There are many impressive ways in which we can protect our home and contents from intruders, but as we use so many technological devices nowadays, it’s also important to safeguard our precious digital information. Today’s criminals have incredibly diverse and swift ways in which to steal your online data, many of which are very stealthy and you may have no idea you’ve been electronically attacked until several days later.
There are of course various precautions one can take when wanting to stay safe online – many of which are described here – but there are also some useful gadgets on the market that have highly complex ways of defending you and your online data. Here are some of the best:
Apricorn Aegis Secure Key 3.0
If you’re working on digital files that contain highly sensitive data, then storing these on your computer desktop or in the cloud will pose some security risks. For one, laptops can be stolen and it won’t take long for veteran hackers to find their way into your private documents stored on the hard drive. Secondly, storing documents in the cloud is convenient, yet some still distrust its overall security levels, as reports of cloud hacks are an all-too-common occurrence in the news.
So what can you use if you need to edit or send digital files? The Apricorn Aegis Secure Key 3.0 could be your answer. This pen drive is in the upper echelon of handheld security devices, as it can only be accessed by entering the correct alphanumeric code (7 to 16 digits long). Luckily, the code must be entered before you’ve inserted it into the device, which combats the use of hardware or software keyloggers (programs designed to break a code over time). As well as being dust and water resistant, the flash drive requires no software to set it up, can be used on any operating system, and is available in storage sizes from 8GB all the way to 480GB.
Silent Pocket RFID Wallet
While it might seem like a scenario out of a Mission: Impossible or James Bond movie, there are those who are able to steal your passport and credit card information – simply by using gadgets that are in close proximity to you. Modern IDs and credit cards contain an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) chip, which is responsible for holding all the personal and important information. Using NFC (Near Field Communication), criminals are able to use small handheld gadgets that can actually scan and save your personal data from close range.
However, for every sword there is a shield, and in this case it’s a range of wallets from Silent Pocket. Using a patent pending magnetic seal, this RFID wallet is able to block out any wireless signal from reaching your items with an RFID chip. Their products also include phone cases and travel bags.
Vysk EP1 Privacy Charging Case
If you’re a smartphone owner, then there are two things that will probably concern you: privacy and battery power. Luckily, this case (only for iPhones) from Vysk manages to solve both. Firstly, the thought of someone hacking into your phone and accessing your photos, videos, and text messages is an unpleasant scenario. These files are our own and should only be shared with those we trust, however, like most of today’s modern tech, smartphones are vulnerable to many threats, such as unsecured WiFi networks, malware via links in text messages, or a fake app downloaded in place of the real one.
Let’s say one of the above situations does occur, then it’s possible that hackers can see all your private information stored on your smartphone, as well as the ability to actually see through your phone’s camera. The EP1 Privacy Charging Case has the ability to provide a shutter in front of your camera when you’re not using it, so on the off chance you are hacked, no one will see a thing. Furthermore, the company’s Private Gallery app and Private Text app can be downloaded and installed on your iPhone, which adds extra protection to your media and texts. As for the charging side of things, the case can give your iPhone an extra 120% of battery power; helpful when you’re on the go and nowhere close to a power source.
