Software protect internet privacy

This all comes at a more expensive price than the other internet security suites featured here, but the additional features and peace of mind are likely to be worth it for some people. Beyond the deluxe edition, you can upgrade to the Lifelock Select version which provides additional identity protection and credit rating monitoring as well as insurance provision in the event that your personal information is misused.

Firewall, real-time malware detection, speedy cloud-based scanning, URL filtering to block malicious websites: Panda Dome Essential antivirus has all the essentials — not to mention, the goodies — you'd expect from the best antivirus software. And, that's just the beginning. The interface will be a little bit decisive, too. With so many weird and wonderful features included, Panda Dome does a very capable job of making sure that they can all be accessed and you can go as in-depth as you need.

However, on the other hand, this might put off users who just want a quiet, simple antivirus package. One undoubted advantage here is the price - Panda Dome Essential is one of the best value programs out there. And, you even have the option of paying a little more and upgrading to cover an unlimited number of laptops, phones, tablets and desktops with a single subscription. Tor Browser is probably the best-known anonymous browsing tool out there, and it is described as a 'censorship circumvention tool'.

Tor Browser has a vast following in the online privacy and security communities. It works by bouncing your communication through numerous encrypted nodes on the internet, making it impossible to determine your location or other identifying information. Tor Browser employs complex technology, but is refreshingly accessible. It's based on the same code as Firefox, and guides you through the process of getting online one step at a time.

It uses different connection methods depending on what you're trying to achieve, but there's no need to understand the details because it's all taken care of for you. This combination of effective protection and ease of use makes Tor Browser the best free privacy software you can download today. If you'd like to find out more, read our full Tor Browser review. The free version of TunnelBear gives you up to MB of data each month, but if this isn't enough, unlimited data is available for a subscription.

Alternatively, you can pay around twice that to use on a month-by-month basis. Whether you go premium or stick with the free version, you can share a single account between up to five phones, tablets, Windows PCs or Macs. Configuration is incredibly simple, and TunnelBear's free privacy software can be used with any browser. It's probably the most accessible VPN tool there is, and is just about impossible not to recommend.

To find out more, check out our full TunnelBear review. Like all free web proxies, VPNBook keeps web logs, which it can use to report illegal activity, but these are deleted automatically after a week. It is a tremendously powerful tool, but you'll need to invest a little time and effort to get it up and running. Privoxy can be used in conjunction with just about any web browser, which is a big bonus; simply set the browser to run its traffic through the tool.

However, one of Privoxy's key features could also be a drawback for new users: it gives you very granular control over privacy settings, and configuring them is very much a manual process. There's a helpful quick start guide available, but it has the potential to be off-putting. That said, if you're happy to persevere, this free privacy software lets you set up advanced filters that will not only ensure you remain anonymous online, but also protect you against unwanted ads.

Windscribe is another multi-platform VPN tool in this list, where free users have access to one of the biggest data allowance in the business. The free plan offers 10GB if you register 2GB if you don't which for occasional use should be perfectly adequate. If not, there are paid plans that grant unlimited data and additional configuration options.

Configuration is simple as all you need to do is to click one button to turn the VPN on and you're good to go. Depending on your region, the software will automatically connect you to the best location, giving the impression that you're browsing from another country. The downside of using Windscribe free plan especially is that the connection speeds can be average and inconsistent.

Still, the pros outweigh the cons, so the service is well worth a try. For more information, read our full Windscribe review.

It'll also tell you which websites those trackers came from. To check that blocking is on, open Safari and click Preferences , then Privacy.

The box beside Prevent cross-site tracking should be checked. While you're there, you can also manually delete your cookies. Click Manage Website Data to see which sites have left their trackers and cookies hanging out in your browser.

Click Remove next to any of the individual trackers you're ready to get rid of, or just nuke the whole list by clicking Remove All at the bottom of your screen.

Cookies can be helpful, not just invasive, but for stronger privacy you can block them altogether -- both first-party cookies from the website publisher and third-party cookies from others like advertisers.

To do so, check the box beside Block all cookies. If you're still looking for another layer of privacy, you can also install helpful extensions from the App Store like AdBlock Plus or Ghostery Lite for Safari. Read more : Safari joins browsers that tell you who's trying to track you. Microsoft's Edge browser includes some simplified privacy and tracker blocking options on its Tracker prevention screen.

Within Edge, select the three dot menu icon in the top right corner and select Settings. From the menu that then appears on the left, select Privacy and services.

You'll be offered three settings to choose from: Basic, Balanced and Strict. By default, Edge uses the Balanced setting, which blocks trackers from sites you haven't visited while still being lenient enough to save most sites from some of the loading problems that may come with tighter security. Likewise, Edge's Strict setting may interfere with how some sites behave, but will block the greatest number of trackers. Even the Basic setting will still block trackers used for cryptomining and fingerprinting.

Read more: Microsoft Edge privacy settings to change right away. Firefox's default privacy settings are more protective than those of Chrome and Edge, and the browser has more privacy options under the hood, too. Friends may write about you or post photos of you and your family. Records of government agencies are searchable—for example, photos of your house and its value, your birth certificate, and copies of your signature. Church groups, clubs, and professional associations may reveal your full name, workplace, and donation history.

Companies and recruiters may use this information, which constitutes your online reputation, to gauge your suitability for a job. Criminals may use data about you online to target you for phishing scams, steal your identity, and to commit other crimes.

You can reduce your risk by following the advice in this article to protect your privacy online. Online information is searchable and often permanent. Unlike data stored on paper, however, powerful internet search engines and data aggregation tools can make it easy to pull data together to build a full profile of you. Once data is published online, it is effectively there forever and, depending on the privacy policy of the company holding the data, may ultimately be seen by anyone on the internet.

Sites may archive anything you have posted in addition to data they have collected from you. Friends or ex-friends may give your information out, or hackers and security lapses may expose it. For example, a link to the Microsoft Privacy Statement appears at the bottom of this and every page on support.

No privacy statement? Take your business elsewhere. Minimize details that identify you or your whereabouts. Only share your primary email address or Instant Message IM name with people you know or with reputable organizations. Avoid listing your address or name on internet directories and job-posting sites. Check app settings, especially on your phone. The next three freebies will do the work for you. You have plenty of passwords you use every month, for websites, ATMs, email services, and more.

Lock them away with KeePass , which hides them in an encrypted database so that only you can use them. In addition, the tool will create industrial-strength passwords for you, making it less likely that anyone will be able to break them.

Concerned about what might happen to your files and data if you lose your laptop? FreeOTFE can encrypt files and folders—or your entire hard disk—and then decrypt the data on the fly as you use it. If you have installed applications but neglected to regularly update and patch them, your computer may be at risk.