We tested 7 private browsers. Which one is the best?

Introduction

The video introduces the seven private browsers that will be tested and explains the tools that will be used to evaluate their security and privacy.

• Seven different private browsers will be tested: Brave, Epic, Avast Secure Browser, Komodo Dragon, Waterfox, Iron Libra Wolf.

• Two tools will be used to evaluate the security and privacy of each browser: BrowserLeaks.com and Portmaster.

• Tor browser is not included in this test because it is slow and mainly used for anonymous connections to the dark web.

Tools Used for Testing

The two tools used for testing are introduced in more detail.

• BrowserLeaks.com offers a range of tests to evaluate the security and privacy of web browsers including geolocation and fingerprinting.

• Portmaster checks the kind of connections each browser is making.

• Tor browser is not considered as part of this test because it is mainly used for anonymous connections to the dark web.

Brave Browser

The first browser being tested is Brave. Its interface, capabilities, settings, and privacy features are explored.

• Brave's source code can be downloaded from GitHub which allows users to take a close look at its code for any potential dangers.

• Users can block cookies and related consent notices when using Brave.

• In the Shields tab under Settings, users can disable certain browser functions such as Auto redirect tracking URLs accelerated mobile Pages website scripts to protect themselves from fingerprinting and tracking.

• Users can set their privacy level when it comes to blocking trackers and ads with three options: default (standard), aggressive (blocks all scripts), or disabled (no blocking).

• Content filtering allows users to choose which filters they want enabled or disabled. However, enabling too many filters may result in useful content being blocked.

• Social media blocking can be enabled to prevent browsers from sharing information about the social media sites you're logged into.

• Users can choose which search engine they want to use with Brave. DuckDuckGo is recommended for privacy.

• BrowserLeaks.com shows that with all scripts turned off, Brave cannot pinpoint a user's location or IP address and fingerprinting doesn't work. However, turning on scripts allows Brave to share information about a user's device.

• Brave has a unique feature where users can open a new private window with Tor which allows them to hide their location without using a VPN.

Conclusion

The video concludes by summarizing the findings of the test.

• Each browser was tested using BrowserLeaks.com and Portmaster to evaluate their security and privacy features.

• Brave performed well in terms of privacy features such as blocking cookies and related consent notices, disabling certain browser functions, and allowing users to set their privacy level when it comes to blocking trackers and ads.

• Brave also has a unique feature where users can open a new private window with Tor which allows them to hide their location without using a VPN.

Brave and Epic Browsers

This section compares the Brave and Epic browsers, highlighting their features and capabilities.

Brave Browser

• Built on 32-bit engine Tor 0.4.7.13 for navigating Tor networks.

• Offers high level of privacy and works quickly.

• Private windows with Tor take longer to load due to browser redirecting through the Tor network.

Epic Browser

• Based on Chromium but is non-open source.

• Does not have built-in Tor capabilities but has encrypted VPN (proxy).

• Blocks cookies and tracking by default.

• Allows website-specific privacy settings, including blocking location access, turning JavaScript on/off, etc.

Portmaster Analysis of Epic Browser

This section discusses the results of a Portmaster analysis of the Epic browser.

• The browser actively uses epicbrowser.com service domain which belongs to its developers.

• Sends certain data to developers, most likely collecting some telemetry to send to Hidden Reflex.

Avast Secure Browser

This section introduces the Avast Secure Browser and highlights its features.

Avast Secure Browser

• Built on Chromium but is non-open source.

• Interface similar to Chrome but offers more security features than Chrome.

Avast Secure Browser, Komodo Dragon, and Waterfox

This section compares three different browsers: Avast Secure Browser, Komodo Dragon, and Waterfox. The features of each browser are discussed in detail.

Avast Secure Browser

• Avast Secure Browser has a Web Shield that protects users from fake and phishing sites.

• Privacy guard can be set to strict blocking to completely block fingerprinting tracking ads and monitoring from social media platforms.

• The browser has a protected VPN which is disabled by default but can be turned on with a 30-day free trial offer.

• Traffic on the Avast secure browser interacts with the vast servers so it looks like the browser is collecting some stats.

Komodo Dragon

• Komodo Dragon offers four versions of its browser based on Chrome or Firefox.

• It uses its own secure DNS servers which can be used instead of the ones used by internet providers.

• If you go to websites using the https protocol, the browser performs an extra check of their SSL certificates using an in-house service and warns the user if they're insufficiently reliable.

• The agreement states that users IP addresses are only considered confidential information in California; therefore, the browser maintains logs that track users identified via cookie files or IP addresses outside of California.

Waterfox

• Waterfox isn't based on chromium; it's based on Firefox.

• The settings window in waterfox is exactly the same as Firefox except for there being a look and feel tab instead of a more from Mozilla tab.

• The most interesting tab for us is privacy and security this one also doesn't look different from what's on Firefox.

Waterfox, Iron, and LibreWolf Browsers

This transcript discusses three alternative browsers to Firefox: Waterfox, Iron, and LibreWolf. It compares their features and drawbacks.

Waterfox Browser

• Developed by Alex Kontos when he was 16 years old.

• Returns the same results for Waterfox as it did for regular Firefox.

• Recognizes this browser as Firefox 102.0 when the most up-to-date version is 111.0.

• Can block trackers and ads on websites but makes numerous connections with Google which are not blocked in full by default.

Iron Browser

• Built by German firm Sr Ware and based on Chromium for Windows.

• Looks just like Chrome without any notable differences in the interface.

• Doesn't have the Google updater which saves on traffic and resources but means there are no automated updates.

• Uses a secure DNS resolver with its own security DNS servers which filters ads and dangerous content.

• Has an iron config and backup icon that allows users to save and restore browser settings if needed.

LibreWolf Browser

• Built by independent developers seeking to create a version of Firefox that focuses on privacy.

• Open source with a link to the source code on the LibreWolf website.

• Uses DuckDuckGo by default but can be changed in the settings to go somewhere else like CRX or Quant.

• Claims to increase protection against tracking and fingerprinting techniques while also including a few security improvements.

• Disables standard password managers but you can use Firefox-based plugins for this instead.

Private Browsers Comparison

This section compares different private browsers and ranks them based on their features and capabilities.

Private Browsers Ranking

• Brave is the best private browser due to its open-source nature, ease of use, safety, and built-in tour.

• Libra wolf comes second with its open-source nature and expandable capabilities through plugins. It also has occasional push notification checks.

• Epic and Iron are tied for third place as commercial products with non-open source code but have many settings and are fast. Epic has a content downloader that doesn't work on YouTube.

• Other private browsers evaluated rank at the bottom due to missing useful features or charging for features that others don't charge for. They often have functionality to detect phishing attempts but rarely cover transactional fraud monitoring.

Transaction Monitoring for Businesses

This section discusses the importance of transaction monitoring for businesses and how Sumsub provides an all-in-one verification solution.

Importance of Transaction Monitoring

• Businesses process thousands of transactions daily, making it crucial to monitor them for risky or fraudulent transactions such as money laundering or identity fraud. Missing these can result in severe consequences like reputational damage, financial loss, or even business closure.

Sumsub Verification Solution

• Sumsub provides an all-in-one verification solution that secures every stage of the user life cycle from beginning to end.

• Their service tracks suspicious activity, sends out alerts, reacts quickly to alerts, generates rules, and provides thorough reports on all transactions and users that can be shared with auditors.

• The solution offers ready-to-use risk scenarios that can be configured or custom rules generated using their interface.

• Sumsub's user-friendly, non-code-based UX design makes it easy to use and provides businesses with transaction monitoring and security.