Once a year, I look back and pick my favorite privacy and security resources: articles, podcasts, tools, websites, books, apps, you name it. I have an extensive Resources page with a larger list, but these are my current top pics. These would be great to share with others, too.
Top Articles
These are the top articles from 2023.
- Secure Your Network (4-part series)
- Why You Need to Plant Your Flag
- The Pros and Cons of Passkeys
- Go Forth, Do Good Deeds
- How to Block Google Pop-Ups (including how to configure uBlock Origin)
- Craft Your Access Backup Plan
- How to Block Web Fingerprinting
These are some of my top articles of all time.
- De-Google Your Life (5-part series)
- Give the Gifts of Security & Privacy – including downloadable gift coupons
- What a VPN Is and Isn’t
- How to Safely Download Software
- How to Send Files Securely (my most-viewed blog post)
- The Pro & Cons of Antivirus Software
Podcasts & Blogs
If you haven’t gotten into podcasts yet, you really should give them a try. I find it’s easiest to consume them while doing mindless tasks, like running on a treadmill, making dinner, doing household chores, or (in the before-times) commuting. Note that some of these sites call out “privacy” specifically, but they also cover security (they go hand in hand).
These are my top interview podcasts from Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons in 2023.
- Reclaiming the Internet (author and activist Cory Doctorow)
- What’s Your Threat Model? (Proton founder/CEO Andy Yen)
- You Face Belongs to Us (NY Times reporter and author Kashmir Hill)
- The Cult of the Dead Cow (OG hackers Omega and Deth Veggie)
- National Cyber Strategy (Josh Corman from CISA and founder of I Am the Cavalry)
- Fixing Social Media (Panquake founder Susie Dawson)
Here are some other great security and privacy podcasts.
- Security Now! podcast – one of my major inspirations
- Techlore – great videos on security and privacy, plus their Go Incognito course
- All Things Secured – more great videos on security and privacy
- Schneier on Security – security expert Bruce Schneier’s excellent blog.
Web Tools & Apps
There’s been an explosion of websites and tools to help you secure your devices and protect your privacy. Lots of great options here.
- Privacy Guides – if you want to get serious about privacy, this is your go-to site
- The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Online Anonymity – dense but extremely comprehensive
- Signal messaging app – the gold standard for true end-to-end encrypted chat
- Security Planner – personalized security, privacy tips from Consumer Reports
- Operation Privacy – another custom security, privacy tool
- d20key – generate random passphrases
Books and Documentaries on Security & Privacy
The books here would make great gift ideas.
- Firewalls Don’t Stop Dragons (of course) – over 200 tips, written for non-technical people
- Your Face Belongs to Us by Kashmir Hill (my interview)
- Privacy is Power by Carissa Véliz (my review)
- Data and Goliath by Bruce Schneier (my review)
- The Social Dilemma (Netflix) – required watching if you use social media
- The Great Hack (Netflix) – about how social media was used to influence elections
- Terms and Conditions May Apply (Amazon Prime)
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