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Mozilla Firefox is considered by many experts to be the best browser out there. It combines powerful privacy protection features, is highly secure, and receives regular updates. The latest version of Firefox is fast and includes a host of features to surf the Internet confidentially and securely.
Another great thing about Firefox is that it's highly customizable, which is why this tutorial was created. Below we take a closer look at how a user can change Firefox's settings so that the browser provides a high level of protection and privacy, while remaining comfortable to browse the web.
But before we get to the point, let's take a look at some important information about customizing Firefox.
Note
There are many factors to consider when customizing Firefox to suit your needs, including your threat model and web browsing preferences. In other words, there is no “one size fits all” configuration that will suit everyone. This guide provides an overview of the functions that can be used for various browser configuration options.
Before you start changing Firefox preferences and installing a bunch of different add-ons, it's important to know what Browser Fingerprinting is.
Browser Fingerprinting
The Browser Fingerprinting theme is relevant because it includes various ways to track and identify a user through their browser and selected settings. Any add-ons that you install on your browser and any changes to settings you make in Firefox are inputs that can potentially be used to identify and track your activity.
Therein lies catch-22: the more add-ons you install and the more you tweak your browser settings, the more likely you are to stand out from the crowd and be easier to track. There are special programs to solve this problem - and the latest version of Firefox includes protection against third-party tracking and hides your Browser Fingerprinting.
Bigger is not always better
When we talk about browser add-ons, don't be like a kid adding any possible doping to their ice cream. More is not always better when it comes to the number of extensions for the Firefox browser.
Too many add-ons can slow down your browser's performance and break it down. Many popular Firefox extensions perform the same functionality and are redundant when used together.
Therefore, it is better to stick to a balance. Install plugins and change only those parameters that, in your opinion, will help in a particular case.
Be careful
Changing some settings can drastically change the way you view the web and cause some websites to fail to load. Thus, making changes to the settings step by step is the best approach to modifying the browser. You can continue to install add-ons and change settings as you make sure past modifications have taken effect and are working correctly.
It is possible to add sites to the list of exclusions - they will not use the plugins you have installed.
Firefox privacy settings
Before using Firefox, you might want to change the options below to improve your privacy.
Note: If you are a macOS user, you will see the word "Preferences" in your menu , not "Options" as indicated below.
Disable telemetry
Firefox shares "technical and user activity data" with Mozilla by default. This includes the ability to conduct various kinds of research, including analysis of the activity of your PC. Learn more about this kind of research here. In addition, there is also a page that talks about Mozilla's data collection methods. In any case, we recommend that you disable these features.
To do this, navigate to the following path: Settings > Privacy & Security > Firefox Data Collection and Use. Then uncheck the options as shown in the picture below.
You can also turn off telemetry in your Android browser by going to Settings > Privacy & Security > Data Collection and then unchecking all three options.
Note: you can disable telemetry in the settings "About: Config" in the parameter toolkit.telemetry.enabled, which should be set to "False".
Change your default search engine
Firefox currently uses Google as its default search engine, but you can use other private search engines instead.
To do this, go to the following path: "Settings "> "Search"> "Default search engine". Firefox does not provide the user with many alternatives directly in the settings area. However, you can view additional options by going to the Search Engines section and then selecting the Find Other Search Engines option to view the available alternatives.
Firefox even posted a guide on how to change your search engine settings.
Firefox content blocking
Another great feature in Firefox is blocking inappropriate content. This configurable option automatically blocks any content that might track your activity and the sites you visit. There are three data filtering modes: standard, strict, and personal. You can block:
To configure content blocking options in Firefox, navigate to the following path: Settings > Privacy & Security, and then select the mode you want to use.
Standard mode is a great option for everyday use. Firefox warns that strict mode may fail when loading certain sites.
Disable content blocking for specific sites
You can easily turn off content blocking on trusted sites. Just enter the URL of the resource, then click on the "i" icon to the left of the address bar and click on the gray button to stop blocking content.
