How to surf more securely

[jNizM]

How to surf more securely

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Browser

Firefox (Download)

• Settings
• tba...

• Add-ons
• Adblock Plus
• Disconnect
• HTTPS Everywhere
• NoScript
• Self-Destructing Cookies
• uBlock Origin

Chrome (Download)

• Settings
• tba...

• Add-ons
• Adblock Plus
• Disconnect
• HTTPS Everywhere
• uBlock Origin

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Hosts File (be careful!)
The hosts file is a computer file used by an operating system to map hostnames to IP addresses. The hosts file is a plain text file, and is conventionally named hosts. [...] (wiki)

• Full Files
• hosts (127.0.0.1) (Howto in Comments)
• zero hosts (0.0.0.0) (Howto in Comments)

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Other Programs / Tools
Sandboxie (Download)
Sandboxie runs your programs in an isolated space which prevents them from making permanent changes to other programs and data in your computer. [...] (How It Works)

Tor Browser (Download)
The Tor software protects you by bouncing your communications around a distributed network of relays run by volunteers all around the world. [...] (Instructions)

[guest3456]

might want to add the OpeNic, Google, and OpenDNS DNS servers

https://www.opennicproject.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenDNS
https://developers.google.com/speed/public-dns/?hl=en

there are pros and cons vs using your isp dns, but its definitely something to consider

[Neuromancer]

i want to suggest the Ghostery addon

[kon]

I like NoScript
I have it set to "Temporarily allow top-level sites by default"
It largely makes addblock unnecessary because it uses a white-list that lets you decide which domains are allowed to run scripts. You build the white-list as you browse by simply deciding which scripts are allowed to run by giving them temporary or permanent permissions.

[gregster]

In my experience, a combination of NoScript and adblock works best to make surfing more smoothly. I used NoScript for years; it is very useful, but adding adblock on top was really another dimension. Still, it might be possible to reach my goal by using just one these tools (but that would require deeper digging in the options, I guess). Some of the other things mentioned I tried, too, over the years. They can really help to ensure better privacy and security, I guess.

[joedf]

uBlock
+1 ghostery

[kon]

DuckDuckGo Search engine (browser add-in available)
reddit.com/privacy

[MasterFocus]

General:

• SelfDestructing Cookies and HTTPS Everywhere are great
• Make sure you use the HTML version of the DuckDuckGo search
• Do NOT use Ghostery (check the subreddit mentioned above by kon and/or simply Google about it)
• There is no need for other adblockers (such as Adblock Plus and Disconnect) if you're already using uBlock / uBlock Origin
• uMatrix should also be mentioned, although it's probably best for advanced users (for Chrome, not sure if there's a Firefox version)
• The hosts file is a good suggestion, and you can even improve the "zero" version by using simply 0 instead of 0.0.0.0

Other suggested stuff for Chrome:

• KISS Privacy

Other suggested stuff for FireFox:

• NoScript is great (just to be safe, there's also a very simple addon which let's you enable/disable Javascript with one click, but I don't recall its name)
• Request Policy Continued or Policeman
• Random Agent Spoofer
• Header Tool (had a bug where you needed to disable and then re-enable it whenever opening FireFox - I'm not sure if it's been fixed so I keep doing it)
• There are many people out there sharing useful "user.js" preferences focused on privacy, but I don't think there's a "definitive guide" (I encourage you all to search more about these settings)

[Neuromancer]

• Do NOT use Ghostery (check the subreddit mentioned above by kon and/or simply Google about it)

went and read reddit about Ghostery, didn't knew it had changed hands, but seems everything is still ok since the option to send data etc is unchecked by default

[MasterFocus]

• Do NOT use Ghostery (check the subreddit mentioned above by kon and/or simply Google about it)

went and read reddit about Ghostery, didn't knew it had changed hands, but seems everything is still ok since the option to send data etc is unchecked by default

You can always choose how much "paranoid" you want to be about your security and privacy. It's a spectrum, not a binary choice.

Like many folks out there, I'd rather not trust Ghostery considering the company which owns it now.
Still, here I am using Windows and Chrome... As I said, it's all about choices. hehe

[tidbit]

http://alpha.wallhaven.cc/wallpaper/278424

[joedf]

@tidbit hahaha awesome!

[jNizM]

Soon...

[tomoe_uehara]

[RogerK]

Why not simple use a VPN or Tor browser? I thought it was the simplest way???

[vasili111]

I think there is no need for Adblock Plus and Disconnect if you have uBlock Origin. Many lists that is supported by Adblock Plus can be turned on in uBlock Origin . Also there is Disconnect list in uBlock Origin.

[joedf]

Also... What is the difference between uBlock and uBlock Origin?

[vasili111]

Also... What is the difference between uBlock and uBlock Origin?

https://www.reddit.com/r/ublock/comment ... ck_origin/
https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/issue ... t-96618444

[Guest]

https://addons.mozilla.org/de/firefox/a ... ock-origin

...can I ask that you plz remove the language identifier ("de/") from all the AMO (addons.mozilla.org) links? Right now it forces everyone to see AMO in German (except any untranslated parts).

The problem is that when you go to AMO (like direct to the home page or something), it detects your language & redirects to a language-specific URL, then when you copy/paste that URL to share with people, everyone is forced to see the site in your language. This problem is clearly caused by AMO's "language identifier in the URL" thing they do, the only solution right now is to manually "clean" any URLs you share from AMO (or file a bug & hope they care & fix it).

For example, instead of...

• uBlock Origin
  https://addons.mozilla.org/de/firefox/a ... ock-origin

...remove the language identifier from the URL & make it link to...

• uBlock Origin
  https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/ublock-origin

...you can even remove the "firefox/" from the URL too...

• uBlock Origin
  https://addons.mozilla.org/addon/ublock-origin

...& AMO will redirect to the correct location, in the correct language!

The final 1 is the cleanest-looking URL & also gets to the correct place.

[jNizM]

Sure... Done.