Firefox 69: Third‑Party
Tracking Cookies and Cryptomining Now Blocked by Default
Firefox new Enhanced Tracking Protection (ETP)
feature launched to all users of the browser to offer better privacy and
protection from cryptojacking.
Protecting user’s privacy
is a long-time preoccupation in IT security, and corporations are also taking
action. We saw another example this week with Firefox Version 69.0. Since
Tuesday September 3, third-party tracking cookies and cryptominers are now
blocked by default for all Firefox users – on desktop as well as Android.
The feature, called Enhanced Tracking Protection (ETP), rolls out stronger privacy protections. The Mozilla Blog
explains the specificity of this feature:
·
The default standard setting for this feature now
blocks third-party tracking cookies and cryptominers.
·
The optional strict setting blocks fingerprinters
as well as the items blocked in the standard setting.
While the announcement is
important, we should note that this feature is not exactly new from Mozilla. It
was already enable for new users since last June. However, it is now available
for all users of the open-source Web browser.
Marissa Wood, Vice
President of Product at Mozilla, explains: “Currently, over 20% of Firefox
users have Enhanced Tracking Protection on. With today’s release, we expect to
provide protection for 100% of ours users by default. “
The new feature targets
third-party cookies, which are usually begetting by advertising networks. First-party cookies are not
affected by this feature.
The second target of this
feature is cryptojacking. In brief, cryptojacking is in brief the usage of a
computer or device’ to mine cryptocurrency without the user’s
knowledge. Cybercriminals instigate attacks in order to hijack digital
currencies, or use compromise computer resources to mine cryptocurrencies
unwittingly to the legitimate users of those devices. According to a
recent survey, a third of British corporations have been hit this serious threat.
If you want
to go further in protecting your privacy online, you might want to read these
articles as well: