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| Advice | Vendor Selection |
| Applications Management | Backups |
| File Management | Office Alternatives |
| Password Managers |
Advice
We recommend some applications and suggest others. We make recommendations when we are addressing cybersecurity applications. We normally make suggestions for other types of applications. When we recommend an application for cybersecurity, we do so because we think it currently is the best application for our threat model while considering cost, features, reliability, security of the application, and outside audits. The threat model we use is the loss of personally identifying information, financial information loss, medical information loss, and reputation damage. Please note that the goal of the recommendations is to advise and guide you about current best practices. Recommendations are not requirements that you must follow.
Vendor Selection
Effective September 1, 2021, China requires network software and hardware vendors to report any vulnerabilities in their offerings to China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. The regulations include routers and modems that are used in the home.
These vulnerabilities make it easy for Chinese actors to exploit these routers and modems anywhere while others are not aware of the existence of the exploits. Accessing routers and modems gives the actors access to personal information being sent over the Internet.
We recommend that when purchasing, obtaining, or using any software apps or any hardware, including network equipment and computers, that you determine the location of the vendor’s headquarters. We think it best that you do not purchase, obtain, or use software or hardware from vendors headquartered in China or Russia.
We recommend some applications and suggest others. We make recommendations when we are addressing cybersecurity applications. We normally make suggestions for other types of applications. When we recommend an application for cybersecurity, we do so because we think it currently is the best application for our threat model while considering cost, features, reliability, security of the application, and outside audits. The threat model we use is the loss of personally identifying information, financial information loss, medical information loss, and reputation damage. Please note that the goal of the recommendations is to advise and guide you about current best practices. Recommendations are not requirements that you must follow.
Applications Management
When you keep your applications up to date, software problems (bugs) are eliminated, features are added, and you decrease the likelihood that a hacker can access your personal information, or other data, on your computer.
There are multiple applications for application management that may be suitable for your use. Suggested applications have been organized by their purpose.
Application Removal
Most software applications for Windows will successfully uninstall themselves when the app is instructed to do so from Settings -> Apps. However, sometimes an uninstall fails due to an error in the uninstall software. When that happens, it is best to use an application designed to completely uninstall such failures. You may also wish to use an uninstall application whenever you remove an installed software application from your computer.
Revo Uninstaller (free) works with apps that won’t uninstall normally or when there is doubt that a program has been uninstalled completely. Also, often times there are multiple files, folders, and/or Registry entries left behind which can cause various issues. Revo Uninstaller first runs the built-in uninstaller for the application and then scans for leftover data.
Wise Uninstaller (free) uninstalls Windows programs using a simple and user-friendly interface. It will scan and remove stubborn software. It will also uninstall unlisted programs, which are programs that do not show up in Programs and Features or in Applications. It removes the application and deletes all remaining associated files, folders, and registry items making sure the application is completely removed from your computer. It will also uninstall unwanted browser extensions in Edge, Firefox, and Chrome.
Application Updating
Whether you have a few or many software applications on your computer, it is difficult to keep them up to date because each application must be manually reviewed for a possible update and then any outstanding updates need to be installed. An application that will keep applications up to date for you is very helpful.
PatchMyPC (free) is used by enterprises to keep applications up to date (fee). PatchMyPC is also available for use at home (free). It keeps over 300 applications up-to-date on your home computer. The user-interface is easy to use for a novice. It includes the ability to schedule updates when you like. It has the option of creating a Restore Point before executing (recommended!).
Some applications do not completely update without user intervention. TeamViewer and ProtonVPN are examples. It does not support all applications. Zoom is an example of an application that many have installed on their computers that PatchMyPC does not update. Nevertheless, PatchMyPC is a valuable application to help keep over 300 software applications up to date.
Backups
To prevent loss of information on your computer, it is good practice to backup your documents. It is also good practice to make software images of your computer should your computer become inoperable.
Backups, or images, may be stored on external hard drives, USB drives, or online drives such as Backblaze, OneDrive, Proton Drive and others.
There are multiple applications that may be suitable for your use:
Backblaze (fee) is very popular with photographers and many companies. It will back up documents and runs on Windows and Macs.
Carbon Copy Cloner (fee) is a competitor with Time Machine. It backs up Mac applications, data and system settings (including documents) to an external hard drive, USB drive, or a network attached storage (NAS). It can create a bootable image to restore a Mac.
Clonezilla (free) is well known within the technical community. It will make images of many different file systems including those used by macOS, Linux, and Windows. It works with local external hard drives or USB drives.
EaseUS ToDo Backup Free (free) for Windows secures your data and your future! It has a simple UI but provides powerful abilities to create backups of disk, partition, OS, and files and save them to local drives, external hard drives, NAS, network, or cloud.
Advanced backup options, such as incremental and differential backup, scheduled backup, encrypted backup, setting backup frequency, enabling image reserve strategy, and more, are available.
