Mozilla Improves Web Browser Security in Firefox 66 Update
Mozilla launched the Firefox 66 replace on March 19, offering customers of the open-source internet browser with new options that improve consumer expertise and enhance safety.
Among Firefox 66’s new options is one which blocks web sites from auto-playing sound, which may be an annoyance. Also, the search function inside the browser has been improved with enhanced functionality to go looking throughout a number of open tabs on a consumer’s system. Additionally, safety will get a lift within the new browser launch with patches for a number of vulnerabilities and an enlargement of the variety of internet content material loading processes.
“We are working to ensure Firefox users continue to experience best-in-class security and performance,” Eric Smyth, product supervisor of efficiency at Firefox, informed eWEEK. “Doubling content processes from 4 to 8 will allow you to open more web pages more securely without significantly changing how much memory Firefox uses.”
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Smyth added that increasing the variety of internet content material loading processes is a part of Mozilla’s ongoing work to create a browser that’s safer and resilient to safety threats. The new launch follows Firefox 65, which was launched on Jan. 29, integrating improved privateness controls into the online browser.
With Firefox 66, Mozilla has additionally improved the way in which it reveals safety warnings within the browser to higher assist customers perceive danger. Among the warnings which have adjustments are SSL/TLS certificates error pages. Rather than merely figuring out to a consumer {that a} given connection will not be safe as a result of an SSL/TLS difficulty, the brand new warnings now state {that a} potential safety danger is current and informs customers of what steps they’ll take.
WebAuthn Support
Firefox 66 contains help for the brand new WebAuthn commonplace based mostly on the FIDO2 protocols, which offer sturdy authentication capabilities with out the necessity for a password. WebAuthn is an evolution of the FIDO Alliance requirements for sturdy authentication which were supported in Firefox for a number of years.
“As of today, Firefox users on the Windows Insider Program’s fast ring can use any authentication mechanism supported by Windows for websites via Firefox,” J.C. Jon, cryptography engineering lead for Firefox at Mozilla, wrote in a weblog put up. “That includes face or fingerprint biometrics, and a wide range of external security keys via the CTAP2 protocol from FIDO2, as well as existing deployed CTAP1 FIDO U2F-style security keys.”
Scroll Anchoring
A typical expertise for a lot of visiting an internet web page is having the content material “jump” forward as gradual loading graphics and different media components push content material. In Firefox 66, Mozilla is integrating an internet property for scroll anchoring that can present for smoother scrolling and stop content material from leaping as new content material is loaded on a given web page.
Scroll anchoring is achieved with using a brand new draft internet specification from the W3C.
“Changes in DOM elements above the visible region of a scrolling box can result in the page moving while the user is in the middle of consuming the content,” the draft scroll anchoring…