Another advantage of Firefox's content blocking feature is that the browser allows you to save the entered data and automatically speeds up page loading.
Request "Do Not Track"
Firefox can also send a request to websites to prevent them from tracking your activity. This is done very simply by adding a special field to the HTTP header. However, the key point in discussing this feature is that it does not actually block tracking. Many websites simply ignore these requests.
Among other things, this feature can make the "footprint" of your browser on the web more visible. Therefore, we recommend turning it off so as not to attract additional attention.
You can find out more about the Do Not Track request by following the link.
About: Config Menu
In addition to the settings in the main menu that we talked about earlier, you can also make a number of different changes by opening the "About: config" section.
Note. If you have made all the above changes in the browser settings, you can see that the status of some parameters has already been updated in the "About: config" menu. Next, we'll also talk about how you can customize Firefox directly from this section. Some options will be repeated, since there is a whole group of users who change system parameters directly from the "About: config" menu.
To access these settings, enter “about: config” in the URL bar and press the “Enter” button. You will see the message "Please proceed with caution", you should select the "Accept risk and continue" option to start changing your browser settings.
After that, you will see a large list of settings, each of which has a status, type and value.
The options available are listed in alphabetical order. In addition, at the top of the page, you will find a search bar that will help you instantly find the option you need.
You can change any browser setting by double-clicking the left mouse button on it. If the option has a boolean type, then double-clicking will change its value to "True" or "False". If the option is of the "Integer" or "String" type, then double-clicking will open a special field for changing its value.
Below are the parameters that we think should be changed.
media.peerconnection.enabled (WebRTC) = false
The Web Real-Time Communication (WebRTC) function allows users to make video calls, make voice calls, and send files over a P2P network. Unfortunately, using this option can lead to disclosing your real IP address via STUN requests, even if you are using a good VPN service. This problem is called WebRTC data leak .
To disable the WebRTC option in Firefox, enter “media.peerconnection.enabled” in the search bar, and then double-click on the found option to change its value to “False”.
In addition to Firefox, the WebRTC vulnerability affects other Chromium - based browsers such as Chrome, Opera, Brave, and Safari.
privacy.resistFingerprinting = true
Changing the value of this parameter to "True" will help make Firefox's "footprint" on the web less visible.
Note. There are many factors that affect the size of a browser's fingerprint and its ability to accurately identify you. This is just one way to reduce your footprint on the web.
privacy.trackingprotection.fingerprinting.enabled = true
Another feature that helps keep your privacy and reduce browser fingerprint.
privacy.trackingprotection.cryptomining.enabled = true
With its help, the user can block the use of cryptominers on websites.
privacy.firstparty.isolate = true
Changing the value of this function to "True" isolates cookies for the First Party domain, which prevents your activity from being tracked on other domains. This isolation affects many components: Cookies, Cache, HTTP Authentication, DOM Storage, Flash Cookies, SSL and TLS Session Resume, Shared Workers, Blob URIs, SPDY and HTTP / 2, Source-to-Source Auto-redirection, window.name, auto-complete forms, HSTS and HPKP supercookies, broadcast channels, OCSP, favicons, media URIs, speculative and pre-selected connections.
This option was first added at the end of 2017 as part of the Tor Uplift project.
privacy.trackingprotection.enabled = true
Built-in Tracking Protection from Mozilla. For its correct functioning, the Disconnect.me filter list is used. It should be said that it may even be overkill if you are already using uBlock Origin filters .
geo.enabled = false
By setting the value "False" for this parameter, the user will deny tracking his location, information about which can be requested by the site that he opened. This option is enabled by default, Mozilla explains. The browser uses Google's location service to calculate your location. To do this, Firefox sends Google:
media.navigator.enabled = false
Setting this parameter to False will prevent websites from accessing your microphone and camera.
network.cookie.cookieBehavior
This option is an integer type with different value options. There are several value options for cookies:
network.cookie.lifetimePolicy = 2
This is another integer option that should be set to 2. It lets the user decide when the cookies are deleted. The following options are possible:
network.dns.disablePrefetch = true
By setting this parameter to "True", the user will prevent Firefox from "prefetching" the DNS. While activating this feature can improve page loading speed, its use also comes with some risks, which are described in this article.
