Why I Stopped Hardening Firefox.
Вставка
- Опубліковано 4 чер 2024
- I (and likely many others) no longer need to harden Firefox for privacy and security-here's why, and how much the space has developed thanks to better browser options, in addition to better Firefox hardening options! (Arkenfox!)
Why I use Mullvad/Brave/Tor Video: • Why I Almost Exclusive...
Brave Removing Privacy Feature Video: • Brave NUKES Privacy Fe...
Firefox Hardening Guide w/ Arkenfox: • The Ultimate Guide to ...
🔐 Our Website: techlore.tech
🕵 Go Incognito Course - to learn about privacy: techlore.tech/goincognito
🏫 Techlore Coaching - to get direct support: techlore.tech/coaching
💻 Techlore Forum - to connect with other advocates: discuss.techlore.tech
🦣 Mastodon - to stay updated: social.lol/@techlore
We cannot provide our content without our Patrons, huge thanks to:
BRIGHTSIDE, Clark, Ente, Larry, Afonso, Boori, Brad, Casper, Cookie, Floyd, JohnnyO, kevin, love your content, NotSure, Poaclu, x
🧡 Join them on Patreon: / techlore
💚 To see our production gear, privacy tools we use, and other affiliates: techlore.tech/affiliates
💖 All Techlore Support Methods: techlore.tech/support
00:00 Hardening isn't required anymore!
00:34 Reason 1 - Better Browsers
04:14 Reason 2 - Better Hardening Options
05:20 Why This Is GREAT
#firefox #techlore #browser - Наука та технологія
![[柴犬ASMR]曼玉Manyu&小白Bai 毛发护理Spa asmr](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/0TsXQ7z2Dh4/mqdefault.jpg)
Do you still manually harden your own Firefox? Do you use a more automated method like Arkenfox? Or do you just use a browser that doesn't require it? Let me know down below!
*👋pst. Check out the Techlore Patreon too if you like this content:* patreon.com/techlore
I stuck with FF for a long time because I don’t want a browser monoculture. But, Mozilla is abusive to their customer base and I am just tired of trying to defend them. I just go with Brave or Mullvad browser.
I do, though it mainly to give Firefox more of a facelift in terms of speed, privacy enhancements, and overall browser experience. It’s all done through Betterfox, a GH project that accomplishes the above through a user.js file in a minimalistic manner.
What are your thoughts about the browser Floorp or is this the first time hearing it?
I actually use betterfox as it usually removes most of the annoying UI elements of firefox and it just works
Arkenfox is actually too much dor for me 😅
I use librewolf nowadays,
I'll continue to use FX. I want to support the project so that Chrome doesn't have 100% market share.
I'm more concerned about the State and government than Google, but since Google works with them, so I should avoid it too.
I wish the same but can't get behind the awful Mozilla foundation. I have a crazy theory that the Mozilla and Google have agreed on a deal : google with pay them 400m USD and Mozilla will keep making firefox shittier
but you still does it bu using librewold, mullwad etc since they are based on the same tech
@@theworldoffun8997 how is Librewolf and mullvad based on the same tech as Chrome? Chrome uses the Chromium engine, while Firefox based browsers uses the Gecko one(iirc). Mullvad, Tor browser and Librewolf are all based on Firefox. Correct me if I'm wrong though.
Why not another gecko fork like Librewolf, Midori, Floorp, etc...
Firefox is still great to support a browser with some real privacy potential while still having customizability and some conveniences like extensions
Of course competition as well, makes everyone better
Totally agree. I stopped using arkenfox and moved to LibreWolf. So nice to have most of the work done for me and my low threat model.
Does the auto librewolf updater work for you? Can't make it to work so i always have to manually install it
@@shqiptar03how do you manually update or know when to manually
Update libre wolf? Want to download it but can’t seem to find a video on it
@@cringesh1t427 yo bro! I just check in once in a while. But the only thing you'll have to do is just run the libre wolf setup, the same way you download libre wolf itself. Otherwise i havent had any luck with their "auto-update" that comes with the program itself.
I couldn’t get temporary containers to work in the Mullvad Browser. The security levels and NoScript stuff make it weird to work with. Also, they missed ECH and a handful of other things.
