Security & Privacy

Passwords, two-factor codes, scams, data breaches, VPNs, and what your devices share about you without asking. Practical explanations for people who are not security professionals, written by someone who spent decades cleaning up after the problems these articles help you avoid.

A laptop shielded by light in a busy lobby, representing Apple devices on public WiFi.

Public WiFi and the Apple Ecosystem: What Hotel Networks Can and Cannot See

Using a hotel WiFi network is not always optional. Airports, coffee shops, conference centers, hospital...
Hands typing with digital security shield overlay

What Happens to Your Data When a Company Gets Hacked

Barely a week passes without a headline announcing that some company was hacked and millions...
Neon holographic padlock shield on circuit board

Password Managers Explained: What They Are and Why You Actually Need One

There was a time when a Post-it note under the keyboard was considered a reasonably...
Biometric fingerprint login on touchscreen

Passkeys in 2026: Why They Are a Smarter Choice Than Traditional Passwords

Passwords are still everywhere. They are on banking sites, shopping sites, email accounts, streaming services,...
A modern laptop beside a dusty old software box, asking whether you still need antivirus in 2026

Do You Still Need to Pay for Antivirus in 2026?

Over the years we ran AVG, then Norton, then Panda, back when Windows had nothing...
A mirror reflecting a filmstrip of past moments, representing Windows Recall's screen memory.

Windows Recall in 2026: What You Get vs What You Give Up

Windows Recall makes complete sense for a world that doesn’t exist. Picture the world it...
An interwoven lattice of light, representing advancements in quantum computing.

Quantum Computing: What’s Real, What’s Hype, and the One Part That Touches You

For most of my career, x86 was simply what a computer was. Intel’s architecture ran...
An envelope passing through two archways, representing how iCloud Private Relay works.

iCloud Private Relay: What It Is, How It Works, and When to Turn It Off

I was trying to log into my cell provider’s website late one evening — nothing...