Securing Windows 10 And Firefox Enhanced Privacy

Tutorials & Methods
1

Securing Windows 10 and Disabling Telemetry

1. Securing Windows 10 Against Attacks

1.1. Enable Windows Updates
Regular security updates help protect your system from vulnerabilities. To keep your Windows up-to-date:

  • Open Settings from the Start Menu.
  • Go to Update & Security.
  • Click Check for updates and enable automatic updates.

1.2. Use Windows Defender and Firewall
Windows 10 includes built-in antivirus (Windows Defender) and a firewall:

  • Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security.
  • Ensure Windows Defender Antivirus is active under Virus & threat protection.
  • Open Firewall & network protection and check that all network profiles (public, private, domain) are protected.

1.3. Enable User Account Control (UAC)
UAC notifies you when programs try to make changes to your system. This prevents malware from modifying your system unnoticed:

  • Go to Control Panel > User Accounts > Change User Account Control settings.
  • Set the slider to the second-highest level (“Notify me only when apps try to make changes”).

1.4. Use a Secure Admin Account
Avoid using an administrator account for daily activities. Instead, create a standard user account to reduce the attack surface:

  • Go to Settings > Accounts > Family & other users and create a new standard account for daily use.

1.5. Disable Remote Desktop
If you don’t need Remote Desktop, disable it to close off potential attack vectors:

  • Go to Settings > System > Remote Desktop and turn it off.

2. Disabling Windows Telemetry

Windows 10 collects diagnostic and telemetry data by default, but you can limit or disable it:

2.1. Adjust Privacy Settings

  • Go to Settings > Privacy and review each category, especially Diagnostics & feedback.
  • Under Diagnostic data, select Basic to minimize data collection.

2.2. Disable Telemetry via Registry
For advanced users, telemetry can be completely disabled via the Windows Registry:

  • Press Windows + R, type regedit, and navigate to:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DataCollection
  • Create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value named AllowTelemetry and set its value to 0.

2.3. Disable Scheduled Tasks
Windows schedules tasks that regularly send data to Microsoft. You can disable these tasks:

  • Open the Task Scheduler by pressing Windows + R and typing taskschd.msc.
  • Go to Task Scheduler Library > Microsoft > Windows > Customer Experience Improvement Program and disable the tasks.

Securing Firefox and Anonymous Browsing

1. Basic Firefox Security Settings

1.1. Always Use HTTPS
Ensure you always connect to websites over HTTPS for encrypted communication:

  • Go to Settings > Privacy & Security.
  • Under Advanced Security Settings, enable Enable HTTPS-Only Mode.

1.2. Enable Enhanced Tracking Protection
Prevent websites from tracking you:

  • Go to Settings > Privacy & Security and select Strict under Enhanced Tracking Protection to block trackers and cookies.

1.3. Automatically Clear Cookies and Cache
To ensure no browsing data is left on your device:

  • Under Settings > Privacy & Security, check Delete cookies and site data when Firefox is closed.

2. Essential Add-ons for Security and Anonymity

2.1. uBlock Origin
A powerful and lightweight ad blocker:

  • Install uBlock Origin from the Firefox Add-ons store to block ads and harmful scripts.

2.2. HTTPS Everywhere
This add-on ensures you always use the HTTPS version of a website when available.

2.3. NoScript
NoScript blocks all scripts (e.g., JavaScript) by default, letting you selectively allow trusted ones. This protects you from potential script-based attacks.

2.4. Privacy Badger
Developed by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Privacy Badger blocks third-party trackers that try to follow you across the web.

3. Anonymous Browsing with Firefox

3.1. Use the Tor Network
For full anonymity, use the Tor Network. The best way is via the Tor Browser (a Firefox-based browser):

  • Download the Tor Browser and use it for anonymous browsing.

3.2. Use Firefox with a VPN
A VPN hides your IP address and encrypts your internet connection:

  • Sign up for a reputable VPN service (e.g., Mullvad, ProtonVPN) and connect before browsing to mask your IP.

3.3. Enable DNS over HTTPS (DoH)
DoH encrypts your DNS queries so that your ISP cannot track the websites you visit:

  • Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Enable DNS over HTTPS and activate it.

Additional Tips for Privacy

  • Prevent Browser Fingerprinting: Use add-ons like CanvasBlocker to prevent websites from uniquely identifying your browser.
  • Regularly Clear Temporary Data: Ensure you frequently delete your cache, history, and cookies to leave no trace behind.

By following these steps, you can significantly improve the security of your Windows system and Firefox browser, while also browsing the web more anonymously!

Happy learning!

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Thanks nice guide!