Frequently Asked Questions

A VPN encrypts your connection and routes it through an additional server. It's especially useful on public Wi-Fi networks and rules out eavesdroppers between you and the internet. At home with a secure connection it's less urgent. Tip, no ads, no paid recommendation: Mullvad and Proton VPN are considered especially privacy friendly, among other things because they ask for little to no account information from you.

Updates close known security holes in the operating system, apps, and browser. Attackers exploit exactly these holes. Turn on automatic updates so you don't miss an important security fix.

It requires a second proof besides your password, for example a code from an app on your smartphone. Even if your password gets stolen, an attacker can't get into your account without this second factor.

Length protects more than complexity. Use at least 12 characters, ideally a passphrase made of several random words. Use a separate password for every account, so a stolen password doesn't put every account at risk.

Phishing messages create time pressure. They threaten account suspension or promise a prize. Check the sender address carefully. Hover your mouse over links without clicking. Never enter login details through a link from a message.

Save important files regularly on external storage or in an encrypted cloud service, separate from your main device. That way you won't lose important data after a hardware failure, theft, or a ransomware attack.

Three things protect your smartphone the most: a lock screen with a PIN, pattern, or biometrics. Checking app permissions and only granting what's needed. Installing apps only from the official app store.

A password manager creates and stores long, unique passwords for every account for you. You only need to remember one master password, the rest runs automatically. That's much safer than remembering a few passwords and reusing them. Tip, no ads, no paid recommendation: Bitwarden and KeePassXC are well known, open source examples that let you get started for free.

Often not. A laptop usually doesn't get slow because the hardware is broken, but because a newer operating system demands more memory and processing power over time than it used to need. An old Windows laptop that has become noticeably sluggish often runs smoothly again with a lightweight Linux distribution like Kubuntu or Linux Mint, because Linux generally uses resources more sparingly. That saves not just money on a new device, but also electronic waste, using a device longer is more environmentally sensible than replacing it. Before you get rid of a device, switching its operating system can well be worth trying first.

The Free Software Foundation Europe is a nonprofit organization founded in 2001 that advocates for free software in Europe, meaning software everyone is allowed to use, study, change, and share. It's the European sister organization of the American Free Software Foundation, but independent from it. It's known, among other things, for the "Public Money, Public Code" campaign, which calls for software funded with public money to also be open source. More information is available at fsfe.org.

Malware that disguises itself as a useful or harmless program to get you to install it. Only afterward does it reveal its actual, harmful function. The name comes from the Trojan Horse in Greek mythology.

Phishing via SMS or messenger message, often with a link to a fake package delivery or bank website. The same rules apply as with phishing by email.

Malware that secretly collects data, such as keystrokes, visited websites, or location data, and forwards this information to third parties without you noticing.

Unusually high system load or unfamiliar processes can be hints, but detection is never guaranteed. An up to date virus scan, a good backup, and current software lower the risk from the start.

Both encrypt messages end to end, but WhatsApp collects significantly more metadata and belongs to Meta. Signal is run as a nonprofit, deliberately collects as little about you as possible, and makes its code public. I myself switched from WhatsApp to Signal for exactly these privacy and security reasons.

One time codes you get when setting up two factor sign in, for the case that you lose your smartphone. Keep them printed out or in a password manager, without them you can otherwise get locked out of your account in an emergency.

The sum of all the traces you leave behind on the internet, from posts on social networks to visited websites. Being deliberate about it helps you avoid revealing more than you actually want to.

There's no blanket better, only different strengths. Windows scores on compatibility with games and many company programs. Linux scores on control, transparency through open source code, and less background data collection. My server runs Linux, and so does my own computer, I only use Windows there when needed, inside a virtual machine.

IoT stands for Internet of Things and refers to devices that communicate over the internet on their own, such as smart home devices, connected cameras, or sensors. These devices are essentially small computers, which makes them just as vulnerable, often even easier to attack, since updates are installed less often than on a PC or smartphone. Change the default password on every IoT device and keep its firmware up to date.

The Flipper Zero is a portable multi-tool for IT security research. It can analyze and test radio signals, NFC and RFID cards, and infrared remote controls. It's mainly used to check the security of your own access systems, for example whether a doorbell or garage door is easy to imitate. Important: it should only be used on your own devices or with explicit permission, testing other people's systems without authorization is illegal. Some countries also have import restrictions on the device.

A virtual machine is a complete, simulated computer that runs as a program inside your actual operating system. It lets you, for example, use Windows inside Linux, without restarting your computer or needing a second hard drive. It's handy for testing a program that only exists for one specific operating system, or for trying something out safely, a mistake inside the virtual machine has no effect on the actual system.

Chat Control is the common name for an EU legislative proposal that would require messenger providers to automatically scan messages for certain illegal content, even when the messages are end to end encrypted. Supporters see it as an important tool against the spread of child abuse material. Critics, including many IT security experts, warn that such scanning is technically only possible by weakening the encryption itself, which would reduce security for all users. The proposal hasn't been finally decided yet, and the state of negotiations keeps changing.

Age verification refers to methods platforms like porn sites or social networks use to determine a user's age, for example through ID upload, credit card checks, or camera based face age estimation. Supporters see it as important protection for minors. Critics worry about new privacy risks, since sensitive ID or biometric data often ends up with third party providers, who could themselves become the target of a data breach. Both concerns, protecting minors and protecting privacy, are legitimate, and a balance between the two is still being worked out.

My own server lets me try out things that are hard to recreate on a normal laptop, like running my own services and understanding how a system works in continuous operation. For me it's mainly a learning tool where I practice server administration hands on.

I'm still right at the beginning of my IT career and want to gain hands on experience instead of just reading theory. This website is my way of directly applying, documenting, and at the same time understandably passing on what I've learned to other beginners.