How to protect your browser from viruses. Reliable protection for your browser

1. General settings and search engines

One of the first lines of defense against infection by viruses and privacy threats that plague us on the Internet is in our web browsers. This series of articles is designed to help you harden your browser against all kinds of online problems.

However, it is worth noting that even if your primary concern is only privacy, we highly recommend that you still read the security sections as well. Preventing your computer from linking to potentially dangerous sites and helping you avoid malware plays a very important role in maintaining your online privacy. So protecting your privacy really requires that you also maintain your own security.

Note that in addition to the general recommendations, you will also need to read the sections that apply to the specific web browser you are using. You don't really even need to worry about the other partitions. Also, note that all instructions are based on the assumption that no other configuration changes have been made. All browsers were installed with default settings and then configured. In addition, unless otherwise noted, any instructions provided apply to all browsers in the listed categories. Each time a specific browser needs specific settings, this will be noted.

1. General browser settings

If you, like most people, use Adobe Flash, then you need to make some changes in the settings. Regardless of which browser you are using, you should ensure that your Flash player settings do not allow third-party cookies. If you are on Windows Vista Windows 7 or Windows 8 (8.1), do this by going to the Control Panel on your computer.

From there, go to the "System and Security" section. If you are running Windows XP, you must go to the Control Panel and make sure it is displayed in Classic View. At this step, you should see the " flash player". Click on it. On the "Storage" tab, make sure "Block all sites from storing information on this computer" is selected. "Advanced" make sure "Allow Adobe to install updates" is selected.

In addition, it is important to know that Java is constantly used to install on users' computers. malware. Plus, a Java plugin isn't even necessary to use most sites. Thus, if the Java plugin is installed in your browser, our advice to you is to uninstall it if you don't need it. Also, if you have removed Java completely from your computer, which we recommend you do if you will not be actively using it, you should also, using the built-in Windows search, find the file "npDeployJava1.dll" on your C drive, and if it exists, delete it. For some reason this file was not removed by the Java uninstaller.

If Java is required for the operation of programs installed on the system, we recommend that you read the instructions

Also, if there are any plugins that you don't use, we advise you to remove them as well. They can compromise your security. To remove unwanted plugins, you can use the avast! Browser Cleanup or Auslogics Browser Care, or check out and configure plugins in your web browser for tips.

2. Use privacy-focused search engines

search engine Google system records your search history and aggressively monitors you. So do many others popular search engines. Therefore, we suggest that you use an alternative search engine. One of the best anonymous search engines is called . This search engine allows you to search from Google but it blocks Google opportunity watch over you.

It's not as powerful a search engine as the original Google search engine, but it's definitely a useful tool for anonymous searches. The same company that created StartPage also created a search engine called . It collects its results from many other sources and thus can be even more useful than StartPage. Both search engines have been certified by an independent third party as search engines that do not record the visitor's IP address and do not use tracking cookies.

Another very good search service is called . This search engine also does not record any information about your search. DuckDuckGo generates its search results based on a selection of many sources. It also displays the answer options for the question you ask at the very top of the results page. In addition, in the settings (menu More > Settings > Results > Site icons), you can set the display of the WOT security rating without installing the plugin itself.

In terms of security and privacy, DuckDuckGo is a very useful search engine.

To be continued...

In the next article, we'll look at how to increase the security and privacy level of Chromium-based web browsers ( Google Chrome, Comodo Dragon and SRWare Iron).

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Introduction

... the problem is not so much with scammers, but with the fact that the news appeared only now, 27 years after the invention of the first browser and 20 years after the appearance of the first ActiveX extensions for Internet Explorer(if not earlier, I could be wrong). There is a false impression that It used to be better.

I remember watching a movie about life in an alternate reality where there was no concept of lies. The protagonist discovers that one can benefit by saying something that is not true. So it is now: as if no one guessed that if the expansion Maybe merge the info, it is will do!

The possibility of data theft is so obvious and it seems so strange to mention it now that I had a suspicion: am I now in the correct Universe? After all, when we install browser extensions, a warning appears:

And suddenly the discovery - turns out, extensions that access all sites in a row can leak all user input to their owners. Correspondence, passwords, numbers bank cards- anything!

