Code on a computer screen

Browsers That Care About Your Security

Google Chrome

In the past, Google Chrome has not been the most secure browser, with fraudulent extensions, security issues in the software, and minor info leaks here and there when it came to websites. They have recognized their issues, thank goodness, and made it a priority with the current climate of cybersecurity in the news. Schools and governments, celebrities, politicians, and major corporations are being hacked more often. So, it was time for Chrome to change.

Google has made various changes behind the scenes and more to improve the security of those using the browser for both personal and business. The most recent change is that paid chrome extensions are being shut down. There has been an increase in fraudulent transactions when individuals are purchasing extensions. Now if someone wants to buy one, it must be through other means. This puts more responsibility on the individual if there are issues, but the browser no longer hosts malicious extensions.

Security Updates

There have also been an overhaul of security updates from Google to fix any patches or coding that leaves a user vulnerable. They release an update every one to two weeks. In addition, secure communications through carriers, networks, and websites has been increased to further reduce any interceptions of personal data before they reach their destination. Websites are also checked more regularly and must meet Google’s increased standards for certificates. For secure websites that have met the criteria, users can see a gray closed lock before the website address in the URL at the top of the browser. This lets the users know the website has been verified by Google to have a safe and secure connection.

There is also incognito mode which tracks less of your data and does not use your Google account but is still not as secretive as many people would believe. Just ask your personal FBI agent.

Mozilla Firefox

Mozilla is favored by many of those in IT career fields because of its care for information privacy. The web browser collects little information in terms of cookies, tracers, and other little bits of information you leave behind on websites. Google does that to help you out with loading, but Firefox sees it in a different light. They do not want your information collected to begin with. They only keep what they need to help load sites and to do minor tracking for statistics. Information entered through Mozilla tends to always be safer than Chrome or Microsoft Edge.

Patching up security

This is still a largely used browser and has functionality and security checks for websites to make sure users do not have issues either accessing or feeling safe accessing their favorite online spaces. Firefox is constantly updating security patches and updating website certificates to ensure there are no personal information leaks or privacy concerns.

Mozilla Firefox also has a Private Browsing mode as well. This does a much better job at not tracking your personal data and keeping you as removed from tracers and tracking as a large browser will.

Brave

For those who really value privacy and not being watched or tracked above all else, for what ever reason that may be. Brave Browser in its main form can have any search engine used. By default, you can link it to Chrome to help with login information and make it a main browser that feels like the others.

This is not a well-known or popular browser, so it lacks some functionality. However, it makes up for it in its ad blocking and privacy. Brave has a built-in ad blocker that does a good job at blocking almost everything. They also offer a reward program for viewing ads, but it is not as appealing as it involves website collaboration and not too many websites are interested in working with a lesser known browser. Browsing through websites I do not feel as bothered by the numerous in your face advertising by companies.

Cookies only

As for their privacy, they track almost nothing. It is mainly just cookies that are used for faster loading of websites, but nothing related to passwords, website trackers, or anything else that follows you around.

Their private browsing is the best I have seen so far, where you can even use the Duckgogo search engine. Duckgogo is a top notch web browser that cares the most about your privacy. Using this search engine and their privacy mode, you are browsing as freely as can be. Using these does not hinder your searches or performance because Duckgogo has similar search results to Bing and Google without all the tracking, and websites still load fast without a noticeable difference  compared to using cookies. For those paranoid about the FBI, NSA, and hackers, people can use this browser to ease their mind.

Brave is available on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS.

Author