Thanks to its rich feature set and enormous library of extensions and add-ons that elevate the entire surfing experience, Google Chrome has amassed an overwhelming majority of the browser market share worldwide. All Chromium-based browsers (including Brave, Edge, and Vivaldi) are compatible with the extensions and add-ons available in the Chrome Web Store.
The best Google Chrome add-ons may be found in the Chrome Web Store. These add-ons have a broad variety of purposes, from enhancing privacy and security to facilitating more productivity through better tab management. After discussing the best Google Chrome privacy extensions for keeping your digital footprint to a minimum, this article will focus on the most useful tools for shoring up your computer’s defenses against cybercriminals.
Top Chrome Add-ons for Added Safety
In general, the line between privacy and security is difficult to delineate and frequently leads to misunderstandings. To put it simply, online privacy is the process of hiding one’s true identity while online security is the method of guarding one’s private information. As such, privacy add-ons protect your privacy and identity across all of the websites and services you use, while security add-ons make sure your data is protected from the many threats that lurk online.
uMatrix
Internet scripting, advertisements, and more can all be blocked using the uMatrix Chrome extension. Like a browser firewall, it allows you to set up rules to prevent access to potentially dangerous parts of the web. Your browser’s connectivity, data download, and script execution capabilities (JavaScript and otherwise) are all at your command. You can also choose what kinds of content to block or permit from specific websites or elements by adding them to a “blacklist” or “whitelist,” respectively. uMatrix’s little badge on the extension button neatly displays the total number of requests made by a website.
Inquire: uMatrix
In all places, HTTPS
The browser add-on HTTPS Everywhere is a must-have for your online safety. The extension does what its name implies, and that is to force all HTTP sites to migrate to the more secure HTTPS protocol. This means that all of your data transfers (i.e., communication between you and the website server) are encrypted, which protects you from numerous online threats like spying, account hijacking, phishing, and data breaches. This means that your data is safe from prying eyes between your computer and the website’s server. Most websites can use HTTPS Everywhere without any problems. Even if it doesn’t, you can temporarily turn it off if you’re visiting a site you know and trust.
Let’s Encrypt the Web
Avast! Safer Web
Avast Online Security is a browser add-on that provides added security and improves your website’s reputation. You can surf the web carefree, knowing that your personal information is protected from the myriad of online threats that could compromise it. Avast Online Security basically works by protecting you from phishing attacks, warning you about potentially dangerous websites, blocking tracking cookies so that websites and trackers can’t collect your data, and displaying user reviews for websites so that you can learn about the risks involved before visiting them. Additionally, the extension allows you to rate websites as you visit to make the community aware of the potential dangers related to certain websites, and it allows you to hover over website URLs to verify their ratings in advance.
Obtain: Avast! Web Protection
Blur
Blur is a well-known security service that provides a wide variety of useful features, such as one-time-use email addresses and credit card numbers. Blur’s addition wraps up any loose ends in the protection of your personally identifiable information, such as passwords, online banking credentials, and contact information, that other extensions may leave. With it, you can quickly and easily generate secure passwords, log in to websites, make purchases online without revealing your credit card information, and most importantly, prevent social media sites like Facebook and other online trackers from compiling a detailed behavioral profile about you.
Obtain: Blur
NordVPN and TunnelBear
No matter what device you use to access the internet, you absolutely must have a Virtual Private Network (VPN) installed. A virtual private network (VPN) enables you to bypass regional restrictions on websites and content and surf the web quietly and securely. The likelihood of someone snooping on your online activity and personal data is greatly reduced when all of your traffic goes over an encrypted and secure route. Installing a VPN’s browser extension is a quick and easy way to get started if you already use the service. If you don’t already have a virtual private network (VPN), we suggest installing either the NordVPN or TunnelBear VPN extension, or perusing our comprehensive listicle of VPN providers to find one that meets your needs.
We recommend: TunnelBear & NordVPN
Click&Clean
Although Click&Clean isn’t a security add-on per se, it does help keep you safe online. With one click, you can delete your entire browsing history together with your cache, cookies, and downloads. It also deletes other browser data that can be used to track your online habits and preferences, such as temporary files, client-side web SQL databases, flash cookies, and more. In addition, when you close your browser, Click&Clean will erase portions of your browsing history, cookies, and other data. Similarly, you can customize the browsing data it erases by selecting from a variety of cleaning modes.