Category: privacy

How to Use Raspberry Pi as a VPN Gateway

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) protects your privacy by routing all your Internet traffic through an encrypted server that your ISP (or hackers) can’t see. Setting up and using a log-free VPN service from your PC desktop is straightforward enough, but other devices in your home such as your game console and set-top box don’t let you install VPN software.

One solution is to buy a router that can connect directly to a VPN service, protecting all the traffic on your home network a single stroke. But it could be cheaper (and simpler) just to route all your traffic through a Raspberry Pi that remains connected to the VPN at all times.

Source: How to Use Raspberry Pi as a VPN Gateway – Tom’s Hardware

Two pages to enhance Firefox privacy

Here are two pages to visit to safeguard your privacy when using Firefox. Please BE CAREFUL when making changes such as these; you probably do not want to make every single change shown because if you do, you may experience unintended consequences, and may possibly even “break” certain web sites:

1. Firefox Privacy – The Complete How-To Guide

Mozilla Firefox is arguably the best browser available that combines strong privacy protection features, good security, active development, and regular updates. The newest version of Firefox is fast, light-weight, and packed full of great settings to protect your privacy.

It is for this reason that I consider Firefox to be the best all-around browser for privacy and security. It remains a solid alternative to some of the other options, such as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Safari.

Another great aspect of Firefox is that it is highly customizable, which is the point of this guide. Below we will go over how you can customize Firefox to give you the security and privacy you desire, while still working well for day-to-day browsing.

Source: Firefox Privacy – The Complete How-To Guide (Restore Privacy)

2. Privacy/Privacy Task Force/firefox about config privacy tweeks

Firefox: Privacy Related “about:config” Tweaks

This is a collection of privacy related about:config tweaks. We’ll show you how to enhance the privacy of your Firefox browser.

Source: Privacy/Privacy Task Force/firefox about config privacy tweeks (Mozilla Wiki)

How To Set Up an OpenVPN Server on Ubuntu 18.04

OpenVPN is a full-featured, open-source Secure Socket Layer (SSL) VPN solution that accommodates a wide range of configurations. In this tutorial, you will set up an OpenVPN server on an Ubuntu 18.04 server and then configure access to it from Windows, macOS, iOS and/or Android. This tutorial will keep the installation and configuration steps as simple as possible for each of these setups.

Source: How To Set Up an OpenVPN Server on Ubuntu 18.04 | DigitalOcean

How to Clear the Google Chrome DNS Cache

Flushing your DNS cache can help to fix host connection problems you may experience when accessing some web pages. To get a better Internet access performance, Google built a caching system, not only for site content but DNS as well. So yes, Google Chrome does have a built-in internal DNS caching system – a hidden feature that allows users to manually clear out the Chrome DNS host cache from within the browser itself.

Flushing out the Chrome DNS cache can prove useful, especially when you have changed the DNS settings. If clearing out the DNS cache from the operating system level does not fix the host connection problems, clearing up Chrome’s own DNS cache should do the trick.

This article will show you step by step how to clear the Chrome DNS cache.

Source: How to Clear the Google Chrome DNS Cache – Make Tech Easier

The Ultimate Firefox Privacy & Security Guide

Online privacy and security are constantly under assault. It seems like every day there’s a new threat to your personal information. Choosing and configuring the right web browser goes a long way in protecting yourself. Right now Firefox is the best option for that. It’s open source, gives you tons of options for control, and has all of the privacy and security add-ons you’ll need.

This guide is as complete as it can be at the time of writing. These are ever-evolving topics, and threats continue to change. Regardless, this guide will give you a good basis to protect yourself from common threats.

Source: The Ultimate Firefox Privacy & Security Guide – Make Tech Easier

How to Block Bad Websites

With the amount of malware currently prowling the internet it’s becoming increasingly important to protect your computer. Therefore I’ve separated my advice on how to stay safe online into two main sections. The first is the methods that I believe anyone from a novice to an expert user can use. The other section is aimed more at intermediate to advanced users. These methods may be more difficult to use, but your computer will be more secure.  

Source: How to Block Bad Websites | Gizmo’s Freeware

Keep local Instant Messages on your local network with BeeBEEP (Secure Lan Messenger)

When you want to send an instant message to someone else that’s on the same local network as you are, whether that be another family member or a co-worker in your office, why use an offsite chat server that leaves your messages open to interception by the company running the chat server or some other third party? This software will allow you to keep your local IM’s in your local network, and for added safety it also encrypts them! Plus, it supports multiple operating systems, unlike the proprietary chat client that might have come with your computer. It’s NOT for chatting with people elsewhere on the internet; if you need to set up secure connections with offsite chat clients then you may need to set up a private Prosody IM server. But for secure IM chats with people on your local network, this looks like just the thing!

What is BeeBEEP?

BeeBEEP is an open source, peer to peer, lan messenger developed by Marco Mastroddi. You can talk and share files with all the people inside your local area network such of an office, home or internet cafe. You don’t need a server, just download, unzip and start it. Simple, fast and secure.

Main Features:

  • Free: BeeBEEP is free and always will be.
  • Multiple OS: there are releases for Windows, MacOSX, Linux, OS/2 and eComStation.
  • Easy to use: BeeBEEP is a serverless application. Download, unzip and start.
  • Secure: encryption based on Rijndael Algorithm (AES).
  • Instant Messaging: chat with all people connected, group or single user.
  • Groups: create your favorite group of people.
  • P2P: send or share your files and folders (also by drag and drop).
  • Offline messages: messages will be delivered to offline users when they will be online.
  • Message History: all messages can be saved.

    • Source: BeeBEEP (Secure Lan Messenger)