Tools

Difficulty Levels

  • easy: no prior knowledge necessary
  • medium: easy to learn
  • hard: complex knowledge necessary

Android

TopicLinkDifficultyDescription
Anonymous browsing Tor Browser easy Onion-routed, hardened Firefox from the Tor Project
Anonymous chats Briar medium Onion-routed anonymous messaging
Browsing Firefox FocuseasyOpen-source browser
End-to-end encrypted calls and chat SignaleasyEnd-to-end encrypted phone calls, video calls, and messages; WhatsApp alternative
WireeasyEnd-to-encrypted phone calls, video chats and messages; WhatsApp alternative
End-to-end encrypted chat ConversationsmediumEnd-to-encrypted chat (jabber plus OTR & OMEMO)
Client-side encrypted cloud NextcloudeasySelf-hosting and contact/calendar synchronization (“cloud”)
End-to-end encrypted email OpenKeyChain/K9Mail hard End-to-end encrypted e-mail
Passwords KeePassDXmediumPassword manager
File Sync SyncthingmediumEncrypted, decentralized file sync
Operating System LineageOShardAlternative operating system based on Android
Other F-Droidmedium“App-Store” for free software
TransportreasyMap for Public Transport (formerly known as Liberario)
MapsmediumOpenStreetMapc client with offline maps and navigation
SheltermediumShelters apps e.g. from your contact list

iOS

TopicLinkDifficultyDescription
Anonymous Browsing Onion BrowsereasyProxy With Tor/Private Web Browser
Phone Calls, Chat SignaleasyEnd-to-end encrypted phone calls, video chats, and messages; WhatsApp alternative
WireeasyEnd-to-end encrypted phone calls, video chats, and messages; WhatsApp alternative
Chat ChatSecuremediumEnd-to-end encrypted chat (with jabber plus OTR & OMEMO)
Cloud NextcloudeasySelf-hosting and contact/calendar synchronization (“cloud”)
Password-Management KeepassiummediumPassword manager

Firefox/Chrome

TopicLinkDifficultyDescription
Adblocker uBlock OrigineasyMore than a multiple ad blocker
Privacy pluginPrivacy BadgereasySelf-learning tracking blocker
NoScripthardManage javascript, flash, anti-xss, java, anti-clickjacking
uMatrixhardBlocks scripts, iframes, ads, facebook, etc.
Disable WebRTCeasyBrowser add-on to disable Web-RTC based leak of IP-address
Cookies Cookie AutoDeletemediumAuto-delete for cookies without closing the browser
Browser Fingerprint CanvasBlockereasyBrowser add-on to change JS-API for modifying canvas to prevent Canvas-Fingerprinting
HTTPS HTTPS EverywhereeasySwitch to encrypted (=HTTPS) version of websites automatically
Search Engine DuckDuckGo (Onion URL)easyPrivate search engine
Searxeasy(self-hosted e.g. as https://search.fuckoffgoogle.net/)

More privacy-preserving browsers based on Firefox:

Windows

TopicLinkDifficultyDescription
Anonymous Browsing Tor BrowsereasyOnion-routed, hardened Firefox from the Tor Project
Browsing FirefoxeasyOpen-source browser
LibreWolfeasyopen-source browser based on Firefox but with improved privacy
Mullvad Browsereasyopen-source browser based on Firefox; in partnership with Tor Project, maker of TorBrowser
End-to-end encrypted chat SignaleasyEnd-to-encrypted phone calls, video chats and messages; WhatsApp alternative
WireeasyEnd-to-encrypted phone calls, video chats and messages; WhatsApp alternative
Client-side encrypted cloud NextcloudhardSelf hosting and contact/calendar synchronization (“cloud”)
End-to-end encrypted email Thunderbird+EnigmailhardSecure Email: client (Thunderbird) & Enigmail (PGP-encryption)
File Sharing OnionShareeasySecure and anonymous file sharing
File Encryption VeraCryptmediumContinuation of TrueCrypt
​MetadataMetaData StrippereasyRemove metadata from photos
Passwords KeePassXCeasyOffline password manager
File Sync SyncthingmediumEncrypted, decentralized file sync

Linux

TopicLinkDifficultyDescription
Anonymous Browsing Tor Browser easy Onion-routed, hardened Firefox from the Tor Project
Anonymous Messaging Briar medium Onion-routed anonymous messaging
Browsing Firefox easy Open-source browser
LibreWolfeasyopen-source browser based on Firefox but with improved privacy
Mullvad Browsereasyopen-source browser based on Firefox; in partnership with Tor Project, maker of TorBrowser
End-to-end encrypted chat Signal easy End-to-end encrypted phone calls, video chats, and messages; WhatsApp alternative
Wire easy End-to-end encrypted chats with other computers and with mobile phones. Video chats possible
Cloud Nextcloud hard Self-hosting and contact/calendar synchronization (“cloud”)
Email Thunderbird+Enigmail hard By installing the enigmail package Thunderbird will be installed, too; seahorse-nautilus integrates gpg-commands into the Nautilus file explorer
kmail+kleopatra hard kmail is part of the KDE desktop
Full Disk / File Encryption VeraCrypt medium Continuation of TrueCrypt
LUKS+dmcrypt hard Disc encryption for Linux (package name: cryptsetup)
File Sharing OnionShare easy Secure and anonymous file sharing (package name: onionshare)
Metadata Metadata Anonymisation Toolkit easy Remove metadata from photos, text files, etc. (package name:mat)
Passwords KeepassXC easy Offline password manager
File Sync Syncthing medium Encrypted, decentralized file sync

Privacy focused Linux distributions

TopicLinkDifficultyDescription
Anonymity  TailsmediumAmnesic, Incognito Live OS
WhonixmediumAnonymizing virtual machine and gateway
High-securityQubeshardSecurity through Xen-hypervisor based isolation. Also provides anonymity.

MacOSX

TopicLinkDifficultyDescription
Anonymous Browsing Tor Browsereasy Onion-routed, hardened Firefox from the Tor Project
Browsing FirefoxeasyOpen-source browser
LibreWolfeasyopen-source browser based on Firefox but with improved privacy
Mullvad Browsereasyopen-source browser based on Firefox; in partnership with Tor Project, maker of TorBrowser
End-to-end encrypted chat SignaleasyEnd-to-end encrypted phone calls, video chats, and messages; WhatsApp alternative
WireeasyEnd-to-end encrypted phone calls, video chats and messages; WhatsApp alternative
Cloud NextcloudhardSelf-hosting and contact/calendar synchronization (“cloud”)
Email Thunderbird+EnigmailhardEmail encryption: client (Thunderbird) & Enigmail (encryption)
gpgtools+Mail.apphardEmail encryption with Mail
File Encryption VeraCrypt (requires FUSE for MacOS)mediumContinuation of TrueCrypt
File Sharing OnionShareeasySecure and anonymous file sharing
Metadata MetaData StrippereasyRemove metadata from photos
Passwords KeePassXCeasyOffline-password manager
File Sync SyncthingmediumEncrypted, decentralized file sync