Encrypt all the things!

Installing PIA disables the firewall on macOS FYI. You can turn it back on though.

Yup; prefer it and use it over Chrome. I was just covering all bases as instructed :)

Goddamn it. PIA keeps disabling the firewall.

Yes, I've always had a suspicion that it may sometimes be better to use PIA connection info with standard VPN tools that you can more readily control/configure (with the downside that you need to know what you are doing).

On the other hand, the macOS firewall is pretty much decorative.

Think it's been said before, but as the subjects up for discussion I'll mention that there's a pretty comprehensive VPN comparison here, and not the usual affiliate nonsense either.
https://thatoneprivacysite.net/

Also I will plug the premium VPN serviec from Disconnect.me which I use. Great fast speeds and tracker blocking as well.

https://whispersystems.org

Oh God yes. I don't even speak to people who don't use Signal.

You don't speak to some who do use Signal either :P

This makes it very good for every URL you don't trust (which should be nearly all of them), and for all very short lived sessions (as you'll launch new windows and tabs often and will want them to be disposable).

Is there a way to get links going away from the original domain to open in firefox. e.g. clicking a link on lfgss when using chrome which goes to another site, opens up a firefox tab by default

In Nougat the setting is Android > Apps > Configure Apps (the cog in the top right).

I've set "No default browser".

Which means every time I open a link, from an email notification or something, it asks which browser I want to use.

As for links on a web page... I copy and paste them. Which sounds onerous and probably is, but I'm so in the habit I just don't notice any longer.

Is there a way to get Firefox on Android to only use Private Browsing mode without a 3rd-party plugin? I've not found one.

Why not just set your default browser to your more secure one?

Annoyingly no.

I either manually launch private browsing, or for stuff I kinda trust I just let it open in Firefox and wipe Firefox every now and then. Mostly I manually launch private browsing.

Because sometimes I'm visiting links that I do trust, and I have login sessions in Chrome, so I want to open that in Chrome (i.e. LFGSS).

Same. Just thought you might know a trick.

I only use Chrome for work stuff or Google's product search so I don't want anything loading into it. Firefox does the grunt work and Tor does the midget porn.

Thanks for the advice. Been thinking about a VPN for a while and the Snoopers Bill settled it.

Now signed up to PIA and thinking about a Yubikey Neo.

They are doing a 'BOGOF' offer on Monday so might buy a Neo for the Work and House key rings.

You need 2 keys per person.

One that you might travel with or use from time to time.
One that is stored in a safe place should you ever lose the first.

The big problem with such security: No-one will be able to help you if you lock yourself out.

Buy 2, register 2 with Google, LastPass, etc, test both... then put one in a very safe place that you will definitely remember.

Ta.

Joy of Data on bbc4

Discovered that after work updated the VPN on our laptops that it doesn't actually direct web traffic through the VPN.

Given we travel world-wide with these laptops, using a whole variety of public WiFi and connections at companies where we're performing audits of them, I suggested that this wasn't really the best way to do it ...

Doesn't seem to be much encryption options for windows phone. Limited browser options. No Chrome/firefox just edge/explorer. And f'ing bing to search though can use DuckDuckGo.

It has an awesome camera tho

Yay, new phone time!

Firefox Focus, privacy-oriented browser for iPhone:
https://www.engadget.com/2016/11/17/firefox-focus/