How To Disable Flash Java Activex Webrtc
How to Disable WebRTC in Chrome and Other Browsers
Updated on July 13, 2021: From now on, traffic filtering, malware protection, and suspicious DNS activity blocking are available as a part of the separate DNS Firewall app. Enabling a VPN to enjoy completely private and secure web surfing? You definitely go private this way. However, there’s a caveat. If your browser’s WebRTC technology is on, your IP address may be leaking regardless of your VPN. But no worries! Check out our article and learn what it is, how to disable WebRTC in your browser, and make sure you’re completely anonymous online.
What is WebRTC technology
WebRTC vulnerability
How to detect WebRTC leak
How to prevent WebRTC leak
Disable WebRTC leak using KeepSolid VPN Unlimited extension
Turn off WebRTC in your browser
How to disable WebRTC in Chrome
How to disable WebRTC in Opera
How to disable WebRTC in Firefox
How to disable WebRTC in Safari
How to disable WebRTC in Microsoft Edge
Final words on how to stay completely private online
Get guaranteed protection from WebRTC leaks with KeepSolid VPN Unlimited What is WebRTC Technology
WebRTC stands for Web Real-Time Communication. It is an open-source tool that allows direct P2P communication inside a webpage, thus eliminating the need to install additional plugins or programs. As an example, with WebRTC, you can have video conferences on web browsers without any intermediaries.
The audio and video communications conducted with the help of WebRTC are of the highest quality. What’s more, the WebRTC technology for P2P file-sharing and communication uses less bandwidth and has low latency.
WebRTC is quite useful, no doubt, as this technology considerably improves browser-to-browser communication. However, it doesn’t come without drawbacks.
Even if you’re using a VPN, WebRTC can put your online privacy at risk by revealing your real IP address. Many users are not even aware that WebRTC is on, as it’s enabled by default in many browsers, including Chrome, Opera, and Firefox.
This vulnerability poses great threat to VPN users who are concerned about their online privacy and wouldn’t want their real IP address to be exposed in any way.
How to Detect a WebRTC Leak
To check whether your IP address is being leaked via WebRTC, connect to a VPN server and run WebRTC leak test. As stated in Your IP addresses – WebRTC detection section of the website, if you’re connected to a VPN, and still can see your ISP’s IP, then your system is leaking WebRTC requests.
Conversely, if you can only see the IP address of the chosen VPN server your web surfing is private and secured
How to Prevent WebRTC Leak
There are several ways to avoid your IP address being leaked via WebRTC. The simplest one is to use a reliable VPN that blocks WebRTC leaks, like KeepSolid VPN Unlimited. The VPN service by KeepSolid securely encrypts internet traffic and protects your real IP address and all sensitive data.
The KeepSolid VPN Unlimited extension provides an easy way to disable WebRTC protocol in your browser, letting you enjoy the highest anonymity and privacy possible.
Disable WebRTC Leak Using KeepSolid VPN Unlimited Extension
The built-in feature that blocks WebRTC leaks in the KeepSolid VPN Unlimited extension is quite easy to use. Follow these simple steps:
Open the VPN add-on by KeepSolid and log in.
Navigate to the menu by clicking the icon at the top left corner.
Enable the WebRTC Leak Prevent feature in case it was turned off.
Turn off WebRTC in Your Browser
Another way to avoid WebRTC leaks is to disable WebRTC requests in your browser. This process is a bit more complicated, and the instructions will vary depending on your browser.
Unfortunately, Google Chrome doesn’t have any built-in settings to let its users disable WebRTC leaks. Therefore, you’ll need to install a special extension from Chrome Store for this, like WebRTC Leak Prevent, WebRTC Control, or Easy WebRTC Block.
The process is similar to adding any other extension to your Google Chrome browser:
Open the Chrome Web Store and search for the required extension: WebRTC Leak Prevent, WebRTC Control, or Easy WebRTC Block.
Click Add to Chrome and confirm installation by pressing Add extension.
Activate the extension and it’ll disable WebRTC in your Chrome browser.
Get started with the VPN Unlimited extension and improve your online privacy with no hassle! How to disable WebRTC in Opera
Similar to Chrome, Opera browser requires a special add-on for disabling WebRTC:
Open Opera Add-ons page and search for either of these extensions: WebRTC Leak Prevent, WebRTC Control, or Easy WebRTC Block.
