Author Topic: Best Firefox security addons? (Read 26836 times)

kartal · « **on:** August 09, 2008, 01:08 PM »

I already use noscript which is great. But what else do DC people use for security inside Firefox. I looked at the Firfox addon topic but that has become so long that it is kind of impossible to read and try all those addons. More content spesific Firefox addon page like security addons would be more appropriate at this point I think.

40hz · « **Reply #1 on:** August 09, 2008, 02:08 PM »

I'd recommend AdBlock Plus and Distrust to complement NoScript.

If you also use a proxy (like me), you might find FoxyProxy useful.

Those are all I use within Firefox.

All my other security software is running under Windows or up on my gateway hardware.

lanux128 · « **Reply #2 on:** August 09, 2008, 09:09 PM »

the usual suspects have already been named. check out AMO's "Privacy & Security" section to see if there's anymore you want to add.

kartal · « **Reply #3 on:** August 09, 2008, 10:55 PM »

Lanux I was trying to compile a list based on addons that Dc users like:)

Here is another one I like.

Cookiesafe
https://addons.mozil...S/firefox/addon/2497

nosh · « **Reply #4 on:** August 10, 2008, 12:09 AM »

I prefer YesScript, it's a NoScript spinoff that allows JS globally but lets you blacklist invidual sites. I use it more as a performance enhancer coz I've noticed some JavaScript-heavy sites really bog FF down.

wreckedcarzz · « **Reply #5 on:** August 10, 2008, 01:45 AM »

User Agent Switcher may be of help in some scenarios to trick websites into thinking you are a browser that you are not.

https://addons.mozil...-US/firefox/addon/59

Deozaan · « **Reply #6 on:** August 10, 2008, 06:30 PM »

Is there an add-on similar to AdBlock Plus for IE 7?

Ehtyar · « **Reply #7 on:** August 14, 2008, 01:22 AM »

Cookiesafe
https://addons.mozil...S/firefox/addon/2497
-kartal (August 09, 2008, 10:55 PM)

I prefer Cookie Monster. It works almost exactly like NoScript but for cookies (allows default deny) and allows you to permit session cookies only etc.

I prefer YesScript, it's a NoScript spinoff that allows JS globally but lets you blacklist invidual sites. I use it more as a performance enhancer coz I've noticed some JavaScript-heavy sites really bog FF down.
-nosh (August 10, 2008, 12:09 AM)

NOT a security addon. I can definately see the appeal though, and were I not so anal, I would most likely prefer YesScript.

Ehtyar.

Cavalcader · « **Reply #8 on:** August 16, 2008, 11:01 PM »

Two extensions I consider to be useful, presuming they work as described

are BetterPrivacy and BetterCache.
http://netticat.ath.cx/extensions.html

sri · « **Reply #9 on:** August 16, 2008, 11:36 PM »

Is there an add-on similar to AdBlock Plus for IE 7?
-Deozaan (August 10, 2008, 06:30 PM)

Perhaps you already know this: http://www.admuncher.com/

Not free though.

Ehtyar · « **Reply #10 on:** August 17, 2008, 02:35 AM »

Two extensions I consider to be useful, presuming they work as described are BetterPrivacy ...
-Cavalcader (August 16, 2008, 11:01 PM)

Didn't know about Flash LSOs, thank you. Here's a link to BetterPrivacy on Mozilla and an extension called Objection on mozdev which performs a similar function but is not automated.

Ehtyar.

Cavalcader · « **Reply #11 on:** August 17, 2008, 10:22 AM »

Didn't know about Flash LSOs, thank you.
-Ehtyar (August 17, 2008, 02:35 AM)

Glad to help!

an extension called Objection on mozdev [...] performs a similar function but is not automated.

It's good to see more people becoming aware of Flash "cookies", which don't expire. Also, BetterCache isn't a very descriptive name -- it tries to keep people from exploiting your cache regarding privacy issues, but it's a fairly obscure technique (so far).

Jesper Hertel · « **Reply #12 on:** August 17, 2008, 12:25 PM »

Is there an add-on similar to AdBlock Plus for IE 7?
-Deozaan (August 10, 2008, 06:30 PM)

Try the free and excellent IE7Pro, which has many other cool features too. I was very happy with it when I used Internet Explorer 7 for a while before returning to Firefox when the new Firefox 3.0 came out and was faster than IE on my computer. I don't know how I could live with IE before I found IE7Pro :-).

Deozaan · « **Reply #13 on:** August 19, 2008, 04:13 AM »

Is there an add-on similar to AdBlock Plus for IE 7?
-Deozaan (August 10, 2008, 06:30 PM)

Perhaps you already know this: http://www.admuncher.com/

Not free though.
-sri (August 16, 2008, 11:36 PM)

Is there an add-on similar to AdBlock Plus for IE 7?
-Deozaan (August 10, 2008, 06:30 PM)

Try the free and excellent IE7Pro, which has many other cool features too. I was very happy with it when I used Internet Explorer 7 for a while before returning to Firefox when the new Firefox 3.0 came out and was faster than IE on my computer. I don't know how I could live with IE before I found IE7Pro :-).

