Five steps to ultimate Firefox security | PCWorld (http://www.pcworld.com/article/2039455/five-steps-to-ultimate-firefox-security.html)
Five steps to ultimate Firefox security Eric Geier (http://www.pcworld.com/article/2039455/five-steps-to-ultimate-firefox-security.html#ericgeier) @eric_geier
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Over the years, many have touted Mozilla's Firefox as one of the most secure Web browsers. But as with other browsers, the security level offered depends on the settings. Some security features need to be manually enabled. Those turned on by default should still be double-checked.
Follow these five steps to lock down Firefox. Start with the essentials in the browser's own settings, then choose some useful add-ons. Finally, keep track of your plug-ins so you can patch the inevitable security holes.
Enable a master password Like other browsers, Firefox by default allows anyone who accesses your computer to log in to sites where you've saved the password. And as with Google Chrome, a list of the saved usernames and passwords can be viewed via the Options menu of Firefox.
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Eric GeierBy default, nothing prevents others from viewing all your saved login info in Firefox.
Fortunately, Firefox offers a master password feature that encrypts and password-protects the saved password list. When enabled, you must enter the master password the first time you use a saved password, once per browser session. Additionally, even though you enter the master password the first time, you must always enter it before you can view saved passwords via the Options menu. This is a great feature to help prevent casual snooping of your passwords. It even prevents most third-party utilities from recovering them.
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Eric GeierCreating a master password prevents others from using or viewing your saved login info.
To enable the master password feature, open the Firefox menu, select
Options, select the
Security tab, and then check the
Use a master password option.
Use a strong password for syncing Like Google Chrome, Firefox has a syncing feature to synchronize your bookmarks, passwords, and other browser data to Firefox browsers running on other computers and devices. Fortunately, Firefox encrypts all synced data, not just your saved passwords (as Google Chrome does). Additionally, Firefox has more security than what Chrome offers by default when you're setting up a new computer or device to sync. In Firefox, you must log in with your Firefox Sync password. Then you must either enter a random passcode from the new device into one that you've already set up, or take the recovery key from a device you've already set up and input that key into the new device.
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Eric GeierSyncing conveniently syncs your saved login and other browser data across multiple computers.
So you don't have much to worry about with Firefox syncing—as long as you use a strong password, one with upper- and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. If someone knows or cracks the password, and has access to a device you've already set up with syncing, they can then set up other devices with syncing and access your passwords and other browser data.
To enable or change sync settings, open the Firefox menu, select
Options, and select the
Sync tab.
Verify that security options are enabled Like other popular browsers, Firefox includes some basic security and privacy settings. Though most are enabled by default, you should ensure they haven't been disabled.
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Eric GeierMake sure the first three security options are selected to protect against malware and phishing attacks.
Start by opening the Firefox menu and selecting
Options. In the Options window, select the
Security tab. Ensure that the first option,
Warn me when sites try to install add-ons, is enabled to help prevent sites from automatically installing add-ons, as some can be dangerous. Then ensure that the next two options,
Block reported attack sites and
Block reported web forgeries, are also checked to help enable protection against malware and phishing.
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Eric GeierCheck the first privacy option to help prevent websites from tracking your online activity.
Next, select the
Privacy tab. And if you want more privacy online, select the first option,
Tell websites I do not want to be tracked, which isn't enabled by default. Although it can't prevent all tracking, it will reduce tracking by those sites that support this type of option.
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Eric GeierEnsure that the first content option here is enabled to block pop-ups.
Now, select the
Content tab. To prevent pop-up windows that can be annoying and even contain phishing ads, ensure that the first option is enabled:
Block pop-up windows.
Lastly, select the
Advanced tab, select the
Update subtab, and ensure that
Automatically install updates is selected.
Use add-ons for more protection Consider installing these security-related add-ons for extra protection:
NoScript (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/firefox/addon/noscript/) helps you control which sites can use JavaScript, Silverlight, Flash, and other embedded content, as they can be used maliciously to infect your computer or for phishing attempts.
Adblock Plus blocks banners, pop-ups, and video advertisements on websites to reduce clutter and the resulting annoyance; they can even reduce accidentally stumbling upon adware, malware, and phishing attacks.
Web of Trust (WOT) shows the user ratings of sites and blocks dangerous sites—such as those with malware—to increase safe surfing, shopping, and searching on the Web.
HTTPS Finder automatically detects and enforces HTTPS/SSL-encrypted connections when available—great in helping to reduce the chances of an eavesdropper on a Wi-Fi network from capturing your login details.
Xpnd.it! short URL expander (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/162021/) allows you to hover over shortened links to see the real URL and other basic information about the site so you know where it leads before clicking.
Check and update plug-ins Cyber criminals regularly use vulnerabilities in popular browser plug-ins (like Java and Adobe products) to infect and invade computers. Most plug-ins regularly release updates to patch security holes. Many plug-ins are set by default to update automatically or at least to notify you of them. However, it's a good idea to check periodically for updates. Consider using the Mozilla plug-in checker (https://www.mozilla.org/plugincheck/) or third-party sites like Qualys BrowserCheck (https://browsercheck.qualys.com/) for updates for other browsers.
A little vigilance goes a long way Firefox is pretty secure on its own, but you can make it even more secure with the right settings and add-ons. Good password management remains essential, too: Create and enable a strong master password so others can't use or view your passwords. And if you use the syncing feature to synchronize your passwords and browser data across devices, use a strong password to prevent others from syncing. Finally, keep tabs on your add-ons and plug-ins to make sure they're giving you the best possible protection.
