Fingerprinting and CryptoMining are two types of scripts that are becoming more common on various websites. Fortunately, though, the Mozilla team (makers of the Firefox browser) are committed to helping the user protect themselves. In the newest version of their browser, they have ways to protect you against both. If you are not aware, Firefox is one of the safest browsers to use and they offer the user a clear set of controls to give users more of a choice in what they want to share to the websites they visit.
Let’s start with some definitions of what these two scripts are.
CryptoMining – The cryptominer scripts are embedded in some websites and run costly operations on your web browser without your consent. By using the power of your comp’s CPU to generate cryptocurrency for someone else’s benefit.
Fingerprinting – The fingerprinting scripts are embedded into websites and webpages. They invisibly take a snapshot of your comp’s configuration to build a digital fingerprint. By doing so, they can track you across the web even if you clear your cookies completely. That specifically violates Mozilla’s anti-tracking policy.
How Firefox blocks them
Beginning in their nightly builds, Mozilla has done several things. They have compiled a list of domains that serve both types of scripts. Additionally, they give users settings to check. However, they are disabled by default. Simply follow these steps to enable them in Firefox.
- Download the latest nightly build of Firefox.
- When you open it, look in the upper right-hand corner for the 3 horizontal lines. That is the main menu.
- Next, choose Preferences > Privacy & Security > Content Blocking > Custom.
- Finally, look for the Cryptominers and Fingerprinters box and make sure they are both checked.
- If they are already turned on, that means you are already protected.
- Of course, if you want to turn off the blocking or report a problem, that is available by clicking on the tracking shield next to the web address.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, you can clearly see the advantages of using Firefox. While it is not as frequently used as Chrome, it is very clearly built with the user’s protection in mind. They frequently make changes to the software and continue to improve it. If you are interested in protecting your privacy, Firefox is one of the best options available. Their approach to anti-tracking definitely makes them a good option to use. As the industry grows more privacy conscious, it is great to see a browser that seems to have the user’s best interests in mind.