In the past, people installed Java applications on their phones by clicking on a link in an SMS, ostensibly to view an MMS message. These programs could only do one thing - send SMS to paid numbers, before asking permission from the owner of the phone. And after all allowed, and lost money! APK programs for Android and extensions are now being installed, and warnings about the consequences of installing extensions for browsers and programs have become more clear.

How to protect your browser and data

I offer a list of measures that reduce the chance of sending information to the wrong place:

1. Run a scan with the program. It is not designed to 100% detect harmful extensions, but it will remove most of the known ones.
2. Go to the list of installed extensions (in Chrome, the menu item " Additional tools» - «Extensions, in Mozilla Firefox Add-ons) and check if there are extensions you don't know about. Found - delete. Browsers work fine without extensions. Although there are useful ones.
3. Do not install any flash players and browser updates offered on sites. Modern browsers update themselves.
4. To work with finances, use a separate browser that is not prescribed in the system. It is more difficult for viruses to infiltrate such browsers. For example, portable Mozilla Firefox in Russian you will find listed on PortableApps. Google Chrome and Yandex Browser do not have an official laptop, at least run all sorts of Sberbank online in incognito mode - all extensions are disabled there by default.
5. Put the program unchecked, which will uncheck advertising extensions during installation of programs.
6. Keep your antivirus databases up to date. Usually they update themselves, but you never know. Antiviruses are useless when looking for fraudulent extensions, but Trojans will.

One hundred percent protection does not exist, but the level of security will increase.

Multiple Predictions

There are many ways to steal information. I'll write in advance so you know. You will grin condescendingly at the sight of another panic: you already knew for a long time!

Photos

• Some people will be shocked when it becomes known that photos not taken through standard application The "camera" of the phone may become public. The fact is that sometimes the processing does not take place in the phone, but on the servers of the authors of the camera programs and the photos may remain somewhere.
• Unexpectedly, it turns out that image processing services do not delete photos, but carefully store them. And someday everyone will see photos of cats.
• It is already known, but I will mention: in Windows it is very easy, including covertly. So the tape over the eye of the camera is, alas, a necessary measure.

Sound

You can also record your conversations at the computer. Even if only headphones without a microphone are connected, theoretically this is possible. Fortunately, computers Bye do not recognize speech well, so attackers Bye they cannot put wiretapping of an unlimited circle of people “on stream” in order to fish out logins, passwords and PIN codes spoken aloud. I repeat - for now can not.

Messages

• Unexpectedly (surprise!) all your online correspondence can be stored forever and leaked to those who are interested in it, including scammers. For example, the popular QIP was hacked.
• This also applies to SMS. For private conversations, use it - perhaps nothing easier to use than his secret chats has yet been invented.

Clipboard

Do you like to copy-paste passwords from the "secret" file "passwords.doc" lying on the Desktop? Trojans do not need to look for such documents, it is enough to track changes in the Buffer Windows exchange. By the way, now browsers are not able to read its contents automatically, but if such an opportunity is found, it will be enough open tab with a malicious site to collect sensitive data.

Saved passwords in browsers

This is convenient for both the user (no need to re-enter passwords) and attackers (password files are in the same place and can be easily decrypted).

People say their own passwords

Periodically, in the comments under popular posts, I am asked questions and asked to answer e-mail, and they indicate the address and password. For what?!

Something else

I won’t be surprised if in the future, when 4K webcams become popular, viruses will peep into the reflection of the pupils of the typed passwords ...

Summing up

1. If you run the program, it can steal your logins and passwords. Don't run everything.
2. If you see a warning about what an app can do, it really can. Do not install add-ons and updates for browsers that are offered to you on sites. Be prudent read the reviews. In doubt - ask knowledgeable users advice. You can ask me.

Today, there are many browser plugins that promise to protect user privacy. In this article, we will look at the most popular browser plugins that protection from advertising on the Internet.

Block ads, scripts and pop-ups with AdBlock Plus

Ad blockers and script blockers give you control over your browsing experience. They allow you to block ads on the sites you visit and prevent the execution of scripts and widgets that send user data to no one knows where.

But if you don't know how to use these tools, they can interfere with your browsing experience, making them unusable until you figure out what to allow and what to block. In addition, by blocking ads, you can have a pretty big impact on the site and the people working on it.

