Thursday 14 January 2021

USE SIGNAL OVER WHATSAPP RIGHT NOW!!

 USE SIGNAL OVER WHATSAPP RIGHT NOW!!


 

Signal is used by journalists, activists, lawyers, researchers, dissidents, politicians, and security experts around the world. But here’s why you should be using Signal over WhatsApp, even if you only want to send the Wi-Fi password to your roommate or a photo of your nephew to your grandmother:

1. It isn’t owned by a big corporation

Signal Messenger LLC, which works under a non-profit (like Mozilla) called the Signal Foundation, was formed after Acton left the company and donated $50 million to Signal. The app is widely considered the gold standard for encrypted texting today.

Unlike WhatsApp, the Signal Foundation is a nonprofit, is not tied to any major tech companies, and can never be acquired by one. The development of the app is supported entirely by grants and donations from Signal users.

2. You know exactly what’s inside the app

Because of Signal’s privacy-first approach to every aspect of the app, and the fact that the source code (sort of like the ‘recipe’ to create an application) is publicly available. 

This means that experts around the world can take a look at Signal’s code and look for problems, ensuring they are fixed faster than other apps like Messenger and WhatsApp.

3. Everything is encrypted, including your GIFs

Secondly, Signal encrypts everything you could think of, including your profile photo, your voice and video calls, photos, attachments, stickers, and location pins. 

Have you ever searched for a GIF on WhatsApp? Your search terms are sent directly to GIPHY, which Facebook also owns. Signal works around this issue by searching for the GIF on their servers and sending it to your phone.

Also Read: Elon Musk broke Signal’s registration system with just one tweet

4. Securely back up your chats and keep your contacts on your device

Signal also doesn’t send unsecured backups of your messages to the cloud where they can be read by anyone, including Google and WhatsApp. Instead, they are stored in an encrypted database on your phone and only you hold the key. 

The app doesn’t even store your contacts on their server, using another privacy-friendly method to match you with your friends.

5. You’ll get the most privacy friendly features first

One of Signal’s oldest and most useful features is the one that lets you make messages disappear, something that only recently came to WhatsApp. Users can set a timer of anything between 10 seconds to a week and any messages older than that will simply vanish. 

One-time viewable media and messaging requests, other handy Signal features, simply don’t exist on WhatsApp.

6. Stop other apps on your phone from seeing what you type

Signal also has other features that simply don’t exist on other mainstream messaging platforms. One such feature is an Incognito Keyboard option that tells your keyboard not to learn from what you type on the app. Another setting on Signal for Android called the ‘Screen security’ will stop any app from looking into your Signal window and see what you’re typing, which is really neat.

To wrap things up, Signal is probably the only app you should be looking to if you want to ensure your messages stay between you and your friends. You can head over to signal.org and download the app from the App Store or the Google Play Store, then send the same link to your friends.

WHY YOU SHOULD STOP USING WHATSAPP RIGHTNOW!!

 

HERE ARE 6 REASONS YOU SHOULD STOP USING  WHATSAPP:

1. The App Misleads It’s Users

Most of WhatsApp chats are stored without encryption, which means that they aren’t necessarily private. However, the average user wouldn’t realize this based on the way that the app misleads the public. Unfortunately, because the program states it uses end-to-end encryption, it gives many users a sense of false security.

2. WhatsApp Puts User’s Private Data At Risk

WhatsApp actually encourages users to expose their private data to third-party sources. The program’s user interface is specifically designed to back up messages. Instead of getting a pop-up that asks whether or not you want to back up your information, this application simply asks how often you want to backup. While you can go into the settings and select that you “never” want this data to be backed up, most users will choose one of the first few options available and ultimately end up backing up all of their private information.

3. Most WhatsApp Messages Are Stored Unencrypted

A majority of WhatsApp messages are actually stored unencrypted. There is an even higher risk for iPhone users who store their chats in the cloud. This means messages are vulnerable to government requests. This is because there is a tighter iCloud integration for Apple’s users and the app has even more UI prompts for the iPhone.

4. Even your Deleted Messages Are At Risk

Even those who select “Clear All Chats” and decide to delete their messages aren’t necessarily safe from having their messages at risk. These deleted messages can still be read. The logs containing deleted messages are still sent to the iCloud and stored there forever. Yes, even messages you delete are still vulnerable to data requests.

