HACKER Q&A
📣 hidden-spyder

How to avoid browser fingerprinting while using lots of extensions?


I use a lot of browser extensions and would be sad to give them up, but I realize that this is making me quite unique in browser fingerprinting.

Is there any way I could continue using the extensions while also not revealing myself too much?

  👤 sysadm1n Accepted Answer ✓
Some extensions inject code into the page or alter the look of a page (e.g Stylus). All a bad actor has to do is grab a screenshot of the page (which can be done with JS) and single you out specifically for using a certain style. Stay away from extensions that inject code, since that can be sniffed from third party trackers and single you out.

Also: if you're dedicated enough, you can always view the source of addons you don't trust and see what they do behind the scenes. I once spotted an addon siphoning off browsing history to a remote server, and had to report it to Mozilla and had to escalate the issue to get it removed swiftly.

Some addons are 'recommended' by Mozilla and have been analyzed to ensure there are no privacy violations, so try and use those addons. There is also the issue of an addon's author getting contacted by shady characters wanting to buy the extension so they can abuse it and violate people's privacy.

👤 Nicksil
The EFF may have something for you.

- Privacy Badger: https://www.eff.org/pages/privacy-badger

FAQ regarding fingerprinting: https://privacybadger.org/#Does-Privacy-Badger-prevent-finge...

You can also test your browser.

- Cover Your Tracks: https://www.eff.org/pages/cover-your-tracks

👤 hostcontroller
I‘m using [Decentraleyes](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decentraleyes).