Top 7 Google tips on security and privacy on Android

Google has published its seven most important privacy tips on Android, as well as ideas to increase the security of our data.

The security and privacy of our mobile devices are increasingly important. That is why many of the news and features that Google launches on Android are designed to improve those parameters.

Today the company has published a series of tips for us to have our secure data and for us to learn to use its applications better.

Beware of phishing

Google emphasizes that every month there are tens of thousands of new web pages designed just to steal our data. That's why tools like SPAM's call blocking or the new Chrome feature that lets us know if a website is trying to impersonate one of recognized prestige , are so useful.

These two functions are linked to the use of mobile phones as an authentication factor . We have already talked several times about the double verification step and how important it is, but Google re-highlights it. And not bad.

Take care of privacy on Android

Within the normal use we make of mobile applications, we must give special attention to the access that these apps have to our data.

Google reminds us that we have to correctly configure the permissions of the applications so that they do not have access to data or sensors that are not essential.

In addition, in Android 10 we can tell you that apps have permission to know our location only when we are using them, not always.

Finally, Google mentions the new incognito mode of Google Maps, in case we do not want a specific destination to be marked in our chronology.

Watch out for the apps we install

Last but not least, Google reminds us that we should not install insecure applications or of which we do not have complete confidence about their origin. The Google Play Protect system scans these apps, but it wouldn't be the first time

Best 5 Alternatives to Google based on Privacy

Best 5 Alternatives to Googlesearch engine | If we talk about which is the most popular search engine in the world,  there is little doubt. Google is undoubtedly the reference in this field of the Internet. It is the search engine most used by the peoples from different platforms. It does not matter if we surf from your mobile, tablet, computer or any other device. However, there are alternatives. There are other options that can be interesting. Today we are going to talk about 5 alternatives to Google that focus on privacy

Best Alternatives to Google that are based on privacy

One of the most important aspects for many users is privacy. As we know, when we navigate we leave a trail. We leave different data such as our IP address, cookies, dates, etc. Some providers even sell that data to third parties. This may cause us to receive advertising, for example.

That is why it may be interesting for many users to use Google alternatives. Other search engines that focus specifically on privacy. They avoid gathering information from the user and make it navigate in a cleaner way.

DuckDuckGo

One of the most popular search engines with these features is DuckDuckGo . It is one of the favorites for users seeking privacy. It does not track or use our personal information in any way. It does not even collect searches from a device. For example, you will not know if the same searches have arrived from the same team.

This engine uses different sources for the results. They use other search engines such as Yahoo, Bing or Yandex, but not Google.

SearX

SearX is a completely open source search engine. That's why users can analyze it and make sure they do not lie when they talk about all the privacy aspects they offer.

This search engine works by obtaining data from other search engines. He adds them and shows us the best combination he finds. We can customize which search engines you use to collect the results.

Startpage

Another alternative to Google is StartPage. It differs from the previous ones in that it does get results from Google. Of course, the search giant can not get any data from the user. No user ID or IP address is sent.

It also provides a proxy function. This prevents the pages from consulting our IP address. Of course, keep in mind that the sites will load slower. It is the balance between privacy and speed.

Swisscows

Swisscows promises not to store personal data of any kind. It does not collect the IP address, search queries, etc. All of your servers, as they indicate, are located in Switzerland, a country that has very strict privacy laws.

In this case, it uses the search engine of Bing, a search engine that is not too popular in Spain, but it is in other countries.

Qwant

The last alternative to Google that we want to show is Qwant. It is another of the search engines that focus on privacy. It is one of the search engines that is increasing in popularity. Some security tools recommend it.

In this case, the servers are located in France. Therefore users benefit from the data protection laws of the European Union.

Conclusion

In this Article we've discussed about the best privacy based search engines you can use instead of google, I hope you liked this article. If so please share it with others who might appreciate it as well. Thanks

What you should know about Personal Privacy on the Internet

Internet Privacy | Do you take enough precautions before diving deep into the internet? If not you may need to concern about your privacy, Your personal data may already be in the criminal's hands.

