Since I started this, I have been asked a few times as to what the plugin was called that I mention on TV. Well, lets start off with my browser of choice. Firefox would be my first choice for surfing the internet for the simple reason that it has the most robust add-on system out there. But even with the thousands of add-ons available, I am always quick to point out one right away.<!–more–>

Force-TLS

This simple add-on takes a few seconds to install and does a fantastic job at preventing people from snooping on you. Transport Layer Security (TLS) is a protocol or method or securing communication over the internet.

The simple back story is that it was invented by Netscape in the 1990′s as a way to encrypt information over the ever growing internet.

What Force-TLS does is it attempts to connect to a secure version of the site you are visiting by going to the HTTPS version of the site. If it can, then it will remember that and always connect to the site securely. If it cannot connect securely it will serve up a regular unsecured HTTP page.

Force-TLS is free as is Firefox. I would recommend getting them if you don’t already use them.

Is your password on facebook the same as your Gmail password or your Hotmail password?

Chances are, yes. Admittedly as our human nature tells us to do, we like to take the path of least resistance. Choosing a common password that you use on every website is akin to taking the nicely paved bike path instead of the dirt path. Thinking of a new password for every site can be near impossible, unless you have an infallible photographic memory.

Personally I like to manage my passwords, software license keys and other secret information using a simple piece of software called 1Password ($30USD Windows , $40 Mac OS, and various prices for mobile devices. Free trials are available at the site). Think of it as safe for all your sticky notes that you write your passwords on. It’s good to note that 1Password uses 128-bit encryption that will safely lock away your passwords. It’s Windows, Mac, iOS, Android compatible so that you can carry your passwords with you where ever you are.

1Password is perfect when creating a new account, as it can generate and save a new, very random passwords and safely lock them away in the “safe”. All you have to remember is the master password that you set for 1Password. Another benefit of this program is that you can use cloud storage to keep you passwords(tightly locked away) on an online storage space from a free service from DropBox(referral). This online storage allows you to seamlessly synchronize your secured password between your computers, tablets and mobile smart phones.

Of course even application has its cons and I’m really trying hard to find some. I guess the lack of integration into Google Chrome is the smallest and only one I can think of right now.

I know that it may be hard to justify spending the money, but from a security point of view, sometimes you have to spend money in order to not lose money. Some of the products I use cost money in order to help me keep my information secure. There may be a free or open source product comparable to the software I mention, but in my experience I have not come across a free application that does all I need with little to no hassle. I’m thinking of people that don’t want to spend an hour configuring something when I’m considering software to recommend to my readers.

I would recommend that you at least give a free trial run of 1Password before ruling it out completely.

*Full disclosure I am not associated, paid by or asked to promote the product(s) mentioned in this article, unless otherwise stated. Products that I use are from personal experience and preferences.