Firefox has been loved my users all over the globe for years now, and for good reason. When it first started, Firefox really solved a gap in the market for users who wanted a safe, secure, and reliable web browser that spanned multiple operating systems. For example, many users were fed up with Internet Explorer, which was notorious for being a poor web browser. Fortunately, Microsoft has announced that Internet Explorer will be discontinued and is now in the ‘end of support’ phase of its lifetime.
Perhaps one of the greatest advantages of Firefox is the fact that it is free and open source software. You see, closed source software is proprietary code that the general public can’t see. That means that we have no idea of how it works behind the scenes, and security researches and developers can’t audit the software. And the US government has used closed source software in the past to code hooks into services provided by Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, and other companies to steal user data with their PRISM surveillance program. Firefox, being an open source application, is impervious to these types of risks.
A Word of Caution with Firefox Extensions
One of the great things about Firefox is the multitude of secure browser extensions that add functionality to the famed web browser. There seem to be an infinite number of wonderful tools that do everything from help you manage time to enhancing security. But there is one catch. The security extensions and add-ons for Firefox pale in comparison to the security benefits you get from a VPN tunnel.
Before, many users sought a free extension to add anonymity, but these add-ons were little more than jumped-up proxy services. One such example is a browser extension that allows access to the Tor network. Don’t get me wrong, Tor offers a service that is quite useful – but only when it is used in conjunction with a VPN tunnel. The Tor network has been the victim of numerous attacks in the past, and some of these attacks were initiated by the FBI. These attacks have left many to distrust the Tor network. However, if your data is encrypted before it enters the Tor network and after it exits a Tor relay server, you will gain an extra layer of anonymity.
Furthermore, you should be wary of browser extensions like Hola that make great promises, but turn out to be massive security threats. As it turns out, this Israeli-based service was actually found to be selling their users Internet connections and bandwidth. Essentially, they turned users’ connections and devices into a type of Botnet that posed massive security risks.
That said, there are a fair few browser extensions that do, in fact, add value to your security and anonymity. The problem is that you really need a strong encryption service to ensure your data is safe these days. Proxy services in and of themselves provide little security without encryption. So, if you do turn to a Firefox extension or add-on for enhanced security and anonymity, you really still need a VPN tunnel.
VPN for Firefox – Top Picks:
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is an obvious choice for Firefox users since they offer fast server connections, guaranteed 99% network uptime, and unlimited bandwidth. Their security algorithms, such as OpenVPN, SSTP, PPTP, and AES-256 encryption are a fantastic complement to other security add-ons for the Firefox browser. In addition, they have servers in 100 locations around the world in 78 locations, so you will have immense flexibility when trying to unlock content that has been geo-restricted.
Even though they don’t offer a free trial, they do have a 30-day money back guarantee, and their 24/7 customer support is very reliable. However, there are a few drawbacks to their service. Two of the largest drawbacks include being based in the US and only allowing simultaneous connections between 1 computer and 1 handheld device per account. Also note that because their service is high quality, they do cost more than the majority of other providers. Read the complete ExpressVPN review here.
VyprVPN
Currently, VyprVPN operates over 700 servers in 50 countries, and they are another fantastic alternative for users in Thailand. Though they only allow 2 simultaneous connections per account, they are reasonably priced. The pro version of their service only costs $6.25 per month, and their service is loaded with extra features to enhance security. Additional perks include up to 50GB of cloud storage, a NAT firewall for an extra layer of protection, a VPN kill-switch, and per-app tunnel routing. Lastly, they even offer a free trial to give users a chance to test out their server connections, but the free trial has a monthly data limit. Read the complete VyprVPN review here.
Surfshark
Surfshark instantly secures your connection and allow you to bypass restrictions anywhere. Its add-on for Firefox is designed to ensure that your information remains private when you browse the internet. The add-on is very easy to set up and with just a few clicks, your information is protected and your identity is masked. Surfshark also uses anti-malware protection and it prevents annoying ads and trackers from ruining your browsing experience. The high quality and security of its Firefox extension and its CleanWeb feature are two key reasons to choose Surfshark to enhance your Firefox experience. Read the complete Surfshark review here.
CyberGhost
CyberGhost has over 3700 servers in 60 countries and its network is constantly being updated to ensure that you get the best possible experience. The Firefox extension is available for free and it is a convenient solution to defeat restrictions and enjoy online freedom, even in countries that have strict censorship in place. Thanks to the blockchain-generated IP, you can expect complete privacy. CyberGhost lets you bypass restrictions and access international content without issues. There are no logs kept of your activities. Read the complete TorGuard review here.
NordVPN
There are many reasons that Firefox users will love NordVPN. While they don’t have servers in as many countries as other providers (27 countries), the allow 6 – yes, 6 – simultaneous connections per account. Also, they offer a 30-day money back guarantee to give users ample amounts of time to test out their service. If that weren’t enough, their software has some incredibly useful features such as an automatic VPN kill-switch, a DNS leak resolver, and SSL-based 2048-bit encryption. Furthermore, they have a tight no-logging policy and accept anonymous BitCoin payments. With so many wonderful features, you might expect them to be priced pretty high. However, their service can be purchased for as little as $4.00 per month. Read the complete NordVPN review here.