network.prefetch-next = false
Similar to DNS prefetching, setting this parameter to False will give you the ability to prevent Firefox pages from preloading . Mozilla has added this feature to speed up the loading of the web pages you visit frequently. However, its use poses a threat to your privacy. A prime example of how you have to sacrifice privacy in order to improve the quality of the browser.
webgl.disabled = true
Using WebGL is a potential security risk, so it is best to disable this feature by setting “webgl.disabled” to “True”. Another problem with WebGL is that this option can be used to track your phone's activity.
You can read more about this here and here.
dom.event.clipboardevents.enabled = false
By using this feature, you prevent websites from sending notifications that you copy, paste or cut anything from their pages.
media.eme.enabled = false
This option disables automatic playback of DRM-related HTML5 content. You can read more about this here.
Safe Browsing Settings in Firefox
Many experts recommend turning off Safe Browsing in Firefox due to privacy concerns and potential Google tracking. However, such concerns are not relevant - they are based on older versions of the browser, which used "search for URLs in real time." This method has not been applied since 2011.
When searching for a specific URL, Firefox takes the following precautions to protect user privacy (according to Francois Marie, Mozilla's security engineer):
Therefore, we have concluded that disabling Safe Browsing will not provide you with any tangible privacy benefits and also pose an additional security risk. However, if you still want to disable this feature, you can do so in the "about: config" menu:
Extensions to provide a high level of privacy and security in Firefox
There are several great Firefox add-ons that provide a high level of user privacy and security.
Note. When looking for extensions for Firefox, keep in mind what changes you've already made to your browser settings. Some of them can be superfluous, overload the program and lead to errors in operation.
In conjunction with the settings changes above, we recommend that you install the following extensions to increase your privacy level:
Another worthwhile addition is worth mentioning separately - Cookie AutoDelete. However, if you have already changed your cookie settings in the "about: config" menu (as described above), then you will not need it.
uBlock Origin
uBlock Origin is an effective plugin that blocks both ads and trackers. It has gained popularity as a worthy alternative to Adblock Plus, which allows it to host "acceptable ads" that many users disliked. One of the perks of uBlock Origin is that the add-on can significantly improve browser performance and web page loading speed.
In addition, in uBlock Origin, the user can whitelist certain websites. Considering that many resources deny access to them if they find an ad blocker, the option to add a site to the whitelist will definitely come in handy for you. uBlock Origin is free and open source.
HTTPS Everywhere
HTTPS Everywhere is a great Firefox add-on. It establishes an HTTPS connection to the websites you visit, provided HTTPS is available to them.
Fortunately, more and more sites are adopting HTTPS technology. However, HTTPS Everywhere is still a useful extension for use in Firefox.
You can get more information about HTTPS from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which is responsible for creating this program.
Decentraleyes
Decentraleyes is an interesting Firefox add-on that protects you from being tracked through third-party content delivery networks. While CDNs do help increase page load speed and browser performance, they are usually offered free of charge by third parties who use the data they receive to track your online activity. Among such companies that are trying to get information about you are Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Cloudflare, Yandex, Baidu, MaxCDN.
Decentraleyes solves your privacy issue by hosting CDN resources locally. As described in their own GitLab repository , Decentraleyes "intercepts traffic, finds appropriate resources locally, and injects them into the environment," thereby preventing CDN users from being tracked.
Cookie AutoDelete
You will not need this add-on if you have made the above settings changes to automatically delete cookies after your session ends.
However, if you prefer to use add-ons instead of making changes to your browser settings, then Cookie AutoDelete is a great choice. The extension removes cookies that you no longer need, thereby protecting the user from tracking.
