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<keyword id="6355041" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="mozilla" source="Orion">Mozilla</keyword>, the firm behind the popular web browser <keyword id="30002" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="firefox" source="Orion">Firefox</keyword>, has started rolling out new updates to its mobile and desktop <keyword id="201519" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="vpn" source="Orion">VPN</keyword> offerings. With VPN 2.7, the firm is adding one of Firefox's popular add-ons, Multi-Account Containers, to the desktop platform and a multi-hop feature to the Android as well as iOS version of the VPN service. "We are always looking for ways to offer privacy within our family of products and, after a successful rollout in English in November, we are combining one of our users' favorite Firefox Add-ons, Multi-Account Containers, with <keyword id="9584624" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mozilla-vpn" source="Orion">Mozilla VPN</keyword>, our fast and easy-to-use VPN service, to offer a unique, privacy solution that is only available in Firefox," the company said. Firefox's Multi-Account Containers would allow users to separate different parts of their online activities. The company says combining the add-on with Mozilla's VPN adds an extra layer of protection to users' compartmentalised browsing activity and also adds extra protection to their locational information. The firm earlier launched a multi-hop feature on desktop that allows people to use two VPN servers instead of one VPN service and now it is rolling out on mobile. The feature works by first routing online activity through an entry VPN server followed by an exit VPN server. According to the brand, bringing this feature to the Android and iOS version of the VPN service gives users a little extra privacy when browsing. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/google-one-vpn-is-now-available-for-iphone-users-available-in-18-countries/articleshow/89296951.cms">Google One VPN is now available for iPhone users, available in 18 countries</a>

Mozilla adds new features including multi-hop to desktop and mobile VPN

<ul><li><keyword id="182214" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="google-chrome" source="Orion">Google Chrome</keyword> is the most vulnerable browser of 2022.</li><li>Chrome has 303 vulnerabilities so far.</li><li>Below, check out a few tips on how you can safeguard your browser.</li></ul>Security is a priority on the internet, so many users prefer Google Chrome when using the web browser. As per SimilarWeb, Chrome’s <a href="https://www.similarweb.com/browsers/">market share is 61.96%</a>, according to August 2022 data, which makes it the most popular web browser in the world for this month. But if you think you’re safe online, you might want to think again. This is because a new report by <a href="https://atlasvpn.com/blog/google-chrome-is-the-most-vulnerability-ridden-browser-in-2022">Atlas VPN</a>, a freemium VPN service provider, has found Chrome to be the most vulnerable browser of 2022, with 303 vulnerabilities so far. Also, Google Chrome is the all-time leader with 3,159 cumulative vulnerabilities. Google Chrome is the only browser with newly discovered vulnerabilities in October, like CVE-2022-3307, CVE-2022-3318, CVE-2022-3314, CVE-2022-3311, and CVE-2022-3309. Next is Mozilla Firefox with 117 vulnerabilities, followed by Microsoft Edge with 103 vulnerabilities. In the meantime, Apple’s Safari browser has only 26 vulnerabilities. Recently, Safari has clocked 1 billion users making it the second most popular browser in the world. Interestingly, the Opera browser has documented 0 vulnerabilities. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="How to safeguard your browser" comment="subhead" text="How to safeguard your browser">How to safeguard your browser</cmsannotation> Hackers have multiple techniques to exploit browser vulnerabilities, therefore we bring you a few steps that you can take to mitigate the risk of your browser getting affected. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Keep browser up to date" comment="subhead" text="Keep browser up to date">Keep browser up to date</cmsannotation> With rising vulnerabilities, developers are addressing them by releasing security updates. Installing a browser update as soon as possible will lower the risk of getting compromised. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Choose reliable plug-ins" comment="subhead" text="Choose reliable plug-ins">Choose reliable plug-ins</cmsannotation> Browser plug-ins can also have vulnerabilities or can be malicious. Choose a browser plug-in from reliable developers and ensure the latest updates are installed. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Configure your browser’s security and privacy settings" comment="subhead" text="Configure your browser’s security and privacy settings">Configure your browser’s security and privacy settings</cmsannotation> Review your browser’s security and privacy settings. For example, check, if your browser is blocking third-party cookies, which can enable advertisers to track your online activities. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Block pop-ups" comment="subhead" text="Block pop-ups"><keyword id="15175484" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="block-pop-ups" source="Orion">Block pop-ups</keyword></cmsannotation> Pop-ups in browsers typically open new browser windows to push adverts, and some can contain malicious links or inappropriate content. Install plug-ins that automatically block pop-ups and allow you to browse seamlessly. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/hackers-found-a-new-way-to-sneak-malware-into-your-computer-using-minecraft-updates/articleshow/94147550.cms">Hackers found a new way to sneak malware into your computer using Minecraft updates — here’s how you can stay safe</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/google-introduces-five-new-features-for-chrome-on-ios/articleshow/92429982.cms">Google’s latest update brings safer browsing, a new home screen, better translation and more for Chrome on iOS</a>

