https://www.howtogeek.com We explain technology. Learn more with our articles, reviews, tips, and the best answers to your most pressing tech questions. Fri, 27 Oct 2023 13:31:26 GMT en-US hourly 60 Logging in as the Linux root user is bad practice. Logging in as root over an SSH connection is even worse. We tell you why, and show you how to prevent it.

]]> Fri, 27 Oct 2023 15:30:28 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/828538/how-and-why-to-disable-root-login-over-ssh-on-linux/ Your router is the hub for all of the devices on your home network, and helps protect all of the devices on your network against attack from the Internet. Here are some ways you can make sure your security is in tip-top shape.

]]> Fri, 27 Oct 2023 15:01:27 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/173921/secure-your-wireless-router-8-things-you-can-do-right-now/ There are multiple VPN protocols, and which protocol a VPN uses has a big influence on how it functions. Some protocols are a lot better than others. Thankfully, finding the best VPN protocol is easy as there are only a few candidates.

]]> Fri, 27 Oct 2023 14:31:27 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/770807/what-is-the-best-vpn-protocol-openvpn-vs-wireguard-vs-sstp-and-more/ Making sure that you and your family are safe online is incredibly important, but altogether difficult, especially when you need to protect multiple different devices against a wide range of attacks such as malware, viruses, and ransomware.

]]> Fri, 27 Oct 2023 13:31:26 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/trend-micro-premium-security-suite/ Some Windows 10 devices ship with "Device Encryption", but other PCs require you to pay another $99 to get BitLocker on Windows Pro for full-disk encryption. If you'd rather not, you can use the free and open-source VeraCrypt software to get full-disk encryption on any version of Windows.

]]> Fri, 27 Oct 2023 13:31:26 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/6169/use-truecrypt-to-secure-your-data/ You may be surprised to learn that Android is the most popular operating system on the planet—bigger than Windows and the iPhone. That makes it a big target for malicious attacks. But do you actually need antivirus apps on your Android phone?

]]> Fri, 27 Oct 2023 12:31:25 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/793462/does-your-android-phone-need-an-antivirus-app/ You migrated to a new browser, but did you clean out the old one? Your old browser still contains passwords and other sensitive information that hackers are desperate to steal. Instead of leaving that old browser as an extra point of attack, you should delete its password data—don't worry; this will only take a minute.

]]> Fri, 27 Oct 2023 12:00:26 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/delete-the-passwords-from-your-old-browser/ If you're looking for a modern, powerful firewall for Linux that is easy to configure on the command line or with its GUI interface, then firewalld is probably what you're looking for.

]]> Thu, 26 Oct 2023 15:32:52 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/807545/how-to-get-started-with-firewalld-on-linux/ Using a VPN is a great way to increase your privacy while online: sites you visit won't be able to identify you by your IP address, meaning you can make it so you're in a different country. However, you may find yourself wondering whether or not your ISP can see that you're using a VPN, and, if so, whether that matters.

]]> Thu, 26 Oct 2023 15:00:25 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/749839/can-my-isp-see-if-im-using-a-vpn-and-do-they-care/ What is end-to-end encryption (E2EE), and why is it so controversial? Should you use it? Here's everything you need to know about it.

]]> Thu, 26 Oct 2023 14:52:59 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/711656/what-is-end-to-end-encryption-and-why-does-it-matter/ Viruses and other malware are an unfortunate reality of the modern age. If your phone or computer has fallen prey to them, one of the recommended solutions is doing a factory reset. But will it make your device safe again? Here's everything you need to know.

]]> Thu, 26 Oct 2023 13:30:26 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/829066/does-a-factory-reset-remove-viruses/ Spam emails are a constant problem these days, and the daily deluge of bogus emails is not only fist bitingly irritating, it also poses a number of serious security risks.

]]> Thu, 26 Oct 2023 13:01:25 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/stop-spam-take-control-of-data-with-incogni/ Android may have a more open platform than Apple, but with that comes the potential for malware. Google is trying to take steps to fic that with things like Google Play Protect. With a little bit of care, though, it's pretty easy to keep your phone safe and malware-free on your own.

]]> Thu, 26 Oct 2023 12:30:24 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/140900/how-to-avoid-android-malware-and-other-android-security-threats/ Mac computers have a built-in application for managing disks, helpfully called Disk Utility. It can rename, format, and wipe any connected drives, as well as create and restore backup images. It's a great option for wiping drives, no matter if it's external storage or your Mac's internal drive.

]]> Thu, 26 Oct 2023 12:01:24 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/179284/how-to-securely-wipe-a-hard-drive-on-your-mac/ We've all got dozens of accounts spread around the web that require a username and password. You probably understand the importance of a solid password, but everyone's definition of "secure" is a little different. Let's make sure you haven't fallen victim to some common bad password habits.

]]> Thu, 26 Oct 2023 11:01:25 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/10-bad-password-habits-you-need-to-break/ You think you’re making all the right moves. You’re smart with your security. You have two-factor authentication enabled on all your accounts. But hackers have a way to bypass that: SIM swapping.

]]> Wed, 25 Oct 2023 15:30:24 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/668922/how-to-protect-yourself-from-sim-swapping-attacks/ Windows computers sometimes do get viruses and other malware, but not every slow or misbehaving PC is infected by malware. Here's how to check if you actually have a virus — and whether that suspicious process is dangerous or not.

]]> Wed, 25 Oct 2023 15:00:27 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/441321/does-your-computer-have-a-virus-heres-how-to-check/ One of the clever tricks that scam callers play on us is using a phone number that appears similar to our own. That twinge of familiarity we get upon seeing our area code – or even the first six digits of our phone number – can fool us into thinking that the call is legit, potentially even from a business in our area or someone we know.

