In 2019, a collection of over 2.7 billion identity records, consisting of 774 million unique email addresses and 21 million unique passwords, was posted on the web for sale. If you don't want your personal information and passwords floating around the internet, you need to take the appropriate precautions. Follow the steps below to ensure your digital safety.

Securely Browse the Web

Use a web browser that won't track you. If you are still using Chrome, Google is collecting your data. Use the Brave web browser to block ads and disable tracking. Use a VPN. Don't let websites know your IP address. NordVPN disguises your browsing habits so what you do on the web can't be linked to your computer's IP address. Use a private search engine. DuckDuckGo never stores personal information and never tracks users. Set it up as your default search engine.

Protect Your Online Accounts

Use a password manager. If you only do one thing this page advises, let this be it. Every password you use should be unique and complex. Use LastPass to encrypt and store complicated passwords so you don't have to remember them. Enable two factor authentication. Protect your online accounts with more than a password. Check twofactorauth.org for a list of websites that support 2FA , and GET A YUBIKEY Opt out of data sharing. Simpleoptout.com makes it easier to opt out of data sharing with 50+ companies. Read the terms of service. Use tosdr.org to find out exactly what websites are sneaking into the terms of service agreement.

Use the Right Software

Keep your phone and computer software updated. Change can be painful. But if you don't keep your software updated, you risk missing patches for newly found vulnerabilities, leaving yourself exposed. Remove the wrong software. Use shouldiremoveit.com to find out what software you don't need on your computer. Add the right software. Check out privacytools.io to find tools to protect your privacy against mass surveillance.

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