That said, LibreWolf, which is what I just switched to from manually hardened Firefox, is no angel either. Temporary Containers works, but they missed things in the about config too. This means combing through the options of interest and determining which ones would be visible to websites. Those options that websites can detect should be left alone to mitigate fingerprinting, while other options can be toggled for privacy/security/preference.
Have you raised these issues on their github? They might be able to make improvements.
@@MrDowntemp0 Funny you mention that. I'm in the process of creating an issue on LibreWolf's Codeberg regarding some focus flickering for controls on the edge of the window.
@OcteractSG write an issue about it they'll fix it.
what they miss? and please make a video about it
Apparently, the Mullvad browser is offered only as a tar and not in any repo, (official) flatpak or snap. This is a big issue for me as it will not update automatically via the normal means and not integrate with the system properly. Frankly, I was surprised by this.
If you use Arch with the AUR you can auto update using yay -Syu. Tar is the default package of arch and then the PKGBuild
Mint updates mullvad through its updater along with all flatpks. But I would avoid all $ystemd distros.
I recommend you check again. Both Librewolf and Mullvad are in the flathub.
The only thing I like about using a hardened Firefox with stuff like Arkenfox is I don’t have to think about updates, I don’t have to wait for that extra step of the fork updating with the latest Firefox update.
I just wish there was a hardening option like Arkenfox for Chrome or even base Chromium
what is the link to arkenfox? and how do i use it?
Ungoogled Chromium
@@ccosmic7979 what? Is that something I need to search for?
Firefox with Strict and custom settings, Ublock Origin, and NoScript is my way to go
Deletes cookies on exit except for websites I choose to stay logged in (understanding this heightens the chance of login session stealing)
I want a browser on both Windows/Linux AND Android that syncs my bookmarks as a convenience and anti-phishing measure and Firefox has been great for that
Librewolf not having auto-update and not officially on Android?
Mullvad messing with window size? (i don't need *that* level of fingerprint resistance)
Firefox is still damn fast on UA-cam for me and my websites don't break at all (other than VPN, Ublock, NoScript shenanigans)
still have Mullvad and Tor in the small chances I'd want that bit more anonymity in ephemeral searches
We need more clear comments like this, a gold find for beginners.
hi, a newbie question please -- as i am still learning security and privacy methodologies .. do i still need to use ublock origin when using TOR browser?
No, as having additional addon will change your fingerprint
Honestly I've never understood people who make hardening Firefox to be this deep integrated thing. At least in my opinion, if someone did one pass throught the Privacy and Security settings tab to set Tracking Protection to strict, untick the data collection stuff, ext, and installed Ublock, then that's pretty much 90% of what needs to be done taken care of. While I have no problem with something like Mullvad, what am I really getting privacy wise that I'm not already getting now (beyond some indirect fingerprinting protection)? Plus reading through some of the comments on this video, it seems like Arkenfox and Mullvad don't have auto updates (correct me if I'm wrong here) but if so then that seems like a pretty big security concern and a massive inconvinience to have to manually update.
I feel the same way. This whole concept of hardening really just sounds like overprotection at its finest. I value every critical detail about how, why, and if my browsers benefit my technological and privacy-focused needs, but not to the point that I'm going to put forth unnecessary effort to achieve that goal. Some things don't have to be rocket science.
Can't you create an account in the browser mulvad and liberwolf to save bookmarks and ... ? Or I can't find it ?
i think there are/were trust reasons for it
What is the difference between librewolf and waterfox?
i love how the same guy who moved to official roms for faster security patches or whatever but uses browsers that are literally just firefox with sensible defaults. by using a fork of firefox you're getting patches at least somewhat later than if you were just using a build of firefox. you could just transfer your profile across all your computers to avoid configuration while keeping literally all of your data
these videos harden me 🌚
😂😂😂
💀
I can't ditch firefox bcz firefox logo harden me.
edging rn
@@iamakash_furry detected
Is there a real difference between mullvad and librewolf? I would love to see a video about that because in the current state those looks like 2 drops of water.
mullvad has some weird, annoying resized window size
Both are very different
have you tried floorp?
Why do you have 3 browsers? Tor for tor stuff, and non-tor for daily use makes sense to me, but what's the third one for?