-Jesper Hertel (August 17, 2008, 12:25 PM)

Thanks for the info, and sorry for "off-topicing" the Firefox thread to ask about IE.

justice · « **Reply #14 on:** August 19, 2008, 04:43 AM »

I only use adblock and McAfee SiteAdvisor which you can use to see if sites are legit or not / shopping experiences and warns of phishing links on google results very handy. Combination of automated testing and user comments.

Ehtyar · « **Reply #15 on:** September 03, 2008, 07:20 AM »

Refcontrol is for controlling the sending of the referrer header. You'd be surprised how few sites break using this addon, and it's very simple to create exceptions for those that do break.

Ehtyar.

Paul Keith · « **Reply #16 on:** September 03, 2008, 07:37 AM »

This isn't really as good in the hands of someone's who's willing to go through NoScript but it's still a good extension for warning you of sites when you get sloppy:

WOT

and here's a new online password manager that many don't recommend but it does come with a password generator:

LastPass

At some point though, I don't really know what better way to secure your browser than using a decent to great antivirus and anti-spyware scanner. I've since removed noscript and I've yet to find my browser ever being compromised.

f0dder · « **Reply #17 on:** September 03, 2008, 05:51 PM »

I prefer YesScript, it's a NoScript spinoff that allows JS globally but lets you blacklist invidual sites. I use it more as a performance enhancer coz I've noticed some JavaScript-heavy sites really bog FF down.
-nosh (August 10, 2008, 12:09 AM)

As Ethyar said, this is definitely not a security add-in, and imho it doesn't really have a place in the world... noscript gives you security, and AdBlockPlus rids you of performance-sucking ads.

IMHO blocking cookies is (mostly) paranoia when you're distrusting scripts from unknown sources, and often more trouble than it's worth.

Cavalcader · « **Reply #18 on:** September 03, 2008, 09:37 PM »

Here're a couple more I forgot about, put out by students at Stanford University. Unfortunately, they haven't been updated for Firefox 3 yet, but for anybody on FF2 they're worth a look. Maybe if enough people are interested they'll be updated, or someone could get permission (if needed) to take over the project. (It could be too that FF3 doesn't need 'em, but from reading the concept behind 'em it sounds like they'd still be useful.)

http://www.safehistory.com/
http://www.safecache.com/

nosh · « **Reply #19 on:** September 04, 2008, 02:46 AM »

I prefer YesScript, it's a NoScript spinoff that allows JS globally but lets you blacklist invidual sites. I use it more as a performance enhancer coz I've noticed some JavaScript-heavy sites really bog FF down.
-nosh (August 10, 2008, 12:09 AM)
As Ethyar said, this is definitely not a security add-in, and imho it doesn't really have a place in the world... noscript gives you security, and AdBlockPlus rids you of performance-sucking ads.
-f0dder (September 03, 2008, 05:51 PM)

I agree, it can't be considered a serious security addon and it is perhaps out of place in this thread, but it does let me single out the JS-heavy sites. Noscript would give me real security but I can't be bothered to enable JS manually every time I browse a new known safe site... unless there's a better way out that I'm not aware of.

y0himba · « **Reply #20 on:** May 05, 2009, 06:37 AM »

http://adblockplus.o...ntion-noscript-users

NoScript is adware.

f0dder · « **Reply #21 on:** May 05, 2009, 08:09 AM »

http://adblockplus.o...ntion-noscript-users

NoScript is adware.
-y0himba (May 05, 2009, 06:37 AM)

Nice links, y0himba!

I had wondered a bit at all the advertisements at the noscript site, but didn't care to dig deeper into it. Considering the tactics used, perhaps it's time to dump noscript and look for an alternative

y0himba · « **Reply #22 on:** May 05, 2009, 08:30 AM »

The NoScript author actually posted an "apology" if that is what you want to call it. In it he blames the AdBlock author.
http://hackademix.ne...r-mozilla-community/

nosh · « **Reply #23 on:** May 05, 2009, 09:22 AM »

He's also having problems with Ghostery, this guy obviously believes in taking a proactive approach.

Ghostery Watches the Web Sites that are Watching You. Find out how web sites are watching you across every page on the web with Ghostery. Ghostery alerts you when you visit a web site that has web bugs on it. Web bugs are hidden scripts that track your behavior and are used by the sites you visit to understand their own audience.

From the Ghostery site:

Attention all NoScript users

Tonight I learned from Mark Pilgrim that the NoScript Firefox extension is arbitrarily blocking Ghostery’s notification window. This is the window that notifies you about which web bugs were found on the current page. NoScript is doing this without their user’s consent and without the option to turn off this behavior.

http://news.ghostery...n-all-noscript-users

Edit: Seems it's the NoScript site (not the extension) that's disabling Ghostery - read the comments to the Ghostery post.

Lashiec · « **Reply #24 on:** May 06, 2009, 06:46 PM »

The outcome of all this is actually pretty nice: Mozilla proposed a change in the policy to prevent future problems. No more Fast Dial shenanigans!