As the internet grew over the decades through the expansion of web and cloud-based services, more and more of our daily life shifted online. Whether it’s for entertainment, social connection, work, or shopping, the entry point for our digital lives starts in the browser. As a result, the browser has become a goldmine of data. That valuable cache of information can be, and is, used by companies to provide a customized and convenient user experience, but it’s also used to power the internet’s business model — targeted advertising that tracks your online movement and follows you around the web. In the wrong hands, your personal information can be collected, sold, and exploited by eavesdroppers, bad actors, and cyber criminals.
But more frequently, your data is used these days to track your shopping and social behavior, helping advertisers follow you with ads everywhere you go.
If you don’t like the idea of all this information being collected, stored, sold, or exploited, it’s time to get smart about your internet browsing. The first step towards smart browsing is understanding what’s at stake. The second step is knowing what to do about it.
What does your browser know about you?
Your browser knows more about you than you may realize. In addition to your browsing history and cookies, it knows your physical address, your place of work, your Internet Service Provider (ISP), your internet speed, the plug-ins and fonts you’ve installed, hardware details, and even your screen information.
To raise awareness of how this data can be used to track your activities online, the team behind Avast Secure Browser built a free browser privacy test tool to help you determine what data your browser leaves behind as you navigate the internet. Available on Safer.com, this comprehensive web app tests your browser against several privacy threats, providing easy-to-understand explanations and solutions to help you safeguard your digital identity.
Avast Secure Browser: Getting smart about private browsing
Developed by Avast, the international cybersecurity company behind the popular Avast Free Antivirus, Avast Secure Browser incorporates the company’s three decades of experience into one seamless and secure browsing solution, combining all the browsing features you want with all the privacy and security tools you need, built-in without any complicated setup.
Secure Browser offers a variety of advanced built-in security and privacy tools to make sure you are safe and protected online. Found in the Security & Privacy Center, a sampling of this collection includes:
- Adblock: Browse faster by blocking ads that follow you around and slow you down.
- Bank Mode: Browse in an isolated desktop session, protecting your financial information from keyloggers and prying eyes.
- Anti-Fingerprinting: Websites and ad networks are getting smarter. Instead of relying only on cookies and your IP address to identify you, they’re also using your unique browser configuration to keep tabs on you. Anti-Fingerprinting hides your browser information from sites to help protect your privacy and limit online tracking.
- Anti-Phishing: Block malicious websites and downloads from infecting your device with viruses, spyware, and ransomware or stealing your data.
- Anti-Tracking: Protect yourself from online tracking by blocking external requests from third-party platforms, and removing web bugs and tracking scripts.
- Extension Guard: Avast Secure Browser’s Extension Guard adds another layer of security between you and the bad guys by allowing only safe and trusted extensions to be installed.
- Hack Check: Get notified if your login information has been involved in a data breach, or if your passwords are too weak.
- Password Manager: Generate and manage multiple, safe passwords, and automatically log into your accounts with a single click. You can install any password extension from Avast Addons and the Chrome Web Store, including popular extensions like Bitwarden, LastPass and 1Password.
- Private Mode: Using Avast Private Mode prevents your browsing history from being stored and dumps any tracking cookies or web cache you pick up during your browsing session, as well as enabling Anti-track, Adblock, and Anti-phishing.
- Webcam Guard: Giving a website permission to access your camera is putting a significant amount of trust in that website. Webcam Guard lets you decide who you want to give that access to, when, and for how long.
- Integration with Avast Antivirus*: Scan your device for new viruses, ransomware, and other malware with Avast’s popular antivirus program.
* Avast Free Antivirus, or Avast Premium and Ultimate paid services are optional.
The Android and iOS versions of Avast Secure Browser feature additional tools for safe browsing on-the-go:
- Built-in VPN*: Automatically encrypt your mobile device’s internet connection and unblock the internet with built-in VPN.
- DNS over TLS: Add another layer of security by encrypting your DNS queries.
- Advanced tab grouping: Avast Secure Browser’s advanced tab grouping feature, called Modes, allows you to group tabs and browser data in multiple sandbox environments, each with their own rulesets.
- PIN lock / Fingerprint unlock: Limit physical access to the browser app and your data with a PIN code. Your PIN is never stored on any servers, which means no one, not even Avast, knows your secure PIN.
- Encrypted Media Vault: Encrypt downloaded files automatically, then, store them locally on your device with the Media Vault. You can also move files from your device’s local storage to the browser’s Media Vault, encrypting and securing the files along the way.
- Private media players: Built into the mobile browser app so you don’t need to decrypt your files to view them on third-party players.
- QR reader: Quickly scan QR codes.
- Voice search: Use your voice to enjoy fast, hands-free searching.
- Search widget: Manage your VPN connections and perform search queries on your homescreen.
- Web Shield*: Block malware and malicious phishing sites from stealing personal data.
- Security Scan: Check for browser vulnerabilities and protection gaps on the go.
* Avast Secure Brower’s built-in VPN is free with no bandwidth limitations for browsing-only traffic. Device-wide VPN protection and Web Shield paid services are optional.
Because Avast Secure Browser is available for PC, Mac, iOS and Android, you can enjoy the same secure browsing experience on your computer, laptop, and mobile device by syncing your browser history and bookmarks across multiple devices.
Make the switch and take control of your online safety
Now more than ever, using the right browser is extremely important. Avast Secure Browser makes switching a quick and painless process. You can import all of your browsing history, saved passwords, and bookmarks from your old browser with the push of a button.
If you value your online privacy, you owe it to yourself to switch to a browser that has your back. Download Avast Secure Browser today and take back control of your online safety. Best of all, it’s free!
