We don’t see many Chromebooks here at Dave’s Computers in New Jersey. They tend to be mainly used for web browsing and light work and are generally very reliable. With most of the apps being web-based, there is actually very little to go wrong. When we did get one in the store last week, we were surprised at just how secure it could be. That’s what prompted this post. Do you know how to secure your Chromebook?
The Chromebook is a very reliable device that relies on Google’s suite of apps to be productive. A favorite of students everywhere, these laptops are light, cheap and accessible. They are also easy to work with.
Here are a few tips to help secure your Chromebook.
Keep it updated
Just like Windows and Mac OS, Chrome OS needs to be kept updated to be secure. Chrome OS doesn’t have the same range of threats as Windows but is regularly maintained with feature updates and vulnerability fixes. Maintaining an up to date Chromebook goes a long way to keeping it secure.
Check privacy settings
As you will likely already know, there are two types of privacy settings on a Chromebook. There are the ones on the device itself and those for your overall Google account. Making sure they both say the same thing is another security tip worth checking out.
On your Chromebook, go to Settings, Advanced, Privacy and Security. Check all the settings within that section to make sure privacy is secure. Pay particular attention to Safe Browsing.
Then, open Chrome and open your Google Account. The two settings should match as one syncs with the other but where security is concerned there is no such thing as too paranoid. Make sure you have a tough password, use two-factor authentication and run a security check on your account. The entire process should take less than two minutes but could seriously impact your security, in a good way!
Consider pulling back from Google
Even though you’re using a Chromebook, you don’t have to use Google for everything. You can install a different browser, use a different search engine and turn off data syncing if you like. While Google says it isn’t evil, trusting a company to safeguard your data with nothing but a promise is not always a good idea.
You can also change your DNS server away from Google to stop the company knowing everything you do online. Open Settings and Internet Connection, select your network and add Custom Name Servers.
Those simple steps go a long way to increasing the security of your Chromebook. You could go further with a VPN but that’s a subject for another day!
The computer repair guys at Dave’s Computers in New Jersey can help with any computer or networking issue you may have. Bring your computer to our store and we will see what we can do!
