Security and privacy have been dragged into the limelight once again this week with the revelation that Google Chrome, the browser of choice for over 53 percent of all internet users, fails to adequately protect personal information.

Identity Finder claims that there are “dozens of well-known exploits” to access files stored in Chrome, which can contain names, email, phone numbers, bank details, credit card and other sensitive data. To help users better protect themselves from hackers while Google gets around to fixing these vulnerabilities, the research firm published a report containing a few helpful recommendations for safe browsing. Readers are advised to either use Incognito mode when inputting personal data into a site, or to clear the cache, saved autofill form data and browsing history after every submission.

Best practices may help protect you from hackers, but there’s no avoiding the NSA. The latest leaked report from whistleblower Edward Snowden reveals that the spy agency is collecting as many as 600,000 email address books per day, which amounts to 250 million every year. Interestingly, the document indicates that Google, Microsoft and Yahoo are not actively participating in the operation. While Google is storing data overseas in an effort to keep it beyond the reach of the NSA, Yahoo is making SSL encryption the default setting for all Mail users starting next January.

Yahoo’s move to secure its email service is commendable, but the company is late to the party. Google’s Gmail has had SSL encryption as the standard setting for all users since January 2010, while Microsoft encrypted its Outlook.com and Hotmail web mail services in 2012. Facebook jumped on the SSL bandwagon in August this year.