Privacy Badger
Privacy Badger is another add-on from the Electronic Frontier Foundation that blocks ads and trackers. One of the disadvantages of the extension is that it only blocks third-party sites. For example, Google Analytics sites will not be blocked. Another downside to Privacy Badger is that the plugin doesn't actually use the filter list. Instead, it mostly learns as you apply it.
It's worth noting that Privacy Badger isvery easy to use and goes a long way in ensuring a high level of privacy while browsing the web. It can be used in conjunction with uBlock Origin, although they have some similarities in terms of functionality.
uMatrix
uMatrix is an advanced add-on that gives you control over the requests that can track the activity on the sites you visit. It was developed by the same people behind uBlock Origin. One of the advantages of uMatrix is that the extension is very easy to customize for a specific use case.
One of the disadvantages of the program is that it can be difficult and time-consuming to configure it for regular daily web browsing. However, if you need a powerful ad and tracker blocker and don't mind getting to grips with the new software, then feel free to install uMatrix.
NoScript
NoScript is a powerful script blocker. It allows you to identify and block active scripts on various websites. Although an add-on gives you control over sites, blocking a specific element can result in an error. This disrupts many sites and requires you to configure additional settings. If you are already using uBlock Origin or uMatrix, then you probably shouldn't use NoScript, as it will only harm browser performance.
You also need to be prepared to take the time to fully understand how NoScript works.
New privacy features in Firefox
Firefox has added several new privacy features, including DNS over HTTPS (DoH) and Firefox Private Network. Interestingly, these functions are based on the infrastructure of Cloudflare , a large US company providing CDN services.
** Firefox Private Network (** VPN)
Firefox has officially launched a proxy extension called Firefox Private Network, which many call Firefox VPN. This option may come in handy for many users, but we found a few flaws in the Firefox VPN guide:
DNS over HTTPS (DoH)
As with Firefox Private Network, the implementation of DNS over HTTPS is entirely dependent on the Cloudflare infrastructure . In fact, this makes Cloudflare the central point of handling all of Firefox's default DNS requests.
While DNS over HTTPS may seem useful at first glance, there are also potential risks associated with using it. This is discussed in an article titled " Centralized DoH is bad for privacy " (published in 2019), which concludes with the following conclusion:
Many people assume that an encrypted third-party DNS will be able to provide them with complete privacy and anonymity. This is a false assumption. Their IP address and location still remain public - the ISP can still see the websites (IP addresses) you visit, even if it no longer processes DNS requests. Plus, any good VPN will provide much better protection than DoH via Cloudflare.
To disable DNS over HTTPS (DoH) in Firefox, navigate to the following path: Settings > General, and then scroll down to Network Settings. In the window that opens, find the "DNS over HTTPS (DoH)" option and disable it.
Additional Information
Below are resources for more information on setting up Firefox for a high level of privacy and security:
Conclusion
In our opinion, Firefox remains one of the best universal browsers on the market. It can provide a high level of privacy if configured according to the guidelines above.
While many of the options and additions described in this guide can significantly increase your privacy, one problem remains: hiding your IP address and location. This requires a good VPN service. The Tor network can provide you with complete anonymity, but it has a number of disadvantages in the form of slow page loading speed, constant risks and restrictions (only works in the browser).
exploit.media
Another great thing about Firefox is that it's highly customizable, which is why this tutorial was created. Below we take a closer look at how a user can change Firefox's settings so that the browser provides a high level of protection and privacy, while remaining comfortable to browse the web.
But before we get to the point, let's take a look at some important information about customizing Firefox.
Note
There are many factors to consider when customizing Firefox to suit your needs, including your threat model and web browsing preferences. In other words, there is no “one size fits all” configuration that will suit everyone. This guide provides an overview of the functions that can be used for various browser configuration options.
Before you start changing Firefox preferences and installing a bunch of different add-ons, it's important to know what Browser Fingerprinting is.
Browser Fingerprinting
The Browser Fingerprinting theme is relevant because it includes various ways to track and identify a user through their browser and selected settings. Any add-ons that you install on your browser and any changes to settings you make in Firefox are inputs that can potentially be used to identify and track your activity.
