

These include improved WebRTC security (though nothing compared to modified Firefox or GNU IceCat), Do Not Track requests, and blocking third-party cookies by default. In most ways, it offers the same benefits as Ungoogled Chromium. Iridium is another Chrome fork worth considering. Still, if you prefer a Chrome fork over a modified Firefox (or Firefox fork), this is the best one out there. The biggest issue with Ungoogled Chromium is it’s not very user-friendly.

Fortunately, Ungoogled Chromium has the feature disabled by default. Even though Safe Browsing is meant to help keep you safe, it’s still a Google database and poses a significant privacy risk and is considered spyware. Ungoogled Chromium is a very secure, privacy friendly Chrome fork.Ī common issue with most Chrome forks is the Google Safe Browsing feature. If you’re used to Google Chrome (it is, after all, the most popular browser, even if it’s also one of the worst for online privacy), then we have good news for you.
IRIDIUM OR ICECAT INSTALL
If you want to watch Netflix or even YouTube content, you’ll need to install extra add-ons and hope it works.Īnother option is browser compartmentalization, using IceCat for general browsing and a modified Firefox for streaming and visiting any other sites that don’t work with IceCat. The biggest reason we’ve placed Firefox over IceCat is usability. It also blocks all JavaScript by default and uses GNU’s own version, LibraJS. As something of an oversimplification, you could say it’s almost like installing a version of Firefox that’s already been modified for better privacy and security.įor example, one of our top-recommended browser add-ons, HTTPS Everywhere, is already installed on IceCat by default. GNU IceCat is what we call a Firefox fork – that is to say, it’s based on Firefox’s source code.
IRIDIUM OR ICECAT FULL
If you’re interested in seeing a full how-to guide, complete with a breakdown of the about:config settings changes, let us know in the comments below! 2. The last set of modifications would be to include some browser add-ons, which we’ve covered in another post. However, these are a little more nuanced and some of them are more prone to causing other issues. There are also a few things to consider changing in the About:Config settings, including disabling WebRTC and blocking cryptominers.


Ideally, you should also be using a highly secure search engine (DuckDuckGo is our go-to) and one of the best VPNs. It’s also important to realize that even if you’re using the most secure browser available and have modified it with advanced settings and browser add-ons, you’re still not 100% safe. When you visit a website, it also stores cookies and trackers on your device, almost always in your browser itself. Autofill information such as names, addresses, and phone numbers.Your login credentials (username and passwords).Third parties can often very easily tap into that wealth of data and exploit it for advertising or other, even more nefarious purposes. Remember that saying about how if something’s free, you’re the product? Well, you aren’t paying for your browser – at least not with money.īrowsers collect vast amounts of private information about their users by default. Is the Browser I Use Really That Important? This is exactly what we wanted to talk about today. This is especially true for those times when you aren’t using a VPN, such as when using online banking.īut what are the best browsers – and which ones should you be avoiding? Using a secure browser (and search engine, for that matter) is vital for staying safe online. One of these is recognizing that some browsers are better than others. There are many things you can (and should) do to protect your online privacy.