The privacy, It's our fundamental right. But most of the times it is become difficult to protect our privacy. The governments also try to spy their people in the name of national security surveillance. Already we've been watched by the corporates to make a profile of what we like and target their products to us.

Didn't you heard about internet privacy before, And don't you know, why should it so concerned. Probably That's why you didn't take care of your privacy on the internet. But after reading this article you will definitely think about your online privacy.

What is Internet Privacy

The internet privacy is a subset of data privacy and also termed as online privacy. It is primarily concerned with protecting user information. This ensures the privacy and security level of the personal data you display, store, provide on the internet.

This can include both personal identifying information (PII) and Non-PI information such as your behavior on a website.

Why is Internet Privacy Important

Think of a world without privacy concerns Where all your personal information such as medical records, credit card information, bank balances, online accounts username, passwords etc are available to anyone.

Internet privacy Risks

Tracking

All your activities on the internet are trackable using cookies

Cookies are small chunks of information stored on your computer by websites you visit. They help you to keep logged in preferred websites such as Facebook, Google etc.., But they can be used for making a web profile of what you like for the ad companies, Didn't you noticed that the ads are following you when you browse each time, based on your earlier web searches
.

They can also be used by the hackers to steal your sensitive information stored on your browser such as usernames, passwords.

Phishing

The internet crime used to steal sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, bank account details, credit card details, etc.. by sending a duplicate of the original site.

Pharming

It is a hacking activity to redirect traffic from a legitimate website to a completely different IP address

Spyware

A software that obtains information from a host computer without user consent

Malware

Malicious software used to damage online or offline computers through a virus, trojan horse, spyware, etc.

Social Engineering

The technique used to steal confidential information

Common mistakes that risk Your privacy in the Internet

• Use of same login credentials  for multiple accounts
• Use of simple/weak passwords
• Allowing unused or little-used accounts
• Using outdated software
• Staying logged into websites
• saving login credentials in the browser
• Using services without reading their terms and conditions.

Does Private Browsing Mode Helps you

Most of the people think the private browsing mode in the browsers will protect their privacy.
But Did you think of what extent? Of course, you need to think about that.

The private mode in the browsers will not save your browsing data such as visited websites, cookies, searches, or temporary files. So you can start up with a fresh identity each time you've gone into private mode.


But It doesn't protect or hide your online identity. Your employer, internet service provider or wthe sites themselves can still track what pages you visit.

How to Increase Your Online Privacy

Block Cookies

The first step what we need to take against the privacy risks is securing your browsers. Because these are the main program we use to go online. So by blocking cookies and enabling tracking protection (if this setting available in your browser) in your browser, you will be safe from these annoying ads and online threats ( at some extent ).

Block even more using a browser extension: Maybe some trackers still make it through. You can install browser extensions to block them

Use Anti Tracking Extensions Like privacy badger on Your Browser 

Use VPN

The best way to protect your online privacy is using VPN. It will completely change your online identity by changing your current IP address to an IP address on their server. You can visit websites banned in your country by changing location from the VPN server. It will protect all your incoming and outgoing traffic. Using VPN all your online activities and sensitive information stays secure and private.

Keep  Your software up-to-date

If you leave your software outdated chances are high to get hacked. the hackers can exploit the vulnerabilities in them and penetrate to your system. This will cause loss of your sensitive data and risk your privacy. So always keep your software up-to-date and avoid the risks.

Install Antivirus and activate Firewall

The antivirus program and the firewall will protect you from the harmful content on the internet such as malware, spyware, viruses, trojans etc.., the most operating systems come with a firewall built in.

Adjust your privacy settings on social media

Take advantage of the options they provide to you. Adjust your profile settings and ad preference. For example, you can take control over your ad preference from here on facebook. Also on google from here

Use Search Engines Which Values Your Privacy

Use the duckduckgo browser instead of Google, They don't store your information, They don't follow you with ads and  They don't track you.

Best alternatives to google Search Engine based on privacy

Privacy is our fundamental right. It is essential for freedom everywhere. But nowadays we are struggling. The governments also spying their people in the name of survelliance. So Stand for privacy and keep your data safely. Don't be a victim.