Recommendation: The company that produces EaseUs is located in China. We recommend that you do not use EaseUs.
iCloud for Windows (free) will allow you to access your photos, contacts, calendars, files, and more across all your devices.
iTunes for Windows (free) will back up and update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
Macrium Reflect (fee) will backup documents and make images on a local external hard drive or USB drive. It is not designed for use with online drives. Since it contains technology that protects local backups from ransomware attacks, it may be especially suitable for your purposes.
Paragon Backup & Recovery Community Edition (free) does backups and makes images. Runs on Windows and macOS.
SuperDuper (fee) describes itself as the perfect complement to Time Machine. It makes clones (full bootable backups) which enables duplication to another drive, partition, or image file.
Time Machine (free) backs up files, apps, music, photos, email, and documents on a Mac to a USB drive or other external storage device.
Android phone backup instructions for backups to PC, Mac, or Google Drive, using a variety of techniques.
File Management
Are you concerned about available disk space? Do you want to know when you last updated a file? Do you have other questions about the files on your computer? There are multiple applications that may be suitable for your use. Suggested applications have been organized by their purpose.
Finding Files
Everything is an application you can install on your PC to find files on your computer.
Link to the Everything Video on YouTube or watch it below.
File and Folder Cleanup
BleachBit (free) frees disk space. It frees cache, deletes cookies, clears Internet history, shreds temporary files, deletes logs, and discards junk. It cleans thousands of applications including Firefox, Adobe, Flash, Google Chrome, Opera and more. It also includes advanced features such as shredding files to prevent recovery, wiping free disk space to hide traces of files detected by other applications, and vacuuming Firefox to make it faster. BleachBit is open source. BleachBit runs on Windows and Linux.
CCleaner (free) provides privacy protection and cleans no longer needed files and applications. It will look for driver updates to make your computer run faster. It will clean the Windows registry. It provides tools that will uninstall applications, update applications, control which applications will start during start-up, enable or disable browser extensions, analyze drives to find file types that using disk space, find duplicate files, restore system restore points, and wipe either the free space on a drive or completely erase the contents of a drive. CCleaner runs on Windows, Mac and Android. There are Professional and Professional Plus versions, for a fee, which provide additional functionality.
File and Folder Compression and Decompression
PeaZip (free) is a file and folder compression/decompression utility. It is also known as an archive utility. It is cross-platform and runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It is similar to 7Zip but has features beyond 7Zip.
7Zip (free) is a well-known application similar to PeaZip. It runs on Windows machines. The makers of 7Zip are based in Russia which means that currently it would be best to use a different zip/unzip application.
File and Folder Erasure
For file and folder erasure, see BleachBit and CCleaner in the File and Folder Cleanup section, above.
File and Folder Size
QDirS (free) is similar to WinDirStat but is for Linux distributions. It displays file and folder sizes. It has ready made packages for Debian, Fedora, and Ubuntu.
SpaceSniffer (freeWare) lets you view how folders and files are structured on your hard drive, external hard drives and USB drives. The user selects the drive to be displayed. Displays file and folder sizes. To see additional details about the contents of a folder, double click to drill down. Can filter files or folders by file name, type, age, or size.
TreeSize Free (free) Looking for a free app that will help you see how much space is being used by files and folders on your Windows computer? This app may meet your preference for how to visualize file usage. TreeSize Personal has additional features and is available for a fee.
WinDirStat provides disk usage statistics for Windows machines. It includes file and folder sizes. It uses colors to represent file sizes, which you may find better suited for your needs.
Office Alternatives
Free Office Suite Alternatives pdf
Free Office Suite Alternatives companion video, Ann Willets, April, 2022
Password Managers
There are three highly-rated password managers.
Bitwarden
Bitwarden securely stores, manages, and shares sensitive online data such as passwords, passkeys, credit cards, and more. It provides cross-platform access for mobile, browser, and desktop apps in over 50 languages. It uses zero knowledge and end-to-end encryption, with open-source for trust, accountability, and security.
Bitwarden empowers users to create and manage unique passwords and passkeys. Its Send feature allows all password management users to securely share sensitive information such as passwords, credit cards, and personally identifiable information through an end-to-end encrypted link.
Bitwarden complies with the GDPR, SOC 2, HIPAA, Privacy Shield, and CCPA standards.
We recommend Bitwarden because of its features and because it is open-source.
1Password
1Password makes it easy to generate, store, and autofill passwords for all your online accounts, on all your devices. It safely stores sensitive documents, banking information, medical records, and many other secrets using end-to-end encryption
1Password creates secure, memorable passwords and random, unique usernames.
It can record usernames and passwords when signing into apps and websites. The automatic form filler allows signing into online accounts with a single click, look, or touch.
It is available for all devices, browsers, and operating systems. 1Password syncs data seamlessly between devices so you always have your passwords with you.
1Password is GDPR and AICPA/SOC compliant.
1Password is not open-source.
KeePassXC
KeePassXC is a cross-platform password manager that safely stores passwords and auto-fills them into favorite apps. It stores passwords, passkeys, usernames, URLs, attachments, and notes locally in an encrypted file, not on remote servers.
KeePassXC is open-source.