5. Your Metadata Can Be Transferred to Facebook

In addition to having your messages at risk with WhatsApp, when you use the program, your metadata is also at risk. When the two companies made a $19 billion deal it unfortunately put many user’s information at risk. Metadata is information such as who you chat with, how often you chat and which group chats you are a member of. This information is stored by WhatsApp and it’s also easily transferred to Facebook. Even worse for users is that you can’t opt-out of this either.

6. Your Group Chats Are Almost Guaranteed to Be Stored in the Cloud

While most users don’t even realize it, when they start using group chats, there is an almost certainty, that their chat is going to be stored in the cloud and there is no way to opt out.

In three-person group chats through the messaging service, there is an 87.5% probability that the chat is being stored in the cloud, and the number increases with the more members that join the group chat. For groups of five members it is nearly 97% and for those with seven it is 99%. Simply put, there is virtually no such thing as encrypted group chats in WhatsApp.

Conclusion

With such a lackadaisical approach to keeping their customer data safe, WhatsApp has inadvertently put many people’s private information at risk. While the company has tried to convince the public that third parties can’t access these messages, they can in fact read you WhatsApp messages. Keep this important safety information in mind whenever you log on to use this program.

THEN WHAT IS THE ALTERNATIVE  OF USING WHATSAPP:

 

 

Sunday 10 January 2021

10 Most Important Cyber Security Tips for Your Users

 

SOURCE: https://www.cybintsolutions.com


Wednesday 6 January 2021

Latest Technology of 2021

 


Technology today is evolving at such a rapid pace, enabling faster change and progress, causing an acceleration of the rate of change, until eventually it will become exponential. However, it is not only technology trends and top technologies that are evolving, a lot more has changed this year due to the outbreak of COVID-19 making IT professionals realize that their role will not stay the same in the contactless world tomorrow. And an IT professional in 2020-21 will constantly be learning, unlearning and relearning (out of necessity if not desire).

What does this mean for you? It means staying current with new technology trends. And it means keeping your eyes on the future to know which skills you’ll need to know to secure a safe job tomorrow and even learn how to get there. All bows to the worldwide pandemic, most of the global IT population is sitting back, working from home. And if you wish to make the most of your time at home, here are top 10 new technology trends you should watch for and make an attempt at in 2021, and possibly secure one of the jobs that will be created by these new technology trends.

1. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning

Artificial Intelligence, or AI, has already received a lot of buzz in the past decade, but it continues to be one of the new technology trends because of its notable effects on how we live, work and play are only in the early stages. AI is already known for its superiority in image and speech recognition, navigation apps, smartphone personal assistants, ride-sharing apps and so much more.

Other than that AI will be used further to analyze interactions to determine underlying connections and insights, to help predict demand for services like hospitals enabling authorities to make better decisions about resource utilization, and to detect the changing patterns of customer behaviour by analyzing data in near real-time, driving revenues and enhancing personalized experiences.

The AI market will grow to a $190 billion industry by 2025 with global spending on cognitive and AI systems reaching over $57 billion in 2021.  With AI spreading its wings across sectors, new jobs will be created in development, programming, testing, support and maintenance, to name a few. On the other hand AI also offers some of the highest salaries today ranging from over $1,25,000 per year (machine learning engineer) to $145,000 per year (AI architect) - making it the top new technology trend you must watch out for!

Machine Learning the subset of AI, is also being deployed in all kinds of industries, creating a huge demand for skilled professionals. Forrester predicts AI, machine learning, and automation will create 9 percent of new U.S. jobs by 2025, jobs including robot monitoring professionals, data scientists, automation specialists, and content curators, making it another new technology trend you must keep in mind too!

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2. Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Like AI and Machine Learning, Robotic Process Automation, or RPA, is another technology that is automating jobs. RPA is the use of software to automate business processes such as interpreting applications, processing transactions, dealing with data, and even replying to emails. RPA automates repetitive tasks that people used to do. 

Although Forrester Research estimates RPA automation will threaten the livelihood of 230 million or more knowledge workers, or approximately 9 percent of the global workforce, RPA is also creating new jobs while altering existing jobs. McKinsey finds that less than 5 percent of occupations can be totally automated, but about 60 percent can be partially automated.

For you as an IT professional looking to the future and trying to understand new technology trends, RPA offers plenty of career opportunities, including developer, project manager, business analyst, solution architect and consultant. And these jobs pay well. An RPA developer can earn over ₹534K per year - making it the next technology trend you must keep a watch on!

