Why not Firefox with ublock origin?
this post was submitted on 11 Oct 2024
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Android
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Currently chromium is more secure than gecko on android side
Is that something you're worried about? The link says there would need to be both a browser exploit and a system exploit on top of that to get out of the sandbox, which seems pretty unlikely to happen when running uBlock on a mobile browser.
It seems like one of those things where it's not as secure but it really doesn't matter in reality.
While chromium based browsers are more secure than firefox based browsers on Android, they are not as privacy friendly as firefox based browsers due to availability of unlock origin. Adblocking is superior using unlock.
For the average user, privacy is more important and firefox based browsers have enough security IMO.
This push for "secure browsers" (unspecified attack vectors) sounds like a good way to discredit privacy-friendly options and chrome alternatives. This gotta be a coincidence, all these "Muh security" out of nowhere. It can't possibly have anything to do with manifest v3, right?
Chromium browsers are not going to support uBlock or any other browser extensions like FF browsers will...
You don't need uBO that if your browser has a capable adblocker. It's been 3 years without uBO for me and I have seen exactly 0 ads.
Most "capable adblockers" do not work with a VPN. I have AdGuard Home and have used Brave but neither are able to block ads with an active VPN.
You're talking about ad blockers that leverage a VPN connection, but Cromite is a hardened Chromium fork with built in ad blocking, including adding custom lists.
Other Chromium forks, including Mulch, also support browser level custom DNS configs.
You're talking about ad blockers that leverage a VPN connection
I'm not. I'm talking about ad-blockers built into the browser. Specifically Brave. Haven't tried any others but I assume they function the same way. Brave also supports custom ad-blockers but they don't work. I'm not smart enough to understand why. I just know that uBo works and they don't.
The paid brave VPN service? If so, I can't speak to it because I have never used it, but I assume it functions much like a normal VPN provider where they're running their own ad block lists on the exit node, but I have no idea what those lists are or their effectiveness. And yes, that would prevent your from concurrently running another systemwide VPN tunnel.
Firefox with uBo is good and not trying to convince you to abandon Firefox on Android, certainly not for your desktop OS.
The issue that thought is OP is referring to is about security, and while privacy and security aren't mutually exclusive, sometimes you trade off one for the other.
Personally, I prefer Chromium forks because I already take other privacy measures that I'm content with, and I would prefer the security advantages those browsers provide on Android.
But sometimes, if there's a website that I trust is not malicious, but there is an extension I prefer to view it with, I use Mull or Ice Raven. Both being Firefox on android forks, the former being a security/privacy hardened variant.
I want to reiterate, that this is only in regards to Android browsers and I'm definitely not saying to install Google Chrome, or even Google's own Chromium. I'm talking about hardened forks of their open source chromium project, such as Mulch and Cromite.
The paid brave VPN service?
No I use Proton w/ Brave browser.
Regardless, most of those VPN-based ad blockers are just using their own flavor and combination of block lists. I'm sure some get a little fancier, but that's gist of it. Which is something, that ProtonVPN also offers I think they call it netshield or something like that.
As I mentioned earlier, I am not using any VPN-based ad-blockers.
Check your proton VPN app, and look for the netshield setting. If it's enabled, you are using VPN based ad blockers, but if it's not enabled, you should turn it on.
It's off, because I use uBo.
You should enable it anyways. A lot apps, especially from big companies like banks, use DNS based telemetry and tracking services. Many of which will then be blocked by netshield, if it's enabled.
cromite, kiwi
Kiwi it's interesting not a security hardened Chromium fork, it is the only one to offer immediate access to browser extensions.
Should probably only use it the way you would use a Gecko browser, that is sparingly and when you need use of specific extensions for whatever reason.
I only use ublock origin and dark reader. Looks like i can use dark webpage by enabling a flag. I think kiwi is not that secure
Is kiwi open source
Kiwi is buggy and there are better options for privacy
What about Vivaldi? It's not fully opensource though.
Not privacy focused compared to other options, it's more for those who want customization options
It's not that privacy focused like others.
Cromite and Mulch.
Bromite is dead, which is what I believe Cromite is based on.
Mulch or Cromite
I'm going to be that guy and probably end up with downvotes. Brave browser. I know Eich is a shitbag but damn the browser is really solid. Adblocking and privacy are front and center and built in, no addons needed. I can think of maybe 5 times in the years I've used it that I had to use a backup browser.
I would like to use something else to not support him, but I have yet to find a turnkey browser that doesnt require tons of addons, compatibility issues or the quality of syncing across platforms that Brave.
CalyxOS patches Chromium for security, you may use CalyxOS builtin browser