• dangblingus@lemmy.dbzer0.com
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    3
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    9 months ago

    Don’t download shady exes, run ublock origin, force https, use a vpn, and reroute your DNS lookups. It’s super easy to not download viruses and malware.

    • pivot_root@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      15
      ·
      9 months ago

      I agreed with you up to the “use a vpn” part. That’s just wasting money and adding extra steps for the sake of paranoia.

      If you’re using SSL/TLS and not blindly bypassing invalid certificate warnings, you’re not going to have your device or accounts compromised by the hacker boogeyman.

        • pivot_root@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          9
          ·
          edit-2
          9 months ago

          You have a good reason to use a VPN: bypassing region restrictions (or piracy). The people subscribed to a VPN service for security reasons usually don’t*.

          * Excluding those living under a censorship heavy government.

        • psud@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          2
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          9 months ago

          They hide your browsing from your ISP (and probably your government)

          They hide your origin and substitute another for web sites.

          I’d say a VPN is only useful to people engaging in crime, or things that look like crime and those buying services that are priced differently around the world

          That provide no protection against things you might click on

          • Chriswild@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            2
            ·
            9 months ago

            There are far more uses for a VPN. For instance if I want to access my NAS while outside my home.

            • psud@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              1
              ·
              9 months ago

              Sure, but that’s not generally a thing the commercial VPNs offer, and I thought we were talking about commercial VPNs

              • Chriswild@lemmy.world
                link
                fedilink
                arrow-up
                1
                ·
                9 months ago

                But some VPNs do provide you a little protection on things you might click on. Ublock and not being a dummy will get you around most of that use but for general users it is more safe.