 Conclusion

In this article Internet Privacy | What you should know about Personal Privacy on the Internet We've discussed about Internet Privacy issues, Personal privacy on the internet, and how to improve internet privacy. I hope you found this Article useful, if so would you consider sharing it with others who might appreciate it as well? Thanks!

If you have any doubts regarding this article please comment below

Also read Sharing applications is now safer than ever

The biggest data leak in history: 773 Million Email Addresses And 21 Million Passwords Exposed

In our blog we have already pointed out some security measurements to keep your data safe in the internet. we have recommended some basic safety practices in our article What you should know about Personal Privacy on the Internet . How not to use the same password in all the sites we use, or use measures such as two-step authentication. But sometimes that is not enough. If an attacker gets directly into the database of the web we use, we probably can not do much about it.

The biggest data breach in the history

Now repeat that, billions of times. In particular, 2,692,818,238 times. That is the number of records that has the "Collection # 1", the database that has just been released on the Internet by unknown sources; and that stores an absurd amount of email addresses and passwords.

We are facing the biggest data leak in history; they are so many data, that they occupy nothing less than 87 GB of storage by themselves. This has been revealed by security expert Troy Hunt, who has had the daunting task of reviewing the database; and check to what extent we should fear for our safety. Hunt received the database anonymously through a MEGA account, the file sharing service; Although it has already been deleted from the original account, it is inevitable that it is already being shared throughout the network.





The numbers in Collection # 1 are a little dizzy. The database is composed of 2,692,818,238 entries, although in reality, we are facing a kind of Frankenstein monster. The data comes from thousands of leaks from different sites and services; The creators of this database have gathered the "booty" of these attacks in one place.

This brings us to the second number: in the database, there are more than one billion unique combinations of mail and password; therefore, more than one billion entries are repeated, probably because users have used the same password in different sites attacked.

Hundreds of millions of filtered email addresses and passwords

The only positive thing is that some of these data can not be used, or at least not easily; in some cases, the hackers that obtained the data initially sabotaged or encrypted them, and even in some entries only compressed files are saved.

Once the initial cleanup was done, Troy Hunt discovered more than 770 million unique email addresses . This is the largest amount of emails leaked at one time. With such a quantity, it is very likely that if you read these words, this leak has affected you. The other important fact is that more than 21 million unique passwords have been found; This really reveals the extent to which we repeat the password in different services.

Of course, there is a margin of error for all these figures. These hackers are not precisely characterized by being clean and tidy, and there are many entries with rare characters, and even traps in the form of SQL strings (in case someone tried to add this database to your system). Some passwords are also "hashed", have been passed by algorithms that are the first line of defense in a service; however, that does not mean that they have been properly encrypted, and it is usually possible to obtain the contents of a hash.

How to know if our data has been filtered

This database is already being shared in hacking forums, as well as in Dark Web sites. Taking into account the figures we are talking about, it is very likely that you are affected. Fortunately, there is a sure way to know it.

And is that Troy Hunt is also responsible for Have I Been Pwned , one of the best security websites and we have already recommended other times. This web is very simple, we just have to enter our email address, and the web will tell us if it appears not only in the list of Collection # 1, but also in other leaks of recent years.

In addition, we can also use Pwned Passwords to buy if our password is being shared. This does not always work, since it is possible that the password has been stored encrypted or "hasheada"; but it is important to check it also.

If our mail appears in the database, a warning will appear and we will receive some advice. The most important thing is to change the password of all the sites we use ; or use applications or services to generate new, more secure passwords. It is a long and tedious process, but the magnitude of the filtration is such that there are not many alternatives at the moment.

Also read ;

∎    What you should know about Personal Privacy on the Internet
∎    Best 5 Alternatives to Google based on Privacy
∎    Privacy Badger | Best Anti tracking extension
∎    Big data leak | Google shuts down google plus

Sharing applications is now safer than ever

A new security system allows us to share applications in Apk with guarantee of and enabling the update from Google Play.

