Blog
Articles about online privacy, VPNs, internet security, and digital tools.
IPv4 vs IPv6: What South Africans Need to Know
You’ve probably seen both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses without thinking much about them. But the transition from IPv4 to IPv6 is one of the most significant changes happening to the internet — and it affects South Africa in particular ways. The Short Version IPv4 addresses are 32-bit numbers (like 192.168.1.1) and there are about 4.3…
What Is a Browser Fingerprint and How to Block It
Even if you clear your cookies and use a VPN, websites can still identify you. How? Through browser fingerprinting — a technique that collects dozens of tiny details about your browser and device to create a unique identifier. What Makes Up a Fingerprint Your browser reveals hundreds of pieces of information: screen resolution, installed fonts,…
The Best Free Online Privacy Tools for 2026
You don’t need to spend money to protect your privacy online. Some of the best privacy tools are completely free and open source. Here’s our curated list. Browser: Firefox + uBlock Origin Firefox with Enhanced Tracking Protection enabled and uBlock Origin installed blocks most trackers, ads, and fingerprinting scripts. It’s faster than Chrome with ad-blockers…
Public Wi-Fi Safety: What Every South African Should Know
South Africans love their coffee shops, mall food courts, and airport lounges — and the free Wi-Fi that comes with them. But public Wi-Fi networks are a favourite hunting ground for cybercriminals. Here’s what you need to know. The Risks of Public Wi-Fi Public Wi-Fi networks are typically unencrypted or use shared passwords. This means…
How to Check If Your Password Has Been Leaked (And What to Do)
Data breaches happen constantly. If you’ve been using the same password across multiple sites — and most of us have — there’s a good chance some of your credentials have been leaked. Here’s how to check and what to do. Step 1: Check Have I Been Pwned Visit Have I Been Pwned (haveibeenpwned.com) and enter…
What a VPN Can and Cannot Do — An Honest Assessment
VPN marketing is full of exaggeration. Advertisements claim VPNs will make you “completely anonymous,” “protect you from all hackers,” and “unlock the entire internet.” The reality is more nuanced. What a VPN Actually Does Encrypts your internet traffic: Between your device and the VPN server, your data is encrypted. This protects you on public Wi-Fi.…
VPNs in South Africa: What You Need to Know Before Buying
South Africans are increasingly turning to VPNs — for privacy, for accessing international content, and for secure browsing on public Wi-Fi. But the South African context has some unique considerations. Why South Africans Use VPNs The most common reasons include: Privacy concerns: With rising cybercrime in SA, many people want an extra layer of protection…
Do Cheap VPNs Actually Protect Your Privacy?
The VPN market is flooded with services costing as little as a few rand per month. Some are genuinely useful. Others are barely better than using no VPN at all — and a few are actively dangerous. Here’s how to tell the difference. The Problem With “Free” VPNs If a VPN service isn’t charging you…
5 Simple Ways to Protect Your Privacy Online (Without a VPN)
VPNs are popular, but they’re not the only — or always the best — way to protect your online privacy. Here are five effective methods that don’t require signing up for a VPN service. 1. Use a Privacy-Focused Browser Browsers like Firefox (with tracking protection enabled), Brave, and Tor offer built-in privacy features. They block…
What Information Does Your IP Address Actually Reveal?
There’s a lot of confusion about what someone can learn from your IP address. Some people think it reveals your exact home address. Others think it gives strangers access to your personal files. Let’s clear up the misconceptions. What Your IP Address Shows Your public IP address can reveal: Your general location: Usually your city…