RoboMan's Do's and Don't's for browsing safety

[RoboMan]

Let's talk a little about privacy and security online. There's a huge debate lately about wether privacy is a thing or takes place no more.

In ending 2017, more and more companies stick to the hype of sharing logs and internet history to federal agencies as the law can't be avoided.
More and more cyberattacks are taking place through the browser and through e-mail.

So, is there something we can do to minimize the risk and our data sharing? We can go through the basics:

DO's

1. Have installed an antivirus with web module. I'd risk it and say all of antivirus contain one. This module is in charge of injecting the browser to give you a better internet experience, blocking phising sites, malicious downloads and beyond. Strictly a must on this era.

2. Equip your browser with safety extensions. Make it hard for cybercriminals to track you or infect you. Great extensions to add to your browser may be:

• HTTPS Everywhere, to ensure safety connections
• uBlock Origin, to block all (malicious and not) ads
• NoScript, to cut off all scripts that intend to run on the sites you visit
• PopUpBlocker (strict) to avoid redirections and popups to malicious hosts
• BitDefender TrafficLight, if you have no antivirus with web module

3. Block all internet tracking. All sites track you and it's a fact. They get your IP, preferences, whatever you do on the site. They get a full doc file on you to sell to advertising companies so they offer a better ad experience. This is a huge attack to your privacy. Avoid it by configuring your browser on a lockdown mode and/or installing an extension like Disconnect to block all tracking.

4. Use a VPN on every network that is not your own, or if you suspect yours may be compromised or even used by third parties. VPN will not only hide you on the web, but encrypt all the information sent through it, making it kind-of-impossible to be cracked and intercepted by cybercriminals. Not using a VPN could end up on your login informations being leaked and sensible information on hands of strange people. Good VPN options are:

• AirVPN (best for me, most secure)
• CyberGhost
• ExpressVPN

Before installing VPN, be sure you search for reviews on the one you chose so you don't get surprises as logs sharing with federal agencies or sold to advertising companies. Use VPN on all your systems, even phones.

5. Always keep your browser up to date. This way you make sure all potential issues and vulnerabilities are quickly fixed and solved. If possible, set to auto-update. As well, keep your Windows/OS updates fresh. This could significantly help make your browsing safer.

6. Create long, strong password for your accounts, and repeat no password on two accounts. Use password generators to create safe passwords hard to crack, and use a different one on each account. Use a password manager to help your memory and avoid problems when logging in. Do not use dictionary words on your passwords.

7. Be equipped with a decent firewall to avoid connections to be created outbound or inbound your system.

8. Use two factor authentication on all supported accounts. Avoid getting hacked by your own fault or databases leaks.

9. Disable hardware while not in use, especially camera and microphone. (you can cover your camera with tape)

10. Use on-screen keyboard when signing into your accounts when you're not in your regular PC. If possible, avoid logging in when not in your devices.


DON'Ts

1. Do not download any not-verified/not-trusted files from the internet. Be sure all files are digitally signed and reviewed by internet users.

2. Stay away from sites like Softonic or similar which will try to add PUP through installers. A good option to avoid this is installing UnChecky on your system, which will automatically disable all extra software trying to be installed through other installers.

3. AVOID internet piracy on all cost. Piracy does not only harm developers but are a potential threat to your safety. Cracked software are ilegal, MODIFIED copies of legit software. This means, despite the software may be succesfully cracked and ready to use, extra lines of code could have been added to the executable and be running in your system on the background.

4. Don't be a happy clicker! As an internet user, you should already know:

• Myriam doesn't really want to meet you and indeed she does not live 3 KM from your house
• You aren't the visitor 1,000,000 who will be rewarded an iPhone XI (that one hasn't even come out)
• You don't have to download an invoice from a stranger just because she sends it to you

5. Never give permissions to any app on social networking sites unless strictly necessary and 100% trusted signed apps.

6. Don't use your real daily e-mail to sign in or log in into sites. Use temporal or secondary ones to avoid unwanted spam.