Click on the necessary add-on and press Add to Opera.
Activate the add-on to disable WebRTC in your Opera browser.
If you’re a Firefox user, no need to install a third-party extension. Disable WebRTC directly in your browser’s settings:
In the address bar or your Mozilla Firefox browser, type about:config and press Enter.
Click I accept the risk! on the warning screen that shows up.
Type erconnection. enabled in the search bar beneath the address bar.
Double-click the search result to change the Value column to false.
Click the Safari menu and navigate to Preferences in the drop-down menu.
Proceed to the Advanced tab and check the box that reads Show Develop menu in menu bar.
Find the Develop tab in the menu bar and navigate to the WebRTC option in the drop-down menu. In case Enable Legacy WebRTC API is checked, click it to disable it.
Microsoft Edge does not allow to disable WebRTC completely. However, its settings let you stop it from revealing your local IP address. Here are steps to follow:
Type about:flags in the address bar and press Enter.
Check the box in front of Hide my local IP over WebRTC connections.
Restart your browser for the changes to take effect.
Final Words on How to Stay Completely Private Online
Despite the benefits the WebRTC technology brings to the table, it is recommended to disable this functionality in your browser so as not put your online privacy at risk. Follow the simple instructions above to disable WebRTC in your browser, connect to KeepSolid VPN Unlimited servers, and surf the web privately and securely with us! Ready to give VPN Unlimited a try? Our reliable VPN client is at your disposal to provide you with complete data security and online freedom.
How to disable WebRTC on Mobile and Desktop
WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication) is an open-source tool that allows real-time, peer-to-peer connections to be created by websites you visit. WebRTC allows for direct delivery of high definition video and audio between two devices, which would otherwise be impossible without the installation of third-party plugins. Web applications such as Google Hangouts, Facebook Messenger and Discord are all able to work straight from your browser thanks to WebRTC. 1. Why disable WebRTC? While WebRTC is necessary to allow many web apps to work, it can also leave your privacy vulnerable. Many VPN users who wish to protect themselves from targeted advertising, totalitarian governments, or any other snooping, are having their security put at risk through IP address creates a direct connection between your computer and the device you wish to connect to, going around the protection of your VPN. When you use Google Hangouts, for example, a direct connection between your device and the devices of the people you’re in a call with is formed, allowing direct exchange of video and audio data. This direct connection exposes your IP address to the WebRTC application programming interface (API), where it can be found and recorded by the app you are using. 1 How to check if WebRTC is leaking your IP addressUnless you disable WebRTC from your browser or use a VPN with a built-in WebRTC leak blocker, your IP address is vulnerable. You can easily check if your IP address is being leaked with tools like HMA! ’s WebRTC leak checker. 2. Disabling WebRTC2. 1 How to disable WebRTC in Google ChromeThe goods news is that WebRTC can be disabled in Chrome; the bad news is that they’ve hidden the option to do it in the application programming interface (API). Unless you feel like spending a few hours programming, you will need a third-party tool to access the setting for you. Luckily, there are many extensions that do exactly this in the Chrome store. WebRTC Control is a Chrome extension which allows you to turn WebRTC on and off, letting you choose when you want to use the peer-to-peer functionality and when you want to prevent IP leaks. As with all extensions, it has a high chance of breaking when the browser gets an update, so it’s a good idea to check it’s still working when a new version of Chrome is rolled out for your PC. WebRTC Leak Prevent doesn’t disable WebRTC, but rather changes its privacy settings. This essentially stops it from handing out your IP address left and right – but doesn’t prevent leaks entirely. It’s a compromise between protecting your IP and keeping WebRTC functionality, but is definitely not the most secure option. 2 How to disable WebRTC in Google Chrome on AndroidUnlike on the desktop version, Chrome on Android has an option to disable WebRTC right on the flags in chromeflags/#disable-webrtc into the address bar. A setting to disable WebRTC will show up. Click ‘Enable’ on this the browser from your applications screen or by rebooting your phone for the setting to take effect. 