Tools

A PDF isn't a printed page — it's a small program your reader runs the instant you open it. Here's how to tell when that's routine and when it isn't.

A jumbled string of letters and numbers isn't hiding anything from you — it's base64, and decoding it takes one paste, not a security degree.

A QR code can't do anything by itself. It's the "type" that tells your phone what to do next, and that's exactly what scammers count on you not knowing.

Downloaded files can be tampered with between the source and your device. A file check tells you whether what you downloaded is actually what was published.

The moment a file leaves your device, you lose control of it. Encrypting it first means losing control of the container, not the contents.

A string of random characters is hard to crack and impossible to remember. A passphrase is hard to crack and possible to remember. Here's how they work and when to use one.

Most passwords people create follow patterns that are easy to guess. Here's how to generate one that doesn't — and how to handle sites that make it harder than it should be.

One strong master password unlocks everything else. That's the whole model — and it's simpler than it sounds.

Sending sensitive information through email or text leaves a permanent copy everywhere it travels. A private encrypted note doesn't.

Every tracking parameter in a link is a data point about you. Here's how to read them — and strip them before you click.