Brave for sites you want to save data with, and mullvad for general browsing and clearing at the end of the session
@@aguyonyoutube1131 TIL you can setup a browser to auto-delete any and all history once you close it. the more you know!
It's still good to understand the settings. This blind trust that "the browser takes care of it" is what let to the whole loss of privacy in the first place.
native tab grouping (panorama) and webGL/webGPU performance are still missing for me on firefox :(
If you're on an Intel GPU, you probably want to switch to Fedora as they compiled Firefox with the webGL flag removed.
Using 'cover your tracks' I tested both mullvad and librewolf, and found them to be basically the same. (1) Is there any reason to prefer one over the other, (2) there is a multitude of dedicated containers addons (there is one which was promising, but not maintained - that promises temporary containers, which I guess all are, and also deletion of any and all data when tab is closed - any help in reducing the number of addons used to enforce containers, basically for any opened tab, will be appreciated.
They are very different.
@@tacticalcenter8658 D2D use-case, and clearweb, not so much, at least as far as I can see. You also missed the secondary info request completely. So on both, PLS try and elaborate.
@@tacticalcenter8658 could you please explain why?
@@rainbowsilhouettes why do you need someone to explain it to you? Lol nob.
@@tacticalcenter8658 yeah honestly i'm pretty new to all this sorry i really do need explaining
I'd like to see a review of Brave's Tor implementation compared to the official Tor Browser. Do you know of anyone that has done that?
Not formally but yes definitely an interesting discussion! Brave's own documentation very clearly communicates it is not designed to offer the same level of anonymity as the official Tor Browser, just FYI.
Hardening is one issue -- limiting supercookies is another --- which I have not seen you address. My Q is, if in your opinion, using agenda-based separate profiles (home//work for instance) may help in doing so, also if you know if there is a difference in "degrees of separation between Brave profiles vs. Firefox manager?
Great video!
I will continue to use hardened Firefox Nightly for as long as my data is intact because I already did it and don't need to do it again, whenever I switch to a brand new system or set up someone else's I will install Mercury
WaterFox any good?
0:01 my bet, the existence of Mullvad Browser and other alternative "pre-hardened" Firefox forks that lowers the barrier of entry for most people who care about their privacy and also for people who are fatigued with constantly having to harden Firefox manually 😅 (such as myself).
Where'd your "why i almost exclusively use brave" video go?
Also, what would happen if you used ArkenFox on Brave or Mullvad? Would it harden them even better?
Attempting to force Arkenfox to Brave is like trying to cross a turtle with a comodo dragon. The mullvad thing on the other hand, I think many things would just overlap and/or break
floorp is great, and you can spoof different devices/operating systems. based on FF
did firefox file for bankrupcy? i love this browser and afraid its going away
People did the hardening tweaks without any idea what they're doing or if it's really needed and then they asked why this broke why that broke lol
when i first used it, i thought it was a "just works" typa deal. later, i found out that you had to configure it to your liking
What do you say to the people that say Tor is a Honeypot?
ua-cam.com/video/15Zks95SZ3s/v-deo.html
What is hardening?
It means changing configuration options to increase privacy and security
My setup so far:
Brave for high privacy (decided to keep resist fingerprinting off so I can still use dark mode)
Mullvad for extreme privacy (comes with RFP and letterboxing on by default and some other tweaks brave doesnt, basically just install and use)
Tor for tinfoil hat privacy (everything above and more + routing through the onion network)
My biggest problem has been thinking of a way to abandon the Apple/MacOS password manager and use KeepassXC, in a way that I can keep the database synchronized on my computer and my phone (without having to upload it to Dropbox or Google drive, through local network maybe?)
You could use something like Strongbox w/ iCloud to sync between iOS/MacOS (very clean config and only the encrypted vault is stored in iCloud) or you could use Syncthing to do something a bit more DIY. Just some things to try!
@@techlore Interesting! I'll take a look, thanks :D
Brave's anti-fingerprinting is BS anyway, so don't worry.
Good video.
TY mate Great Vid.
I prefer Brave over firefox.
Why not Waterfox?
Mullvad Browser doesn't work in restricted areas without VPN.