3. Edge Computing

Formerly a new technology trend to watch, cloud computing has become mainstream, with major players AWS (Amazon Web Services), Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform dominating the market. The adoption of cloud computing is still growing, as more and more businesses migrate to a cloud solution. But it’s no longer the emerging technology trend. Edge is.

As the quantity of data organizations are dealing with continues to increase, they have realized the shortcomings of cloud computing in some situations. Edge computing is designed to help solve some of those problems as a way to bypass the latency caused by cloud computing and getting data to a datacenter for processing. It can exist “on the edge,” if you will, closer to where computing needs to happen. For this reason, edge computing can be used to process time-sensitive data in remote locations with limited or no connectivity to a centralized location. In those situations, edge computing can act like mini datacenters. 

Edge computing will increase as use of the Internet of Things (IoT) devices increases. By 2022, the global edge computing market is expected to reach $6.72 billion. And this new technology trend is only meant to grow and nothing less, creating various jobs, primarily for software engineers.

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4. Quantum Computing

Next remarkable technology trend is quantum computing, which is a form of computing that takes advantage of quantum phenomena like superposition and quantum entanglement. This amazing technology trend is also involved in preventing the spread of the coronavirus, and to develop potential vaccines, thanks to its ability to easily query, monitor, analyze and act on data, regardless of the source. Another field where quantum computing is finding applications is banking and finance, to manage credit risk, for high frequency trading and fraud detection.

Quantum computers are now a multitude times faster than regular computers and huge brands like Splunk, Honeywell, Microsoft, AWS, Google and many others are now involved in making innovations in the field of Quantum Computing. The revenues for the global quantum computing market are projected to surpass $2.5 billion by 2029. And to make a mark in this new trending technology, you need to have experience with quantum mechanics, linear algebra, probability, information theory, and machine learning.

5. Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality

The next exceptional technology trend - Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), and Extended Reality (ER). VR immerses the user in an environment while AR enhances their environment. Although this technology trend has primarily been used for gaming thus far, it has also been used for training, as with VirtualShip, a simulation software used to train U.S. Navy, Army and Coast Guard ship captains.

In 2021, we can expect these forms of technologies being further integrated into our lives. Usually working in tandem with some of the other new technologies we’ve mentioned in this list, AR and VR have enormous potential in training, entertainment, education, marketing, and even rehabilitation after an injury. Either could be used to train doctors to do surgery, offer museum goers a deeper experience, enhance theme parks, or even enhance marketing, as with this Pepsi Max bus shelter.

Fun fact: 14 million AR and VR devices were sold in 2019. The global AR and VR market is expected to grow to $209.2 billion by 2022, only creating more opportunities in the trending technology, and welcoming more professionals ready for this game-changing field. 

While some employers might look for optics as a skill-set, note that getting started in VR doesn’t require a lot of specialized knowledge - basic programming skills and a forward-thinking mindset can land a job; another reason why this new technology trend should make up to your list of lookouts!

6. Blockchain

Although most people think of blockchain technology in relation to cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, blockchain offers security that is useful in many other ways. In the simplest of terms, blockchain can be described as data you can only add to, not take away from or change. Hence the term “chain” because you’re making a chain of data. Not being able to change the previous blocks is what makes it so secure. In addition, blockchains are consensus-driven, so no one entity can take control of the data. With blockchain, you don’t need a trusted third-party to oversee or validate transactions.

Several industries are involving and implementing blockchain, and as the use of blockchain technology increases, so too does the demand for skilled professionals. From a birds eye view, a blockchain developer specializes in developing and implementing architecture and solutions using blockchain technology. The average yearly salary of a blockchain developer is ₹469K

If you are intrigued by Blockchain and its applications and want to make your career in this trending technology, then this is the right time to start. To get into Blockchain, you need to have hands-on experience of programming languages, the fundamentals of OOPS, flat and relational databases, data structures, web app development, and networking.

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7. Internet of Things (IoT)

Another promising new technology trend is IoT. Many “things” are now being built with WiFi connectivity, meaning they can be connected to the Internet—and to each other. Hence, the Internet of Things, or IoT. The Internet of Things is the future, and has already enabled devices, home appliances, cars and much more to be connected to and exchange data over the Internet.

