While it seems increasingly hard to stay safe and private online these days, there are tools you can use to protect yourself. Here’s a list of some of my favorites:
Have I Been Pwned? This completely free service, run by respected security researcher Troy Hunt, allows you to check whether your email address or phone number has been leaked as part of a data breach. You can see if your data is out there here.
1Password This is the password manager I use. It makes it easy to access passwords both on my computer and mobile devices, plus it takes the hassle out of coming up with strong passwords by generating them for me! Importantly, the company behind 1Password, AgileBits, is very security conscious and, unlike other well-known password managers, 1Password has not been hacked. It isn’t free, but prices start at a reasonable $2.99 a month. Check it out here.
Bitwarden This open source password manager has a free plan that includes pretty much everything you need to get started. While I haven’t used it myself yet, it gets rave reviews and has been named “the best free password manager” by WireCutter. Take a look at it here.
Authy I use this free authenticator app to provide extra protection to my online accounts. When I log in, I not only need to enter my password, but also a 6 or 8 digit code that Authy generates. This means that, even if a cybercriminal gets my passwords, they won’t be able to get into my accounts unless they also have my phone. Check Authy out here. For a comparison of Authy and other authenticators, take a look at this article.