The internet can be a dangerous place, with reports of phishing scams, ransomware and cyberattacks increasing each year. No matter how you prefer to use the internet, you need to be aware of the potential risks and take precautions to protect your data and privacy. Aside from familiarising yourself with common scams, one of the best steps you can take to protect yourself is using a secure browser.
(Photo by Ivan Rudoy on Unsplash)
Many modern internet browsers are designed to sell your browsing data to advertisers in order to make money. However, there are plenty of browsers you can use which are designed with privacy and security in mind. In this article, you’ll learn the best browsers to use if you want to stay safe while online and how to get the most out of them.
Safari
Safari is the default browser for MacOS users. Just like MacOS itself, Safari is well known for offering a high level of privacy while protecting users from potential threats. One of the most important features it offers is a tool to prevent websites from tracking you, meaning your personal browsing data is kept safe no matter what kind of sites you go on. In addition, it has a private browsing mode, which uses DuckDuckGo as the default search engine, so you can search privately.
Other useful features that Safari offers to protect you from threats include a strong password generator and anti-fingerprinting tools that use machine learning to keep you safe. Additionally, Apple updates its software regularly to prevent exploits. When you use the browser, the Safari update will download automatically whenever it’s available.
Brave
Brave browser hasn’t been around for as long as other popular services, but it’s quickly become one of the most well-known thanks to its privacy features. It’s designed with security and private browsing in mind, offering fast loading times and moving away from traditional ad-based revenue. It blocks adverts as default, meaning you can enjoy ad-free browsing.
While Brave does feature adverts, they’re completely optional. In addition, they’re focused on privacy, and users can even earn rewards from watching them. Aside from the lack of traditional adverts, Brave uses privacy features such as blocking third-party tracking and upgrading to secure connections. In addition, you can use VPN and firewall services for additional protection.
Mozilla Firefox
For years after the decline of Internet Explorer, Firefox was the most popular browsing option. These days, it plays second fiddle to Chrome in terms of users. However, it’s far better than most other options when it comes to security and privacy. Firefox features advanced tracking protection to ensure websites and online services cannot track your browsing data if you don’t let them. It automatically blocks browser fingerprinting.
Users also get a whole range of options to fully customise their browsing experience when using Mozilla. This means you can set up additional protection, including a VPN that offers connections to 500 servers in multiple countries. To ensure you can still use your favourite sites, Mozilla allows you to whitelist those that you trust.
Tor
Tor is designed for completely anonymous browsing, using onion routing to access sites that wouldn’t normally be available. This browser is particularly popular in countries that restrict internet access to the average citizen, offering a way of accessing the internet that’s resistant to censorship.
The browser helps to protect your privacy by using DuckDuckGo as the default search engine. When you connect using this service, your data is bounced across different nodes to disguise both your IP address and browsing data. This keeps you safe and maintains your privacy.
Caroline is doing her graduation in IT from the University of South California but keens to work as a freelance blogger. She loves to write on the latest information about IoT, technology, and business. She has innovative ideas and shares her experience with her readers.
