By Laura Milligan

Firefox is generally considered a secure web browser, but if you’re interested in keeping your activity on certain websites private or giving yourself extra protection against phishing, hackers and viruses, you may want to consider beefing up your Firefox’s security in general. Thankfully, there are lots of options available that make achieving privacy and security online as easy as downloading a simple add-on or application that was designed just for Firefox users. Here are some of our favorites.

Secrecy and Encryption

Keep prying eyes and hackers at bay by encrypting e-mail messages, hiding your identity and erasing online history with these add-ons.

1. Anonymization Toolbar: Clear your online cache and history with this add on, which also lets you surf the Web with Firefox anonymously.
2. Attention Recorder: This open source add-on lets users control their Web history and other "attention data" that can be stolen by hackers.
3. Browse at Work: Visit personal profiles and other sites that may be considered taboo at the office with this add-on, which keeps your identity a secret.
4. Clear Private Data: This extension makes the "Clear Private Data" feature on Firefox more effective and easier to access.
5. FormFox 1.6.2: Discover where your information is being sent online with FormFox.
6. Temporary Inbox: Set up a temporary e-mail address and inbox with this app, which can help you avoid spam, viruses and someone tracking you to risque sites.
7. SafeHistory: Keep hackers from finding out your online history with SafeHistory.
8. SafeCache: SafeCache is a similar app that checks cookie settings and "segments the cache on the basis of the originating document, defending against web privacy attacks."
9. Gmail S/MIME 0.3.4: Create and read encrypted e-mail messages through Gmail with this app.
10. hideBad 2.0: This tool is great for surfing the Web at work and for general security purposes. hideBad "quickly closes tabs that you do not want others to see" and clears your online history.
11. PhProxy - InBasic 3.0.3B: Only your server’s IP address will show up when you visit sites, not yours.
12. Ghostfox: This app doesn’t work with MacOSX, but it can be handy tool for Windows users who want to keep their Firefox browser invisible from passers by.
13. KeyScrambler Personal: Here’s a great tool that’s unfortunately not available for MacOSX. The app encrypts your keystrokes so that passwords and other private information can’t be tracked.

Add-Ons That Beef Up Security

Give your security a serious makeover by downloading and installing the following Firefox extensions which can keep JavaScript in check, run verification reports on websites and protect against phishing attacks.

14. CallingID Link Advisor: Verify that a link is safe and secure before you visit it with this app.
15. Controle de Scripts: Customize how JavaScripts can perform on different websites with this add-on, which lets you "set what functions or properties each site can access or modify, thanks to its Security Policies implementation."
16. Cert Viewer Plus 1.3: View website certificates for verification and security purposes.
17. Dr. Web anti-virus link checker: Do a security check on files before downloading them with this tool.
18. Finjan Secure Browsing: Find out if any sites brought up in your search results are hiding malicious content with this app.
19. Interclue for Firefox: Get information about a site before you risk clicking on it with Interclue.
20. Enigform 0.8.0: This app adds GnuPG Digital Signatures to sites that ask for extra security settings.
21. JSView 2.0.4: Get source code of external files from websites with JSView.
22. Personal Anti-Phishing Sidebar: This app adds a sidebar to protect you "from spoofing and phishing attacks."
23. Secure Login 0.9.2.6: With this add-on, you can choose to safely and automatically log in to sites saved in your bookmarks, protect login data from JavaScript, avoid phishing scams, and a lot more.
24. Vital Threat Level 0.1: Learn the current threat level of the Internet with this automatic tool.

Cookies

These add-ons give you more control over viewing, editing and deleting cookies.

25. Cookie Monster: Block all cookies with this add-on, view cookies for every site you visit and automatically see cookie permissions from different sites from a popup menu.
26. Cookie Button 0.9: Install this button to get easier access to cookie permissions.
27. CookieCuller: This app gives you the option to keep or delete cookies as you choose.
28. CookieSafe 3.0.3: This popular app is downloaded to your status bar and lets you manage cookies by viewing cookies, deleting them, temporarily allowing them for different sites, and more.

Testing Your System

Let these add-ons test your browser’s security against certain vulnerabilities and leaks.

29. Access Me: This add-on tests your system to see if websites and other personal information can be accessed by third parties while you’re online.
30. External IP 0.9.9.4: With this app, you’ll be alerted if your IP address changes.
31. gladder 2.0.2.2: The gladder proxy tool "works on a customizable sites list," making it extremely popular for testing your system for security leaks.
32. SQL Inject Me 0.3.0: This app tests your system for SQL Injection vulnerabilities, which can share all kinds of private data to hackers.

Passwords

Manage tricky passwords and keep hackers guessing with these tools.

33. Password Hasher 1.0.4: This add-on helps you come up with hard-to-crack passwords, sets up different passwords for different sites and will remind you to change passwords every once in a while just for good measure.
34. Magic Password Generator: Pick a master password which will serve as a key for customized passwords you set up for individual sites.
35. Public Fox 1.05: Set up a system that blocks automatic downloads and add-ons until you type in the password.
36. PwdHash 1.5: This app automatically sets up passwords for different sites and prevents JavaScript from figuring out the passwords.

Protecting Your Privacy Online

In order to protect your privacy online, take advantage of the following Firefox add-ons that can erase your personal data, scramble tab and page titles, and more.

37. Auto Browser Closer: Set up a timer to close Firefox after five minutes to keep spying eyes away from your screen if you have to get up suddenly or think you’ll forget to close it manually.
38. iTrustPage 3.04: This app stops you from filling out suspicious web forms and will direct you to a related form that is more secure.
39. Netcraft Toolbar 1.2: Protect yourself from phishing sites, which are blocked thanks to this Firefox add-on.
40. NoScript 1.7.6: This very popular add-on lets you choose to "allow JavaScript, Java and other executable content to run only from sites you trust."
41. Page Title Eraser: If you’re at work or a coffee shop, prevent others from figuring out what site you’re on with this app.
42. Distrust: Turn on this app when you start surfing the Web. Turn it off when you’re finished, and all of your history, cache and cookies will be deleted.
43. Secure Browser 1.2: This user-friendly tool helps those less technically inclined to delete sensitive data and online history automatically.
44. SquiggleSR 0.4.7.10: This tool protects your privacy during searches and when you subscribe to RSS feeds.
45. Torbutton 1.2.0.rc6: This shortcut quickly connects users to Firefox’s Tor, which heightens security on the browser.
46. TabRenamizer: TabRenamizer is another add-on that scrambles and renames the titles on your tabs to keep your Web surfing private.
47. TrackMeNot 0.5.32: Avoid being profiled from search engine and statistics groups with this tool.
48. WOT: WOT "warns users about risky websites that try to scam visitors, deliver malware, or send spam."
49. XSS Me 0.3.0: Protect yourself against XSS vulnerabilities in various web applications.
50. BugMeNot 2.0: With this add-on, you can "bypass compulsory web registration" and get on with your online activities without sharing information.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, July 24th, 2008 at 10:10 am and is filed under Internet hacks, Security. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.