7. Do not give your e-mail on any site that asks, and do not log in wih Facebook or Google on untrusted sites.
Not all the software in the world can protect from the worst malware ever: YOU. Rule #1 on internet: trust nobody.

Do not trust giveaways from non-trusted sites. Do not trust banners saying you won something. Do not trust suspicious emails with attachments. Do not click links given to you even if they seem legit (could be a fake hyperlink).

If you know what you're doing then most risks will be minimized.

Stay informed, stay protected and if you doubt, then don't do it.

PS: feel free to add anything in the comments to help new people and i will add it to the thread.

 

[Weebarra]

Great thread @RoboMan, i voted yes but it means most of them. I don't use a VPN for most things (i only use that occasionally)

Avoid it by configuring your browser on a lockdown mode and/or installing an extension like Disconnect to block all tracking.

I'm not sure if i do that or not but i think i have something like that in my Internet security and it's enabled so hopefully i did good.

While some people may see this as pretty basic stuff, people like me probably never knew half of this stuff until they looked in on this site and i am extremely thankful that people like you take the time to help out people like me and yous don't judge people who have a lack of knowledge. I am getting better (slightly) so a

to each and every one of you for sharing your hints and tips , i for one am grateful

 

[Vasudev]

Avira Browser Safety and Bitdefender Traffic Light are worthy contenders in safer web. Cookie Autodelete is a worthy addon for chrome and FF.
Use Majorgeeks or Filehippo instead of Softonic and cnet.
Please fix the typo in point number 2.

 

[SHvFl]

Why should i trust you? Someone told me.

Rule #1 on internet: trust nobody.

 

[Daljeet]

Use two factor authentication
Don't click on any short link that you have no idea where they lead
Never download any email or attachment that you never requested
Never give permissions to any app on social networking sites And never sign-up with google or facebook.
Disable hardware while not in use especially camera and mic. (i suggest coverup your camera with paper and tape)
Never ever sign-up with your original email( use temp. one)

Thanks for sharing @RoboMan add some extensions to block cryptominig

 

[Daljeet]

Why should i trust you? Someone told me.

 

[toto_10]

Good job @RoboMan

• NoScript, to cut off all scripts that intend to run on the sites you visit

• BitDefender TrafficLight, if you have no antivirus with web module

NoScript, Is there an alternative to Google Chrome? Or do my Adguard Desktop handle the job?
BitDefender TrafficLight, I have KIS18 installed on my PC, AdGuard Desktop build in WOT, should I add BD TL and replace WOT? Or am I good like this?

 

[DJPRMF]

Great info!
As always, there is something important: the best anti-whatever is just a few feets from the computer screen...

Even if all the advices have been followed, the users are always the key for the defense.

 

[FrFc1908]

@toto_10 : here you go

ScriptSafe

 

[Vasudev]

Good job @RoboMan


NoScript, Is there an alternative to Google Chrome? Or do my Adguard Desktop handle the job?
BitDefender TrafficLight, I have KIS18 installed on my PC, AdGuard Desktop build in WOT, should I add BD TL and replace WOT? Or am I good like this?

If you have Adguard then BD TL will simply consume more resources than necessary. If given an option, I'd choose BD TL instead of WOT.

 

[toto_10]

Use Majorgeeks or Filehippo instead of Softonic and cnet.

I wouldn't recommend FileHippo. They are shady as well and puts bloatware inside the installers.

 

[RoboMan]

Good job @RoboMan


NoScript, Is there an alternative to Google Chrome? Or do my Adguard Desktop handle the job?
BitDefender TrafficLight, I have KIS18 installed on my PC, AdGuard Desktop build in WOT, should I add BD TL and replace WOT? Or am I good like this?

NoScript Suite Lite: No-Script Suite Lite

Aforementioned, i'd skip WOT, there has been controversy wether it was safe to be used. Kaspersky has it's own extension for browser to complement its web module. You can add that. Kaspersky as well has ad blocking to replace Adguard (i'm just thinking on minimizing the ammount of software you have) but i do not know how accurate it is and if it's system wide.