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Google Chrome: Best security tips for safer browsing | PCWorld (http://www.pcworld.com/article/2030873/google-chrome-best-security-tips-for-safer-browsing.html)
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Google Chrome: Best security tips for safer browsing@eric_geier
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There's a lot to like about Google Chrome's built-in security features. The browser offers unique sandboxing functions and privilege restrictions, and even updates itself in the background to help better protect you from hackers and malware. But like all browsers, Chrome is imperfect, and there are steps you can take to protect it from attack. Here's how to get the most from Chrome's built-in security features, and work around its security shortcomings.
Privacy features Chrome offers several privacy features that help protect you while you browse. The most notable are its phishing- and malware-protection schemes, and a tool that can auto-correct misspelled Web addresses.
Chrome's phishing and malware protection put up a warning screen whenever you visit a website that Google has identified as potentially malicious, whether it spreads malware or tries to steal your personal information. Meanwhile, Chrome's URL autocorrect feature usees a Google-provided online service to fix misspelled URLS to help you avoid visiting the wrong site—and perhaps a nefarious site—by accident. Indeed, "typosquatting (http://mashable.com/2012/02/16/typosquatting-sites-shutdown/)" is still a threat.
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To use these features, open the browser's
Settings panel and scroll down to the Privacy section (you may need to click
Show advanced settings to get there), and check the boxes labeled
Use a web service to help resolve navigation errors and
Use a web service to help resolve spelling errors. Also, be sure to check the
Enable phishing and malware protection box.
Additionally, click the
Content settings tab and consider restricting some content. You can, for example, disable JavaScript (which is often exploited by malware) and plug-ins. When you do so, Chrome will notify you when a site is using them so that you can voluntarily opt in for legitimate sites.
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Protect your saved passwords and credit card details If you let Chrome save your website passwords, anyone who uses your PC can easily access them with a little poking around in the Settings panel. But unlike Firefox and its Master password feature, Chrome—and by extension, third-party add-ons—won't let you encrypt your passwords or saved credit card information.
Luckily, there are a few things you can do to help protect your privacy. First, don't allow people you don't trust to use your Windows user account. Instead, either create a new Standard (non-administrative) account for others to use or turn on the Guest account.
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If creating another Windows account is too inconvenient, consider using a Chrome extension like ChromePW (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/chromepw/oeiimoikalhhgfhfkfhngehekefpiaag), Browser Lock (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/browser-lock/ofilhkhdoiamdkbgciniekmdgjehaadm), or Secure Profile (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/secure-profile/eddeeogaiodnhfkingpegpmhpdiifbgh) to password-protect Chrome. This effectively forces others to use another browser on your system like Internet Explorer (which doesn't let others easily view your saved passwords) or Firefox (which lets you encrypt and password-protect your saved passwords).
Another option is to securely store your sensitive data using a third-party password manager. Some third-party password tools let you sync your passwords across other browsers, which might be helpful if you go from one computer to another. KeePass (http://www.pcworld.com/article/2026547/review-keepass-makes-strong-passwords-and-keeps-them-safe.html) and Xmarks (http://www.pcworld.com/article/2013681/review-xmarks-works-in-various-browsers-and-oss-to-sync-your-bookmarks.html) are two popular password managers worth trying.
Secure your synced data Chrome can sync most of your settings and saved data (including passwords, but not credit card details) across multiple computers and devices that have Chrome installed, but this creates a security vulnerability. By default, Chrome requires you to enter only your Google account password to set up a new computer or device to sync your browsing data. So if your Google account password were hacked, an intruder could potentially access a list of all your passwords.
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That is, unless you set a custom encryption syncing passphrase.
Once you set a syncing passphrase, you have to first sign in with your Google account password and then enter the passphrase to set up new synced devices. This adds an important extra layer of security. To set this up, open
Settings, click
Advanced sync settings, and select
Choose my own passphrase.
While you're there, also consider turning on encryption for all synced data instead of just passwords.
Secure your Google account Google offers several security features to help you better control and protect your account, and you should definitely consider using them if you use Chrome's sync feature. They help secure your entire Google account, so you should also consider using these security features if you tap into multiple Google services.
On the Google Account Security (https://www.google.com/settings/security) page, consider enabling Google's 2-step Verification. Once you've done that, you'll have to enter a special code—which you'll receive via text, voice call, or the Google app—whenever you attempt to sign in to Google from a new PC or mobile device. This scheme ensures that anyone without direct, hands-on access to your mobile hardware will be denied entry into your Google data. When signing in to applications or features that don't support the verification codes (like Chrome's sync feature), you'll have to sign in to your Google account, access the 2-step Verification settings, and generate an application-specific password.
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While on the Google Account Security (https://www.google.com/settings/security) page, you might also want to turn on email and/or phone notifications for password changes and suspicious log-in attempts. This way, you'll know right away if someone tries to change your password or attempts to log in to your account without your knowledge.
Additionally, review your recovery options in case you forget your password in the future. Last, review your authorized apps and sites and remove those you don't use anymore.
Install extensions for additional protection We reviewed many of the security features offered by Google and Chrome, but various extensions allow you to add even more security functions. For example, Web of Trust (WOT) (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/wot/bhmmomiinigofkjcapegjjndpbikblnp) can warn you of dangerous sites, and ADBlock (https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/gighmmpiobklfepjocnamgkkbiglidom) can remove annoying or malicious advertisements that can lead to malware or phishing sites. View Thru (https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/jkncfnbcgbclefkbknfdbngiegdppgdd) lets you see the destination of shortened URLs, and KB SSL Enforcer (https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/flcpelgcagfhfoegekianiofphddckof) can help you take advantage of HTTPS/SSL encryption on sites that support it.
(https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/pgkcfihepeihdlfphbndagmompiakeci)