Therein lies catch-22: the more add-ons you install and the more you tweak your browser settings, the more likely you are to stand out from the crowd and be easier to track. There are special programs to solve this problem - and the latest version of Firefox includes protection against third-party tracking and hides your Browser Fingerprinting.
Bigger is not always better
When we talk about browser add-ons, don't be like a kid adding any possible doping to their ice cream. More is not always better when it comes to the number of extensions for the Firefox browser.
Too many add-ons can slow down your browser's performance and break it down. Many popular Firefox extensions perform the same functionality and are redundant when used together.
Therefore, it is better to stick to a balance. Install plugins and change only those parameters that, in your opinion, will help in a particular case.
Be careful
Changing some settings can drastically change the way you view the web and cause some websites to fail to load. Thus, making changes to the settings step by step is the best approach to modifying the browser. You can continue to install add-ons and change settings as you make sure past modifications have taken effect and are working correctly.
It is possible to add sites to the list of exclusions - they will not use the plugins you have installed.
Firefox privacy settings
Before using Firefox, you might want to change the options below to improve your privacy.
Note: If you are a macOS user, you will see the word "Preferences" in your menu , not "Options" as indicated below.
Disable telemetry
Firefox shares "technical and user activity data" with Mozilla by default. This includes the ability to conduct various kinds of research, including analysis of the activity of your PC. Learn more about this kind of research here. In addition, there is also a page that talks about Mozilla's data collection methods. In any case, we recommend that you disable these features.
To do this, navigate to the following path: Settings > Privacy & Security > Firefox Data Collection and Use. Then uncheck the options as shown in the picture below.
You can also turn off telemetry in your Android browser by going to Settings > Privacy & Security > Data Collection and then unchecking all three options.
Note: you can disable telemetry in the settings "About: Config" in the parameter toolkit.telemetry.enabled, which should be set to "False".
Change your default search engine
Firefox currently uses Google as its default search engine, but you can use other private search engines instead.
To do this, go to the following path: "Settings "> "Search"> "Default search engine". Firefox does not provide the user with many alternatives directly in the settings area. However, you can view additional options by going to the Search Engines section and then selecting the Find Other Search Engines option to view the available alternatives.
Firefox even posted a guide on how to change your search engine settings.
Firefox content blocking
Another great feature in Firefox is blocking inappropriate content. This configurable option automatically blocks any content that might track your activity and the sites you visit. There are three data filtering modes: standard, strict, and personal. You can block:
- Trackers
- Cookies
- Cryptominers
- Browser fingerprints
To configure content blocking options in Firefox, navigate to the following path: Settings > Privacy & Security, and then select the mode you want to use.
Standard mode is a great option for everyday use. Firefox warns that strict mode may fail when loading certain sites.
Disable content blocking for specific sites
You can easily turn off content blocking on trusted sites. Just enter the URL of the resource, then click on the "i" icon to the left of the address bar and click on the gray button to stop blocking content.
Another advantage of Firefox's content blocking feature is that the browser allows you to save the entered data and automatically speeds up page loading.
Request "Do Not Track"
Firefox can also send a request to websites to prevent them from tracking your activity. This is done very simply by adding a special field to the HTTP header. However, the key point in discussing this feature is that it does not actually block tracking. Many websites simply ignore these requests.
Among other things, this feature can make the "footprint" of your browser on the web more visible. Therefore, we recommend turning it off so as not to attract additional attention.
You can find out more about the Do Not Track request by following the link.
About: Config Menu
In addition to the settings in the main menu that we talked about earlier, you can also make a number of different changes by opening the "About: config" section.
Note. If you have made all the above changes in the browser settings, you can see that the status of some parameters has already been updated in the "About: config" menu. Next, we'll also talk about how you can customize Firefox directly from this section. Some options will be repeated, since there is a whole group of users who change system parameters directly from the "About: config" menu.
To access these settings, enter “about: config” in the URL bar and press the “Enter” button. You will see the message "Please proceed with caution", you should select the "Accept risk and continue" option to start changing your browser settings.
