Secure and Private Browsing

Summary

This discussion covers the best browsers for privacy, highlighting Firefox with added privacy scripts as the top choice. Brave is used but not necessarily recommended due to limited options. Concerns about Tor's speed and security are mentioned, while browsers like Epic and Opera are criticized for various reasons. Waterfox and LibreWolf are noted for privacy but have security update lags. The speaker also touches on the VPN industry, recommending self-setup over paid services for true privacy and security. The overall message emphasizes skepticism and careful selection of privacy tools.

Takeaways

• 🔒 Firefox is considered one of the best browsers for privacy, especially with the addition of the Firefox privacy script by Simon on security.
• 🛠️ Privacytools.io is a recommended site for finding privacy-oriented browser tools and scripts.
• 🚀 LibreWolf and other Firefox forks are less preferred due to slower updates and potential vulnerabilities.
• 🐢 Tor browser is noted for its privacy but criticized for its slow performance and potential security issues with exit nodes.
• 🌐 Epic browser is not well-regarded due to its default privacy settings being comparable to Chrome and questionable affiliations.
• 🛡️ Brave is used by the speaker and recommended for its relatively better privacy features, though its Tor functionality is lacking.
• 🔄 Waterfox is seen as less secure due to delayed updates from the Firefox project.
• ❌ Opera is strongly discouraged due to past unethical practices, particularly with high-interest loans.
• 🌍 VPNs are commonly used for torrents and geo-unlocking rather than genuine privacy or security, with a recommendation to set up personal VPNs using WireGuard or OpenVPN.
• 📉 VPN services can sometimes be compromised, as highlighted by an incident with NordVPN, making personal VPNs a safer choice.

Q & A

What browser is the speaker currently using for privacy?

The speaker is currently using Brave browser.

What is the speaker's opinion on Mozilla Firefox for privacy?

The speaker thinks Mozilla Firefox is probably the best browser for privacy, especially with additional scripts like the Firefox privacy script by Simon on Security.

What concerns does the speaker have about using forks of Firefox like LibreWolf and Waterfox?

The speaker is concerned that forks like LibreWolf and Waterfox might be slow to patch security vulnerabilities, making users potentially vulnerable for longer periods.

Why does the speaker not recommend using the Tor browser?

The speaker finds the Tor browser to be very slow and is concerned about the security and privacy of exit nodes, some of which might be controlled by state actors.

What is the speaker's opinion on the Epic browser?

The speaker is not familiar with the Epic browser but expresses skepticism, especially after discovering that its default privacy settings are not much better than Chrome.

Why does the speaker dislike Opera browser?

The speaker dislikes Opera browser due to its history of unethical practices, such as soliciting high-interest loans to users and being generally untrustworthy.

What is the speaker's opinion on Mullvad VPN?

The speaker acknowledges that Mullvad VPN is one of the last independent VPNs on the market and suggests it might be a good option, though they don't use it themselves.

Why does the speaker not recommend paid VPN services for security and privacy?

The speaker believes paid VPN services can act as honeypots and points out past security breaches, like the one experienced by NordVPN. They recommend setting up a personal VPN for better security.

What does the speaker suggest as an alternative to paid VPN services?

The speaker suggests setting up a personal VPN using tools like WireGuard or OpenVPN, which can provide better security and privacy.

What is the speaker's overall stance on privacy browsers and VPNs?

The speaker believes there are no perfect options for privacy browsers and VPNs, each having its own drawbacks. They advocate for informed choices and setting up personal solutions when possible.