In addition to choosing well-known and well-reviewed apps, you should always keep them up-to-date. Firefox has continued to put measures in place to evaluate the safety of its add-ons, however, even that isn’t foolproof. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the best Firefox add-ons that were produced by trustworthy developers. These browser extensions will enhance your device’s security while also helping to maintain your privacy.
1. LastPass
Though Firefox does come with a built-in password manager, independent password management services are a popular add-on. Premium services offer users a wider variety of functions than the built-in Firefox option. We like LastPass in particular due to its excellent features and intuitive interface. To get started, you choose one master password to remember. This is the only password that LastPass will not store. The extension then encrypts and backs up all your current passwords. If you need a new one, LastPass creates strong passwords and stores them automatically. Additionally, it has a mobile app that enables offline access to your password data wherever you are. LastPass is far more than a simple password manager, however. It allows you to securely manage your accounts from shopping and billing information to your bank information. Plus, you can keep documents and other records safe in the vault. Choosing strong and unique passwords is one of the first steps to keeping your accounts secure. A trustworthy password manager like LastPass simplifies this task.
2. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is an excellent way to enhance your browser’s security. Though Firefox already has a stronger privacy policy than most, ExpressVPN is an extra layer of protection you can add to your browsing activity. VPNs encrypt your data and send it through secure channels. That way, third parties can’t intercept it and see what you’re actually doing. A good VPN will also hide your IP address from your ISP. This level of security is ensured with ExpressVPN, as it uses military-grade encryption, a strict no-logs policy, and an automatic kill switch. It also offers a unique feature called Trusted Server technology, which runs every server off of RAM. That means all data is completely cleared after every reboot. There’s no risk involved when you sign up for ExpressVPN because it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee; if it’s not for you, it’s easy to claim a refund. You can easily see why users love the ExpressVPN Firefox addon. Try ExpressVPN for Firefox
3. uBlock Origin
Using an ad blocker is an important method of securing your device. Many ads contain malicious code that will install malware on your system. However, the benefits go beyond security. A focus on privacy helps streamline searches, remove visual clutter from the screen, and lessens the chance of clicking on an unwanted ad. The uBlock Origin Firefox add-on blocks a range of threats. uBlock Origin is one of the most popular ad blockers available for Firefox, and for good reason. It blocks both ads and third-party network requests with a minimal CPU footprint. uBlock Origin goes beyond the basics by offering users thousands of custom filters. You have the option of choosing exactly which ads you’d like to block, whether it’s all of them or just the most dangerous ones. Another important feature uBlock Origin offers is the ability to disable web trackers. This keeps your browsing data private, removing the chances that your every move will be recorded to send you tailored ads. The extension’s author keeps versions up-to-date; as of this writing, version 1.20 was updated on June 15, 2019.
4. Hush
Private windows aren’t the most user-friendly options when it comes to keeping your browsing history private. However, there are also plenty of reasons they’re preferred over using a secure browser like Tor. Ignoring the fact that it always involves opening a separate window, there are several considerations that make private browsing less practical. For example, you can’t save private windows as bookmarks. Even if you don’t want your browser tracking and revealing your activity, there are still cases where you may want to save a webpage that you’ve accessed through Private Mode. Hush allows users to create encrypted bookmarks for pages opened in our private browser. The bookmarks are protected with both encryption and a password, so only you have the ability to use them. They are also locally stored, so there are no issues with cloud hacking. Even if you aren’t looking at anything dangerous, using encrypted bookmarks adds an extra level of privacy to your internet experience. Though Hush isn’t as well known as some other extensions, it comes from a trustworthy developer that keeps the code regularly updated.
5. Cookie AutoDelete
Cookie AutoDelete is a great way to enhance your privacy on Firefox. A cookie is a small piece of data from a website that is stored on your computer. Your browser looks for this data whenever you return to a website, so it can populate the page with your information. In theory, cookies make websites easier to use. In practice, however, businesses can use these cookies to track activity and populate your browser windows with targeted ads. Your browser cache stores all of the cookies from websites you’ve visited. Firefox uses this information so it does not have to reload the same data when you re-visit a website. This speeds up your browser, but it allows the cache to share your browsing history with any website. This is why you should regularly clear your cache. With Cookie AutoDelete, you no longer have to remember to manually delete your cookies at regular intervals. Even better, Cookie AutoDelete gives users the option of customizing their cookie rules. Through its catalog of options a user can regulate:
Which sites can and can’t set cookies Acceptable cookies versus unacceptable ones When and how to delete cookies Auto delete cookies from tabs you’ve closed
You’ll also find features like temporary permission, block all/block just third party cookies, and “view cookie” options for current or all sites. The customizable options in this extension offer complete cookie management. With over 100,000 downloads, this extension has a high rating, 4.5 out of 5-star average from 460 reviews. Importantly, the developers regularly release software updates.
Summary
The add-ons we’ve recommended in this article are top-of-the-line tools to help enhance your security and privacy on Firefox. Each extension has been evaluated for safety, based on Firefox’s own reviews and user reviews. Faulty browser extensions can easily compromise your device. For example, malicious actors can easily hide malware within the code of an extension. However, even beloved Firefox add-ons have been hacked, which affected millions of users. Firefox has updated its procedures for evaluating the security of browser extensions, just another reason you should only download them from the Mozilla Add-On Store. The add-ons we’ve recommended were chosen for their ability to make your activity more private and more difficult for others to access. Even so, you should always take care to see what data your extension can access. If you feel an add-on is collecting too much data, you can try to adjust the settings. Alternatively, you can try to find a similar option that asks for less. We’ve chosen options that don’t take advantage of user data beyond what is operationally necessary. If you don’t want to add numerous extensions to Firefox, our top two choices are LastPass password manager, which helps maintain the integrity of your accounts, and ExpressVPN.
Further Reading
To learn more about VPNs for Firefox, you can click here. We’ve also written a guide to privacy while using Firefox. Don’t forget to check out our exclusive discounts and coupons! The information above can be used to track you, target you for ads, and monitor what you do online.
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