Firefox Security Gets a Boost Thanks to Tor

The Tor project works to preserve anonymity for users browsing the net, and it has instituted some recent upgrades to its security to further this effort. Now Mozilla is returning the favor by expanding its Firefox security options — and its taking some cues from Tor.

GHacks noted that the nightly build channel of Firefox 50 has started adding features that Tor originated. Mozilla will probably integrate more measures into the standard version Firefox in the coming weeks, but a few changes have materialized and are already available for privacy-conscious users.

About the Firefox Security Measures

The first patch rolled out aims to reduce fingerprinting, which involves getting the characteristics of a specific browser being used to view information. According to GHacks, Firefox does this by blocking the reading of plugins and MIME types supported by the browser.

Softpedia noted that the second patch will also keep the user’s browser orientation a secret even when sites or applications request the information. This request is often a part of fingerprinting as well.

The third patch removes the “open with” option in the download menu. Again, this sort of behavior can be diagnostic for a specific browser’s use.

While these privacy measures are slowly being integrated into Firefox security, they are not enabled by default. In the current nightly builds, they must be expressly set by the user before they become effective. GHacks outlined how to turn on these settings.

Uplifting Tor

Mozilla named this overall privacy effort the Tor Uplift project. It is tracking the specific status of the privacy-enhancing changes it has planned, so it’s a useful resource for users who want to understand what Firefox security improvements are on the horizon.

Most of the changes are grouped under the core preference privacy.resistFingerprinting, which has been around since Firefox 41. This is the central repository for Tor-related settings being implemented in the Firefox browser, but it’s not the only location where these changes are found.

While this preference covers many Tor settings that are being implemented in the Firefox browser, some — such as the “open with” option — are available under other preferences.

These changes to Firefox will be welcomed by any users concerned about their privacy — even if they are not using Tor.

Larry Loeb

Principal, PBC Enterprises

Hive0137 and AI-supplemented malware distribution

12 min read - IBM X-Force tracks dozens of threat actor groups. One group in particular, tracked by X-Force as Hive0137, has been a highly active malware distributor since at least October 2023. Nominated by X-Force as having the “Most Complex Infection Chain” in a campaign in 2023, Hive0137 campaigns deliver DarkGate, NetSupport, T34-Loader and Pikabot malware payloads, some of which are likely used for initial access in ransomware attacks. The crypters used in the infection chains also suggest a close relationship with former…

Unveiling the latest banking trojan threats in LATAM

9 min read - This post was made possible through the research contributions of Amir Gendler.In our most recent research in the Latin American (LATAM) region, we at IBM Security Lab have observed a surge in campaigns linked with malicious Chrome extensions. These campaigns primarily target Latin America, with a particular emphasis on its financial institutions.In this blog post, we’ll shed light on the group responsible for disseminating this campaign. We’ll delve into the method of web injects and Man in the Browser, and…

Crisis communication: What NOT to do

4 min read - Read the 1st blog in this series, Cybersecurity crisis communication: What to doWhen an organization experiences a cyberattack, tensions are high, customers are concerned and the business is typically not operating at full capacity. Every move you make at this point makes a difference to your company’s future, and even a seemingly small mistake can cause permanent reputational damage.Because of the stress and many moving parts that are involved, businesses often fall short when it comes to communication in a crisis.…

Security Intelligence

{{title}}

{{title}}

{{title}}

Topics

About the Firefox Security Measures

Uplifting Tor

More from

Hive0137 and AI-supplemented malware distribution

Unveiling the latest banking trojan threats in LATAM

Crisis communication: What NOT to do

Topic updates