AdBlock Plus (Firefox/Chrome/Safari) blocks banner ads, pop-ups, video ads, and more. It prevents visits to domains hosting malware and disables third-party tracking cookies and scripts. We believe it combines ease of use and whitelisting with automated management to make it a tool anyone can use. Advanced users can get their hands on and experiment with the different subscription lists and active list settings they use.

Alternatives:

In our opinion Adblock Plus is the best choice, but there are several other plugins that do the same.

Consider other options internet ad protection:

• uBlock Origin for Chrome and Firefox maintained by the original developer. The plugin is just as powerful as AdBlock Plus. Perhaps even more powerful, because unlike ABP, it gives you more control over what to block and what to allow. It also takes up less system resources and does not cause problems like ABP . whose creators are paid by some large companies to ensure that their ads fall within the "acceptable advertising" policy. The only reason uBlock Origin isn't our favorite is that it's a bit difficult for beginners and blocks more than ABP. So first you need to understand it in order to customize it to your needs. And second: ABP has features like clearing Facebook, hiding YouTube comments and a lot more that uBlock Origin doesn't do... at least until you're an advanced enough user to do it yourself. If you consider yourself an advanced user, remove ABP and install uBlock Origin;
• NoScript( Firefox) and ScriptSafe ( Chrome, formerly ScriptNo): both disable script execution on pages until the user whitelists them. They block the execution of Java, JavaScript, Flash and other components. They are powerful, but very aggressive and interfere with many sites. If you're going to use them, then be prepared to understand the scripts on every site you visit to figure out which ones make the site work. Other than that, AdBlock Plus already does this ( and less aggressive), you just need add correct filters.

If you are not using additional functions AdBlock Plus to cut various YouTube junk or don't block certain elements, try uBlock Origin. It will do the magic - it will reduce the amount of memory consumed by the browser, and as a result you will get a more powerful and customizable tool for protecting against ads on the Internet for free. Although you have to tinker with it to make it work exactly the way you want.

Blocking all tracking requests with Disconnect

Includes anti-tracking and anti-cookie extensions.

Disconnect Private Browsing ( Firefox/Chrome/IE/Safari) is our choice because it protects against tracking, malware and malicious ads, provides secure Wi-Fi, and provides optimization functionality bandwidth, which is simply not available in other tools. It blocks tracking cookies and gives you control over all scripts and site elements from an easy-to-use dashboard.

Disconnect can protect you even when malware embeds its ads on popular pages or the ad network is infected with embedded malware software. The plugin also protects against tracking via social media such as Facebook, Google+ and Twitter, which use the browser to collect data about you even outside of their social platforms. Finally, Disconnect protects you when an attacker can use stolen cookies to access personal data without the need to steal a password.

Alternatives:

Disconnect is our favorite of the bunch, but there are other browser extensions that do the same:

• privacy badger( Chrome/Firefox) - since he is new to this field, he tried to take the best from all previously created plugins. Acts too soft - blocks unwanted actions and creates a "black list" when it observes bad behavior, instead of blocking certain sites, cookies, and pop-ups. This makes it more lightweight, but it provides a bit less protection, at least as long as it learns from your behavior. You also get an easy-to-use button on the toolbar, which gives you a completely clear view of recording information about you. System " Green / yellow / red» shows whether you are tracked through sites or not;
• Do Not Track Me Firefox/Chrome/IE/Safari): offers a drop-down browser toolbar that shows which tracking cookies and scripts are being loaded on the site, and allows you to turn them off completely. Has a friendly interface. It also leaves plugins and scripts enabled until you turn them off. Disconnect is much more powerful and functional, Do Not Track Me is suitable for those people who want to download protection from ads on the Internet and disable elements selectively;
• (ghostery) Firefox/Chrome/Safari/IE): Just like other browser extensions, Ghostery blocks tracking cookies and scripts during download. Displays a list of blocked items so you can see if blocked items are harmless. Ghostery's database is huge and provides the ability to block everything or something specific. Unfortunately, Ghostery has trouble selling information to advertisers, so you might want to stay away from it.

