How to secure and anonymous Web Browser
Which browser should you use?
In both Google Chrome & Opera browsers, WebRTC can not be deactivated (even by plugins), which means that the real IP of the user can be found through a website despite the use of VPN, socks, proxy, etc.
The only browser known to me to disable WebRTC is Mozilla Firefox.
How to secure and anonymous Firefox Web Browser
- Disable Geolocation API
The geographic position of the surfer can be determined relatively accurately. Depending on the available hardware, computers can be used to determine the location of WLANs in the vicinity or GPS hardware … In the worst case, the location can only be determined by the IP address. The API is used with Javascript.Current Firefox versions ask before access to the Geolocation API is allowed. Nevertheless, I have a better feeling when you disable it completely. For this you must under “about:config” the following variable:Geo.enabled = false
This setting is important when you hide your own IP address with anonymization services or VPNs. - Disable WebGLWebGL provides a JavaScript API for rendering 3D objects. It can be used for fingerprinting the performance of the graphics hardware and OpenGL implementation. WebGL fonts can also be loaded from the web. This is a security risk because it will allow attacks on the operating system. Bugs in the font rendering libraries Remote Code Execution permitted by loading malicious writings.
In Firefox you can WebGL under “about:config” disable:
webgl.disabled = true
webgl.disable-extensions = true - Disable WebRTC
WebRTC is a technology that allows direct telephony and video chat between surfers in the browser. With WebRTC the local IP address of the computer in the LAN and the public IP address can be determined.
VPN connections can also be tricked out. In addition, the presence of camera and microphone can be used as a feature in the Fingerprint browser.In Firefox you can WebRTC under “about:config” disable:
Media.peerconnection.enabled = false - Disable access to battery statusFor my unknown reasons, the HTML5 standard provides an API for accessing the status of the laptop battery. This makes it possible to check the charge status of the battery and the status of the power connection. Current browsers have implemented this API.To prevent the charging state of the battery from being used as a tracking feature or to use the presence of a battery in the Fingerprint browser, you should deactivate this API. In Firefox you can see the API under “about:config” disable:Dom.battery.enabled = false
- Disable gamepadSince Firefox 28, the gamepad API is activated by default, a further, mostly meaningless feature, that can be used for the fingerprinting of the browser. The API can also under “about:config” be disabled:Dom.gamepad.enabled = false
- Fingerprinting of the graphics hardwareHardware acceleration of the rendering can be deactivated, in order to prevent a fingerprinting of the graphics hardware. Losses are hardly recognizable for me.Gfx.direct2d.disabled = true
Layers.acceleration.disabled = true - Turn off statistics for videosThe statistics when playing videos (framerate, etc.) can be used for the fingerprinting of the browser. Under “about:config” you can turn this feature off:Media.video_stats.enabled = false
- Disable HTML5 BeaconsWith Beacons, a browser can send data for analysis to the web server, which was collected via javascript, when leaving / closing a website. A useful application outside of “analysis of the surfing behavior” (aka Tracking) does not fall to me for it. Under “about:config” you can turn this feature off:
Beacon.enabled = false - Download the Safebrowsing databaseStarting with Firefox 34 it is no longer enough to deactivate the use of Googles Safebrowsing database in the settings dialog. In addition, you have to download the database under “about:config” off, if you will not create connections to Google.
Browser.safebrowsing.downloads.enabled = false