After that, you will see a large list of settings, each of which has a status, type and value.
The options available are listed in alphabetical order. In addition, at the top of the page, you will find a search bar that will help you instantly find the option you need.
You can change any browser setting by double-clicking the left mouse button on it. If the option has a boolean type, then double-clicking will change its value to "True" or "False". If the option is of the "Integer" or "String" type, then double-clicking will open a special field for changing its value.
Below are the parameters that we think should be changed.
media.peerconnection.enabled (WebRTC) = false
The Web Real-Time Communication (WebRTC) function allows users to make video calls, make voice calls, and send files over a P2P network. Unfortunately, using this option can lead to disclosing your real IP address via STUN requests, even if you are using a good VPN service. This problem is called WebRTC data leak .
To disable the WebRTC option in Firefox, enter “media.peerconnection.enabled” in the search bar, and then double-click on the found option to change its value to “False”.
In addition to Firefox, the WebRTC vulnerability affects other Chromium - based browsers such as Chrome, Opera, Brave, and Safari.
privacy.resistFingerprinting = true
Changing the value of this parameter to "True" will help make Firefox's "footprint" on the web less visible.
Note. There are many factors that affect the size of a browser's fingerprint and its ability to accurately identify you. This is just one way to reduce your footprint on the web.
privacy.trackingprotection.fingerprinting.enabled = true
Another feature that helps keep your privacy and reduce browser fingerprint.
privacy.trackingprotection.cryptomining.enabled = true
With its help, the user can block the use of cryptominers on websites.
privacy.firstparty.isolate = true
Changing the value of this function to "True" isolates cookies for the First Party domain, which prevents your activity from being tracked on other domains. This isolation affects many components: Cookies, Cache, HTTP Authentication, DOM Storage, Flash Cookies, SSL and TLS Session Resume, Shared Workers, Blob URIs, SPDY and HTTP / 2, Source-to-Source Auto-redirection, window.name, auto-complete forms, HSTS and HPKP supercookies, broadcast channels, OCSP, favicons, media URIs, speculative and pre-selected connections.
This option was first added at the end of 2017 as part of the Tor Uplift project.
privacy.trackingprotection.enabled = true
Built-in Tracking Protection from Mozilla. For its correct functioning, the Disconnect.me filter list is used. It should be said that it may even be overkill if you are already using uBlock Origin filters .
geo.enabled = false
By setting the value "False" for this parameter, the user will deny tracking his location, information about which can be requested by the site that he opened. This option is enabled by default, Mozilla explains. The browser uses Google's location service to calculate your location. To do this, Firefox sends Google:
- The IP address of your computer;
- information about nearby Wi-Fi points;
- a random customer ID assigned by Google (expires every two weeks).
media.navigator.enabled = false
Setting this parameter to False will prevent websites from accessing your microphone and camera.
network.cookie.cookieBehavior
This option is an integer type with different value options. There are several value options for cookies:
- 0 = Accept all cookies by default.
- 1 = only accept cookies from a specific site (block third party cookies)
- 2 = block all cookies by default
- 3 = block cookies from previously unknown sites
- 4 = New Cookie Retention Policy (prevent trackers from accessing storage)
network.cookie.lifetimePolicy = 2
This is another integer option that should be set to 2. It lets the user decide when the cookies are deleted. The following options are possible:
- 0 = Permanently accept cookies;
- 1 = All Cookies must be approved
- 2 = Accept cookies only during the current session
- 3 = accept cookies for N-number of days
network.dns.disablePrefetch = true
By setting this parameter to "True", the user will prevent Firefox from "prefetching" the DNS. While activating this feature can improve page loading speed, its use also comes with some risks, which are described in this article.
network.prefetch-next = false
Similar to DNS prefetching, setting this parameter to False will give you the ability to prevent Firefox pages from preloading . Mozilla has added this feature to speed up the loading of the web pages you visit frequently. However, its use poses a threat to your privacy. A prime example of how you have to sacrifice privacy in order to improve the quality of the browser.
webgl.disabled = true
Using WebGL is a potential security risk, so it is best to disable this feature by setting “webgl.disabled” to “True”. Another problem with WebGL is that this option can be used to track your phone's activity.
