Ubiquitous hackers, corporate surveillance, are the realities we have to live in every day. Where’s the anonymity? The latest “bomb” was the news that Google spies on Android devices and tracks their location, even if the user has disabled geo location services.

Therefore, the most common “loopholes” for data leakage can be considered here.

In the browser: using cookies.

Cookies store information such as user name and password, nickname, e-mail, date of last visit to the website and other data. Through the use of cookies, we can often see this picture when we return to the site, we see a personal greeting or the site remembers that we have already voted on a certain issue and does not allow it to do again. In most cases, this is done in order to collect statistics, and advertising companies on the basis of such statistics perform analysis for more accurate targeting of advertising.

Some sites (like Facebook) keep track of what other pages you visit. It is necessary to open a social network in one tab — and all the neighbors are also in the field of action of this “radar”.

On the phone: automatic synchronization

One of the most common vulnerabilities related to smartphones and tablets is automatic synchronization with cloud storage. Some devices retain data even in the cloud one and two. For example, Android phones are synced with a Google account and the cloud from the phone manufacturer.

For example, photos are stored in cloud storage. Hence-the loud scandals associated with the “drain” candid photos of celebrities. In the same way, confidential documents can fall into the hands of outsiders. And, of course, mobile gadgets often steal and lose, which can be considered a separate threat.

Dangerous connections: Wi — Fi and bluetooth

Another common threat lies in unprotected Wi-Fi networks. When we use public Wi-Fi in cafes, train stations, parks, the safety of the transmitted information is not guaranteed. Even if we are talking about the usual Internet surfing, it is dangerous, and transmit via public Wi-Fi confidential documents or payments, especially not worth it, because they can easily intercept. For example, in November, the Associated Press reported that the Austrian stole bitcoins for $117 thousand, while he was checking the value of the cryptocurrency through the Wi-Fi of the restaurant.

Recently, many hackers are betting not on technological vulnerabilities, but on the human factor. Therefore, do not disclose too much information about yourself in social networks, do not post photos with geotags from vacation, do not open files from unknown senders — and you will be in (relative) security.