Three Plugins You Should Think Twice About Using |
Posted: November 1, 2019 |
Plugins (also known as ‘extensions’ and ‘add-ons’) are often useful sidekicks in the web browsing experience. Unfortunately, many have known, gaping security vulnerabilities. Some of these should never be used, while others should only be treated with the utmost caution. Here are three popular plugins you should reconsider: Flash Before HTML5’s arrival, Flash was the standard. That made it a hotbed for hackers, who preyed on Flash’s security vulnerabilities and loaded various versions with malware. Adobe is officially killing the plugin in 2020, and with alternatives rightfully taking over, you should rarely be using Flash. Some streaming sites do still require it, so tread carefully. Just make sure your default setting blocks Flash, and only approve its use situationally. Java With such a poor track record, it makes no sense to trust Java. And truthfully, you don’t need the extension. Your best bet is to completely delete Java from your device. If you don’t have it downloaded, you’re one step ahead. No need to download it now. If you do have it installed and feel like you still need it, only use when strictly necessary. Tinker with your browser settings to approve its use on specific websites, or disable it globally and enable it when required. Silverlight You may no longer use Silverlight, but that doesn’t mean you’re safe. While Silverlight is no longer commonly employed, there’s a high chance you still have it installed if you’re a video streamer. Check to see if that’s the case. If you find Silverlight installed on your browser, uninstall immediately. No worries, you shouldn’t miss it or be prompted for it again. Most video is now deployed using HTML5. Unfortunately, good plugin hygiene only goes so far. Applying skepticism when using browser extensions will help you avoid malware, but it won’t privatize your web traffic. For that, you need a VPN
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|