They’re not just watching your clicks. They’re reverse-engineering your soul.
The Mind-Map Machine
Chromium-based browsers (Chrome, Edge, Brave*) are more than rendering engines. They’re surveillance platforms cloaked in UX.
They track:
- Fonts, screen size, GPU, time zone, language
- Installed extensions
- Audio stack, canvas fingerprinting
- Mouse movements, typing rhythms
Each detail feeds a browser fingerprint, unique enough to identify you across sessions, tabs, even VPNs.
Telemetry is default. Silence is off.
What’s Leaking From You Right Now?
Your browser may leak:
- IP address (even behind VPNs via WebRTC)
- Canvas and WebGL fingerprints
- Battery level, Bluetooth stack info
- Hardware identifiers
- Installed apps and protocol handlers
Plugins can become spyholes.
Passwords saved in browsers? Sitting ducks. Easy prey for malware or rogue extensions.
How To Defend: Digital Ghost Protocol
DeadSwitch’s minimal browser hardening blueprint:
Browser Selection
- Firefox ESR or LibreWolf
- Harden using arkenfox’s user.js
- Disable WebRTC, Telemetry, Pocket
- Enable First Party Isolation and Container Tabs
- Never save passwords in browser
- Use KeePassXC (with browser integration only if absolutely needed)
Safe Extensions (only install what you can audit)
- uBlock Origin (strict mode)
- Decentraleyes
- Cookie AutoDelete
- HTTPS Everywhere (optional)
Avoid themes and clipboard managers.
Every extension is a potential informant.
Why This Matters
Every click. Every typo. Every autofilled form.
It builds a behavioral shadow of you-not just who you are, but what you’ll do next.
You’re being modeled, predicted, manipulated.
Browser security isn’t about hiding your history.
It’s about breaking the mirror before the machine predicts your reflection.
Brave vs LibreWolf vs Hardened Firefox
| Feature | Brave | LibreWolf | Hardened Firefox |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chromium-based | Yes | No | No |
| Telemetry off | No (some remains) | Yes | Yes |
| Extension control | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| WebRTC off | No (on by default) | Yes | Yes (if configured) |
| Fingerprint defense | Basic | Strong | Customizable |
Verdict: LibreWolf wins.
If you must use Firefox, harden it or die mirrored.
Final Cipher
“They called it a browser. We called it a scanner.
One scans the net. The other scans you.”
– DeadSwitch
Tom's IT Cafe 