Personal-Security Checklist for Privacy on Web Browsing

Firefox and Brave, with some adjustments, provide secure and privacy-focused browsing experiences. They are both speedy, open-source, user-friendly, and compatible with all major operating systems. Keep in mind that your browser has access to all your online activities, so it's advisable to steer clear of Google Chrome, Edge, and Safari unless you configure them correctly, as these three browsers may gather usage data, establish connections to external servers, and permit invasive tracking by default.

Browser vulnerabilities are frequently uncovered and subsequently fixed. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain your browser in an updated state to prevent falling victim to a zero-day exploit. You can check your current browser version by clicking here or refer to this guide for step-by-step instructions on how to perform updates. Additionally, certain browsers have an automatic update feature that ensures you are always using the latest stable version.

This can link further data to your identity. If you need to, you can use an open source bookmark sync apps

When using someone else's device, ensure that you're in a private/ incognito session. This will prevent browser history, cookies and some data being saved, but is not fool-proof- you can still be tracked.

Use Compartmentalization to separate different areas of your browsing (such as work, social, shopping etc), in order to reduce tracking.This can be done with Firefox Containers, or by using separate browsers or browser profiles

Test your browser using tools like BrowserLeaks to ensure there are no major issues and to know what device info you are exposing to websites

Clear your cookies, session data and cache regularly. An extension such as Cookie-Auto-Delete can be used to automate this

Disable third-party cookies except when necessary. These are cookies that originate from a website other than the one you're currently visiting, posing a potential privacy threat as they allow a third party to gather data from your ongoing session. To learn how to deactivate third-party cookies, please refer to this guide. You can verify whether it was successful by checking here.Verify that the headers ,footers and other common components used in the design are consistent.

Set your default search to a non-tracking engine, such as DuckDuckGo

Block invasive 3rd-party trackers and ads using an extension like Privacy Badger or uBlock

Remove all unnecessary add-ons/ extensions. removing unnecessary add-ons/extensions is a proactive security measure that reduces potential security risks, improves browser performance, and enhances your overall online privacy and safety.

Refrain from providing any information on websites without HTTPS (ensure you see the lock icon). Modern browsers such as Firefox, Chrome, Edge, and Safari come equipped with built-in HTTPS security measures.

Ensure website is Legit using tools like IsLegitSite, Google Safe Browsing Status if you are unsure

Spyware, miners, browser hijackers, malicious redirects, and adware can compromise your system or browser. Protect yourself by ignoring pop-ups, being cautious about what you click, and heeding your browser's warnings about potentially malicious websites. Signs of browser malware include changes to your default search engine or homepage, unfamiliar toolbars, extensions, excessive ads, errors, and unusually slow page loading.