Advice Request Security browser extensions

[Soulbound]

Came across this article, although is from nearly 3 years ago.

Don't Use Your Antivirus’ Browser Extensions: They Can Actually Make You Less Safe

Most antivirus programs--or "security suites", as they call themselves--want you to install their browser extensions.

www.howtogeek.com

Question:
what AV solution browser extension you use and why?

Note: this is not a thread to list other extensions such as adblockers, https anywhere etc.

 

[SeriousHoax]

And also AdGuard. Isnt it?

Yes Adguard is trustable too with no bad records so far as far as I'm concerned. Also, anything owned by EFF that he already mentioned in the video.

I personally trust AdGuard more but i will remove it soon so Browser run without any such extension.

For me it's the opoosite. uBlock Origin over Adguard. Adguard is a company who in the end relies on profit while Raymond Hill aka gorhill has no intention to earn money through uBO. He doesn't even accept donation and suggests donating to filter maintainers instead.

 

[StRonK]

I personally trust AdGuard more but i will remove it soon so Browser run without any such extension.

I know you are using nextdns, I've looked at your guide topic about nextdns. I guess you are only considering blocking ads with nextdns, But it's not a complete solution for cosmetic ads. What kind of solution do you think for cosmetic ads , can you share if you found a solution .
(I hope I wrote understandable. I do not know English well)

 

[TairikuOkami]

For me it's the opoosite. uBlock Origin over Adguard. Adguard is a company who in the end relies on profit while Raymond Hill aka gorhill has no intention to earn money through uBO. He doesn't even accept donation and suggests donating to filter maintainers instead.

Interesting, I will give it another try. I have to use an adblocker, it replaces like 3-4 extensions, to block cookie notices, adult webpages, coinminers and some malware.

 

[ForgottenSeer 85179]

For me it's the opoosite. uBlock Origin over Adguard. Adguard is a company who in the end relies on profit while Raymond Hill aka gorhill has no intention to earn money through uBO. He doesn't even accept donation and suggests donating to filter maintainers instead.

And this is the problem here.
How does he can put so much time in his project without getting money?

 

[amirr]

Yes Adguard is trustable too with no bad records so far as far as I'm concerned. Also, anything owned by EFF that he already mentioned in the video.

For me it's the opoosite. uBlock Origin over Adguard. Adguard is a company who in the end relies on profit while Raymond Hill aka gorhill has no intention to earn money through uBO. He doesn't even accept donation and suggests donating to filter maintainers instead.

Do you recommend HTTPS Everywhere add-on for the Edge?

 

[Kongo]

So DNS-filtering is on the rise?

 

[ForgottenSeer 85179]

So DNS-filtering is on the rise?

Yes

Do you recommend HTTPS Everywhere add-on for the Edge?

You don't need an extension to archive that.

 

[Antimalware18]

None as of now.

The AV I use has more that adequate protection through its web filter. Its not so good with Phishing sites but Phishing sites are also pretty easy to spot without the use of a extension.

 

[DDE_Server]

I personally trust AdGuard more but i will remove it soon so Browser run without any such extension.

Why you will remove it ??

Yes


You don't need an extension to archive that.

Adguard provide a lot of DNS filtering also dns tunneling such as DOT or DOH

 

[SeriousHoax]

And this is the problem here.
How does he can put so much time in his project without getting money?

It's not a problem. There are some people like that who is passionate about their free product even though they don't have any intention to earn money from it. Look no farther than our own @Andy Ful. Raymond Hill is similar.
BTW, one of the reason he stopped developing uMatrix is lack of time. He also hinted that the same may one day happen for uBO too. If that happens then I would be very careful about using uBO. Until that there's so reason to be suspicious about him IMO.

 

[Jan Willy]

Adguard is a company who in the end relies on profit while Raymond Hill aka gorhill has no intention to earn money through uBO.

Yes, Adguard is acting commercial. It's a condition to operate independant from third parties. Anyway, it provides some more confidence over free solutions. Besides that look at the permissions you have to grant to a browser-extension. Regarding that point the Adguard extension (which is free) is as 'bad' as uBlock, Privacy Badger and many other extensions. Keep safe, avoid any extension.

 

[ForgottenSeer 85179]

Why you will remove it

Because of attack surface. See my posted YouTube link above.
With DNS filtering a browser extension isn't needed and only cosmetic stuff is left which isn't relevant for security or privacy.

 

[DDE_Server]

Because of attack surface. See my posted YouTube link above.
With DNS filtering a browser extension isn't needed and only cosmetic stuff is left which isn't relevant for security or privacy.

So desktop application is enough ?

 

[ForgottenSeer 85179]

So desktop application is enough ?

Same problem but only "moved" from browser to OS level.
Using DNS filtering is the only solution without increasing attack surface. It's also the best solution for performance and battery.

 

[Jan Willy]

So desktop application is enough ?

There are things DNS filtering can't. If you want cosmetic filtering and/or using filter-lists that (besides network-filters) include scripts (e.g. for anti-tracking) I only recommend (payed) Adguard for Windows (desktop). I believe (I can't prove) that this program is the most trustworthy. It's just my opinion, you have to make your own consideration.

 

[ForgottenSeer 85179]

filter-lists that (besides network-filters) include scripts (e.g. for anti-tracking) I only

which all mainstream browser's already do

 

[Kongo]

Same problem but only "moved" from browser to OS level.
Using DNS filtering is the only solution without increasing attack surface. It's also the best solution for performance and battery.

I didn't watch the whole video but he's basically saying that many extensions have full access to your browsing data and can see every website you visit. DNS however can keep logs too, so even DNS-filtering might be a risk. Soon we should only used the software that comes preinstalled with Windows and not install anything anymore? That can't be a solution either...

 

[ForgottenSeer 85179]

DNS however can keep logs too, so even DNS-filtering might be a risk.

DNS provider only see the domain and TLD, not the specific URL nor the data you use in websites.
That's the same reason DNS can't hide cosmetic stuff.

Of course, you need trust your DNS provider. If you don't configure that, you use ISP ones.

Soon we should only used the software that comes preinstalled with Windows and not install anything anymore?

That is always a good idea. Install as less as possible

 

[Jan Willy]

which all mainstream browser's already do

Yeah, you have a point. For many people that will be enough. However for other people the filter possibilities of the browser will be to limited. I agree that the first line of ad- and tracker blocking should lie on DNS-level.

 

[Templarware]

Does DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials completely replace Privacy Badger and HTTPS Everywhere?