What is the most secure Internet setup?

I really dont get this at all. why do you need this.
the only thing I could see needing something like this for is you have a really shitty bank and you dont check anything or like in my case maybe you dont want your research stolen. I like my random number generator server that changes the password every so often bc i can not bc i need it. its awesome.

I don't, but it's fun.

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To not use the internet.

Secure internet connections and privacy protection are not necessarily the same thing. The second often needs users to think carefully about their actions, and unfortunately the former can't protect you from ones own stupidity.

Anyhow for a normal person you need to think about:

1) Patch your OS and Applications,
2) Don't install applications or plug ins that are known to be as secure as swiss cheese or abuse your privacy
3) Run your PC behind a decent firewall or install a firewall on it (or use the one that is included in the OS)
4) Using a VPN service will encrypt your traffic and protect your data from packet sniffing. It will also obscure your data to your internet provider.
5) Using something like TOR (properly) will also do the same as 4.

Good habits to get into are;

1) Keep an eye on security websites/blogs to be aware of new vulnberabilties, scams, security trends
2) Think about who you give your personal info to. Do you really need to give all your details to another web forum/social media provider etc. You can easily generate a valid looking fake ID: http://www.fakenamegenerator.com/faq.php
3) Go through all your social media website account settings, most have default settings that give them and Joe Public alot more information about you than you might be comfotable with. If you must use them only leave features enabled that you really need and use.
4) As per number three, this time enabling two-factor-authentication and any other security features.
5) Go check your online shopping accounts, switch off most of their trageted ad stuff, unless you like it and want it.
6) Use onlineadchoices to remove or block tracking cookies stored in your browser http://www.youronlinechoices.com/
7) Periodically review your firewall and system logs, investigate anything that looks odd.
8) Remember any mobile/cell phone can be tracked by those with the rights tools/access (this includes crackers).
9) If you do use a smart phone, think very carefully about the apps you do install and read through what services they will use on your phone carefully - yes the facebook app can access your mic to listen to what you talk about!

Finally if you want to be anonymous on the web you need to run the most common OS and browser. Windows 7/10 and Chrome trraffic will blend into the web-logs of sites better than Arch Linux and Ice Weasel; do you really want look like someone who is trying to hide or actually hide?

There is going to be a whole other bunch of stuff you can do as well.

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I'll second all of @BGL's tips in the great post above and just add a couple of general comments.

There really is no "most secure Internet setup." There are undoubtedly ways to make your particular setup with your particular needs more secure, and elaborating on what precisely you'd like to do on the Internet and from whom you would like to be secure would help us to give you more focused advice, but security on the Internet, as with security in the physical world, is less about following a checklist of practices and possessing certain knowledge as it is about cultivating a certain mindset. Developing a certain type of vigilance, and tending to that vigilance diligently is what is most important. I'd recommend reading a few basic books, checking a few websites regularly, and following a few podcasts once in a while. You can go way down the rabbit hole with security, but unless you are doing super dangerous or top-secret things, spending a few minutes once every month, and then maybe a couple of hours once a year or so doing maintenance and research, will go a long way.

Another idea that analogizes well to the physical world is that of the myth of perfect security. There really is no such thing, and even huge sums of money and national intelligence services are breached regularly: just ask Angela Merkel, the NSA, Sony, and so on. So forget about perfect security; as the adage goes, don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Unless you are doing very devious or secret things, a little effort can go a long way. If you are doing normal things online, the name of the game is not aiming for invincibility, it's making yourself a less desirable target. If a hacker is determined to breach your security and even moderately skilled, there is not a lot that you can do without extreme amounts of effort. Again, to analogize to the physical world, if your neighbor is really determined to murder you, you would have to go to considerable trouble to completely secure yourself from that threat. What you can reasonably do is take a few steps to deter not the determined thieves aimed at you personally, but the lazy ones looking for low-hanging fruit: lock your doors, set up a simple security system, get a dog, etc.

In addition to what was mentioned above, here are a few more tips for general Internet use. Ask if you have more specific questions.

1) Manage your credentials. Consider using a good password manager to strengthen your passwords, organize them, and change them regularly. Develop a system for organizing any other online credentials you use online: biometrics, credit card numbers, etc.
2) Back up. Back up everything that matters to you regularly. Back it all up, back the backups up, and keep them all secure. Even for regular users these days, I'd recommend one onsite and one offsite backup. Having your data stolen is bad enough, but if you can't get it back, that's much worse.
3) Lock devices. Lock and preferably encrypt all of your devices: phones, tablets, laptops, even desktop PCs.
4) Tier e-mail. Use multiple e-mail accounts, each with a different level of security. This sounds complicated and tedious, but it need not be. The simplest way to do this for basic use would be to have two accounts: one for people you know (family, close friends, possibly work) and one for people you don't (businesses, Internet contacts, newsgroups, etc.). Hopefully, most of the crap will go to your public address, which you can burn and replace regularly, leaving your private address relatively safe and long-lived.
5) Perform regular maintenance. Develop a schedule for reviewing your security thoroughly. Once a year would probably be enough for a regular user. Update all of your software, run scans, update and prune all of your credentials, accounts. Consider wiping your devices and cloud data (browsing data, location data etc.).
6) Develop a response plan. Prevention is the majority of security, and hopefully all you'll need, but response is its oft-neglected but equally necessary counterpart. If and when you are breached, have a clear plan of action already laid out and ready to go at a moment's notice. Draw up a list of things to do: how to pull up emergency credentials and overrides, info for emergency contacts, and so on.

Good luck!

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