Internet – Page 5

NoScript is a software extension for Google Chrome and Firefox-based browsers. For a long time, many tech-savvy Firefox users considered it a must-have extension. NoScript works by blocking JavaScript from running on the sites you visit. What is JavaScript? You may be using JavaScript right now without even realizing it. JavaScript is a standard programming language for web pages. In the past, it was pretty simple and used for alert boxes and menus. Now it’s the underlying language of most modern web apps. It helps pages load dynamically while working in the background to create a smooth experience as you surf from page to page. What’s Wrong With JavaScript Then? A small, but growing and active population of web users argue that everyone should disable JavaScript. It goes back to that issue of background processes. Cybercriminals can exploit these and other vulnerabilities to perpetuate nasty attacks. JavaScript is pretty secure, and developers do patch it regularly. But underlying risks still exist. Disabling JavaScript can also block some ads and trackers, which can increase your security and privacy online. Although, you can get the same functionality out of tools like Ghostery and AdBlock Plus without sacrificing a smooth experience. Finally, disabling JavaScript results in your browser consuming less RAM and CPU on your computer. For running basic sites, it can be great. But if your computer is so old that you can’t load modern web pages, you may need an upgrade anyway. What Happens When You Disable JavaScript? All these may sound like great reasons to disable JavaScript. But it can create more hassles than benefits. When you disable JavaScript, it can destroy your web experience. You may not be able to log in, use web apps like Gmail and Facebook, or do other ordinary things online. Moreover, you won’t be able to take advantage of dynamic features like image and page previews. That’s Where NoScript Comes In NoScript is a shortcut that allows you to finetune when you disable and enable JavaScript. Instead of blocking it everywhere, you keep it active on the sites you need it and disable for those where you don’t. It has a few other features, but that’s it. That’s why many users move over to one of the NoScript Alternatives that offer even more. uMatrix uMatrix is one of the most popular NoScript replacements. It’s a Firefox and Chrome add-on that not only blocks scripts and ads but also allows you to control the network requests made by the browser. It determines what will load in request web pages. The best component of uMatrix is that it’s point-and-click, making enabling and disabling anything simple. Privoxy For a long time, NoScript didn’t support Google Chrome. It made Privoxy the best option for users of the world’s most popular browser. It also strips ads, JavaScript, and dangerous lines of HTML and doesn’t sacrifice speed for safety. RequestPolicy RequestPolicy is a little more complex. It improves privacy and security by allowing you to control cross-site requests. When you visit sites, other sites may request access to your data. RequestPolicy blocks this information leakage, allowing you to block in one click. NordVPN VPNs provide top to bottom online privacy. They allow you to browse the internet in a way so that no one can trace your activity back to you. Since they encrypt your traffic and mask your IP address, it’s much more difficult for advertisers and platforms to build a profile on you. Although there are many free VPNs, it is more than worth it to pay a few dollars a month for a reliable option like NordVPN. It also has a CyberSec feature that blocks suspicious websites and blocks ads. Ghostery Ghostery is more than an ad-blocker. It blocks the trackers found in JavaScript. It means you can still have the complete functionality of websites without worrying about trackers. On top of that, it optimizes web pages to create a smoother browsing experience. ScriptSafe ScriptSafe was another Chrome-based alternative to NoScript. It provides all the same functions as NoScript in an interface designed for Chrome. You can use it to block many low-level threats, remove tracking tokens, and other potentially malicious widgets. NoScript or an Alternative? For most casual internet users, tools like VPNs and Ghostery are enough for enhanced security. But if you have a little tech know-how, then NoScript or one of these great alternatives can give you the added peace of mind you’re looking for. Try one out for yourself now.