Chances are high you are reading this on Chrome browser, and also probably the next person near you using a computer, smartphone, or tablet. But don’t take my word for it. Below is some stats by StatCounter.com that back my informed (well, from experience) assumption.
Source: StatCounter Global Stats – Browser Market Share
However, by being so terribly awesome, it also means Chrome has a huge bull’s eye target on it. Every creep and weirdo on the internet with technical skills looking to victimize netizens know they must design their malware, ransomware, virus, spyware, and all other types of crapware for the Chrome browser.
Not to cause alarm and panics, Google is pretty good at what it does, and by using Chrome ‘right out of the box’ the search engine giant has some good measures to keep you safe. However, if you are the type that likes leaving nothing to chances, we recommend you beef up Chrome built-in security with the following extensions:
Signal Messenger
Signal messenger was engineered from the ground-up for secrecy and anonymity. Hopefully, all you need to hide is from nosey governments trying to pork its nose into your very legitimate businesses. And not because you have secret child porn MP4 files you are sharing with your fellow perverts. So for secure communication, the Signal messenger extension is a must-have on Chrome.
Telegram
Telegram comes as a web-client that is as secure, fast, and free as the mobile messaging app. So for secure (end-to-end encrypted communication) Telegram comes rated up there after Signal.
Unshorten.Link
For all their benefits, URL shortener can be exploited to mask links to sites you would not knowingly click to visit. To avoid falling victim of masked (shortened) malicious links. With the Unshorten.Link extension, the links will be displayed in all the alphanumeric that makes the real URL. The extension will also automatically remove all the known tracking cookies on the URL.
Google Password Checkup
This handy (made by Google) will alert you of any non-Google online accounts that you sign into that have previously been a victim of data breach. It’s funny how Google wants to call out other companies that have been hacked and user’s usernames and passwords made public. Yet even Google itself has fallen victim to this a couple of time in the past. But, any Hu, Google Password Checkup is a must-have if you want to be informed if a site you are signing up for an account has suffered a breach in the past.
Hotspot Shield VPN
These days, what you do, when you do it, how you do it… well, you get the picture. That information is very important to not just creeps and government agencies on the internet. Businesses too are very much interested in them so they can bombard you with targeted ads. If you would like to keep your data safe from exploitation but on a budget. Then Hotspot Shield VPN is a secure Chrome extension that will help you. It is totally free and unlimited, though I really don’t believe there such a thing as a free ride. Think of it as instead of giving your data to every Tom, Dick, and Harry out there, you simply give it to just one party; the Hotspot Shield VPN.
You can also check out a more extensive list of Chrome extensions that serve as VPN at this link.
uBlock Origin
uBlock Origin might be dismissed as just another ad-blocker out there. However, it does not exactly block all ads, just the really annoying ones that keep opening new tabs and windows. Generally, it kills all the nuisance ads, but at the same time, it is light on your RAM and CPU. God knows you don’t need to add more load to the RAM and CPU with all the resource-hogging Chrome as a browser does.
Ghostery
What will you say if I tell you, you often visit the ‘invisible’ web without knowing it? I am not talking about your configuring TOR and VPN and plunging into the deep and dark web. No, I am talking about the invisible trackers, pixels, beacons, and web bugs companies interested in your data like Google, Facebook, and other million marketers have implanted all over the internet.
With Ghostery extension on your Chrome browser, all these invisible web trackers will be revealed to you. Once you are informed, you will be in control of what these companies can harness from you.