With 303 vulnerabilities, Google Chrome is the riskiest browser of 2022: Atlas VPN

<ul><li>According to media reports, the company laid off nearly 70 people in January which were pre-Covid times.</li><li>The CEO acknowledged that the economic conditions resulting from the global pandemic have significantly impacted its revenue. </li><li>Baker said those losing their jobs will get severance pay.</li></ul> <keyword id="9744342" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="popular-browser-mozilla-firefox">Popular browser Mozilla Firefox</keyword> has announced to lay off 250 employees and shut its operations in Taiwan. The Mountain View (California)-based company said that going forward, it will be smaller. "This is a time of change for the internet and for Mozilla. Today, we announced a significant restructuring of Mozilla Corporation. This will strengthen our ability to build and invest in products and services that will give people alternatives to conventional Big Tech," Mozilla CEO <keyword id="2182520" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mitchell-Baker">Mitchell Baker</keyword> said in a statement on Tuesday. "Sadly, the changes also include a significant reduction in our workforce by approximately 250 people. These are individuals of exceptional professional and personal caliber who have made outstanding contributions to who we are today," he added. According to media reports, the company laid off nearly 70 people in January which were pre-Covid times. The CEO acknowledged that the economic conditions resulting from the global pandemic have significantly impacted its revenue. Baker said those losing their jobs will get severance pay. Mozilla is the maker of open source browser Firefox. In October 2018, Mozilla started testing a VPN subscription service that was made available to only a small group of users who were allowed to subscribe through Firefox, paying $10 per month for access to ProtonVPN. "Mozilla is a technical powerhouse of the internet activist movement. And we must stay that way. We must provide leadership, test out products, and draw businesses into areas that aren't traditional web technology," Baker said. "The internet is the platform now with ubiquitous web technologies built into it, but vast new areas are developing (like Wasmtime and the Bytecode Alliance vision of nanoprocesses)". SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/world/news/trump-was-rushed-from-the-briefing-room-by-secret-service-after-a-shooting-outside-of-the-white-house/articleshow/77474005.cms">Trump was rushed from the briefing room by Secret Service after a shooting outside the White House</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/mckinsey-facebook-amazon-nokia-and-some-other-companies-looking-for-a-product-manager-right-now/slidelist/77464438.cms">McKinsey, Facebook, Amazon, Nokia — and some other companies looking for a product manager right now</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/how-karan-bajaj-sold-his-less-than-18-month-old-startup-white-hat-jr-to-byjus/articleshow/77415329.cms">A WhatsApp message, six weeks of talks and a $300 million deal – how Karan Bajaj sold his less than 18-month old startup White Hat Jr to Byju’s</a>