Probably because of the DoH or something like that, but i'm not sure.
I use FX on my home computers, chromium based on my work computers.
The biggest plus here is Firefox upping the privacy game a little for normies. Fair ways to go, but I'm not going to get my fiancée's parents to use Tor or Mullvad browsers, but i probably can talk them into firefox. The killer app features for me are MAC and temporary containers, along with full fat uBO, and all of thst works without a specially hardenes browser! Combine with the growth of things like Librewolf and Mullvad … there are soke pretty solid privscy options out there now.
I love LibreWolf
Floorp needs to get tested
Thank you Henry!💻🖱🚀
Great video Henry, keep up the good work!
Why is the fox on fire anyway?
ill never leave FF.....using it since 1997
Many websites do not work properly on Firefox. Why should anyone use it? It is not a good advice.
Although Firefox is still my primary browser [for the time being...], Brave is my secondary browser simple because some websites, especially online applications, are "Google Chrome friendly" and does not work well with Firefox. Chromium-based browsers are necessary in these cases.
Firefox are activelly supported by linux distros, FX forks are not
sure they aren't like a lot of nice things and that's a bummer. But many of those software are available through Flathub or private repositories to allow easy update.
What about Duck Duckgo?
DuckDuckGo is not as good as Chrome and Firefox in my opinion.
For now I have nothing to complain about Firefox with Arkenfox
I have used many browsers over many years, been around before the internet. But i still prefer the looks of chromium, not chrome over firefox ui. I do use ungoogled chromium, are there better options for chromium fans? Also by having so many more options, since companies like Google are trying to find ways to get us to see even more ads, and get more data from us, what if in the future after years of getting used to not tweaking anything, they make it less and less private, because that's where the money is, and we've lost all ability to tweak our browsers for privacy? Think about that.
Brave
UnGoogled Chromium hasn't been updated for a long long time. And it doesn't have any sec/priv options.
@tacticalcenter8658 What do you mean? There was a release only 2 days ago.
I use Floorp
Brave and Tor browsers the best 💪🏻
in my opinion yes, what you prefer?@@tacticalcenter8658
Tor is not my favourite. I don't use it as a daily driver.
My Firefox is so hard right now
Debian + Firefox
Tails + Tor 👌🙏
Try Floorp
Can it sync data across devices like Chrome and Firefox can?
Brave is sketchy as f, has been from the start. I wouldn't touch it.
Nope. FF has me hooked on MAC segregation + Mozilla VPN (allowing user-defined VPN egress per container) like crack cocaine.
(But, I am more after making fake IDs appear real, so... different goals.)
The thing is that forks are not as good as the main product. Same with Linux distros.
With the browsers the big projects are chrome / chromium and firefox. And with firefox forks I think is mostly some config files and extensions added.
If you import your config files you have your Firefox condigured.
True
That is not true in any sense
Metapod! Use harden!
harden deez...
Tor browser is hardened Firefox
Is it?
There are no "many great browser options". There are basiically two full-featurred browsers for Win/Lin/BSD - Chromium and Firefox, and all the rest are just derivatives unable to exist on their own. This is a ttragedy. Once Google pushes manifest v.3 down the throats of the "open and free" Chromium derivatives'' users, there will be a loud moan.
If only DNS-level blocking was as popular as traditional ad blocking
@@visthjwhy?
"I have no reason to tell you why you shouldn't." Hmmmm let's see if I can think of something... Funded by the DoD? xD C'mon now!
I actually didnt care if they collect my porn history tho
Be sure that you have no plans to run for political office!
Just saying.
I want to do the opposite, I want to unharden chrome, I want to be tracked more.
or use Brave... lol
I'm gonna stick with firefox for now. Tor has been compromised for a long time and is a honeypot.
meh
Mozilla is an embarrassment of a company.
Brave - no, thanks.
Wtf is firefox hardening
it makes it more private and stops it from collecting data
floorp is better than all other alternatives such as librewolf etc but its quite unstable the ram consumption if ur a firefox liker get it,for chromium thorium is the best
Its ESR 😢
thorium sucks its very insecure.
Floorp and theroum are not anywhere near better.
@@vendetta.02 thats a small minority group im not having any issues
Hardening is not necessary.
