How to opt out of ad tracking online: A complete guide

• July 24, 2014

We often talk about privacy here at Getting Things Tech and one of the things we are talking about when we say privacy is the massive data collection that goes on as a means to sell more effective advertising. There are pros and cons to this and we generally consent because we are assured that it lets things stay free.

However, when we know the extent to which the NSA and other intelligence organizations are gaining access to any stores of data, it might just make sense to disallow anyone from gathering personal information online, even if it is “just” to target you with ads.

How Bitcoin works: An introduction to cryptocurrency

• July 20, 2014

Bitcoin is currently at the stage in its development where you won’t find people who have never heard of it, but very few know much about it. In fact, it is one of several digital currencies that are based on complex cryptographic methods. We’ll glaze over those methods for simplicity’s sake so you can figure out how Bitcoin works.

Another thing to note is that there are now several “copycat” or otherwise similar digital currencies to Bitcoin, collectively known as cryptocurrencies. These are known as such because they use cryptography to make an all-digital currency viable in terms of its security. While each has its differences, this introduction will teach you enough that you’ll be well on your way to understanding how other cryptocurrencies work as well.

Best open source apps for Android phones and tablets

• May 1, 2014

There are many reasons to look into open source apps for Android or any other devices you might use. You might be interested in privacy, money savings, or just like to support the open source community for all they do. Perhaps you don’t have any particular reason for it, but just happen to find that open source apps work better than the competition. No matter what the reason, we have all the best open source apps for Android.Before moving on to the apps, it is important to mention that Android is

MyPermissions shows you who has access to your social media accounts

• April 19, 2014

We often will use one of our social media accounts–Facebook, Google, Twitter–to sign on another site. As you do this, there are a few permissions you have to grant along the way. In our haste, we tend to just breeze through them. After years of doing this, it is pretty easy to lose track of just who it is we have allowed to view, alter, and gather our social media data. MyPermissions puts you back in control.

Change your passwords at these sites in light of Heartbleed security hole

• April 10, 2014

In case you hadn’t heard, a massive security flaw dubbed “Heartbleed” has affected around two thirds of web sites and was discovered by benevolent software developers on Tuesday. The net effect is that your passwords, and by association data, have been and are vulnerable. As more information is being gathered, we can help you figure out which accounts have been compromised.

We have not been affected by the Heartbleed vulnerability

• April 9, 2014

In light of the news of widespread security vulnerabilities due to a poor implementation of HTTPS connections and SSL/TLS encryption, we want to ensure Getting Things Tech users that you are and have been safe browsing with us.

Most of web exposed after OpenSSL “Heartbleed” security hole is found

• April 9, 2014

Just as we sang the praises of HTTPS connections for browsing security, our following article about the vulnerabilities of HTTPS and SSL/TLS appears more prudent. On Tuesday, a group developing security software noticed a tremendous hole in the implementation of much of the secure connections across the web.

Two-factor authentication is a simple way to secure online accounts

• April 8, 2014

While we stress the importance of creating strong passwords with the use of third-party software, there is still another step you should be taking to add eons of security to your accounts at very little cost to convenience. That step is to add two-factor authentication where you can, which makes you prove that you are yourself in addition to entering the correct password.

The vulnerabilities of HTTPS and SSL/TLS

• April 7, 2014

We have spent a lot of time championing HTTPS connections as one of the most basic browsing habits for good privacy protection. However, there is always a risk when talking up a security protocol: a false sense of security. With that in mind, let’s talk about the ways in which HTTPS and the SSL/TLS encryption process that makes it secure come up short.

LastPass offers premium features to students for free

• April 3, 2014

Our favorite password manager and overall excellent tool to make it easy to follow online security best practices LastPass is offering a promotion to students who aren’t ready to commit to the $12/year subscription to their premium service. They get it for free!