Use two factor authentication
Don't click on any short link that you have no idea where they lead
Never download any email or attachment that you never requested
Never give permissions to any app on social networking sites And never sign-up with google or facebook.
Disable hardware while not in use especially camera and mic. (i suggest coverup your camera with paper and tape)
Never ever sign-up with your original email( use temp. one)

Thanks for sharing @RoboMan add some extensions to block cryptominig

Gold! Added, thanks!

Great info!
As always, there is something important: the best anti-whatever is just a few feets from the computer screen...

Even if all the advices have been followed, the users are always the key for the defense.

Very true, not even NASA can protect us from the evilness a user can perform!

 

[brambedkar59]

Even if most of you guys already knew this, it's always good to revise, right?
Good thread @RoboMan

 

[Venustus]

I wouldn't recommend FileHippo

FileHippo is safer than most other sites.

 

[insanity]

2 factor authentication is good, as long as you have control of all your authentication factors. Personally, I wouldn't use it, because as I see, the probability of cyber criminals invading my accounts is much smaller than the probability of "losing" my phone (a criminal taking it from me) and then dealing with the hassle of recovering my accounts that have 2FA enabled.
On screen keyboard is good against physical keyloggers. But since many keyloggers are software based (malware), they are more sophisticated and an onscreen keyboard is not going to stop them.
Digitally signed files may be safer. But nowadays, more online threats are coming under the form of PUP/adware and often some are signed files. (Also, the Ccleaner malware was signed. ) On the other hand, many useful tools, like some open source software, that are not digitally signed. So we shouldn't say that ALL programs must be signed.

 

[SKOGSDOTTER]

Thank you for sharing, I added PopUpBlocker (strict) to Mozilla !

 

[RoboMan]

2 factor authentication is good, as long as you have control of all your authentication factors. Personally, I wouldn't use it, because as I see, the probability of cyber criminals invading my accounts is much smaller than the probability of "losing" my phone (a criminal taking it from me) and then dealing with the hassle of recovering my accounts that have 2FA enabled.
On screen keyboard is good against physical keyloggers. But since many keyloggers are software based (malware), they are more sophisticated and an onscreen keyboard is not going to stop them.
Digitally signed files may be safer. But nowadays, more online threats are coming under the form of PUP/adware and often some are signed files. (Also, the Ccleaner malware was signed. ) On the other hand, many useful tools, like some open source software, that are not digitally signed. So we shouldn't say that ALL programs must be signed.

What you mention is true, indeed. My suggestions in this case may help in some scenarios and not in others, but it's always good to know how to avoid them

 

[Daljeet]

I would like to some more in your guide @RoboMan
Remove your payment card's details and address from shopping websites (because if your account is comprised hacker never know these details)

 

[Evjl's Rain]

I want to add something
- BD trafficlight and avast online security DON'T have download protection => if we download a malware, the file won't be blocked. Tested several times, BD has never ever blocked any download => big failure for me
- BD consumes more CPU than most other alternatives
- avira browser safety has the best detection rate. However, it may consume some CPU in idle while the others usually don't. Some FPs noticed but I have had none for several months. It's packed with useless features which can be disabled in the settings
- norton safe web has the second best detection rate, the lightest of all but the false positive rate can be annoying for many people. Moreover, many users cannot find it on chrome extension store for some reasons (they hide it intentionally). On firefox store, it can easily be searched
- avast online security: I think it is made to add phishing protection to avast AV, which doesn't have that feature in the past but is added in the new version so it doesn't have malware download protection

Recommended: avira browser safety and norton safe web
avoid: BD and avast extensions

 

[ForgottenSeer 58943]

Sadly, even with careful practices you can still get hit through the browser. Look at how many security holes that are fixed with every browser patch..

For example my Sandboxing APT appliance flagged Politifact for dishing malware on their site this week.. Without my APT appliance, it likely would have been a problem. I have zero confidence in browsing any longer and feel mitigations, sandboxing and/or reloading snapshots should be used.

My opinion.