![]() Your IP address, location, browsing habits and search history can all be analyzed and used to paint a surprisingly detailed portrait of you – a valuable product for marketers, advertisers and others looking to capitalize on your web usage. Rather than charging users to download their browsers, some developers make their money by collecting user data and selling it. Companies use these for advertising and trend analysis purposes, but even if you manage to avoid corporate trackers, your browser itself could still be keeping tabs on you. If you’ve ever viewed a product on an online store and then seen ads for that same product on every other website you visit, you’re familiar with web trackers. Specifically, they don’t lock down your data because they intend to collect and distribute it to third parties. Part of the problem is that many browsers require a weaker level of security for some of their features to work. SSL/TLS certificates can be faked, and malicious hackers keep their exploit discussions private so as not to alert the developers and the wider public until the damage has already been done. Technologies are improving – most sites now use HTTPS to ensure a secure connection, and many browser developers work tirelessly to patch security holes as soon as they’re noticed – but the system isn’t foolproof yet. By doing so, they’re able to intercept user data, steal files, install malware on computers and wreak all sorts of havoc on unsuspecting web surfers. Through creativity and computational prowess, today’s hackers work hard to identify and exploit coding mistakes and poor programming in web browsers. We’ve got more access than ever before to advanced apps and powerful programs, but we’re also more exposed to viruses, malware, and hacking, much of which is made possible by browser exploits. Security Holes and ExploitsĬoding and computer programming are becoming increasingly common skills in today’s wired world, a trend that has both good and bad implications. But even with all of these protections in place, your privacy could still be at risk thanks to an unexpected weak link: your web browser. When we think of online safety, several things usually come to mind: antivirus programs, firewalls, secure passwords, and trusted WiFi networks.
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