One could argue that Disconnect, Do Not Track Me, and Ghostery do the same thing, but we still think Disconnect is the most reliable of the three. We love the Privacy Badger approach" learn as you go“, but we cannot argue that it will provide less protection when entering the tracking zone than any other plugin. By the way, a new version Disconnect is only available for Firefox and Chrome , so if you prefer Safari , IE , or Opera , we would suggest Do Not Track Me .

It essentially comes down to personal preference: what doesn't get in the way of browsing, and what works best in the browser you use the most. So if one plugin doesn't work, don't be afraid to try another one.

Disconnect Desktop and Mobile Security

The Disconnect browser tool is worth downloading and we recommend it for those who want privacy or speed up their web browsing. If you want to go even further new desktop package Disconnect Private Browsing, which we mentioned above, with its own proxy and VPN, will ensure the security of your web surfing. It checks connections against a list of malware embedded in ad networks, monitors tracking tools for known malicious hosts and sites, and then simply blocks them.

The free version of the Disconnect desktop package includes the browser plugins we mentioned above, with its own search service and a basic proxy that keeps web surfing secure. When you upgrade to Disconnect premium for $5/month or $50/year, you can get these features along with mobile applications for iOS and Android.

This great service Internet advertising protection and, frankly, there is no alternative to it. However, the premium price may be too high for some people. We think you should sign up for a VPN, especially when you're in a Wi-Fi zone or using untrusted networks, but Disconnect is designed to keep you private and secure. For many people, the Disconnect extension is all it takes to protect.

Additional privacy tools

HTTPS Everywhere ( Firefox/Chrome) is required no matter what security you choose to use. After installation, the extension will check the connection with using SSL and will try to find safe versions of the sites you visit. This is a great way to protect your web surfing.

Virtual Private Network (VPN) encrypts all your internet traffic and offers the best possible protection from prying eyes. Look for a provider that keeps only the minimum required logs for troubleshooting, offers strong encryption, is well received by users, and provides many options. Don't rush to any offshore VPN just because your VPN provider is in a distant country. If you are just looking for a free service to keep yourself safe while you surf the internet and you are not ready to try a full paid VPN service ( or your own), try Hideman or Tunnelbear .

Antivirus utilities important for security protection. Try to avoid suspicious sites, follow the rules of hygiene on the Internet, and keep your antivirus tools up to date.

Other Security Tools You May Need

We have reviewed the most important and necessary tools for privacy and security, but there is always one more step you can take to make sure your messages are not intercepted and read by third parties. Here are some more tools for better protection from online advertising.

The real protection for the browser is not only blocking ads, but also a ban on unwanted changes to its settings.

Antivirus is antivirus, but reliable protection for the browser will never be superfluous. In addition, it is usually outside the competence. Protection from what? Yes, from the homepage change beloved by many developers, hosts file or search engine. Why do they need it? And so that when you launch the browser, you get not to your usual home page, but to the page with their website. And suddenly you see something, get interested and buy it.

Attention. It is much easier to prevent changes in the browser than to think about how to restore the changed settings later. And sometimes it can be very difficult.

As a reliable protection for your browser, or rather browsers, a small program "Browser Manager" is perfect. Which is distributed free of charge through Yandex Applications.

The principle of the manager is simple. The program hangs in background and responds to browser changes specified in its settings. And it reacts again the way you set it up.

After downloading and installing the application, launch it and go to the program settings. There are few settings, which is only a plus for the average user.

As usual, on the left side of the manager settings window, the main application settings items are located and the browsers found on the computer are shown, the protection of which is also configured. There are only two settings for the program itself - protection settings and history of changes.

Security settings

The browser manager program protects the basic settings of installed browsers from changes. And what's nice, not just IE. Protection works in three ways: automatically, with notification, or can be disabled.

• Default search. Tracks changes to the search engine you have installed. You use Yandex, and the toy you installed is trying to implement its own search engine, for example, Mile.
• Homepage. Tracks changes to the home page. The page that opens when you click on the house icon. Changing it to your own, usually the site address, is loved by many manufacturers, both software and games.
• Default browser. Any installed browser tries to become the default browser. You don't always need it.
• Filehosts. This file is located in system files and responsible for domain names. That is, by making appropriate changes to it, you can redirect from one domain to another or completely block any sites. Often used by both legal software and unwanted software.
• Browser shortcuts. Tracks changes to browser shortcuts. By clicking on the browser shortcut and opening its properties, you will see the "Object" line, where the path to the executable file is registered. This path ends with the name of the .exe file. Programs that change the properties of a browser shortcut insert the address of their site after this name.