You can read more about this here and here.
dom.event.clipboardevents.enabled = false
By using this feature, you prevent websites from sending notifications that you copy, paste or cut anything from their pages.
media.eme.enabled = false
This option disables automatic playback of DRM-related HTML5 content. You can read more about this here.
Safe Browsing Settings in Firefox
Many experts recommend turning off Safe Browsing in Firefox due to privacy concerns and potential Google tracking. However, such concerns are not relevant - they are based on older versions of the browser, which used "search for URLs in real time." This method has not been applied since 2011.
When searching for a specific URL, Firefox takes the following precautions to protect user privacy (according to Francois Marie, Mozilla's security engineer):
- Query string parameters are stripped from URLs, which themselves are additionally validated as part of the underlying security feature.
- The safe browsing cookies are kept in a separate store so that they are not mixed with other standard browsing cookies.
- When requesting the full hash for a 32-bit prefix, Firefox adds a few additional “noise components” to further confuse the original URL.
Therefore, we have concluded that disabling Safe Browsing will not provide you with any tangible privacy benefits and also pose an additional security risk. However, if you still want to disable this feature, you can do so in the "about: config" menu:
- safebrowsing.phishing.enabled = false
- safebrowsing.malware.enabled = false
Extensions to provide a high level of privacy and security in Firefox
There are several great Firefox add-ons that provide a high level of user privacy and security.
Note. When looking for extensions for Firefox, keep in mind what changes you've already made to your browser settings. Some of them can be superfluous, overload the program and lead to errors in operation.
In conjunction with the settings changes above, we recommend that you install the following extensions to increase your privacy level:
- uBlock Origin
- HTTPS Everywhere
- Decentraleyes
Another worthwhile addition is worth mentioning separately - Cookie AutoDelete. However, if you have already changed your cookie settings in the "about: config" menu (as described above), then you will not need it.
uBlock Origin
uBlock Origin is an effective plugin that blocks both ads and trackers. It has gained popularity as a worthy alternative to Adblock Plus, which allows it to host "acceptable ads" that many users disliked. One of the perks of uBlock Origin is that the add-on can significantly improve browser performance and web page loading speed.
In addition, in uBlock Origin, the user can whitelist certain websites. Considering that many resources deny access to them if they find an ad blocker, the option to add a site to the whitelist will definitely come in handy for you. uBlock Origin is free and open source.
HTTPS Everywhere
HTTPS Everywhere is a great Firefox add-on. It establishes an HTTPS connection to the websites you visit, provided HTTPS is available to them.
Fortunately, more and more sites are adopting HTTPS technology. However, HTTPS Everywhere is still a useful extension for use in Firefox.
You can get more information about HTTPS from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which is responsible for creating this program.
Decentraleyes
Decentraleyes is an interesting Firefox add-on that protects you from being tracked through third-party content delivery networks. While CDNs do help increase page load speed and browser performance, they are usually offered free of charge by third parties who use the data they receive to track your online activity. Among such companies that are trying to get information about you are Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Cloudflare, Yandex, Baidu, MaxCDN.
Decentraleyes solves your privacy issue by hosting CDN resources locally. As described in their own GitLab repository , Decentraleyes "intercepts traffic, finds appropriate resources locally, and injects them into the environment," thereby preventing CDN users from being tracked.
Cookie AutoDelete
You will not need this add-on if you have made the above settings changes to automatically delete cookies after your session ends.
However, if you prefer to use add-ons instead of making changes to your browser settings, then Cookie AutoDelete is a great choice. The extension removes cookies that you no longer need, thereby protecting the user from tracking.
