If you don’t have antivirus software, you’re putting every internet-connected gadget you own at risk. Something as simple as an unchanged router password can be an entry point for an invader to shut down your phone or even taunt your children through a security camera or smart speaker.

All your devices probably tell a detailed story about your life. Our computers and phones are critically important, from work emails and important documents to family photos. Are your devices truly protected? If you don’t have antivirus software installed, the answer is no.

Click here to read full story.

The VPN game has been seriously upgraded! My sponsor, ExpressVPN, recently rolled out a slew of feature-packed updates. ExpressVPN pushes the envelope to keep your digital life locked down, from ad-blockers to a beefed-up server network.

These tools are available across ExpressVPN’s Windows, iOS and Android apps, Linux and Mac. And get this: All these perks come at no extra charge.

Click here to read full story.

A new car has over 1,400 microchips and runs on 100 million lines of code. Because it is connected, it can also collect a lot of data about you.

Your car is like your phone, computer or tablet now — always listening. What is your vehicle collecting? Way more than we’d all like to think.

Click here to read full story.

When you live with someone, you make a heck of a lot of choices together — big choices, like, “Should we sell our house and move to Thailand?” and small choices, like, “Should we buy this new recycling bin?”

Somewhere in the middle is an important, often infuriating step: “Whose email address should we use to log into Netflix?”

Click here to read full story.

Data brokers and people search sites are more than just a nuisance; they’re a downright menace. I’ve been sounding the alarm on these digital peeping Toms for years.

Imagine a vast web of data brokers lurking in the shadows, all with one goal: To mine and sell your personal info to anyone flashing cash. 

Click here to read full story.

It’s a savvy shopper’s favorite time of year: Discounts and deals as far as the eye can see.

You’re probably like me — I don’t like paying full price. But is handing over your email address, phone number or even more worth it for a coupon code? Like most things tech, it depends.

Click here to read full story.

‘Tis the season for eggnog, twinkly lights and a whole lot of scams. Cybercriminals make a killing over the holiday season — just think about how often we pull out our credit cards.

The best way to stay safe is to know their tricks. I’ve got the inside scoop on phone scams tricking people out of money and info right now.

Click here to read full story.

Ever replied to a spam message with STOP or UNSUBSCRIBE? If so, you’re setting yourself up for even more annoyance. You rightfully think that you’re ending the noise, but you’ll make it worse.

Why? Spammers are hitting up as many people as possible, searching for working contact information. When you interact, you’re saying, “Yes, this phone number belongs to someone!” That’s great news for them. It lets them know you’re a real person they should target more often.

Click here to read full story.

Newsflash: Your data is constantly being collected and sold. “Gee, thanks, Kim. I know,” you might be thinking. “What do I do about it?” Lucky for you, I spend a lot of time trying to answer that exact question.

If you’re tired of spam calls, unwanted emails and that nasty feeling of always being tracked, keep reading. I’ve got a simple way to take a massive chunk out of this data collection mess, thanks to our sponsor, Incogni.

Click here to read full story.

Spoiler: They are all super data-hungry. New research dove deep into shopping apps that collect sensitive consumer data. It found that 75% of the apps in the study share user data with third parties. Some even share this data with outsiders without informing you. Lovely. 

I’ve included the sketchiest apps here and tips to help you stay safe. Just because this research focuses on Android doesn’t mean my fellow iPhone owners are in the clear, btw. Apple does a little more to protect us from app tracking, but it still happens.

Click here to read full story.

Ever text a picture to an acquaintance or someone you just met? Depending on your phone and camera’s settings, you may have inadvertently sent where you live, too. This is what someone can see from just a photo.

One good thing about social media is that most platforms wipe out this data. Still, they’re exposing you in other ways. Here’s how to check everything Facebook collects.

Click here to read full story.

Big Tech companies make it their business to get close and personal with you. Google is an especially ardent admirer. It knows more than some of the people closest to you. Weird to think about, huh?

It goes far beyond where you live, your age, interests and favorite stores. We’ve got the goods on three lists showing some of the data Google collects.

Click here to read full story.

Gift shopping, scammers, cooking the prime rib just right … There’s too much to worry about this time of year. Before you dive headfirst into the festive frenzy, I’ve got tech tips that’ll sprinkle a little magic on your celebrations.

As a holiday thank you to my loyal readers, I’m giving away an iPhone. Yep, you can win a new iPhone 15 (valued at $799). Enter to win now!

Click here to read full story.

You know by now you should keep the private things in life off the internet. Your middle name, job, city, pet’s name, the school you went to, your spouse’s name, the ages of your kids, your shoe size — the details a scammer or hacker would love to have.

A popular new TikTokker is proving most of us are a lot worse at this than we assumed. Let’s take a closer look at “consensual doxxing” and how you can dig up everything out there online about yourself.

Click here to read full story.

When it comes to telemarketing and scam calls, the best thing to do is not pick up the phone. But it’s not always easy to tell whether an incoming call is legitimate — especially if your phone doesn’t show that scam or spam warning.

You want to stop these calls before they happen. I’ll show you how to use the settings built-in to your phone for this, but first, let’s talk about the best way to prevent spam in the first place.

Click here to read full story.

What if I told you for just $12, someone could buy your Instagram login. They could read all your messages, look through everything you’ve “liked” and even post as you.

Whizcase gathered prices from Dark Web marketplaces to see how much your online identity is worth, and it’s grim. 

Click here to read full story.

When we have friends and family with kids over, voice assistants can become a favorite attraction. At best, someone will start another “Baby Shark” round and you’ll sing it for a week.

But what if one of those curious kiddos buys toys with your Amazon Echo? Or maybe your niece, Alexis, will have the Echo going haywire.

Click here to read full story.

I know, big statement, right? But stay with me.

I’ve been talking about people search sites for years. Heck, I did a whole series of articles on how to remove yourself from them.

Click here to read full story.

When it comes to tech myths, I’ve heard ‘em all. That’s why I’m here — to help you keep a handle on what’s real and what’s not. For each of the myths below, I’ve got a step you can take to stay safe or a tech rule of thumb to live by. 

Myth: Private browsing is totally private.

Click here to read full story.

Think of everything you do online and in real life that says something about who you are. Your likes, clicks, hobbies and activities all add to the wealth of data points companies already have on you.

What about your conversations with Alexa or Siri? How is that data used? Let’s take a deep look at how they use your conversations to create profiles.

Click here to read full story.