security Archives - Rick's Daily Tips

Review: SentrySafe Black Fireproof Document Box with Key Lock

Posted on July 27, 2026

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You probably know by now that I’m constantly driving home the importance of creating regular backups of your computer’s hard drive or SSD.

But truth be told, how you store your backup drive is just as important as creating backups in the first place because a backup that ends up getting destroyed in a fire or some other disaster cannot be used to recover your files onto a new computer. [Read more…]

Reminder: Password Managers still put your online accounts at risk

Posted on July 15, 2026

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It’s no secret that being connected to the Internet makes our computers and mobile devices vulnerable to hackers.

Passwords have long been used to protect our online accounts from those threats, but those once-trusted passwords are becoming less effective by the day as hacking methods become increasingly sophisticated.

In short, a simple password that’s just a few characters long offers very little real protection against the sophisticated hacking methods that are being used today. [Read more…]

Q&A: Windows is showing my WiFi network as Public. Isn’t that dangerous?

Posted on July 12, 2026

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Question from Kellie: I was messing around with the network settings on my Windows 11 laptop last night.

While I was in there I noticed that my WiFi network is set to “Public” instead of “Private”.

I’ve always heard that public networks are dangerous.

Is that true? And if it is, how can I change it to private? [Read more…]

How to give your Google account a quick ‘Security Checkup’

Posted on March 30, 2026

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Do you have a Google account?

Chances are you do, even if you don’t realize it. Here are a few questions…

Do you use Gmail?

Do you sign into YouTube to watch videos?

Do you use Google Maps?

Do you use an Android smartphone?

Do you use any Google service or product that isn’t listed above?

If the answer to one or more of those questions is yes, then you do have a Google account. [Read more…]

Q&A: Is a 6 digit PIN really all that much more secure than 4 digits?

Posted on February 20, 2026

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Question from Andy: My girlfriend and I have a bet that’s riding on your answer to this question:

Is a six digit PIN really all that more secure than a four digit PIN?

It don’t seem like just two digits could make that much of a difference. She says it makes a big difference if someone ever tries to break into my phone.

So who’s right? [Read more…]