Those who approach Android for the first time are surprised that there is such a simple method to install applications from outside the official store: just download an Apk, accept the " Unknown origins " permission and install the file. This, which removes the limits imposed by an official store, but may creates a serious problem: getting infected with malicious files too is a real risk.

From The Free Android we recommend you to watch especially the installation of Apks since we know how easy it is to download an infected file . If the downloads from secure pages such as UpToDown no problem, but the thing changes when you install an Apk that you found on an unreliable page. Or when you pass the application from another mobile, that here there is also a potential risk.



Google knows it can not stop the installation of Apks. Not only because it is widespread in Android, also because in countries where there is no good network infrastructure it is very difficult to install applications. So they have chosen to find an intermediate solution: secure the shared files

Google certifies the security of Apk files that are shared through guaranteed applications

The idea is that all those who share applications in Apk through guaranteed apps have the security that the files are safe and reliable . In this way not only the user's security is guaranteed, it is also granted a very important advantage: the Apks installed in this way can be updated directly from the Google Play as if they were a current application.

Google has begun to verify the authenticity of shared files through certified and secure applications. The first to obtain this certification are ShareIt , Google Files Go and Xender (the first one already works in beta, the other two will start doing it in the following weeks). And you can try it, we have checked with ShareIt

The process for sharing secure and "updatable" Apks from Google Play is as follows:

• Who receives the Apk and you must have an application certified by Google . Currently it works in beta with ShareIt.

• Choose a secure Apk you want to transfer and send it with ShareIt.

• The person who receives the file can install the Apk with just clicking on the installation.

• Google Play Protect will check the Apk metadata, even if there is no Internet connection.

• The Apk file will be registered on the phone as authentic and will access updates from Google Play , like any app or game that is downloaded from there.

This process not only guarantees the authenticity of the files, it also opens new ways for users in countries without connection to access applications without being compromised in security

Although the installation of Apks is not secure Google does not plan to remove it from Android

Android was always the champion of freedom from the beginning, something that has been changing over the years as we have witnessed a progressive closure of the system . The ROOT is getting more complicated, unlocking the bootloader starts to be very difficult, also the installation of ROMs ... It would not be strange that Google closed the channel of the applications so that only its own channel, the Play Store.

The idea of ​​the monopoly of the Play Store would be logical according to the movements of the company, but it is impossible not only for social pressure, but also for the European: Google will have to pave the way to other stores in Europe . So, given that installing Apks will still be possible in the short and medium term, it is great news that Google is concerned about your security.

Big data leak | Google shuts down google plus

Google plus shut down | Google closes Google+  because of the big data leak: download your information

Google Plus has caused Google to filter data from hundreds of thousands of Internet users. The massive leak was not reported by the company.

Google+, the social network of the company that is more dead than alive, has brought a new headache to Google: due to an error in the network the Mountain View company leaked data from hundreds of thousands of Internet users. A leak that was not communicated by the company and that has been uncovered only a few moments ago

Google will close Google+  soon

The news arrived a few moments after the scandal came to light: Google closes Google+ for consumers. We can no longer make use of this social network, and Google closes it down by pointing out the reasons for its low rate of users and the costs of keeping the network alive with this situation. Google has already pronounced about this scandal on their blog.

The data is devastating: Google admits that 90 percent of the sessions that open in this social network last less than 5 seconds. That is, to modify your profile and little else. Also, it's not the first time that Google+ causes security flaws, so the decision is not really surprising.

On the contrary, the network will continue in the business environment. It is mainly the most widespread use of the network and therefore, the company has made the decision that Google+ becomes an internal social network for companies, instead of a consumer product. Google will announce news on the network focused on the business world.

Download your shared data on Google+

Do you still have information that you would like to keep and want to download before the final shutdown of Google+ for private users? You can do it: the company has enabled the download of everything you have shared in the social network. If you shared something, of course.

To download these data you need to use the Google Talkout service, the tool that facilitates the download of everything the company collects. You must check the following boxes of Talkout to download everything related to Google+:

• + 1s

• Google+ circles.

• Google+ communities.

• Google+ stream.