As consumers, we’re already using and benefitting from IoT. We can lock our doors remotely if we forget to when we leave for work and preheat our ovens on our way home from work, all while tracking our fitness on our Fitbits. However, businesses also have much to gain now and in the near future. The IoT can enable better safety, efficiency and decision making for businesses as data is collected and analyzed. It can enable predictive maintenance, speed up medical care, improve customer service, and offer benefits we haven’t even imagined yet.

And we’re only in the beginning stages of this new technology trend: Forecasts suggest that by 2030 around 50 billion of these IoT devices will be in use around the world, creating a massive web of interconnected devices spanning everything from smartphones to kitchen appliances. The global spending on the Internet of Things (IoT) is forecast to reach 1.1 trillion U.S. dollars in 2022. New technologies such as 5G is expected to drive market growth in the coming years.

And if you wish to step foot in this trending technology, you will have to learn about Information security, AI and machine learning fundamentals, networking, hardware interfacing, data analytics, automation, understanding of embedded systems, and must have device and design knowledge.

8. 5G

The next technology trend that follows the IoT is 5G. Where 3G and 4G technologies have enabled us to browse the internet, use data driven services, increased bandwidths for streaming on Spotify or YouTube and so much more, 5G services are expected to revolutionize our lives. by enabling services that rely on advanced technologies like AR and VR, alongside cloud based gaming services like Google Stadia, NVidia GeForce Now and much more. It is expected to be used in factories, HD cameras that help improve safety and traffic management, smart grid control and smart retail too.

Just about every telecom company like Verizon, Tmobile, Apple, Nokia Corp, QualComm, are now working on creating 5G applications. 5G services are expected to launch worldwide in 2021 with more than 50 operators offering services in about 30 countries by the end of 2021, making it a new technology trend you must watch out for, and also save a spot in.

9. Cyber Security

Cyber security might not seem like an emerging technology, given that it has been around for a while, but it is evolving just as other technologies are. That’s in part because threats are constantly new. The malevolent hackers who are trying to illegally access data are not going to give up any time soon, and they will continue to find ways to get through even the toughest security measures. It’s also in part because new technology is being adapted to enhance security. As long as we have hackers, cybersecurity will remain a trending technology because it will constantly evolve to defend against those hackers.

As proof of the strong need for cybersecurity professionals, the number of cybersecurity jobs is growing three times faster than other tech jobs. Also, the need for proper cyber security is so high that by 2021, $6 trillion will be spent globally on cybersecurity.

You must note that however challenging the field is it also offers lucrative six-figure incomes, and roles can range from ethical hacker to security engineer to Chief Security Officer, offering a promising career path for someone who wants to get into and stick with this evergreen trending technology.

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Do These Five Things To Keep Your Heart Healthy

 


You know that exercise and a good diet can keep your heart healthy. But what else can you do to keep your ticker going strong? Here, cardiothoracic surgeon Marc Gillinov, MD, recommends five key things you need to do every day to help your heart work most efficiently. Incorporate these habits into your lifestyle and your heart health will be the best it can be for you.

