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Steps to secure your browser

Imagine a world without the Internet technology, without browser and other internet applications. It’s near to impossible. While taking a tour on the net, it is also essential to keep up with the rule of traveling safe such as securing your browser. Violating that would end up in a variety of computer problems.

Web browsers have today established themselves as a most user-friendly and essential technology tool for surfing the internet. The evolving attractive features of many such browsers have prompted to install multiple web browsers on a single system. It is also crucial to secure them. Web browsers that are not properly secured could lead to numerous problems from other malicious softwares getting installed in your computer to trespassers taking control of your system.

To avoid such threats, you should be clever enough to take the initial precautionary measures before you start the tour. There are certain simple steps that you could follow to ensure safer Internet surfing.

Though various browsers have different kinds of security options, there are certain features you should definitely look out for:

Web browser comes with functionalities and features that improve your computing experience. Some of the features are the ActiveX controls, Java applets, Scripts, Plug-ins etc. Even though they enhance the viewing experience, they can also lower the security and bring in a lot of harm to your computer system. Find the security option on your browser where you could disable such features.

Block the pop ups that comes with some of the websites. Even though there are harmless ones, you cannot be sure of their innocence.

If there is an option with your browser such as in IE to set its security level from low to high, always choose the “high” option. You could also list down the names of the sites which you feel could be trusted.

Handling cookies is also an essential step to secure your browser. A cookie is a file that contains data that a website wishes to store and is placed in the system. This information can be stored directly by the websites or indirectly by third parties. For example, visiting a web site can cause a cookie to be prompted from a web domain that is associated with advertising. You can either override the cookie or prompt the browser to ask you every time before a cookie is getting stored. If required you could enable the cookie for a particular session

Try removing the history information every time you exit. Options are available to disable the information on visited pages and downloaded history. This could remove potentially sensitive information from your web browser and prevent privacy violation.

Certain web browsers prompt the user to save the passwords or login information. It is advisable to avoid this feature if your system is in a shared environment. If you are particular on using this feature make sure that you take necessary steps to protect and manage your password with the option available on your browser.

Prepare your browser to disable the add-on software that tends to get installed while going through a site. While some add-ons can be useful, some can be harmful as to changing the browsing habits to gathering personal information

Using multiple “secured” web browsers wisely can reduce the chances of vulnerability in a web browser that is used to compromise sensitive information. While one browser could be used for confidential and sensitive purposes like online banking the other can be used for general purpose web browsing.

 

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