Mozilla Firefox lays off 250 employees and shuts Taiwan operations

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="10606215" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="jason-a-donenfeld">Jason A. Donenfeld</keyword> is the 32-year-old creator of <keyword id="10606216" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="wireguard">WireGuard</keyword>, an open-source <keyword id="201519" type="TECHNOLOGY" weightage="60" keywordseo="VPN">VPN</keyword> protocol widely seen as one of the most secure in the world.</li><li>In 2020, it found mainstream success and was adopted into the popular <keyword id="112218" type="TECHNOLOGY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Linux">Linux</keyword> kernel, as well as on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android operating systems.</li><li>Donenfeld started the project in 2015, and spent years building an open-source community to support WireGuard.</li><li>He spoke with Business Insider about his path to creating WireGuard, how he sees VPN security, and the overwhelming response the project, which is funded entirely by donations, has gotten from developers. </li></ul>Jason A. Donenfeld is relentlessly curious about everything, from ancient cities to cutting edge cryptography. When he's not developing WireGuard, known as the most secure VPN protocol in the world, the security researcher enjoys exploring the vast network of centuries-old limestone tunnels beneath Paris.Donenfeld, who is 32, originally came to Paris in 2010, after landing a summer gig writing shape packing algorithms, and then moved to the city fully in 2012, working as a vulnerability researcher.His work finding vulnerabilities for companies led him to doubt the security of popular VPN protocols. He thought the dizzying complexity, bloated implementations, and often outdated cryptography made for a worrisome attack surface. In 2015, he started developing <a href="https://www.wireguard.com/">WireGuard</a>.WireGuard is an open-source VPN protocol that's been lauded for its high-level security. In the few short years that <a href="https://www.wireguard.com/donations/">Donenfeld has developed it</a>, WireGuard has been adopted by the major operating system Linux, and integrated into Mac and Windows, as well as iOS, Android, and others.Virtual private networks, or VPNs, extend private networks across public ones, allowing data centers across continents to connect directly to one another. They also let users send and receive data as if their computers or phones are directly connected to private networks.This can sometimes be misleading. Even though companies and individuals alike may believe they're connecting securely over a VPN, this isn't always the case, in part due to the difficulty of implementing outdated, complex, or insecure protocols like IPSec and OpenVPN."When I say I don't feel comfortable with OpenVPN or IPSec implementations, it's speaking from experience, because I've found a lot of bugs in that kind of software," he said.He said that his time spent breaking into systems left him with the knowledge on how to defend them, too."How you evade detection on a network can be a very similar problem as how you keep attackers from knowing about your box," he said.Part of WireGuard's appeal is in how it maintains security through a few distinct ways, eliminating entire classes of vulnerabilities. It's high-speed. It utilizes defense-in-depth techniques, a series of layered mechanisms to protect data and information. And it's stealthy, only transmitting data when necessary and staying invisible when people scan for its servers.Plus, it's easier to audit. Unlike other VPN protocols, WireGuard has less than 4,000 lines of code, which means that security researchers could review the entire codebase for vulnerabilities in a single afternoon. And they often do.<h3>'It's a community project'</h3>This past year, WireGuard was merged into the influential Linux kernel, which led to widespread adoption on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and OpenBSD, in addition to Linux distributions such as Canonical's Ubuntu, Debian, Oracle Linux, Red Hat's CentOS and Fedora, and SUSE Linux.Getting there wasn't easy. Donenfeld wanted to have a single, coherent design where he could make every decision carefully, scrutinizing every piece. So he spent time developing WireGuard himself before it was released, he said, only sharing code with a couple of friends and cryptographers."He first contacted me out of the blue when he was developing WireGuard and he had crafted some cryptographic protocol and he wanted my review of it. I proposed little changes, but what he did initially was already very good," said Jean-Philippe Aumasson, a cryptographer, author, and co-founder of the security company Taurus Group SA.<div type="image" title="jason a donenfeld wireguard kernel recipes mozilla 2017" height="2499" width="3333" msid="80304010" hostid="261"></div>But Donenfeld wanted to completely change something as fundamental as Linux's cryptography architecture, and he was met with some resistance. Linux is tremendously popular, so sweeping changes could be disruptive. In order to get where he wanted, he had to start small, with incremental changes, and engage with other people's ideas and get them on board."This is how kernel development is done in general - it's a community project; you have to reach consensus," he said. "There's a big difference between releasing open source code and saying, 'here you go,' and disappearing back to a cave, and actually interacting with that world. I've chosen to interact really intimately with it, and that's meant lots of interaction and figuring out how each facet works."The process involved working with other developers and researchers, and giving talks at conferences, including Kernel Recipes at Mozilla's headquarters in Paris to connect with the developer community while building WireGuard."I didn't want to compromise on the security of the intermediate parts. I didn't want to make WireGuard depend on something with subpar security while I promised to fix it up 'later.' That's never acceptable to me. So finding something that was both evolutionary so that it would be merged but also still lived up to the security ideals was a very difficult process," he said.Donenfeld also wrote a compatibility layer for WireGuard, so people could load the code into their own kernels - the lowest depths of an operating system - before it was sent upstream. This involved the formidable task of writing kernel code that was compatible with variants and versions of Linux going back to 2013. But it meant that by the time Donenfeld was ready to upstream WireGuard, people were already using it.<h3>The Exchange of Ideas</h3>Donenfeld's background is not the norm in the industry, but his intense curiosity and his drive may have worked in his favor."There's a really well-defined pipeline that gets people to professional cryptography jobs and to status in the cryptography community," Thomas Ptacek, a security researcher and principal at Fly.io, said. "It typically involves getting a degree, followed by a graduate degree from a program run by an extremely well-known cryptographer, and then working in a research lab for a long time right out of university."In contrast, Donenfeld graduated with a degree in mathematics and philosophy from Columbia University in New York after growing up in Cincinnati. While his background is atypical, Donenfeld has still managed to produce the first formally verified VPN protocol, which means that it's been mathematically proven to be secure.Donenfeld works on WireGuard mostly from his home, the top floor of an apartment building that appears to have been converted from several chambres de bonne - single rooms once intended for maids - thrown together. Before the pandemic, he used to work from different rooftops and cafes all over Paris, bringing his Linux laptop with him as he explored the city.When he's not coding, Donenfeld is part of the Paris jazz scene. He rocks a D'Angelico NYSS-3 guitar and has played around town at clubs like Le Caveau des Oubliettes. Lately, he says, he's been listening to a lot of John Coltrane and Bill Frisell.WireGuard is also financed <a href="https://www.wireguard.com/donations/">entirely by donations</a>, atypical in the software industry. In appreciation to donors, Donenfeld said he has mailed out thousands of stickers with WireGuard's logo, which was inspired by a stone engraving of the mythological ancient Greek python that he saw while visiting a museum in Delphi.It's only been a few years, but Donenfeld said he had received enough in donations to work on WireGuard full-time and to fund other developers working on specific aspects of it, but he said the project is always trying to make it for another year."I've received job offers from Silicon Valley companies that would definitely result in a more financially rewarding life than being an open source author," he said.If he ever finds that he doesn't have the funding to work on improving WireGuard, he can always fall back to freelance jobs in the security industry instead.Donenfeld's goal is to continue developing high-quality, professional, free, open source software from which the entire community can benefit."Open sourcing something and interacting with that community is really just a great way to improve software, and it makes for a great exchange of ideas," he said.

