Security basics
Guides for account security, two-factor authentication, VPN, and encryption. Clear verification steps.
Common issues
Start here
Best entry points for this topic.
- Enable two-factor authentication Enable two-factor authentication on major services — email, banking, social media — using an authenticator app or hardware key.
- How to set up a password manager Set up a password manager (1Password, Bitwarden, or similar) to store and autofill passwords securely across devices.
- How to set up a VPN on your phone, tablet, or computer Pick a VPN, install the app, sign in, choose a server, confirm your IP changed, and enable auto-connect on public Wi‑Fi if you want protection away from home.
- Fix a VPN that will not connect A VPN client that fails to connect or times out. This guide helps you confirm internet works without VPN, check the VPN client and credentials, rule out firewall blocking, try split tunnel or different server—or escalate to VPN support when needed.
- Fix VPN disconnects: stable Wi‑Fi, server, keep-alive, MTU Tunnel drops every few minutes. Test net without VPN, switch region, enable keep-alive, allow UDP—lower MTU if ISP fragments.
All guides
Troubleshooting
- Fix a VPN that drops constantly A VPN that connects but drops every few minutes or constantly. This guide helps you confirm the underlying network is stable, try a different server, enable keep-alive, rule out firewall or network switching—or escalate to VPN support when needed.
- Fix an API key rejected for auth, scope, or expiration Copy the full secret, check headers and env names, confirm scopes and IP allow lists, rotate the key, and rule out clock skew on servers.
- Fix an encrypted drive that will not mount An encrypted drive (BitLocker, FileVault, LUKS, or VeraCrypt) that will not mount or decrypt. This guide helps you confirm the password, check for TPM or recovery key issues, rule out hardware or driver problems, and know when to escalate.
- Fix an SSL certificate that shows an error A browser or app showing an SSL or certificate error (e.g. "Your connection is not private," "NET::ERR_CERT_AUTHORITY_INVALID," or cert mismatch). This guide helps you identify the error type, rule out expiry and clock, check for name mismatch and chain issues, then fix the cert or escalate.
- Fix antivirus blocking or quarantining a trusted program Restore the file from quarantine, add a folder or process exclusion, submit a false positive, and avoid running two real-time scanners at once.
- Fix BitLocker when recovery key or password fails at boot Retrieve keys from Microsoft Account or AD, suspend after hardware changes, repair BCD—do not guess keys; reimage if volume is corrupted.
- Fix browser warnings that say your connection is not private Fix wrong system time, clear SSL state, remove bad proxies, pause HTTPS scanning in antivirus—do not enter passwords on untrusted networks.
- Fix expired JWT: refresh token, clock sync, re-login API returns JWT expired. Refresh access token, sync device time, sign out and in, renew credentials if refresh token fails.
- Fix FileVault that will not decrypt FileVault asks for a password or recovery key but it does not work—wrong password, key not found, or firmware password blocks input. This guide helps you find and enter the recovery key, reset the password, or use the key from iCloud—or call support when needed.
- Fix TLS that will not handshake A connection that fails during the TLS handshake (e.g. "handshake failure," "no shared cipher," or "protocol version"). This guide helps you confirm the failure with openssl s_client, check TLS version and cipher support, then enable compatible versions and ciphers or escalate.
How-to
- How to check if email was breached Check whether your email address appears in known data breaches using Have I Been Pwned or similar tools, and what to do if it was exposed.
- Set up two-factor authentication for email Enable two-factor authentication on Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and other email providers using an authenticator app or SMS so your email is protected even if the password is stolen.
- Set up Windows Security antivirus and scans on your PC Windows Security: enable real-time and cloud protection, run a full scan, add exclusions only for trusted apps, and keep Windows updated for new definitions.