Brave Browser Adds Support for Private Browsing With Tor Integration

[CyberTech]

Brave, a lesser known but perfectly fine browser, launched a new version today that features a private browsing mode that automatically starts inside a Tor session.

The Brave browser is infamous for its privacy-first features, and the new "Private Tabs with Tor" feature, as it's labeled in the interface (screenshot above), fits right in with the rest of the package.

Tor integration improves Brave's privacy-focused features

The Brave team says the new "Private Tabs with Tor" feature will be helpful for users who are looking for additional protection that goes beyond the local PC.

Private browsing sessions were invented to wipe data from the browser after a browsing session is closed. But this type of browsing is not opaque to ISPs and the websites a user accesses, which can log traffic originating from the user.

Brave's Tor-integrated private browsing sessions anonymize the user's IP address by passing the browser traffic through the Tor network.

ISPs and websites can't pinpoint the origin of the traffic on the user, similarly to how they can't pinpoint the origin of any Tor traffic.

"Since Brave’s implementation of Private Tabs with Tor is currently in beta, there are still some known issues and leaks which we intend to fix in future versions," the Brave team said. "For users who currently require leakproof privacy, we recommend using the Tor Browser, which provides much stronger and well-tested protection against websites or eavesdroppers using advanced techniques to uncover a true IP address."

As a thank you for integrating the Tor technology inside Brave, the Brave team also announced it would be contributing back to the Tor Project by running a couple of Tor relay servers and help keep the Tor network up and running.

Brave —not yet stable, but a solid product nevertheless

Brave hasn't reached a stable 1.0 version yet and is still under development, but the browser is highly regarded in privacy circles.

The reasons are that Brave's default configuration blocks ads, tracking scripts, and cryptocurrency mining scripts.

Furthermore, Brave's normal private browsing session, even before of today's addition of Tor support, was pretty privacy-focused as well.

Brave private browsing tabs do not save users' browsing history or cookies, and they also use DuckDuckGo, a privacy-first and no-user-tracking search engine, as the browser's default search provider.

The Brave browser version released today and which includes support for Tor-based private browsing is v0.23 beta. You can get the latest release from Brave's website.

More information: Secure, Fast & Private Web Browser with Adblocker | Brave Browser you must read it

Download link: Download Browser with Adblocker for Mobile & Desktop | Brave Browser

 

[oldschool]

Thanks for this post. I tried Brave a couple of months ago and really liked it except it took forever to start-up and was very heavy on my 8 yr. old laptop. Definitely a no-brainer with all the built-in protection - very simple to use. I appreciate this post as I want to keep an eye on it to try again in the future.

 

[Kubla]

I have been testing this out and slows down browsing a little but easily tolerable, for me anyway. I also find I triggers the Captcha thing on many sites which usually don't work when you try to prove you are not a robot but with higher security and privacy you have to expect some inconvenience.

I am using it with a VPN for added security this addition to Brave is definitely a win win in my book!

 

[oldschool]

I tried installing this again with Controlled Folder Access off and OSA disabled & no luck. It wouldn't create a shortcut and only opened after installing. Once closed it was gone, gone, gone! Had to run installer again to open. Their support forum had no mention of this problem. I don't use social media so couldn't inquire there. I'm waiting for more forum members to try it so I can get some help.

 

[RoboMan]

Thanks for this post. I tried Brave a couple of months ago and really liked it except it took forever to start-up and was very heavy on my 8 yr. old laptop. Definitely a no-brainer with all the built-in protection - very simple to use. I appreciate this post as I want to keep an eye on it to try again in the future.

This has been Brave's karma. Everytime I install it I love it because of its amazing built-in features, but the startup time just makes me throw it again...

 

[Moonhorse]

Tried it , didnt like the lack of customization

 

[Aerdian]

Thanks for sharing! I use Brave, but hadn't yet noticed this feature I will definitely try it out today.

 

[oldschool]

Thanks for sharing! I use Brave, but hadn't yet noticed this feature I will definitely try it out today.

Please share your experience with it.

 

[Kubla]

Tried it , didnt like the lack of customization

Correct me if I am wrong but I think that is actually a big plus with Brave;

With browser fingerprinting most of the data is obtained by querying your browser, the number of extensions, the installed extensions, browser settings etc... Unlike other browsers with Brave most of what you need to be secure is built in extension wise, there is very little customization and settings so there is little difference between Brave users compared to Chrome, Fire Fox or other browsers with a lot of customization so Brave users have a more generic fingerprint thus harder to identify and track.

If I am correct in my hypothesis it along with the new built in Private tab with Tor probably puts Brave second only to the Tor browser in privacy and security.

 

[oldschool]

If only it installed and loaded correctly. Tried a day or so a go and ~ 1-2 months ago & no luck. I tend to agree with your hypothesis @Kubla. It might be real nice if they can work out the kinks. Their website says there are updates about every two weeks. They should call it Brave Beta.

 

[Moonhorse]

Correct me if I am wrong but I think that is actually a big plus with Brave;

With browser fingerprinting most of the data is obtained by querying your browser, the number of extensions, the installed extensions, browser settings etc... Unlike other browsers with Brave most of what you need to be secure is built in extension wise, there is very little customization and settings so there is little difference between Brave users compared to Chrome, Fire Fox or other browsers with a lot of customization so Brave users have a more generic fingerprint thus harder to identify and track.

If I am correct in my hypothesis it along with the new built in Private tab with Tor probably puts Brave second only to the Tor browser in privacy and security.

Built in is always better, i could give brave another try. What it was for me that 15minutes were just resource hog and unable to add custom block lists

 

[Kubla]

Built in is always better, i could give brave another try. What it was for me that 15minutes were just resource hog and unable to add custom block lists

You can always use Adguard (desktop version) over the top of Brave and add custom block lists to it instead, it is what I am doing.

 

[Kubla]

If only it installed and loaded correctly. Tried a day or so a go and ~ 1-2 months ago & no luck. I tend to agree with your hypothesis @Kubla. It might be real nice if they can work out the kinks. Their website says there are updates about every two weeks. They should call it Brave Beta.

I have been using Brave for a long time but never had install problems, sounds like something is blocking it, perhaps you need to pause your AV and any app guard program you having running and make sure it has the right permissions in your firewall in case it is getting blocked at that point,