]]> Wed, 25 Oct 2023 13:00:25 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/stop-scam-calls-protect-your-data-with-incogni/ When you want to hide web activity from your ISP or cellular carrier, a VPN is usually the go-to option. But even when your web activity is hidden behind a VPN, your ISP and carrier can see how much data you're using. A VPN will not circumvent your monthly data cap, and it will only bypass certain forms of data throttling.

]]> Wed, 25 Oct 2023 12:00:23 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/do-vpns-hide-data-usage-from-isps-or-cellular-carriers/ There is a good chance you've never heard the term "credential stuffing" used before, but that doesn't mean you haven't been the target of the widespread and effective cyberattack. Here's what credential stuffing is and how you can easily protect yourself against it.

]]> Wed, 25 Oct 2023 11:00:23 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/what-is-credential-stuffing/ You don't need an antivirus for your iPhone or iPad. In fact, any "antivirus" apps you see advertised for iPhones aren't even antivirus software. They're just "security" programs that can't actually protect you from malware.

]]> Tue, 24 Oct 2023 15:31:27 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/352613/the-best-antivirus-for-iphone-is-none/ Out of all your online accounts, there's a good chance that Google holds most of your information. Think about it: if you use Gmail for email, Chrome for web browsing, and Android for your mobile OS, then you're already using Google for almost everything you do. Let's talk about how to make sure your account is as secure as it can be.

]]> Tue, 24 Oct 2023 15:01:39 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/279384/how-to-secure-your-google-account/ Browser extensions and add-ons have been around for years, and throughout that time, they have remained a significant security risk. It only takes one malicious browser extension for your device information, browsing history, and other information to fall into the hands of a random company or individual. That isn't a theoretical risk, either: it's happening constantly.

]]> Tue, 24 Oct 2023 14:30:29 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/188346/why-browser-extensions-can-be-dangerous-and-how-to-protect-yourself/ When you want to stream region-locked content or out-of-market sports, a VPN service is usually the best solution. But many people assume that a VPN can only be used on a phone or computer—two devices with relatively small screens. Thankfully, this isn't true, as most streaming sticks can run popular VPN apps like NordVPN and ExpressVPN.

]]> Tue, 24 Oct 2023 14:15:28 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/which-streaming-sticks-support-vpns/ User Account Control (UAC) is an important security feature in the latest versions of Windows. You may be tempted to disable it, but you shouldn't — here's why.

]]> Tue, 24 Oct 2023 13:30:27 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/124754/htg-explains-why-you-shouldnt-disable-uac/ Web browser extensions can turn from useful to dangerous in just one update, potentially opening up your browsing habits and some personal data to an unknown third-party developer or company. It has happened over, and over, and over again, despite the best efforts from Google, Microsoft, and other browser developers. Here's how it keeps happening, and what you can do to protect yourself.

]]> Tue, 24 Oct 2023 11:01:24 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/how-browser-extensions-turn-into-malware/ Apple has added an increasingly sophisticated app permission system to the iPhone and iPad over the years. You get to decide whether an app gets access to everything from your device's sensors and personal information to notifications and cellular data. You can look up permissions and see which apps use them, manage permissions for individual apps, and restrict things like cellular data and background usage.

]]> Mon, 23 Oct 2023 15:30:25 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/211623/how-to-manage-app-permissions-on-your-iphone-or-ipad/ With fail2ban, your Linux computer automatically blocks IP addresses that have too many connection failures. It's self-regulating security! We'll show you how to use it.

]]> Mon, 23 Oct 2023 15:28:27 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/675010/how-to-secure-your-linux-computer-with-fail2ban/ You've probably seen the term "encryption" used around the internet. So what is it? It might be the most important technology we have. Most digital security measures, everything from safe browsing to secure email, depend on it. Without encryption, we'd have no privacy.

]]> Mon, 23 Oct 2023 14:30:27 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/33949/htg-explains-what-is-encryption-and-how-does-it-work/ Windows has built-in tools that will let you write zeros to a drive, securely erasing its contents. This ensures deleted files on the drive can't be recovered. Whether you want to wipe an internal drive or an external USB drive, here's how to do it.

]]> Mon, 23 Oct 2023 13:30:25 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/751529/how-to-wipe-a-drive-on-windows-10-or-windows-11/ Data brokers are constantly harvesting your personal information, mostly without your consent. Your name, address, phone number, and more are all being bought and sold behind your back by marketers, scam artists, and brokers of all varieties.

]]> Mon, 23 Oct 2023 13:00:28 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/remove-your-data-from-internet-with-incogni/ Updates are a frequent topic when it comes to the Android operating system. There are actually different types of Android updates, one of which is a "Security Update." What's different about these updates, and why are they so important?

]]> Mon, 23 Oct 2023 12:30:24 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/711886/what-are-android-security-updates-and-why-are-they-important/ Passkeys are set to replace passwords over the next few years. But one of the hurdles during this transition will be passkey sharing—you aren't supposed to know your passkeys, you can't type them out manually, so how do you share passkey-protected accounts with friends and family?

]]> Mon, 23 Oct 2023 12:01:23 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/can-you-share-passkeys-with-friends-and-family/ Software updates can be a mixed bag. They add new features and fix issues, but they can bring new bugs as well. People put off updates to avoid these headaches, which wasn't a bad idea in the earlier days of computing. However, with security vulnerabilities becoming more common, it's time to stop.

]]> Mon, 23 Oct 2023 11:00:25 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/its-time-to-stop-avoiding-updates/ Protecting yourself online is a seemingly endless task, but that doesn’t mean you should throw in the towel. This week, we’re looking at how to stay safe online and avoid scams, malware, and everything in between.

]]> Mon, 23 Oct 2023 10:50:25 GMT https://www.howtogeek.com/welcome-to-cybersecurity-awareness-week-2023/