Cloud engineer by day, security researcher by habit. Background in pen testing, bug bounties, and security engineering at scale. Mostly self hosted, and write about what actually works for privacy and security , testing a lot of stuff along the way.
Privacy
Your digital footprint is the trail of personal data you leave behind whenever you use the internet. From social media posts to online purchases, browser history to location tracking, nearly everything you do online contributes to your digital footprint. What Exactly Is a Digital Footprint? A digital footprint, also referred
Hacking a phone is not as easy as many people think. Modern smartphones like iPhones and Android devices have extensive security protections built into both their hardware and software that make them extremely difficult to hack, especially for the average person. Here are some things that make hacking phones a
Guides
GrapheneOS is a hardened Android-based operating system built on the Android Open Source Project. It retains full Android app compatibility while replacing Google's privileged service infrastructure, hardening the kernel and userspace, adding a substantial set of privacy and security controls absent from stock Android, and maintaining a
News
Originally published August 2023. Updated April 2026 with growth figures, Leo AI, Goggles, and current standing as a Google alternative. Brave Search cut its last dependency on Bing for image and video results in August 2023 — and three years later, that single infrastructure decision has compounded into something worth paying
Security
While official app stores like Google Play and Apple App Store provide a secure and trusted platform for app installation (though not always), some users are attracted to the idea of sideloading apps from unknown sources. Sideloading refers to the practice of installing apps from sources other than the official
Privacy
If you're running a VPN on your iPhone expecting all traffic to route through the tunnel, some of it isn't. Apple services — including Apple Push Notification Service (APNs), Apple Maps, and others — bypass VPN connections on iOS. Security researchers have documented this across multiple iOS versions
Privacy
A VPN doesn't make you anonymous. It shifts your network traffic from your ISP's visibility to your VPN provider's — and whether that trade improves your privacy depends entirely on which provider you're trusting and whether their no-logs claims have ever been
Guides
In the vast landscape of Domain Name System (DNS) servers, finding a trustworthy and customizable option can be a daunting task. Many individuals and organizations rely on default DNS servers provided by internet service providers (ISPs). However, there are alternative DNS options available that offer better performance, enhanced security, and
Guides
In the current age of technology, where preserving one’s online privacy and security is of paramount importance, it is essential to ensure the confidentiality of your online activities. While many aspects of online privacy are widely discussed, DNS privacy is an often-overlooked area that deserves attention. The Domain
Privacy
In today’s digital world, online privacy has become a growing concern for internet users. With the increasing number of data breaches and privacy infringements, individuals are seeking ways to protect their personal information while browsing the web. While a VPN can provide some level of security, it’s not
Guides
In today’s digital age, where our smartphones hold a wealth of personal information, ensuring the security of our devices has become more important than ever. With the multitude of options available to lock and unlock our smartphones, it can be overwhelming to determine the most secure and practical method.
Privacy
Every app on your phone is collecting something. The question is what, and whether you can do anything about it. Since 2022, both Apple and Google have made this easier to check — though with some important caveats about how much you can actually trust what they tell you. Here'