Attention. The best option how to respond to these changes - with notification. So, how to choose a reaction to an attempt to change will be yourself.

Browser settings

The Google Chrome browser to work with this program requires the installation of an extension.

After installation, the program window displays the search settings, the browser home page and the extensions installed in it. All this can be turned on / off or changed here.

Attention. I think that you are not surprised that you can change the home page or default search only on Yandex.

The settings are similar to Chrome: Homepage, default search, and the ability to enable/disable browser add-ons.

And in the Yandex browser settings, you can make it the default browser and enable / disable installed extensions.

As it was written above, the program "sees" all common browsers. Although their settings are unlikely to differ from those considered.

In conclusion. In my opinion, the program is useful. Especially for young gamers who like to install new games and don't follow the accompanying changes in PC settings and browsers. Reliable protection for the browser is no less important than the protection of the computer itself.

How to protect the browser from viruses? and got the best answer

Answer from Red Dead ?[guru]
It is called a firewall or a firewall, it is included as a module in the package of many antiviruses. For example,
Red Dead ☭
(221929)
Might as well not sweat

Answer from 2 answers[guru]

Hello! Here is a selection of topics with answers to your question: How to protect the browser from viruses?

Answer from Crystal[guru]
nod32- firewall+ antivirus. Catches everything that others do not catch.

Answer from Maxim Sokolov[newbie]
no no you should have good browser like amigo

Answer from Yatiana[guru]
Everything in our lives has to be paid for. However, we are left with a choice - to pay or pay. Therefore, before once again climbing into the world wide web, you need to think about precautions, and for this you need to answer a few questions. What is an antivirus program and what is a virus? How can a virus get into a computer? Is it possible to work with a computer without antivirus program? Which antivirus to choose? Is antivirus a panacea?
The only question that can be answered unambiguously and clearly is that an antivirus is necessary. If there is no antivirus on the computer, then virus creators have the opportunity to access computer data: games, documents, messages, passwords, etc.
Computer viruses are small programs, spreading from one computer to another and affecting the operation of the operating system.
A virus can damage or delete data on a computer, destroy everything on a hard drive, and spread to other people via email.
Viruses are most easily spread through email attachments sent via email. e-mail. That's why you shouldn't open attachments if you don't know the senders. Viruses can spread under the guise greeting cards, funny pictures, video and audio files. They can be accidentally downloaded from the Internet with unlicensed software, as well as other files. The cause of the virus may be ftp file servers, local networks, "public" computers, or occasional computer users.
Here are the main signs that a computer is susceptible to a virus attack:
1) The computer is running slowly;
2) The computer often locks up and does not respond to requests
3) The computer often needs to be restarted
4) The computer often reboots on its own
5) Applications that are installed on the computer do not function correctly
6) Drives or discs not available
7) Document cannot be printed
8) Error messages appear frequently.
The antivirus program is designed to detect and then remove computer viruses, as well as other malicious programs, preventing their further spread, as well as restoring those programs that were infected with them.
There are many antivirus programs; the names of many of them are well-known (Norton Anti-Virus, Kaspersky Anti-Virus, DrWeb, NOD32, etc.). Each antivirus has advantages and disadvantages. There are no perfect antiviruses, as viruses are constantly being improved to bypass defense systems.
Anti-virus programs are able to recognize and then destroy only those viruses that they know. Antivirus is able to recognize a particular virus only if it has it in its database. Specialists monitor the appearance of viruses around the clock, neutralize them and send updates to all subscribers. Therefore, it is extremely important to update your antivirus daily - after all, this is a kind of war between hackers and defenders.
To prevent the threat of computer virus infection, you should install an antivirus, update it in a timely manner, and remember the rules when working on the network. It is much easier to prevent than to grieve over stolen funds or lost data.
The main mistakes of users: lack of good antivirus or the antivirus is expired and not updated, not knowing even the very basics of OS and PC security, or a clear disregard for them.