Never was for me. I prefer browsers not to break sites.
Hardened firefox sounds like a pokemon
1st
I use Brave now. Doesn't even need to install an adblocker.
But it doesn't have extensions on mobile. The built in adblocker still let's some ads in on some adult sites. No ads when using ff and ublock on mobile n pc.
not private
@@TimV777who tf cares about adult sites? Your adiction is not our problem
17 seconds ago
👋
u cant even get proton pass on librawolf cause librawolf isnt on a current update of firefox. u didnt even mention one negative in this video its not real enough
I've been deleting ff cookies, since before you've been in diapers, and keep doing so :)
hardening firefox🤓
I'm scared of using TOR, not kidding. Like what of my ISP sees im connected to a TOR networks and sends feds to bust down my door and arrests me, whiling scanning through my entire shit, breaching my privacy before finding nothing illegal and lets me go. Still damages kinda done
What the fuck is hardening
Harden yourself. That's what matters.
mozilla donated some radical groups (e.g BLM) either
Not all BLM members are radical, though?
This is one of the things that irritates me with UA-camrs. They tell you to do something, and a year later they tell you they're no longer doing it. You see that a lot, especially on tech channels. It's hard to take you people seriously sometimes. For ex. you'll watch a video of a UA-camr saying I'm never buying xxxx again. And a few weeks later the same UA-camr will make a video saying I'm switching from yyyy to xxxx! It's mostly nonsense.
Almost like tech changes constantly and they want to update their audience on the newest updates :)
Consider for a second how many updates across Firefox, Mullvad, Tor, Brave, Librewolf, etc. have been released in the last year.
*Safari* has changed massively from Big Sur to Sonoma, even.
Tech moves fast now.
So you never change your opinion? Even if there's something better (if were talking products) or new information proving something that was believed to be true false? Do you never learn?
that's a troll's comment right? please tell me I'm being naive and wasting my time replying to this comment, which is worthy of an entry in the Hall of Fame of most stupid comments ever posted on YT...
Chris Titus with Thorium 😂
and i love manually setting it up .....why is it silly ......what a crap channel bro
No one's taking away your option of manually setting it up? (as directly stated in the video)-but not everyone wants to. In fact, that's the majority.
u stated its silly 2 do it manually....and im never interested in what the "majority"....says or thinks or does..
but hey...nevermind , goodluck with ur channel c ya@@techlore
Too long. Video is 5 min max
Let me guess, you don't see yourself as a target anymore and the risk is less so hardening isn't needed? Dude you could instead say hardening hampers usage. I'm sorry this sounds like your take of not recommending ROMs when you stopped using ROMs. Your choice of browser matters and right now the WebKit monopoly will end in Europe.
do people really take this glowie seriously ?
Show us were the glowies touched you.
Yes 💯
The title sounded gay but yeah firefox is not the most safe.
Me techlore broke up with firefox!?
@@aguyonyoutube1131 I’m sorry to hear that.
You will meet plenty of other beautiful browsers.
Stay strong. 💪🏾
Random useless dumb arguments.
Folks, if you're not doing bad things on the internet then you don't need to care what browser you use....period!
I wish Mozilla was working more on Firefox and less on other non browser social projects.
if you need to harden your browsers, your doing stuff you problably shouldnt.
You could be a journalist in an oppressive regime, reporting on the corruption of said regime.
What's your Gmail login? If you have nothing to hide it shouldn't bother you.
Probably yeah, I shouldn't harden my browser to evade profiling for advertizers to monetize me, to blend in with the crowd when researching something sensitive. I just have to accept being and feeling unsafe online because there's just nothing I can do, right.
and then one day the laws change and all the traces of u not wanting to take a new medicine, or get an abortion, etc..nwill land u in jail. or who knows what ridiculous bullshit will happen, like people now being tracked for not only what politician they support...but where they shop, if it even hints they are on that politicians side
Massive L take, preposterous. Can I have your SSN and check your hard drives? Do you have “nothing to hide” bud? Sheesh.
As it seems that now google is actually and actively supporting mozilla, I fear that you will have the choice between Brave (chromium - google) and Firefox (Mozilla - google), and looking forward both will have the same engine under the hood or at least the same leaks.