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How to choose the safest web browserThe internet is a Wild West of sorts. One can never know what kind of cyberthreat they’ll come across. This is why businesses should use secure web browsers to keep threats at bay. But how safe are the popular browsers of today? Let’s find out. Microsoft Edge Microsoft Edge, Windows 10’s current default browser, is […]

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How to choose the safest web browser

The internet is a Wild West of sorts. One can never know what kind of cyberthreat they’ll come across. This is why businesses should use secure web browsers to keep threats at bay. But how safe are the popular browsers of today? Let’s find out.

Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge, Windows 10’s current default browser, is an improvement over its predecessor Internet Explorer (IE). Edge is based on the open source Chromium browser, resulting in a powerful and efficient browser that supports Progressive Web Apps and Google Chrome extensions.

Edge’s main advantage is that it is Windows 10 co mputers’ native browser, which means it should integrate more seamlessly with the Windows OS ecosystem in terms of power usage and data security. It uses Windows Defender SmartScreen to protect users from phishing and malware attacks. And it has a three-level defense against third-party trackers, allowing users to choose between Basic, Balanced, and Strict levels of blocking trackers from collecting personal data and monitoring browsing behavior.

Safari

Safari is a graphical web browser developed by Apple for iOS, iPad OS, and macOS. The current iteration is Safari 14, released September in 2020 alongside macOS Big Sur, and it’s also compatible with Catalina and Mojave.

Safari has long been using a system called Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP) that identifies and prohibits trackers from accessing a user’s personal data. Safari 14’s Privacy Report feature shows all the trackers ITP has blocked. Safari also has secure password monitoring, which notifies users if any of their saved passwords in iCloud shows up in a data breach. The browser, however, is only available on Apple devices, with full capabilities found only on MacBooks and Macs.

Mozilla Firefox

Mozilla Firefox is a free and open-source web browser developed by the Mozilla Foundation. It is widely available across platforms, even on Unix and Unix-like operating systems such as FreeBSD, OpenBSD, illumos, and Solaris Unix.

Because of Firefox’s open-source development platform, it can be quite unsecure to use on public computers. For personal and single-user business devices, however, Firefox is relatively safe, especially once all security features are activated and tweaked to your needs. Some key features include a password manager called Firefox Lockwise, a third-party tracker protection system, Private Browsing, and Firefox Monitor, which checks if your email address has been compromised in a data breach.

Mozilla also has a Bug Bounty program, which offers a financial reward to anyone who can identify gaps and holes in Firefox code, so the browser can be patched and improved as urgently as possible. Mozilla also promises no legal action against anyone who complies in good faith under its Bug Bounty program, including any claim under the DMCA for circumventing technological measures.

Google Chrome

Google Chrome is a cross-platform web browser developed by Google. It is the default browser for Google’s line of laptops and third-party Chromebooks. Chrome utilizes a process allocation model to sandbox tabs. Sandboxing is a security mechanism for separating running programs to keep software vulnerabilities from spreading.

Chrome also regularly updates two sets of blacklists, one for phishing and one for malware, which it uses to warn users of potentially harmful sites. It also touts site isolation and predictive phishing protection features that receive regular and critical updates every six weeks and within 24 hours of a threat being discovered, respectively.

Being aware of how your web browser stacks up against the competition is only half the battle. Ransomware like WannaCry can spread to uninfected systems through a gap in the Windows security framework, and most other malware infections prey on human error. What your business needs is a comprehensive security audit. For more information, call us today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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What private browsing can and can’t doAs you surf the web, it’s nearly impossible to keep your internet activity completely private. Certain websites collect personal information for marketing purposes and your browser keeps track of all the websites you visit. That browsing information can also fall into the wrong hands, which is why you should consider using private browsing if you […]

The post What private browsing can and can’t do appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

What private browsing can and can’t do

As you surf the web, it’s nearly impossible to keep your internet activity completely private. Certain websites collect personal information for marketing purposes and your browser keeps track of all the websites you visit. That browsing information can also fall into the wrong hands, which is why you should consider using private browsing if you want to keep your online activities to yourself.

What is private browsing?

Your web browser — whether it be Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, or Opera — remembers the URLs of the sites you visit, cookies that track your activity, passwords you’ve used, and temporary files you’ve downloaded.

This can be convenient if you frequently visit certain pages, can’t remember your login details, or if you’re trying to recall a website you visited a few days ago. But if someone else uses or gains access to your computer, your most private (and embarrassing) internet activities are exposed for anyone to see.

With private browsing — also called Incognito Mode in Chrome and InPrivate Browsing in Edge — all the information listed above does not get recorded. In fact, all the websites and information you accessed in the private browsing session are immediately discarded without a trace as soon as you close the browser. This can come in handy when you’re using a public computer because you’re instantly logged out of all the accounts you accessed after closing the window.

Your cookies also won’t be tracked. In a normal browsing session, sites like Facebook will display highly targeted ads based on the sites and pages you’ve visited. But in private browsing mode, your internet activity can’t be tracked by marketing companies.

Another benefit of private browsing is that you can use it to log in to several accounts on the same site, which is useful if you need to log in to two different online accounts at the same time.

What are the limitations of private browsing?

Although private browsing does prevent your web browser from storing your data, it doesn’t stop anyone from snooping on your online activities in real time. If your computer is connected to the company network, system administrators can still track what you’re browsing, even if you’re in Incognito Mode.

Also, if spyware or keylogger malware is installed on your computer, hackers will still be able to see what you’re doing online. Even though private browsing has quite a few benefits, you shouldn’t solely depend on it for online privacy. Instead, you should use a virtual private network (VPN) when you go online. These encrypt your internet connection and prevent anyone from intercepting your data. And don’t forget to use a strong anti-malware program to scan your computer and keep spyware and other malicious web monitoring software at bay.

If you want to know where you can get these solutions or learn more about web browser security, call us today. We have the tools and expert advice you need to prevent anyone from snooping on your internet browsing.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

The post What private browsing can and can’t do appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

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