  1. Eat healthy fats, NOT trans fats. We need fats in our diet, including saturated and polyunsaturated and unsaturated fats. One fat we don’t need is trans fat, which is known to increase your risk of developing heart disease or having a stroke over a lifetime. This is because trans fat clogs your arteries by raising your bad cholesterol levels (LDL) and lowering your good cholesterol levels (HDL). By cutting them from your diet, you improve the blood flow throughout your body. So, what are trans fats? They are industry-produced fats often used in packaged baked goods, snack foods, margarines and fried fast foods to add flavor and texture. TIP: Read the labels on all foods. Trans fat appears on the ingredients list as partially hydrogenated oils. Look for 0 percent trans fat. Make it a point to avoid eating foods with trans fat.
  2. Practice good dental hygiene, especially flossing your teeth daily. Dental health is a good indication of overall health, including your heart, because those who have periodontal (gum) disease often have the same risk factors for heart disease. Studies continue on this issue, but many have shown that bacteria in the mouth involved in the development of gum disease can move into the bloodstream and cause an elevation in C-reactive protein, a marker for inflammation in the blood vessels. These changes may in turn, increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. TIP: Floss and brush your teeth daily to ward off gum disease. It’s more than cavities you may have to deal with if you are fighting gum disease.
  3. Get enough sleep. Sleep is an essential part of keeping your heart healthy. If you don’t sleep enough, you may be at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease no matter your age or other health habits. One study looking at 3,000 adults over the age of 45 found that those who slept fewer than six hours per night were about twice as likely to have a stroke or heart attack as people who slept six to eight hours per night. Researchers believe sleeping too little causes disruptions in underlying health conditions and biological processes, including blood pressure and inflammation. TIP: Make sleep a priority. Get 7 to 8 hours of sleep most nights. If you have sleep apnea, you should be treated as this condition is linked to heart disease and arrhythmias.
  4. Don’t sit for too long at one time. In recent years, research has suggested that staying seated for long periods of time is bad for your health no matter how much exercise you do. This is bad news for the many people who sit at sedentary jobs all day. When looking at the combined results of several observational studies that included nearly 800,000 people, researchers found that in those who sat the most, there was an associated 147 percent increase in cardiovascular events and a 90 percent increase in death caused by these events. In addition, sitting for long periods of time (especially when traveling) increases your risk of deep vein thrombosis (a blood clot). TIP: Experts say it’s important to move throughout the day. Park farther away from the office, take a few shorter walks throughout the day and/or use a standing work station so you can move up and down. And remember to exercise on most days.
  5. Avoid secondhand smoke like the plague. Studies show that the risk of developing heart disease is about 25 to 30 percent higher for people who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work. According to the American Heart Association, exposure to tobacco smoke contributes to about 34,000 premature heart disease deaths and 7,300 lung cancer deaths each year. And nonsmokers who have high blood pressure or high blood cholesterol have an even greater risk of developing heart disease when they’re exposed to secondhand smoke. This is because the chemicals emitted from cigarette smoke promote the development of plaque buildup in the arteries. TIP: Be firm with smokers that you do not want to be around environmental smoke — and keep children away from secondhand smoke. 

Follow these five tips and you’ll be doing your heart a favor. You’ll feel better and be able to stay active with a heart-healthy lifestyle.

10 Reasons To Buy An Xbox 360

 


Gamers and techies have waited with bated breath for advancements and innovations in gaming. To set the pulse racing and the mind thinking one needs to be challenged. This has become possible by computer technology and the wonderful world of gaming. Just as adventures and wars would have done in yester years these days it is technology that offers to quench the thirst for adventure. Microsoft has created a challenge in the form of the Xbox 360– a visionary, super powerful, multimedia console that brings to you the GenX gaming world. Of course, the markets being competitive present so many choices.

If you need to be convinced here are a few reasons why you must buy the Xbox360.

1. There are games galore for the thirsty. Kameo elements of power, Project Gotam 3, Perfect dark Zero, and many more. All unique, with great effects and gaming wizardry.

2. The Xbox360 has wireless controllers as well as internet connectivity. The premium pack presents great delights offering freedom of movement and a superb range of over 30 feet. Ergonomically designed the controller has skip wires, tangles and boomerangs.

3. With an aim to please even the most discerning palate, the Xbox360 has an amazing variety of games. Some are exclusively designed for the box like Condemned, and Dead or Alive. Titles that have been widely acknowledge by expert gamers are: Call of Duty 2, Project Gotham Racing 3, Kameo, King Kong, and Condemned.

4. Amazing and most welcome is the fact that over 200 Xbox games will be backwardly compatible with the Xbox360.

5. Xbox 360 brings with it the arcade marketplace. Imagine free games, cheap games, and addictive non-stop games. The possibilities are endless and thrilling.

6. The Graphics are stupendous and bring to life the games in virtual reality. Xbox360 has three 3.2 GH processors that run with a 500MhzATI graphics processor. Whewlets bow to power.

7. Endless possibilities with the Xbox360. Games, CDs, movies and customized music. It even connects to the Microsoft media center for a complete media sensation. You can let your creativity and innovativeness take wing.

8. The Xbox 360 is more than an everyday console. It is interactive and you can buy many things like bonus levels, episodic content, gamer specials, and gamer tag images. You can download demos, and bonus packs from game developers. A live platform with no limits marketplace for developers and publishers.

9. The Xbox360 is a keeper of records. It creates history. The gamer card becomes your identity with name, image, scores, games you like, and your aims and mottos. This takes online fraternities a step closer to one another.

10. Fulfils many dreams and fantasies. The games are the best, interesting, mind stimulating, and exciting. The Xbox 360 takes the gaming world forwards and offers options like downloads, online plays, movies, as well as a touch button marketplace for games.

