Harden a Laptop's Privacy in One Evening
Six concrete changes that take about an hour total and remove the worst of casual surveillance from your laptop. No threat-model fanfare, just the steps.
- STEP 1
Install a password manager
Bitwarden free tier. Browser extension + desktop app. Migrate your top 10 most-reused passwords to unique generated ones tonight; the rest can wait.
- STEP 2
Switch your browser
Brave for the lowest-friction switch from Chrome (extensions still work) or LibreWolf if you prefer Firefox. Set a privacy search engine as default — Brave Search or Startpage.
- STEP 3
Switch your DNS
NextDNS free tier in your network adapter (or system-wide on macOS). Turns off most ad/tracker traffic at the resolver level. Works on cellular too.
- STEP 4
Turn on full-disk encryption
FileVault (macOS) or BitLocker (Windows Pro) or LUKS (Linux). Already on for most modern laptops; verify in settings. Without it, theft = full data exposure.
- STEP 5
Encrypt your cloud files
Cryptomator vault inside your Dropbox/Drive/OneDrive folder. Files encrypted before they leave your machine. Free on desktop. Shared cloud + private files = client-side encryption is the answer.
- STEP 6
Decide whether you actually need a VPN
Most people don't, daily. Use one when on hostile public Wi-Fi or when geo-blocking is in your way. Mullvad if you do — flat $5/mo, no annual upsell, anonymous account.