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<hr/><p><a href="../">sf.me</a> > <a style="color:#bd93f9" href="../blog/">Blog</a> > <a style="color:#bd93f9" href=".">Switching to Mullvad Browser</a></p>
<h1>Switching to Mullvad Browser</h1>
<p style="font-size:110%">Posted on: <strong>26 October 2024</strong></p>
<p style="font-size:110%">Reading time: <strong><strong>2 min</strong>
<p style="font-size:110%"></strong>Category: <a style="color:#ff79c6" href="../blog/software/"><strong>Software</strong></a> && <a style="color:#ff79c6" href="../blog/updates/"><strong>Updates</strong></a>
<p>I have recently switched my browser setup. I now use <em><a href="https://mullvad.net/en/browser">Mullvad browser</a></em> for browsing and <em><a href="https://librewolf.net/">Librewolf</a></em> for accounts. Mullvad has been serving me well so far, and I would like to use this post to raise awareness to it. First, I would like to start by explaining what it is.</p>
<p>The Mullvad browser is a web browser <a href="https://mullvad.net/en/browser">developed in collaboration between the Tor Project and Mullvad VPN.</a> It is essentially <a href="https://support.torproject.org/mullvad-browser/what-is-mullvad-browser/">based on the Tor browser, having all of the privacy features that it has, apart from connecting to the Tor (Onion) network.</a> It comes with an extension of Mullvad&#39;s own VPN, which is paid, but not required to use the browser. It is available for <a href="https://mullvad.net/en/download/browser/">Linux, Windows, and MacOS.</a></p>
<p>The main goal of Mullvad browser is to make it difficult for advertisers and third-parties to track you across the internet. It works on reducing your browser&#39;s <em>fingerprint</em>, which is how unique you are based on <a href="https://coveryourtracks.eff.org/static/browser-uniqueness.pdf">various pieces of metadata like your screen resolution, fonts, user agent and more.</a> These factors alone don&#39;t play a major role in identifying you across the web, but the intersection of fractional pieces of metadata can narrow a user down to a small group of probable users.</p>
<p>For instance, there are millions of people separately whose screen resolution is 1280x720, operating system is Windows 10, browser is Firefox-based, originating from the United States, use different browser extensions, have 8GB RAM and have last year&#39;s version of JavaScript. These data points alone play no significant role. However, if you narrow the group of people down to people who match <strong>all</strong> of these factors, then it becomes trivial to find who is who. This is done by <a href="https://www.splunk.com/en_us/blog/learn/digital-fingerprints.html">associating all the known data with a unique fingerprint designed to imitate you, which can then be used to track you.</a></p>
<p>Mullvad has uBlock Origin built-in, which is perhaps the only extension most people need. In my experience, the browser works surprisingly well! I expected it to be rigorous, but as long as you are on the <em>Standard</em> or <em>Safer</em> options, it is usable for daily activities. It is basically <a href="https://sufyaan.me/browser">my previous setup with a LibreWolf browsing profile out of the box.</a>.</p>
<p>All in all, I <strong>love</strong> the Mullvad browser. It simplified my setup, which will simplify the process of migrating to new computers, as I have one less thing to worry about.</p>
<p><a href="mailto:sf@sufyaan.me?subject=Switching%20to%20Mullvad%20Browser">>>> Reply To Me</a></p>
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