These are the privacy and security tools that have come up on The Lockdown podcast. Each entry links back to the episode(s) where it was discussed so you can hear the full context, trade-offs, and implementation tips straight from the show.
Messaging
| Tool |
What it helps with |
Mentioned |
| ProtonMail |
End-to-end encrypted email with Swiss (for now) hosting and Proton ecosystem integration. |
Ep012, Ep028, Ep031 |
| Tuta |
German zero-knowledge email platform with encrypted calendar and contacts. |
Ep031 |
| Fastmail |
Custom-domain email host with masked address support |
Ep028 |
| SimpleLogin |
Email alias service that forwards mail while hiding your real inbox (owned by Proton). |
Ep014, Ep028, Ep031 |
| Cloaked |
Automation tool for disposable emails, phone numbers, and virtual identities. |
Ep031 |
| 33mail |
Free burner email aliases for quick sign-ups and spam control. |
Ep030 |
Domain Names
| Tool |
What it helps with |
Mentioned |
| Namecheap |
Domain registrar with WHOIS privacy for custom domains and email routing. |
Ep001 |
| Njalla |
Privacy-first domain registrar and hosting operated outside traditional registrars. |
- |
Mobile Phone Privacy
Financial Privacy & Payments
| Tool |
What it helps with |
Mentioned |
| Phoenix Wallet |
Self-custody Lightning wallet with on-device channels and privacy fees. |
Ep024 |
| Zeus Wallet |
Advanced Lightning wallet for node operators with remote control features. |
Ep024 |
| BIP39 Generator |
Offline mnemonic generator for cold-storing cryptocurrency seeds. |
Ep024 |
Passwords & Authenticators
| Tool |
What it helps with |
Mentioned |
| KeePassXC |
Open-source desktop password manager with local encrypted vaults. |
Ep002, Ep010 |
| KeePassDX |
Android KeePass client supporting offline, self-hosted vault sync. |
Ep002, Ep006, Ep010, Ep012 |
| Strongbox |
iOS/macOS KeePass-compatible vault with hardware-key and FaceID support. |
Ep002, Ep006, Ep012 |
| Bitwarden |
Cross-platform password manager with audited cloud and self-hosting options. |
Ep002, Ep012 |
| 1Password |
User-friendly password manager with robust family sharing and watchtower alerts. |
Ep002, Ep012 |
| Dashlane |
Cloud password vault with dark-web monitoring (noted pros and cons). |
Ep002 |
| Aegis Authenticator |
Open-source Android TOTP app with encrypted, exportable backups. |
Ep002 |
| YubiKey |
Hardware security keys enabling phishing-resistant 2FA and passkeys. |
Ep002 |
| Tool |
What it helps with |
Mentioned |
| GPG4Win |
Windows suite for PGP email encryption and key management. |
FFN002 |
| Veracrypt |
Open-source disk encryption for locking down backups and MFA exports. |
Ep010 |
Operating Systems
| Tool |
What it helps with |
Mentioned |
| GrapheneOS |
Hardened Android for Pixel devices with granular sandbox controls. |
Ep003, Ep006, Ep011, Ep018, Ep019, Ep020, Ep021, Ep024, Ep025, Ep029, Ep030 |
| pfSense |
FreeBSD-based firewall/router OS supporting VPNs, VLANs, and rich packages. |
Ep008, Ep013, Ep021, Ep023 |
| OPNsense |
pfSense fork with modern UI and additional IDS/IPS plugins. |
Ep021 |
Applications
| Tool |
What it helps with |
Mentioned |
| NewPipe |
Free software YouTube client that avoids ads and Google tracking. |
Ep027 |
| GrayJay |
FUTO’s federated video client aggregating multiple platforms privately. |
Ep027 |
| Obsidian |
Local Markdown knowledge base with optional end-to-end syncing. |
Ep006, Ep011, Ep023 |
| OnlyOffice |
Self-hostable office suite compatible with Microsoft formats. |
Ep015 |
| LibreOffice |
Offline office suite replacing Google Docs for sensitive documents. |
Ep015 |
Browsers & Key Apps
Self-Hosting, Networking & Firewalls
| Tool |
What it helps with |
Mentioned |
| Nextcloud |
Self-hosted file sync, calendars, and contacts replacing big-cloud suites. |
Ep006, Ep017, Ep018, Ep023 |
| NextDNS |
Cloud DNS filter for malware blocking, analytics, and parental controls. |
Ep013 |
| Proxmox |
Virtualization and container platform for homelabs and service isolation. |
Ep017 |
| Pi-hole |
Network-wide DNS sinkhole to block trackers and ads locally. |
Ep017 |
| Blue Iris |
Local NVR software keeping surveillance camera feeds off third-party clouds. |
Ep017 |
| Jellyfin |
Open-source media server that keeps your streaming library self-hosted. |
- |
| Simplewall |
Windows firewall front-end that kills telemetry and rogue outbound traffic. |
Ep015, Ep025, FFN002 |
| Little Snitch |
macOS outbound firewall prompting per-app network rules. |
Ep025, Ep027 |
| OpenSnitch |
Linux adaptation of Little Snitch for application-level network prompts. |
Ep030 |
Backups & Private Productivity
| Tool |
What it helps with |
Mentioned |
| Backblaze B2 |
Affordable object storage used with Restic for encrypted off-site backups. |
Ep006, Ep017 |
| Restic |
CLI backup tool with deduplication and client-side encryption. |
Ep006, Ep017 |
| Mobius Sync |
Syncthing-based mobile app for peer-to-peer file synchronization. |
Ep023 |
Hardware & Physical Privacy