Questions about Firefox extensions

Privacy Questions
1

I was using the recommended extensions Henry suggested in the hardening Firefox video but after his last video, I checked out the arkenfox and i found that they only recommend uBlock Origin and Skip Redirect, And there are some optional extensions, So I have some questions:

1 - I am using Popup Blocker (strict) which is giving me full control over any popup, Should i get rid of it? If yes, What is the alternative?

2 - I am still using NoScript which is used by Tor but everyone is recommending uBlock Origin instead, So what should i do? If i uBlock Origin is the better option, I want to learn how to block scripts using it and blocking scripts by default as iam only using it as an adblocker and tracking blocker and i will be very thankful if you suggest a video that explain it.

3 - Should i still use Skip Redirect, Smart Referer and Canvasblocker?

4 - What is Request Control which is recommended by arkenfox? And how to use it?

5 - Last question is, What is better Predirect, Redirector or Libredirect?

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2

Only uBlock Origin. Guide:

3

uBlock Origin covers it all. I also use Cookies Autodelete to whitelist sites you need to stay logged in and purge everything else, as every site put tracking id in cookies, how FP or TCP help, if sites recognize you with cookies…

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4

No need for the cookie autodelete extension, as cookie deletion exceptions can be created per site within firefox

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5

Desktop only.

6

Ublock also lets you disable javascript but noscript gives you finer grain control.

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7

Oh, you’re right. I just have the exceptions synced over to android because I’m using Mozilla sync.

8

Exceptions do sync? I need to check it…

9

I believe so, I know I have a site exception for this forum. However I can’t seem to create any exceptions on android.

10

Ctrl or command I for per-site permissions.

11

FF on Android shouldn’t be used anyway.

4 Likes
12

That’s right, we got Mull :wink:

13

Which is based on Firefox/Gecko, and is not recommended on Privacy Respecting Mobile Web Browsers for Android and iOS - Privacy Guides.

14

Doesn’t mean it is a bad choice even if PrivacyGuides doesn’t officially recommend it. For example, Jonah recommends it.

6 Likes
15

My understanding is that uBlock Origin (used to its fullest potential) is capable of doing the jobs of:

  1. Itself (content blocking)
  2. NoScript
  3. Request Policy

It will not do jobs #2 and #3 out of the box, you must enable advanced settings, and then enable medium mode or hard mode. I’d suggest you read up on uBlock Blocking Modes as well as Dynamic filtering and advanced settings in uBO. Also have a look at the Arkenfox recommendations and anti-recommendations for browser extensions.

4 - What is Request Control which is recommended by arkenfox? And how to use it?

Small clarification, Request Control is listed as an optional extension in the Arkenfox Wiki, there are only two extensions they recommend without caveats (1) uBlock Origin (2) Skip Redirect

Beyond that I don’t know much about Request Control or why it has been included on Arkenfox’s optional extentions list.

16

Seems like he didn’t take security into account with enough weight. Otherwise some choices are difficult to grasp. For example Vanadium only on tier 4 and on the same tier as ungoogled chromium does not make sense to me.

1 Like
17
  • Skip Redirect
    • Up to you.
  • Smart Referer and Canvasblocker
    • were previously recommended by Arkenfox for people who chose to use a specific pair of overrides. But these are no longer recommended (I am looking into this as we speak).
    • Here is the commit where the Canvas Blocker recommendation was removed, and here is the commit where the Smart referer recommendation was removed. The reason Canvasblocker is no longer a recommendation is that FPP which is built in to Firefox makes canvas blocker redundant. I do not know why the SmartReferer recommendation was removed.
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18

I thought enabling FPP makes you even stand out more and gives you a rather unique fingerprint. Isn’t that true anymore?

19

I have no knowledge of that ever being true (but FPP is new and I may be lacking info). Can you shed some light on (or link to) what you are referring to?

Also note that for strong and effective fingerprinting protection the Tor Browser and possibly Mullvad Browser are really the only options. At least that is the perspective of the Arkenfox developer (who is also a Tor project core contributor), of myself (who is nobody), and possibly of Privacy Guides (not sure of the official stance of privacy guides).

FPP is a weaker form of anti-fingerprinting than RFP (but causes less problems)

I’d suggest reviewing this page on Fingerprinting from the Arkenfox Wiki

20

Vanadium doesn’t have a content blocker which is a critical security feature these days.

1 Like