The Xbox360 is a must for serious gamers. It indicates your dedication as a gamer and reflects your tastes and reputation in the cyber gaming universe. Opens up endless possibilities and takes you to the next generation gaming delights.

How to keep Facebook Account Secure?

 


If you’ve been using Facebook for a few years, then you know your account contains a veritable treasure trove of information that thieves would just love to mine. It may go without saying, but firmly securing your Facebook account is going to go a long way towards protecting you from exposing a big chunk of your personal life to unsavory elements.

Thankfully, Facebook has a lot of tools for securing your account. Here’s what you should do.

Choose a Strong Password

Let’s start with one of the most important things: choosing a strong password. Your password is the first and often best security mechanism for keeping invaders at bay, so take care here. Make sure it is long (12 to 14 characters or longer), a mix of characters, and contains no personal information, since those can be easily can be socially engineered.

RELATED: Why You Should Use a Password Manager, and How to Get Started

Most importantly, though, don’t use this password anywhere else on the internet. You should use a different password for every single account you have, and ideally, they’d all be random strings of characters. That’s why using a password generator and manager like LastPass is, by far, the best way to secure all your accounts.

Lastly, beware of attempts by others to obtain your password through nefarious methods. Don’t follow untrusted links, such as those sent in e-mails, that ask you to enter your password.

Got all that? Good. Let’s change your password to something more secure. All the settings we’ll refer to in this article can be accessed using a web browser by clicking the little arrow in the upper right corner and choosing “Settings” from the drop-down menu, so do that now.

 

Use Login Approvals

Believe it or not, a strong password is not enough to really secure your account. These days, it’s just as important to turn on a security feature known as two-factor authentication—which Facebook calls “Login Approvals”.

RELATED: What Is Two-Factor Authentication, and Why Do I Need It?

The principle behind it is simple: You sign in with something you know (your password), and something you have—which is usually your phone. After entering your password, Facebook will send a code to your phone that you type in on the site, to confirm that you are who you say you are. That way, if someone found out your password, they still wouldn’t be able to log in without also having your phone. You can get this code as a text message, or through an authentication app on your phone like Google Authenticator or Authy. You can read more about two-factor authentication, and why it’s so important, here.

This feature—again, called “Login Approvals” on Facebook—can be enabled from Settings > Security > Login Approvals. Check the box next to “Require a login code to access my account from unknown browsers”.

Next time you log in, you’ll be prompted for your approval code, which should be sent to your phone.

After entering your code, you will be asked if you want to store that browser so you don’t have to enter an approval code next time you log into Facebook using that browser.

This feature can be disabled at any time in the Login Approvals settings. We recommend, however, that you leave them on and get used to using them. It’s an essential security feature of just about every service these days.

Note: if you’re trying to log into another app with your Facebook account, but it doesn’t support Login Approval codes, you can use a one-time app password from the “App Passwords” option in Facebook’s security settings.

Enable Login Alerts and See Who’s Logged Into Your Account

Strong passwords and Login Approvals are the two best ways to truly secure your Facebook account, but there are other methods you can employ to give you peace of mind. Login Alerts are one such tool. You’ll find them under Settings > Security > Login Alerts.

You can either choose to get a notification on Facebook, over email, or as a text message. The next time anyone logs in from an unrecognized device or browser, you’ll be notified.

This is also a good time to see what machines are logged into your Facebook account. If there are any you don’t recognize, you can log them out remotely. (Chances are, you’ll only see your own machines here, but you can never be too careful).

Head to Settings > Security > Where You’re Logged In, and click “End Activity” for any unfamiliar devices or locations. If you don’t want to go through and review every session on the list, click “End All Activity” to log out from all devices on the list.

You don’t need to save any changes with this step, once you end activity for a session, it’s done.

Note: if you log out from a session, you’ll still be able to log in on that machine without entering a Login Approval code. You can revoke access for any Login Approvals—say, if your laptop or phone gets stolen—from “Recognized Devices” in the Security settings. Just Remove any browser or device that you’ve previously approved, then click “Save Changes”. The next time that device tries to log in, they’ll need a Login Approval code again.

Audit the Apps that Have Permission to Access Your Facebook Account

Other apps can have access to your Facebook account, too. This is what allows you to use Facebook chat in your desktop chat app, or see Facebook posts in Flipboard. But these apps are like dust bunnies—they just seem to multiply in great numbers over time. Head to Settings > Apps and take some time to remove anything that looks suspicious or you no longer use.

