Top Apps to Secure Your Windows 10 Device

By

 KASHIF JAVED 

Top Apps to Secure Your Windows 10 Device

The need for privacy and security becomes more evident with each passing year and with each operating system that hits the market. After the Windows 10 was introduced and hackers had a little time to adjust and find corresponding loopholes in privacy and security, it was clear that outside help was needed if the experience was going to be worthwhile. In this article we will discuss, Top Apps to Secure Your Windows 10 Device.

The Windows 10 operating system is a marvelous Microsoft invention. It is a definite upgrade over Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows Vista, and it brings a myriad of features that make it very enticing.

Windows 10: a marked improvement over other Microsoft’s product

Now three years old, the Windows 10 platforms was a hit from the very first moment. With the constant feature updates, long-term support milestones, and security patches, it makes sure you stay as up-to-date as possible.

It has Cortana, which is a personal assistant that knows virtually anything about you, your preferences, connection, and even location with the intention of offering a personalized experience. Windows 10 can run on lots of devices, including PCs, smartphones, tablets, Surface Hub, Xbox One, and more.

The Windows 10 system marks the transition from a mouse-oriented experience to a touchscreen setting. The Microsoft Edge web browser effectively replaces the insecure Internet Explorer.

However, all those offerings come with caveats. Windows 10, and specifically Microsoft and some of its partners make a habit of collecting their users’ data to “improve service and offer a customized experience.”

Cortana, the personal assistant that everybody lauds because it is very helpful in your queries and searchers, has access to a lot of information about you, which may be fine for some users, but is seen as a severe privacy breach by others.

Best apps to secure your Windows 10 experience

In addition to the privacy-invasive practices that Microsoft and some of its associated companies implement to enhance their user experience, the Windows 10 has some security loopholes that hackers have managed to identify. With the intention of increasing your safety levels, you can use these apps:

• Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are excellent privacy apps that will mask not only your traffic but also your online identity (IP address) from any external agent that threatens to use them against you. These apps implement a tunneling action to hide that information, making it travel to remote servers and not via the regular channels.

Since you can hide your locations and shared online content from hackers, malware developers, online advertisers, governmental surveillance agencies, and other agents, you will experience increased privacy, anonymity, and security.

Another VPN advantage is that it includes security features that make it a safety suite for your Windows 10 experience. Most of the traditional VPN apps have DNS leak protection to safeguard your identity, a kill switch, auto connect, split tunneling, and other offerings.

They also serve as excellent content unblocking tools, as they foster a streaming and browsing experience that includes access to restricted international content. That is achieved via location spoofing, powered by VPN’s ability to hide the user’s IP number and lend him, or her, one for temporary use.

One of the best VPN apps for Windows 10 is SurfShark. It has a 30-day money back guarantee, and it lets users enjoy entertainment and ultra-fast speeds in every Windows-powered device. Its diamond-strong encryption protects your content from unwanted leaks.

• Windows Defender

It is a security suite that includes antivirus capabilities. Moreover, It is very straightforward to install and use, as it is designed to run in your background and scan files with the intention of providing essential protection for those people using Windows 10.

It can be configured on any Windows 10-powered device by following this path: Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Defender. Once you are there, you will be able to configure the service to your liking.

The app is designed for searching and stopping malware at a primary level, but there is also the option to enable cloud-based protection and Automatic sample submission to send Microsoft data about malware. The Windows Defender app offers Quick, Full and Custom scans.

• Antivirus software

Antivirus software is more specialized apps for tracking, isolating, scanning, and eliminating malware than Windows Defender. The types of threats they can combat range from common computer viruses to Trojan horses, worms, adware, spyware, and in some cases, ransomware.

Having a reliable anti-virus software is a necessity for all Windows 10 users, and it goes very well with a privacy-enhancing product such as a VPN.

The best antivirus for Windows 10

• Bitdefender Antivirus Plus 2019
• Trend Micro Antivirus+ Security
• Kaspersky Free Antivirus
• Panda Free Antivirus
• Avast Free Antivirus

• Web proxies

A web proxy is an intermediary server between the user and a broader network, in this case, the Internet. The idea is for the web proxy app to act as a filter, which means that it will redirect the content and the online identity of the customer.

The redirection is done as a protection measure against the myriad of threats present in the online world for Windows 10 users. Among those risks are hackers, governmental surveillance agencies, online advertisers, and even websites implementing geographical blocking measures. The latter isn’t a security hazard, but a proxy can help you unblock content like a VPN or Smart DNS.

• Smart DNS

Smart DNS service providers are similar to Virtual Private Network in several aspects. They protect your content from outside snoopers, and they are also good to unblock restricted content online.

The primary differences are that Smart DNS technology works by manipulating Domain Service Names. And VPNs perform tunneling activities via protocols. Also, the latter can slow down Internet connection, whereas the former does not affect it.

On the other hand, Smart DNS service providers lack the security and privacy configurations and options. But that doesn’t mean that they aren’t usable as an app to enhance a more secure Windows 10 performance.

Other efficient apps to secure your Windows 10

• LastPass
• Shredder8
• Password Generator Professional
• Intel Security Trusted Advisor

Other security tips for Windows 10:

• Disable location tracking
• Disable Timeline
• Limit Cortana’s privacy-invasive settings
• Disable ad tracking
• Modify your app permissions
• Obtain granular in the Settings app
• Control and delete diagnostic data
• Use Microsoft’s Privacy Dashboard
• Replace a Microsoft account for a local account

In conclusion, you need protection for your privacy and security. If you are going to enjoy all the benefits of Windows 10. Several apps can make sure you are safeguard: VPNs, Smart DNS, antivirus, Windows Defender, and even web proxies can help.