Computer & Internet Security
Computer surveillance and security covers a wide range of ways to keep you and your information safe. Learn about firewalls, zombie computers, hackers and workplace surveillance.
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The internet is forever. But social media platforms aren't. So does your personal data die when a site does or if you close your account?
Websites like Spokeo, PeopleFinder and Intelius collect reams of data on you, your relatives, court records and other personal information. But getting it removed isn't so easy.
By Dave Roos
Do you have a password manager? How about a VPN? Here's why you might want both, in the form of antivirus software, available with a discount from HowStuffWorks.
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Asher de Metz is hired to break into businesses. It's called penetration testing, and what he finds can help save companies millions of dollars from cyberattacks.
In the first half of 2021, the number of organizations impacted by ransomware across the globe has more than doubled compared with 2020. Why the surge and how vulnerable is the U.S. to a major cyber attack?
By Sarah Gleim
Private browsers and search engines offer much more protection than using a regular browser or search engine, or a browser with privacy mode-enabled. They can shield your sensitive data, ward off third-party ads and trackers, and provide a safer browsing experience.
Ransomware and its effects are costing businesses and individuals more than $20 billion a year and the threat is not subsiding as malware agents continue to thrive. So how do you protect yourself and your business?
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We're told to change our computer passwords often, but sometimes it can be a hassle to remember how to do it. Here are some easy instructions for changing your Gmail password.
By Jeremy Glass
One survey said 11 percent of Airbnb guests had found a hidden camera in their rented home. Is this legal? And how can you tell if you're being spied on?
When choosing an antivirus program for your computer or other electronic devices, there's no one-size-fits-all solution, but here are five things you need to consider.
It may seem like you get endless alerts to update your Microsoft Windows system and you might be tempted to skip a few updates. Is there any harm in doing that?
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Zoom bombing – when intruders hijack your videoconference calls or virtual learning sessions – has become a big deal. But how do you stop it?
What really happens when you transfer your browser to the incognito feature? You may think you're completely anonymous on the internet, but that's not what's happening.
Even if you use the "incognito" setting on your browser, your personal and search data are still being collected at an alarming rate. Private search engines and browsers aim to lessen your digital footprint.
By Dave Roos
To what extent is U.S. intelligence able to conduct surveillance on the internet activity and electronic communications of U.S. citizens?
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Data privacy concerns have prompted some new laws to go into effect in the European Union — and that means changes for consumers in the rest of the world too.
By Dave Roos
HowStuffWorks explains how blockchain technology, which relies upon a shared record of transactions across a peer-to-peer network of computers, is taking over the world.
It's the technology behind the meteorically rising bitcoin, and it could be really, really big.
The guys at Stuff They Don't Want You To Know talk about whether you can really delete your internet history — and why you want to.
By Diana Brown
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It’s sweet to have a personal assistant like Amazon’s Alexa do your bidding. Except when it does something you didn’t anticipate, like order an adorable dollhouse.
To thwart hackers from intercepting wireless signals, engineers send a signal through the body, from a smartphone fingerprint scanner to a 'smart lock.'
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Trolls are everywhere these days, driving people off Twitter and wreaking havoc online. They also have specific personality traits that the general population doesn't.
By Julia Layton
And the FBI already has said it’ll help other law enforcement agencies with locked phones.
By John Donovan