Site Map Tim Cliffe - Learning is best constantly exercised.


Website date and time2024-03-29 14:50 UTC (Access Key = T)
Universal Time Coordinated - Definition of the time standard. Time anywhere on Earth.

Website last up-dated 2024-02-20

Tim Cliffe - Blog

Making Your Browser More Secure

Published: 2021-02-01. Reading Time: 3.5 minutes.

01 Target Audience

Image of The Firefox logo.

(01.1) Anyone concerned with their on-line privacy and security.

02 Executive Summary

(02.1) When you browse the web, the software you use, in most cases, is giving away information about your computer and browser software.

 

(02.2) Unscrupulous people can use this information to help them to gain access to your computer.

 

(02.3) This article will show you how to stop your browser giving away such information and make you a little safer on-line.

03 Structure of This Article

  • (04) User-Agent - The Giver of Information
  • (05) Hiding your Browser User-Agent Details

04 User-Agent - The Giver of Information

(04.1) If you read my recent blog about Making Your Thunderbird (or any other) E-mails More Secure
(External link, opens in a new tab/window). 
e-mail User-Agents
, similar arguments apply to web browsers.

 

Have you ever wondered why the same advertisements seem to follow you around the web?

 

(04.2) Perhaps you've also noticed, the number of search engine results seem to be far fewer than a few years ago. This is because your searching habits are being tracked and recorded. The search engines call it 'Personalising your experience'. What it really means is, limiting your experience.

 

(04.3) The explanation is simple:

  1. Most people do not empty their browser's Cache. This means Cookies, written to your computer by Search Engines and websites, are never removed and can be read;
  2. Your web browser is giving away information about your browser, your computer and its operating system;
  3. There are people, search engines and websites that will try to convince you, if you change your User-Agent details, search engines and websites will not work properly. This is not true. Visit the Mozilla website
    (External link, opens in a new tab/window). 
    Find out why
    .

(04.4) This information makes it very easy to track you around the web. If you are being tracked, you are easier to identify, if you can be identified, you are more vulnerable to attack.

 

(04.5) The solution is quick, simple and free. Install a User-Agent Switcher (UAS). Most, if not all, web browsers have UASs you can install as an Add-on to your browser. It takes, literally, seconds to do.

05 Hiding your Browser User-Agent Details

(05.1) The following instructions apply to the Firefox browser; however, it is easy to find a UAS Add-on for your browser, for example, you might search for, Chrome User-Agent Switcher. The Add-on I have used below is simply for illustration purposes, and is not to be inferred as a recommendation.

 

(05.3) To hide your true User-Agent:

 

1. Launch your browser (e.g., Firefox), then;

Image of the Firefox Add-ons web page.

1. Search for, in this example, Firefox User-Agent Switcher, which is available from the Firefox Add-Ons website. Select Add to Firefox;

 

Image of the Firefox Add-ons web page. Agree permissions.

2. Install the User-Agent Switcher. Confirm the permissions settings, select Add;

 

Image of the Firefox Add-ons web page. Add-on installed.

3. Confirmation the Add-on has been installed;

 

Image of the browser Add-on menu.

4. Navigate to your browser's Add-ons management area;

 

Image of the browser Add-ons list.

5. Select User-Agent Switcher > Preferences;

 

Image of the User-Agent Sitcher Preferences screen..

6. List of User-Agent strings the User-Agent Switcher will use.

 

(05.4) Firefox is now configured to constantly change the User-Agent string in your browser's Headers.

 

(05.5) To confirm what User-Agent information your browser is now declaring, visit User Agent String dot com website
(External link, opens in a new tab/window). 
UserAgentString.com
.

 

(05.6) Your information and on-line safety are now a little more secure.

Use of this Article

Any part, or all, of this article may be linked-to or copied for non-commercial purposes. Any linked or copied content to include the following...

 

Making Your Browser More Secure by Tim Cliffe © 1997-2024.

 

Where use will be for commercial purposes, seek authorisation, including details of proposed use, via the Contact page.

 

Return to the Blog page.

(Access Key = N)
Advocating Non-human Person Rights in Law
Image of a Silver Back Gorilla, a leaping Dolphin and an African Elephant.

 

Access my LinkedIn ProfileView my Linked In profile.

 

Resources

eLearning:

Security:

Free, easy to set-up, security software, from the GCA, to protect your system, protect against e-mail fraud and cyber attacks: Preserving On-line Truth

Guarding against disinformation and the re-writing of history.

Web Archive Access the Internet Archive Wayback Machine website
(External link, opens in a new tab/window)

Web Standards: