There are also many tools to support digital wellbeing. For concentration and meditation, you can use Calm, Headspace or Wysa. If you need help focusing on a specific task, Forest is a good option, whilst OneSec, for example, is ideal for mindful use of your mobile phone. Flux, meanwhile, helps minimise blue light.
