When the time comes, and yes we’re aware it’s some time off yet, our online activity will be restricted to mobile devices rather than the plethora of available PC’s and laptops we currently enjoy. It is this dependency on mobile technology, a lifestyle of travelling plus the timely arrival of a bunch of subscription renewal emails that prompted this week’s feverish activity on all things only techies get excited about.

Before I get to any specific details let’s look at what I think are the minimum requirements for your life on the web, mobile or otherwise. Three main categories spring to mind but there are many more if you’re the paranoid type. Firstly any connected devices you use need to be protected from viruses, malware, hacks/cracks/attacks, PUPs and probably bloatware to name just a few.

If your device is infected or vulnerable then it’s not working properly or is at risk and will not serve you well, get it protected now. If you think running that free antivirus app is all you need then we need to have a serious chat. Antivirus apps will block the majority of viruses but not much else; they don’t even offer 100% protection due to the nature of daily emerging new strains. Antivirus protection alone is virtually useless, mature cyber criminals have moved on to much nastier stuff these days. What you need to do is invest in some proper paid internet security software, check out the usual suspects but get a good one, your identity, sanity and potentially finances may rely on it.

Next on the list is a VPN (Virtual Private Network), again “not a free one”, if it’s free then the company is using your data to make money elsewhere or do not have the means to keep you safe in the first place. Do a search for the best paid VPN’s and stick with them. So what does this VPN do and why do I need one? Well a simple explanation is that it scrambles all your internet data and can make your internet location appear different to where you actually are. If you’re visiting that tourist trap or backpacking mecca then the chances are someone nearby will be trying to steal your data or hack your online bank accounts. Masking your real location can also help fight the big travel companies “dynamic pricing” activities and can sometimes help you access those geo-locked streaming services back home.

Lastly, if your account passwords are weak, simple or used for multiple sites, then you’re an idiot. Unless you only have one account and password or you have an eidetic memory and can remember a multitude of strong complex passwords then you really should consider investing in a Password Manager. There are some good free ones about in this category so there really is no excuse here. Paid services offer extended or additional features but the basic premise is the same, you have a single master password to remember and the password manager will keep all your other account passwords safe, secure and protected.

I am not going to give any recommendations or details on how to use these applications as this is not an exhaustive technical blog, all I will say is that if you want to have at least the bare-bones protection online then go and research Internet Security Software + VPN + Password Manager – enough said!