How one hacker's push to secure the internet became a crucial part of Mac, Linux, and Windows operating systems

Welcome to the weekend (almost). Writing to you from New York, I'm Jordan Parker Erb. It's a jam-packed edition today: We've got an inside look at leaked messages from Amazon workers who <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-warehouse-raises-workers-leaked-documents-2022-10">aren't pleased with the company's new raises</a>, and the latest details on the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-expects-twitter-deal-close-by-october-28-2022-10">Elon Musk-Twitter showdown</a>.Plus, a 34-year-old shares how he knew it was the right move to dump his <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coder-quit-6-figure-job-stripe-build-side-hustle-2022-10">$300,000 salary for his passion project</a>. Buckle up, readers.If this was forwarded to you, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/newsletter/10-things-in-tech">sign up here</a>. Download Insider's app <a href="https://link.insider.com/click/27645591.160803/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaW5zaWRlci5jb20vYXBwP25yX2VtYWlsX3JlZmVyZXI9MSZ1dG1fc291cmNlPVNhaWx0aHJ1JnV0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX2NvbnRlbnQ9T3BlbmluZ19iZWxs/62667762063d6b9bef0cffb3Bf9c9aa56">here.</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-warehouse-raises-workers-leaked-documents-2022-10"></a>1. Leaked documents show Amazon warehouse workers are up in arms over the company's new raises. This week, the e-commerce giant raised wages by roughly $0.50-$1.00 an hour. But according to messages obtained by Insider, the wages aren't enough to make workers feel valued — and some employees have described them as "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-warehouse-raises-workers-leaked-documents-2022-10">a slap in the face</a>."<ul><li>Amazon <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-rolls-out-broad-based-pay-raises-for-warehouse-workers-2022-9">increased pay</a> across its nearly 900 US facilities. The company spent $1 billion on the raises, which bumped the average starting pay at Amazon warehouses from $18 to $19 an hour, and included a suite of other benefits.</li><li>The raises come in the run-up to Amazon's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-plans-new-prime-day-deal-event-later-this-year-2022-6">second Prime Day sales event</a> of the year. Employees said the pay increases aren't enough to combat encroaching inflation or quell discontent over heavy workloads.</li><li>Dozens of comments posted by Orlando warehouse workers on an internal messaging board show that at least some staff there saw the raises as an affront. At that warehouse, starting wages rose from $15.50 to $16.00. </li><li>"I feel disrespected and humiliated," one employee commented. </li></ul><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-warehouse-raises-workers-leaked-documents-2022-10">Here's what else employees are saying.</a>In other news:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-expects-twitter-deal-close-by-october-28-2022-10"></a><div type="image" title="Elon Musk" height="1800" width="2400" msid="94705584" hostid="261" sizebytes="155968"></div>2. The upcoming trial between Musk and Twitter is officially on hold. The judge overseeing the case agreed to halt proceedings until October 28 to give the parties time to agree on a settlement. If they can't come to an agreement, the trial will be scheduled for sometime in November. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-expects-twitter-deal-close-by-october-28-2022-10">Get the full rundown here.</a>3. Meet the most powerful Apple executive you've never heard of. Peter Stern, a "stone-cold brilliant" VP in the Services division that draws one-quarter of the company's revenue, is viewed internally as one of a tiny handful of top execs who could possibly succeed Eddy Cue, the company's longtime Services SVP.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-vp-services-peter-stern-tv-plus-sports-eddy-cue-2022-10"> Everything we know about the forward-looking Stern.</a>4. Peloton is slashing 500 more jobs. The company told The Wall Street Journal it'd be cutting 12% of its workforce and shrinking its retail footprint. This marks Peloton's fourth round of layoffs so far this year. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/peloton-layoffs-jobs-costs-cuts-barry-mccarthy-ceo-fitness-downsizing-2022-10">Get the details here.</a>5. The Trade Desk CEO tore into Google for selling "the most deceptively named product in recent adtech." During an investor day conference, CEO Jeff Green called out Google for engaging in what he views as "unfair" and "draconian" practices, specifically calling out Google's Open Bidding tool, which helps publishers sell ads. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-trade-desk-ceo-rips-google-selling-deceptively-named-adtech-product-2022-10">Read more of Green's comments.</a>6. Hackers have stolen at least $100 million in tokens from Binance, the world's biggest crypto exchange. Hackers attacked a bridge between blockchains, but the situation is now "contained," the CEO of Binance said. <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/binance-hacked-coin-stolen-crypto-2022-10">Here's the latest.</a>7. Civil rights groups criticize Google, Clearview AI. The White House released an "AI Bill of Rights," a set of principles for companies dealing with AI. When writing the bill, it asked companies, researchers, and civil rights groups for feedback — and several said facial recognition company <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/clearview-ai-bill-of-rights-white-house-facial-recognition-2022-10">Clearview AI's practices are concerning</a>, and that Google <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-ai-bill-of-rights-white-house-data-civil-rights-2022-10">engages in a "vicious cycle of personal data collection."</a>8. A 34-year-old coder quit his $300,000 job at Stripe to build up his after-work project. Sumit Kumar left the billion-dollar fintech company in May to build his startup Parqet, a financial platform he started as a side project — and says he's convinced it was the right thing to do. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coder-quit-6-figure-job-stripe-build-side-hustle-2022-10">He explains why.</a>Odds and ends:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ford-raises-price-f-150-electric-truck-second-time-2022-10"></a><div type="image" title="A Ford assembly worker with an electric F-150 Lightning" height="1920" width="2560" msid="94705588" hostid="261" sizebytes="440268"></div>9. Ford just made its F-150 Lightning Pro $5,000 more expensive. Thanks to supply chain snags, Ford has increased the cost of its new electric truck for the second time in months. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ford-raises-price-f-150-electric-truck-second-time-2022-10">Here's how much the F-150 Lightning Pro now costs.</a> 10. Google just announced its Pixel 7 series. One of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/google-pixel-7-built-in-free-vpn-2022-10">the best new features</a> in the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro is a free built-in "VPN" that will be made available "later this year." Plus, here are <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/google-pixel-7-best-features-2022-10">four other reasons Android fans should be excited.</a>The latest people moves in tech:<ul><li>Per Bloomberg, Activision's chief compliance officer is stepping down <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-09-30/activision-atvi-compliance-chief-frances-townsend-steps-down?cmpid=BBD100322_TECH&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_term=221003&amp;utm_campaign=tech">as the company looks to close its deal with Microsoft</a>. </li><li>KeyAnna Schmiedl <a href="https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/about/leadership/senior-leadership/">has joined Mozilla</a> as its VP of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Sustainability.</li></ul>Keep updated with the latest tech news throughout your day by checking out<a href="https://link.chtbl.com/therefresh"> The Refresh from Insider,</a> a dynamic audio news brief from the Insider newsroom. <a href="https://link.chtbl.com/therefresh">Listen here.</a>Curated by Jordan Parker Erb in New York. (Feedback or tips? Email <a href="mailto:jerb@insider.com">jerb@insider.com</a> or tweet <a href="https://twitter.com/jordanparkererb?lang=en">@jordanparkererb</a>.) Edited by Hallam Bullock (tweet <a href="https://twitter.com/hallam_bullock">@hallam_bullock</a>) in London.