Privacy Badger
Privacy Badger is another add-on from the Electronic Frontier Foundation that blocks ads and trackers. One of the disadvantages of the extension is that it only blocks third-party sites. For example, Google Analytics sites will not be blocked. Another downside to Privacy Badger is that the plugin doesn't actually use the filter list. Instead, it mostly learns as you apply it.
It's worth noting that Privacy Badger isvery easy to use and goes a long way in ensuring a high level of privacy while browsing the web. It can be used in conjunction with uBlock Origin, although they have some similarities in terms of functionality.
uMatrix
uMatrix is an advanced add-on that gives you control over the requests that can track the activity on the sites you visit. It was developed by the same people behind uBlock Origin. One of the advantages of uMatrix is that the extension is very easy to customize for a specific use case.
One of the disadvantages of the program is that it can be difficult and time-consuming to configure it for regular daily web browsing. However, if you need a powerful ad and tracker blocker and don't mind getting to grips with the new software, then feel free to install uMatrix.
NoScript
NoScript is a powerful script blocker. It allows you to identify and block active scripts on various websites. Although an add-on gives you control over sites, blocking a specific element can result in an error. This disrupts many sites and requires you to configure additional settings. If you are already using uBlock Origin or uMatrix, then you probably shouldn't use NoScript, as it will only harm browser performance.
You also need to be prepared to take the time to fully understand how NoScript works.
New privacy features in Firefox
Firefox has added several new privacy features, including DNS over HTTPS (DoH) and Firefox Private Network. Interestingly, these functions are based on the infrastructure of Cloudflare , a large US company providing CDN services.
** Firefox Private Network (** VPN)
Firefox has officially launched a proxy extension called Firefox Private Network, which many call Firefox VPN. This option may come in handy for many users, but we found a few flaws in the Firefox VPN guide:
- Browser-only encryption. Traffic coming only through the Firefox browser is encrypted. Thus, it is a proxy server and not a VPN.
- Cloudflare. All traffic is redirected through Cloudflare.
- Data collection (logs). As stated in the privacy policy, Cloudflare will log your original IP address and the sites you visit. Mozilla also records several types of data: technical data, interaction data, registration data.
- Location cannot be selected. Unlike other browser-based proxies, Firefox does not provide a specific location option. It is either displayed or hidden.
DNS over HTTPS (DoH)
As with Firefox Private Network, the implementation of DNS over HTTPS is entirely dependent on the Cloudflare infrastructure . In fact, this makes Cloudflare the central point of handling all of Firefox's default DNS requests.
While DNS over HTTPS may seem useful at first glance, there are also potential risks associated with using it. This is discussed in an article titled " Centralized DoH is bad for privacy " (published in 2019), which concludes with the following conclusion:
Many people assume that an encrypted third-party DNS will be able to provide them with complete privacy and anonymity. This is a false assumption. Their IP address and location still remain public - the ISP can still see the websites (IP addresses) you visit, even if it no longer processes DNS requests. Plus, any good VPN will provide much better protection than DoH via Cloudflare.
To disable DNS over HTTPS (DoH) in Firefox, navigate to the following path: Settings > General, and then scroll down to Network Settings. In the window that opens, find the "DNS over HTTPS (DoH)" option and disable it.
Additional Information
Below are resources for more information on setting up Firefox for a high level of privacy and security:
- js Firefox hardening. As written on their GitHub page, this is "a configuration file that helps you manage hundreds of Firefox settings." For more information about it, you can follow this link.
- Privacy Settings. This is a Firefox add-on that gives you easy access and control over the browser's built-in privacy settings.
- Firefox Profilemaker. FFprofile helps you create a Firefox profile with privacy and security settings according to your needs.
Conclusion
In our opinion, Firefox remains one of the best universal browsers on the market. It can provide a high level of privacy if configured according to the guidelines above.
While many of the options and additions described in this guide can significantly increase your privacy, one problem remains: hiding your IP address and location. This requires a good VPN service. The Tor network can provide you with complete anonymity, but it has a number of disadvantages in the form of slow page loading speed, constant risks and restrictions (only works in the browser).
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