How to check if your email has been in a data breach
It seems like every other week we hear about another massive data breach at a major company. Whether it’s a social media giant, a retail chain, or even a credit bureau, these leaks often include sensitive information like names, passwords, and—most commonly—email addresses. If you’ve been using the internet for more than a few years, there is a very high probability that your email address has been included in at least one of these breaches.
Finding out if your data is “out there” isn’t just about satisfying curiosity; it’s a vital part of maintaining your digital security. When hackers get a list of emails and passwords from one site, they often try those same combinations on hundreds of other sites, a technique called “credential stuffing.” Knowing which of your accounts might be compromised allows you to change your passwords before someone else uses them against you.
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How to securely share a password with someone
We’ve all been there: a friend needs the Netflix login, or a coworker needs access to a shared project account. Your first instinct might be to fire off a quick text message or an email, but that’s one of the riskiest things you can do with your digital security. When you send a password in plain text, it stays in your “sent” folder, their “inbox,” and potentially on every server in between.
Sharing a password doesn’t have to be a security nightmare. By using the right tools, you can ensure that your credentials get where they need to go without leaving a digital paper trail for hackers to find later.
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How to spot a phishing email (with examples)
We’ve all been there: you’re clearing out your inbox when you see an urgent message from your bank, Amazon, or even your boss. It looks real, it sounds important, and it’s asking you to “click here” to fix a problem immediately. This is the classic setup for a phishing attack, one of the most common ways people lose control of their digital lives.
Phishing isn’t about complex hacking into your computer; it’s about hacking you. By creating a sense of urgency or fear, scammers hope you’ll skip the critical thinking part of your brain and hand over your passwords or credit card numbers. The good news is that once you know what to look for, these emails are actually quite easy to spot.
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How to tell if a website is secure
When you’re browsing the web, it’s easy to feel like you’re in a bit of a digital Wild West. One minute you’re reading a recipe, and the next you’re on a page asking for your email address or credit card details. Knowing how to tell if a website is secure isn’t just for tech experts—it’s a basic survival skill for anyone using the internet today.
The good news is that while scammers are getting smarter, browsers and security tools are getting better at helping us stay safe. You don’t need to be a cybersecurity pro to spot the difference between a legitimate site and a trap. Usually, it just takes a few seconds of looking at the right places to know if you should stay or run.
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Local backup vs. cloud backup: Pros, cons, and why you need both
Choosing how to back up your digital life used to be simple: you bought an external drive, plugged it in, and hoped for the best. Today, the choice between local and cloud backups can feel like a philosophical debate about ownership versus convenience. The truth is that neither is perfect on its own, and understanding their strengths is the first step toward never losing a file again.
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