A Few Firefox Addons for the Security Paranoid
Working at a tech firm, I’m surrounded by a lot of very technically savvy people.
I find, in general, very technically savvy people tend to be paranoid about privacy and security on the Internet.
This worries me.
What do they know that I don’t know?
So in a toast to technically savvy Internet paranoia, here’s a trio of Firefox browser add-ons designed with the security paranoid in mind.
Disclaimer: If your IT has standardized security measures, you should check with them before installing any of these. If you do choose to install them at work or at home, read the FAQ on each add-on carefully before installation. Firefox and each add-on are in continuous development, so we can’t predict if and how they will work in the future. These were made by technically savvy people for technically savvy people, so some know-how is required. In short, we think these are cool, but use at your own risk.
Adblock Plus
What it does: Blocks advertising, banners and other unwanted stuff on websites.
Why the technically savvy paranoid guy likes it: Web sites look clean, they load a lot faster without the graphic heavy banners and ads, and you’re not at the mercy of advertisers on every site you visit.
Investment/Reward: Easy to manage, low security benefit.
Get it here: http://adblockplus.org/en/
NoScript
What it does: NoScipt blocks Java, JavaScript and Flash from running on websites by default and allows the user to “whitelist” (allow) these scripts only on a site by site basis.
Why the technically savvy paranoid guy likes it: Java and Flash are web based programs that can run on your PC. They can be used to run malware on your computer, or do other nasty things like Cross-Site Scripting (which can steal your login credentials).
Investment/Reward: Intermediate difficulty to manage, high security benefit. NoScript can disable advanced functionity in websites that rely on Java and Flash to function (Facebook, Zimbra, etc.), so the initial tweaking can take some time. Users will need to manage their settings.
Get it here: http://noscript.net/
Better Privacy
What it does: BetterPrivacy deletes Flash-based cookies known as LSOs (Local Shared Objects) that otherwise can exist on your computer forever.
Why the technically savvy paranoid guy likes it: Browsers are now able to block or delete “normal” cookies. In response, Flash-based cookies known as LSOs have quietly taken over the web. Sites place LSOs in your computer where they are never visible and never removed. The cookies can be used to track your actions.
Investment/Reward: Intermediate difficulty to manage, medium security benefit. Better Privacy can disable functionality in trusted websites that rely on LSOs for stored visitor information. Users will need to manage their settings.
Get it here: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/6623
