Recommended Apps

Child and Family Safety

• Covenant Eyes – Internet accountability for the whole family.
• Google Family Link – If your child uses an Android device, this is a very handy way to establish parental controls and set limits.

Communication

Email

• Gmail – Provides a full-featured suite of tools and is encrypted, except for on premises at Google. I would use this at minimum and ProtonMail for everything you want more private or secure.
• ProtonMail – email that is encrypted end-to-end without ads and has advanced privacy and security features. Unfortunately, it is not a full Google suite replacement as it does not have calendaring, docs, etc…Yet.

Messaging

• Wire – cross-platform end-to-end encrypted messaging, phone, video with advanced privacy, security, and downright fun features. Does not do SMS at this time. View in Android or Apple stores.

Text/SMS

• Signal – cross-platform end-to-end encrypted texting/SMS. This fills the gap where Wire is lacking. View in Android or Apple stores.

Content Filtering (safe web browsing)

• OpenDNS – sends web site name requests to their servers first for fast lookup and content check. Free and relatively simple to setup.
• DuckDuckGo – Private, secure, fast, and good results
• uBlock Origin – Efficient and effective ad blocker. Link for Chrome is here. Firefox is here. IE here.

Packet Capture Tools

• Cloudshark – web-based packet capture repository, tagging system, and more
• Fiddler – debugs web apps
• Sonar – insert marker(s) into capture file
• Wireshark – the standard in packet capture software

Security and Privacy

• Mike Bazzell’s links: https://privacy-training.com/links.html

  He is a leading expert in the field and has one of the best lists of security and privacy related links I’ve found. Much of what I recommend on this site comes from his writings and community.

Browsing

• webkay – Great way to test what sites can learn about you through your browser.

Password Management

• KeePass – Most secure way to manage your passwords. Also performs password generation and auto fill and is free. It’s available on most platforms.
• LastPass – Web based password manager with a proven track record of strong encryption and security.
• VPNMentor – web based password generator

Storage / Backup

Online (Cloud)

I personally don’t trust anything Microsoft, Google, or Apple for my personal files, data, photos, etc.

• CrashPlan – Unlimited data. Limited number of devices. (Business plan only now)
• Carbonite – Unlimited data. Pay extra for more devices.
• iDrive – 5 GB free / 1TB Personal. Backs up all of your devices (including mobile). Has a “sync” drive like dropbox that is free with your plan and doubles your storage.
• NextCloud – A well-maintained and feature-rich fork of OwnCloud.
• OwnCloud – Host your own “cloud” storage on your PC or server at home. Requires some technical skill, but the reward is private and secure storage.

more to come…