Access Google Talkout and select the boxes mentioned. Choose "Next" and complete the download by choosing the file format. Once completed you will have everything you shared on Google+.

Google exposed information of many users and did not report it

According to the Wall Street Journal, recognized half American, the problem comes from time ago. According to reports, Google solved this leak in March of this year, that is, almost half a year ago. The problem is that, according to the Journal, to avoid regulatory scrutiny, Google chose to hide this leak from those affected and solve the problem on their own.

According to reports, the leak occurred due to a vulnerability in Google Plus, the unsuccessful Google social network. This security breach gave third-party developers access to private Google+ user data between 2015 and 2018. Worse still: the internal note noted that while there was no evidence of misuse, they had no way of knowing with security. In other words, Google did not know if these developers misused this data.

This data contained sensitive information, including names, email addresses, dates of birth, sex, profile photos, places of residence, occupation and marital status. A scandal that splashes Google just one day before the presentation of the third generation Google Pixel.

So those developers have access to my data?

According to Google itself, it allows developers to collect information from a Google Plus profile if it grants access through privacy settings. The problem is that an error gave them access to the profile data of the friends of those users, regardless of whether those friends had chosen to share that information publicly.

Even Google cannot confirm 100 percent if a user has been affected by this issue. Google has defended itself by confirming that information such as Google+ posts, messages, and G Suite content was not included in the violation. If so, the size of the filtration would increase considerably.

Google defended itself with these words: "our Privacy and Data Protection office reviewed this problem, analyzing the type of data involved if we could accurately identify the users to inform them, if there was any evidence of incorrect use and if there was any action that a developer or user could take in response. None of these thresholds was met.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai was notified (according to the Wall Street Journal) of the plan not to make this incident public and a document obtained by the publication warned that if the incident was revealed to the world, it could cause "us to see each other". center of attention next door or even in place of Facebook, despite having been under the radar for the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

Privacy Badger | Best Anti tracking extension

Privacy Badger | Privacy is an aspect that worries Internet users a lot. We have seen that in recent times it has been news that popular services track users. Luckily we can almost always take steps to avoid it. Either through the configuration of those same services. Also even using specific software for it. Today we are going to talk about Privacy Badger, a browser extension that has just launched a new version and that protects users from tracking Google services.

Privacy Badger is updated to avoid Google crawling 

It has just been presented by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the organization behind this extension. Its objective is to offer users greater protection against scanning in those browsers where it is compatible.

It should be mentioned that a few months ago, in May, they launched an update to avoid tracking Facebook links. Now he has done something similar, but this time for Google services. We already know that this company has different platforms that are widely used in the day to day of Internet users.

Of course, we must bear in mind that at the moment it is an initial version and does not cover all these services. At the moment it acts in the searches of Google, Google Hangouts and Google Docs. As we can see, it does not act on other widely used ones such as Gmail or even Google Plus. Of course, in the future could also avoid monitoring in these services. 

We already know that the search giant uses methods to track users through its services. But in the end, everything will also depend on the software that the user uses. There are tools, such as Privacy Badger, which can prevent this.

Privacy Badger prevents tracking in Google services

Different formulas to carry out the follow-up

An example may be users who use Chrome as a browser and perform a search on Google, send information about clicks on search results. It offers information to the company to, in some way, improves the service. However, users may not want to offer that information.

In Hangouts and Docs, Google also uses a method to track clicks made by users, as well as the context in which they are located.

In addition to the new incognito mode, so you can increase your privacy on YouTube

In short, Privacy Badger has been updated with a new version to deal with the tracking of some Google services. As we mentioned, at the moment it does not offer that protection in some like Gmail or Google Plus. However, it is more than likely that they will incorporate it in a future update.

Privacy Badger is available for Google Chrome, which is the browser most used today by users on different platforms. We can also find it for other browsers such as Mozilla Firefox

Privacy is a fundamental aspect for Internet users. Luckily we can find tools like the one mentioned in this article to avoid it. In a previous article, we talked about some keys to find out if we maintain privacy and security when surfing the net. We gave some tips to achieve it.