To remove an app, just hover over it and click the “X” on the right-hand side.

Alternatively, you can click the “Edit” button (right next to the Remove button) to change what information you provide to an app.

At the bottom of the Apps Settings screen, you can change settings for a number of different items.

Screen Shot 2017-01-05 at 11.09.44 PM

Here’s what each of these settings means.

Apps, Websites and Plugins

Turning this off will disable Facebook integration with third-party apps, websites, and plugins entirely. That means you won’t be able to do stuff like log in with your Facebook account from websites or applications, games, and other things.

Click the “Edit” button to learn more and to disable this feature.

Game App Notifications

Hate getting notifications from friends who play games and want you to play games too? Turn those off here.

Apps Others Use

When you connect an app to your account, it can sometimes see information about your friends. Thus, when your friends use apps, they can sometimes see information about you. Click Edit on this section to change what your friends’ apps can see about you.

These categories all appear to be an opt-in type of deal—so you can safely leave them unchecked—but it never hurts to know what’s what.

Old Versions of Facebook for Mobile

This setting controls the privacy of anything you post using old, outdated versions of the Facebook mobile app. Basically, if you’re not using a BlackBerry or some other dinosaur of a device, you don’t have to worry about this.

Peruse the Rest of the Security Settings

The settings we’ve highlighted so far are the most important settings everyone should use. The rest of the security settings are up to you, but it’s worth going through and checking out which might be useful for you.

Trusted Contacts

Hopefully you’ll never get locked out of your Facebook account. If you’re using a password manager (like we recommended above—you set one up, right? Do it now!), you’ll never forget your password. And even if you do, you can always reset your password…as long as you have access to your email account.

RELATED: How to Use Facebook Trusted Contacts to Gain Access to Your Locked Account

If, for some reason, you lose access to all those things, Facebook’s “Trusted Contacts” feature can help, as long as you set it up ahead of time. Trusted Contacts allows you to pick three to five friends you can call if you can’t access your account. They then will give you the codes necessary to get back in.

Just head to “Your Trusted Contacts” on the security settings page to set this up.

Be sure to give your trusted contacts a heads up that you’re using them, and if anything ever goes down, they should make sure that it’s you calling before handing over the keys to your account.

Public Key

Most users won’t use this, but if you’re interested in encrypting notification e-mails “end-to-end” from Facebook, you can add your OpenPGP public key with this option.

This may be a little advanced, and perhaps you don’t even receive notification e-mails, but if you do, and you want to encrypt them, then you can learn more about it.

Profile Picture Login

This is a newer feature that Facebook introduced, which lets you just click your profile picture in lieu of typing your password.

Thus, anyone with access to your browser can click on your picture and log into your account. This is probably a bad idea, so we don’t really recommend turning this on.

Legacy Contact

RELATED: How to Set Your Facebook Account to Delete or Memorialize You Upon Your Death

Ever wonder what happens to your Facebook when you die? That’s what Legacy Contacts are for. You set someone (like a spouse or family member) as your legacy contact, and if you die, they can do stuff like pin posts to your Timeline, respond to friend requests, and update your profile picture. They cannot post anything to your Timeline or view your messages.

The legacy contact option is important because once you’re gone, hackers can potentially access your account and you won’t be around to prevent or respond to intrusions.

Alternatively, you can choose to have your account deleted upon your demise.

Deactivate Your Account

This deactivate option is typically used to give you a break from Facebook, but is also useful if your account is hacked. It’s simple enough, just click “Deactivate”, enter your password, and read through the instructions to go through with it.


Lastly, don’t neglect basic, general security practices either.  If you log into your account from a public computer or on someone else’s device, make sure you always log out and, if you can, clear the history when you’re done (or, better yet, use the browser’s private mode). Never leave yourself logged into your account, even if you walk away for just a few seconds. Make sure your computer and browser are always up to date, and have good virus and malware protection installed at all times.

Of course, this is all about keeping intruders out of your account. But if you’re also worried about your privacy on Facebook, that’s another topic entirely. Check out some of the stuff we’ve done in the past—you can rein in posts you’re tagged in, block people from posting on your timeline, and even make all your old Facebook posts more private. Want to clean up some embarrassing things from your Facebook past? Here’s a little trick for doing so. Be sure to peruse all of the “Privacy” options in Facebook’s settings to see everything you can do.



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