'A slap in the face': Leaked documents show Amazon warehouse workers are upset over the company's new raises

In a globally connected world, where dependency on technology is growing by every millisecond, protecting your identity online can be quite a task. There is a way to measure carbon footprints, there is some kind of a measurement for everything you own and have plans to possess. But, do you know how much data you leave online everyday and how various agencies access to your data in terms of your details, your preferences and aspects that were considered deeply personal in the earlier days? 
 Let’s first understand what ‘personal’ data means. According to Data Protection Commissioner <keyword id="458689" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="personal-data">Personal data</keyword> broadly means data relating to a living individual who is or can be identified either from the data or from the conjunction with other information that is in or is likely to come into, in the possession of the data controller. As per EU <keyword id="2802017" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Data-protection-Directive">Data protection Directive</keyword>, personal data shall mean ANY information relating to an individual, to an identified or identifiable natural person. 
 
While at the outset, things seem way too simple; we need to dwell deeper into understanding the impending threats from this situation where YOU can be identified online. The recent case of Purvi Patel, a 30-year-old who was jailed for allegedly killing her foetus, deliberately or otherwise, was handed out a jail term of 20 years in America. What proved costly to her was the fact that she had searched for contraceptives online on her iPad and later exchanged text messages with her friends in which she (allegedly) admitted buying those contraceptives. This turned into an incriminating evidence for the prosecutor representing the government, who pressed for charges against her, stating she had bought the contraceptives online she had searched for on the net, and thus deliberately endangered the life of her 25-week old foetus. The prosecutor also presented a redacted email found in Purvi’s account, which showed that there was a contact between Purvi and the Chinese company from which she bought the contraceptives. Though there was a loophole which could have been just her curiosity to look for those alternatives, without having to actually take them (because no trace of abortion-inducing drugs was found in her body or the body of the foetus), the Indiana court in the US didn’t consider them. The evidence based on the redacted email, her Internet search history and text messages was pressing enough, they felt and sent her to jail. 
 
This is just one example of how much data we are leaving online, so that it can be used against us, when the need arises. There are also agencies, which turn richer by the day, just using the footsteps you leave in the digital world. Your online shopping, banking, social media, and mobile apps are clinching factors that leave behind a lot of YOU online. 
 
Security threats come in various form these days. Keeping a tab on that seems next to impossible, but it is a MUST DO thing today. What can you do to keep yourself from being traced in the digital world? 
 
Minimize your online footprint 
First step towards this is to understand who is tracking your browsing habits. Tools such as Disconnect and Lightbeam (Mozilla) can literally show you who is tracing your steps when you visit various websites. At a later stage, the need would be to understand who is tracking your social media updates. Is there something you would like to do about it? The more you work, higher the security! In case you want to hide your identity, go for Tor or a VPN all the time. Sounds tedious, but worth every second! 
 
Take browser security seriously! 
Since browsing is the most common activity all we Internet users do, it would be worth taking the browser security a little more seriously than we do now. If you feel the clickstream isn’t helping you by making all the data public, you may want to obscure your clickstream. Again, Tor to rescue! What’s more, Tor is free as well! 
 
Smartphone isn’t smart, after all! 
Limit the tracking on your smartphone because this gadget isn’t really your friend. It can reveal a lot more than what the former NSA agent Snowden was able to talk about his country spying on people for whatever reasons. Change the privacy settings and honestly, if possible, don’t browse from your mobile as far as possible. 
 
Cookies are a no-no! 
These delicious sounding cookies aren’t so sweet at the end of the day, when it comes to the matters of privacy. Delete cookies from your browser. You know it better, if you are a pro. But, it would surprise a lot of people who are unaware of the kind of information cookies can let out on you! Soon, you will be moving from cookies to fingerprinting, which is much more difficult to keep off. We are sure we will arrive with a solution soon for this one too! 
 
Limit cloud services 
One thing Snowden saga should teach us is to understand how seriously we should take cloud services, and avoid them as much as possible. Whatever data is given away, or sought, or stored is potentially a hazard that would be accessed by someone else who may not have noble intentions after all.

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Mozilla adds new features including multi-hop to desktop and mobile VPN

IANS

With 303 vulnerabilities, Google Chrome is the riskiest browser of 2022: Atlas VPN

Rahul Verma

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