Hey gang. My name is Josh. Today, we will talk about something that you might know us for:
internet security. Specifically, the best browser
security to ensure you remain safe while surfing around the internet.
You know, browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Edgesplorer.
Those things! A secure browser gives you the confidence to browse the web.
What’s that? Chrome, Firefox? Let me know in the comments
Now, before we get into the list, we need to set some parameters:
how do you know you have a secure browser?
The most secure browsers come out of the box with secure features.
These features include…
Giving you control over internet history and cache data
Allowing you to disable cookies Regular security updates to avoid exploits
Anti-phishing tools that warn you of unsafe websites
More control over determining what websites have permission to do.
Disabling pop-ups and stopping some unsafe site redirects
And finally, the ability to see and control what scripts
might collect your data so you can disable them
With these in mind, we will focus on four areas to make this easier for you to follow:
Is it open-source?
Does it receive regular security updates? Does it include anti-phishing tools?
And finally, does it include script-blocking features?
Security-focused browsers will either allow you to configure these
settings or come with these settings already enabled. Regardless of which,
I recommend you ‌look at your browser’s security settings to better understand your options.
Often, convenience and security work against each other. For example, savings cookies and site data
make it easier to login later. However, keeping those cookies can leave you exposed to potential
attacks. It’s up to you to decide where you want to start security and end convenience.
Also, please note that privacy does not equal security.
For example, Google Chrome comes out of the box with some excellent
security features. But for privacy, their track record is not stellar.
With this in mind, let’s start with a list of the browsers we will review:
Google Chrome Safari
Brave Firefox
LibreWolf And Tor
We will rate these browsers from a scale of one out of five.
Are you ready? Let’s get started.
Our first browser: Google Chrome.
Google Chrome holds the lion’s share of the browser market,
averaging about 80% of users while other browsers hold users in the single digits.
Google’s claim to security fame is through Chromium,
an open-source system for building browsers. Many popular browsers that include Opera,
Brave, and Tor make use of the customizable system.
Google does little to help in this security effort, focusing instead on convenience over
privacy. Having a Chrome browser and Google account lets google track your
browser history, search history, and, for mobile users, your location data.
However, many of the included settings ‌will block other people from getting your data.
There are frequent security updates, hacker challenges that encourage people to ‌‌break
Chrome, and the ability to block pop-ups and third-party cookies with the included settings.
These hacking challenges are where hackers try to exploit browser plugins and features,
which users could take advantage of to ‌gain access to information. So,
for example, someone could find an exploit in Google Chrome’s password
manager and get paid $1 million for it so Google can patch the error.
There are also many browser plugins to let you more effectively block trackers and scripts. So,
with a few firm security features, Chrome deserves two out of five.
Open-source - Yes security updates - Yes
Anti-phishing - Needs improvement Script-blocking - Needs extensions
Our next browser is Safari.
Safari is an Apple product, meaning you won’t find it on Windows or
Android products. As a default browser, it is one of the most secure options out there.
Safari includes important security features like blocking dangerous sites,
controlling permissions, stopping cookies, and providing you more information on trackers.
Unlike Google, Apple has a stronger track record on security. From a recent update,
Apple allows its users to block apps from tracking you. So iOS devices
are more security focused than Android devices.
In 2020, researchers found that there were many security flaws in the system. However,
this research came from Google, so you can take that with a grain of salt.
Yep, Safari is a bad browser. Ulterior motives? Yeah,
Apple is full of ulterior motives. Us? No, we don’t even know what that word means.
One thing you can say about Safari: it isn’t open source. With Google Chrome, you can scrutinize
the code. Under Safari, you’ll just have to trust Apple’s word. But, since Safari is used less than
Chrome and Edge, it is ‌safer than other browsers. Hackers like to target browsers with more users.
Open-source - No security updates - Less often
Anti-phishing - Needs improvement Script-blocking - Needs improvement
Because Apple isn’t perfect with privacy, we will give them two out of five.
Now that you’ve seen the bottom two, we can move onto some browsers with a bit more oomph
on security. But before that, please take the time to like and subscribe. With your support,
we can continue to make content that hopefully helps you stay more secure on the internet.
Our next browser is the first privacy focused browser on our list: Brave Browser.
Brave has been around since 2016, making it one of the younger ones on our list. It comes
from Brenden Eich, a former Mozilla head known for creating JavaScript.
The built-in security features include forcing encrypted sites to take up HTTPS
features. The forced SSL certificate is a unique feature of Brave’s browser,
allowing you to securely access more websites.
