Best Browser Extensions To Keep You Safe

Privacy is indeed important these days and without protection, valuable information about you might get stolen from unscrupulous individuals. Since the stake is so high the need for browser extensions is essential. There is a plethora of browser extensions that are too good to be true and with such an overabundance, it gives rise to many daunting questions such as, “Which works best?”, “Are they all effective?” and maybe even “Are they worth even downloading?”.
A short list of browser extensions that are great for protecting your privacy:
AdBlock Plus
One of the browser extensions that can shield you from annoying ads that you visit, eliminate third-party scripts and widgets and prevent someone from stealing data from you is the well-regarded Adblock Plus. But if you are not an internet savvy this feature may serve as a double-edged dagger since it can work against you. Adblock Plus can eventually rip apart malicious sites that you loaded, making them useless.
Adblock Plus which is suitable for popular browsers such as Firefox and Chrome and can help you shun away from pesky banner ads, pop-up ads, rollover ads, and video ads even on popular social media websites such as Facebook and YouTube. Though it is tough on questionable sites it is tamed against harmless ads. It automatically helps you avoid visiting hosting domains that are filled with malwares as it paralyzes third-party tracking cookies and scripts. Aside from these wonderful features, Adblock Plus is user-friendly and doesn’t need manual management.
No Script and ScriptSafe
No Script which is built for Firefox, and ScriptSafe which is curtailed for Chrome, are two powerful browser extensions that can paralyze annoying scripts (Java, JavaScript and Flash) on webpages you visit with zest and gusto. Though they are very potent they can be feisty too, as they can disable a lot of dreaded sites. If you intend to use these browser extensions you may resort to going through scripts on every new visited site to find out which ones you will allow or block. AdBlock also do these features well, but all you need to do is fine-tune the filter.
FlashBlock
Works well with both Firefox and Chrome browsers, FlashBlock literally blocks Flash scripts such as irritating web videos, advertisements, and the list goes even before you load them. Keep in mind that FlashBlock is very popular and used by many people worldwide. Built to halt anything that is sprinkled with flash elements, it can stop YouTube videos and video clips from playing automatically. But if you are in search for blocking an assortment of ads, AdBlock Plus is a good choice since it is more versatile and flexible.
Better Pop Up Blocker
Well-suited for Chrome, the much-improved and updated Better Pop Up Blocker blocks annoying pop-unders and new-tab popups that are triggered by javascript and other on-action scripts that Chrome permits. But if you are contented with AdBlock Plus and you don’t have problems that are associated with ads, you may not needto use this browser extension. unfortunately, if you are stuck with tricky pop-ups that rip through your tough defenses you may also settle for Better Pop Up Blocker.
Keep in mind that the above browser extensions mentioned are not only impressive in blocking ads, but they also make surfing the internet smoother and faster since your computer is spared from loading annoying and unnecessary ads.
Browser extensions that will stop anyone from tracking you:
Browser extensions that can help you avoid getting tracked by someone else have grown rapidly over the years. Unknown to many people, many companies are tracking the movements of the users by virtue of embedding third party tracking cookies on the user’s computers. Keep in mind that anti-tracking and anti-cookie extensions almost do the same functions.
Disconnect
Designed for Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer and Safari, Disconnect has added valuable features and boasts of an enhanced database. It also has a slight edge in security over its competitor with its more reliable and protected Wi-fi and bandwidth toolbar menu.
It shields you from third party tracking extension and gives you full command of site scripts. It also helps you avoid getting tracked by popular social media sites such as Facebook, Google and Twitter. And what makes Disconnect stands out from its competitors is its ability to put sidejacking (which is also dubbed as widget hacking) at bay. Sidejacking enables a third party to steal cookies to gain entry on the personal information of the users without even knowing the password.
Do Not Track Me
Works well with Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer and Safari, Do Not Track Me, provides drop-down browser that will let you see tracking cookies and scripts that have been loaded in the site you open and gives you the freehand to deactivate them. Similar to its competitors but it comes with a user-friendly user interface. The plug-ins and scripts are left enabled, and you are given a freehand to disable them.
Ghostery( Read Ghostery Review )
Perfect fit for Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer and Safari, just like its counterparts, Ghostery protects you from getting tracked by cookies and scripts that are functioning by default. It also displays what sites are blocked and enable you to view what elements are invasive or safe.
Priv3
Perhaps the least interfering and most apparent of the browser extensions that protects your privacy is the Priv3. Priv3 does a good job in blocking social widgets and plugins from opening and sending your data to social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter while waiting for you get across with them. Don’t be surprise if you will read messages such as “Facebook is tracking you” or “Twitter is tracking with you,” even you didn’t load these sites, for Priv3 already blocked them.
Disconnect, Do Not Track Me and Ghostery have the same functions, though Disconnect is the most vigorous of the three but its latest version works only with Firefox and Chrome and if you are using other browsers you may opt for Ghostery as an alternative.
More add-ons that protect your privacy
HTTPS Everywhere
Suited for Firefox and Chrome, once mounted on your computer, it will bypass your SSL connection as much as possible and will attempt to search for secure versions of the sites you go to. It gives you constant protection to your browser and tears down sites that don’t operate with HTTPS.
Virtual Private Network (VPN)
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) encodes all the entries of your internet visitors and provides solid protection against the inquisitive eyes of cyber criminals, hackers and crooks in the web. An effective VPN service is the one that stores least possible logs intended for easy troubleshooting, robust encryption and provides many ways to escape getting tracked.
A VPN – Virtual Private Network is your one-stop service in creating long-distance and/or protected network connections. VPNs are customarily applied in various companies or organizations, though virtual networks can be accessed from inside a network in your home. In contrast with other technologies, VPNs provides some benefits while opting for wireless local area networking.
Other security tools that you may find useful
The privacy and security tools mentioned above almost covered all the bases, but there are other browser extensions that you can utilize to ensure that your communications are not hampered by third parties.
Here is a short list of other browser extensions that you may find necessary to install:
Web of Trust (WOT)
Well-suited for Firefox, Chrome, Safari and Internet Explorer, Web of Trust (WOT) pride itself in ranking sites based on their status and to discern which sites are free from malware or teeming with tracking cookies and scripts that could give rise to acquiring malware or adware on your computer. Keep in mind that the WOT isn’t an ad blocker, but it provides ample information about which sites are safe to visit or not. WOT will notify you the site you are visiting if it isn’t safe to visit.
Encryption for email
If you yearn to raise the bar one notch higher you might resort to encrypting your email and instant messages. Pidgin and Adium can shield your email and instant messages in both Windows and Mac platforms. If you would want to settle for an alternative you may opt for using TorChat as well. To guard your email and account in Google, SafeGmail and Mailevelope can finish the job done with flying colors.
Suitable for Windows, Mac and Linux OS, Tor let you encrypt your web traffic and sends it into series of relays while concealing your location and makes your browsing private and anonymous. Take note that the traffic going out is not encrypted, but inside the Tor System it is encrypted and anonymous as your browsing is supplanted by somebody else’s IP appearing as normal traffic on the web. Tor is curtailed to secure anonymity on the web with sense of security.
Finally, if you feel that all this isn’t enough and want another step in your security ladder, then you can check out our VPN articles for Windows and Mac.