Brave also blocks device fingerprinting attempts,
which can identify you based on the browser you use and your operating
system. Brave offers multiple ways to customize your security experience
Brave also has a version of the Tor browser, a topic we will revisit later. Tor, known for the
Onion routing network, hides your browsing data from internet service providers and governments
behind multiple layers. However, Brave’s version of Tor is much weaker than the standard version.
Now for the weird parts of Brave.
Brave allows you to choose their personalized ads over other personalized ads. By doing so,
you can earn Brave’s cryptocurrency, the Basic Attention Token, or BAT.
This choice to rely on crypto and allow for personalized ads makes them
less of a security powerhouse. While there are some outstanding features,
the unusual ad choices give them a three out of five.
Open-source - Yes Security updates - Less often
Anti-phishing - Yes Script-blocking - Needs extensions
The next Browser, Mozilla Firefox, comes partially from the creator of Brave.
It comes from Mozilla, a non-profit organization
behind Firefox that wants to make the internet better for everyone.
To start, Firefox isn’t built on the same Chromium system. Instead,
it has its own open-source system. The system has powerful security features that include
“content blocking,” which defaults the browser to block all tracking requests.
Mozilla also has a stripped-down privacy browser known as Firefox Focus. It comes
out of the box with ad blocking and tracker blocking with no need to adjust settings.
Regardless of what Firefox browser you pick,
you get phishing, malware protection, and even a built-in VPN that hides your
connection data. You’ll need to check the settings in the standard Firefox browser.
The only problem? Firefox has a lesser-known opt-in setting that sends keystroke data to
Mozilla servers. Thankfully, you can stop this, but it’s one way that this
company provides personalized ads, a big no-go in the world of security.
Not now Firefox
Recent updates have rectified the issue, but the browser isn’t purely for security.
Because of this, it's one of the best, but falls short at four out of five.
Open-source - Yes security updates - Yes
Anti-phishing - Yes Script-blocking - Needs improvement
Our next section delves into more Firefox derivatives: LibreWolf.
LibreWolf is an independent fork from Firefox. Unlike Firefox, it doesn’t
have the same ad tracking features. It also defaults to private search through DuckDuckGo.
More advanced security features include no telemetry, which means you don’t send data
to a third-party source. The system is open source and doesn’t offer any
cloud sync. So there are no chances for you to have an accidental leak.
The system also has the included content blocker to stop ads and trackers. So, out of the box,
you get many security features. It even stays up-to-date, following the latest Firefox updates.
The only problem? Well, it’s inconvenient. When
you block all these convenience features for security, you’ll need to use the ole’ noggin.
However, getting a password manager, like LastPass, can also help you.
Open-source - Yes security updates - Yes
Anti-phishing - Yes Script-blocking - Needs improvement
So, with this in mind, LibreWolf deserves a solid five out of five for security.
Now, the browsers we’ve covered up to this point are built to be “daily drivers.” What does this
mean? Well, these are browsers you can comfortably use without damaging your browsing experience.
Our last browser, number one in security,
breaks what it means to be secure online: The Tor Browser.
The Tor Project, the group behind this browser, has been a privacy-focused project since 2002.
The US Navy initially made the project ‌to access online data while avoiding prying eyes.
The project worked well, becoming a hub for criminals and privacy-conscious individuals.
Check out our videos on the dark web for details.
The short version: the Tor Network uses a series of connection points. Those
connection points scramble your data and send it through another connection point,
which does the same thing. Going through multiple points (or relays)
means that the following relays do not know where the data comes from.
Open-source - Yes security updates - Yes
Anti-phishing - Yes Script-blocking - Yes
This means there’s virtually no way to trace the data. This is alongside
the ability to block scripts, unwanted content, and browser fingerprint data.
The combination of these two security features makes Tor the most secure browser,
hands down. However, internet providers and governments can still tell when you use a Tor
browser. This raises a red flag, as some groups who seek online anonymity are sometimes criminals.
To secure your secure browsing, we recommend getting a VPN like NordVPN
or SurfShark. Both of which ‌encrypt all of your data, not just the data
coming through your browser. This includes information about you using the Tor network.
In the description box below, you’ll find discounts on VPNs you can use to save money.
So, knowing the Tor Browser is secure, ‌ use it for everything, right? Well… No.
Tor relies on relays from around the world that you have no control over. This means
it could connect you to areas halfway across the world. This slows down your connections heavily.
In addition, the script blocking features ‌break some websites. So Tor can affect
your browsing experience, making other browsers on this list a bit more usable.
So, if you want a daily driver with top security, look at LibreWolf or Firefox. Otherwise,
Tor should be left in situations where you need the most security.
So, these are the six best security browsers on the market. What are your thoughts? Do you
think we’ve missed anything? Let us know in the comment section.
Subscribe for more security tips and share the
video to your friends looking for a secure browser. Thanks for watching!