3 How to disable WebRTC in Mozilla Firefox Firefox has a built-in setting which allows you to turn off WebRTC without using any third-party the address bar, type about:config and press Enter. A warning screen appears to let you know you’re about to edit important settings. Click ‘I accept the risk! ’In the search box at the top of the page, type in erconnection. enabled and press on the erconnection. enabled setting, and the ‘Value’ column will change to ‘False’ to let you know that peer-to-peer connections including WebRTC are now disabled. 4 How to disable WebRTC in Microsoft EdgeTurning WebRTC off in Microsoft Edge is not currently possible, though there is an option to stop your local IP address from being revealed. This is not all that useful however, as WebRTC will still reveal your public IP address, which is the more important one as it can be used to identify the address bar, type about:flags and press ‘WebRTC’ tick the checkbox titled ‘Hide my local IP address over WebRTC connections. ’Restart your browser. 5 How to disable WebRTC in Safari (on macOS)There is currently no way to permanently turn off WebRTC in Safari, but what you can do is disable it for a single session. Just remember that it will be back on when you restart your ‘Safari’ on the menu bar, next to the Apple ‘Preferences. ’Go to the ‘Advanced’ tab in the settings window that opens the bottom, tick the checkbox titled ‘Show Develop menu in menu bar. ’On the menu bar at the top of your screen, click the ‘Develop’ option which will now be ‘Experimental Features’ -> ‘Remove Legacy WebRTC API. ’ WebRTC will now be disabled on your browser – for the current session. 6 How to disable WebRTC in Safari (on iOS)Apple, for a reason yet to be explained, removed the option to disable WebRTC on the iPhone browser in the iOS 12 you happen to have an older iPhone or otherwise haven’t updated to iOS 12 yet, you can disable WebRTC in a similar way to the desktop version. On iOS 11 and earlier iOS versions:Open the Settings and tap ‘Advanced. ’Tap ‘Experimental Features. ’Tap the switch next to ‘Remove Legacy WebRTC API. ’The switch will turn green to let you know that WebRTC has been disabled for the current session. 3. Keeping your browsing secure in the futureSince many browsers unfortunately lack the option to disable WebRTC, the best way to stop your IP address from being leaked is to use one of the VPN services that includes leak protection. The added bonus of using a VPN with this feature is that not only will your IP be protected, but you’ll also be able to safely use all of WebRTC’s functionality.
Configuring Mozilla Firefox for increased privacy – Proxy …
Table of contents:
Privacy Settings
Caching and Bookmarks
Active content, Plugins and Extensions
Mozilla Firefox is a very modular browser it support active content like Java
and Javascript, ActiveX, 3rd party extensions and plugins. This gives a
lot of flexibility, but at the same time increases risks of losing your
privacy. Here we’ll cover configuration options which help to reduce
this and Javascript
WebRTC
ActiveX and plug-ins
Phishing checkers
3rd party extensions
Google toolbar
Firefox extensions
Conclusions and suggestions
Java and Javascript
Java and Javascript are languages fairly often used in the web
environment. The trouble with them is that they can easily be used to
obtain your personal or private data
and send it back to the website.
Usually you can disable Java, for the most of the time, since
there aren’t a lot of sites that
require it. Javascript is more problematic since a lot of sites use it
for navigation and other things.
Obiously the safest way would be to disable both, but
that will cause problems with browsing. So one of the reasonable
options is to leave Javascript enabled and use NoScript
extension for Firefox (available at the Mozilla plugin’s site).
Web Real-Time Communication (WebRTC) API can be used by malicious websites to make your browser leak the local IP addresses. To fix this:
type about:config in the address bar
when list opens search for erconnection. enabled
set value to false
ActiveX plugins (for an example adobe flash player, windows media video (wmv) player
and others) are actually full fledged programs, they can potentially do
anything they want with your computer. There are even reports of some
Firefox extensions being used as a deployment for a trojan programs.
The safest way would be to disable all of them completely. Sadly, yet
again, this might not be an option.
So the reasonable solution is to only allow the plugins you trust and
really need.
As a personal opinion I suggest to disable flash plugins, they
might be pretty, but the problem is there were multiple exploits found
in the flash player. Which would mean that in case your system is
unpatched, or there is an unknown vulnerability a simple flash banner
could potentially compromise your whole system.
Phishing checkers etc.
While the idea that browser checks site against online blacklists in-general
is good and welcome addition. The problem is that to do so
browser needs to submit the page address you are viewing to the checker’s site (hopefully nothing else).
Which is counterproductive if you want extra privacy. So it’s a risk vs
risk, it’s up to you to choose which you want – disable suspected attack site
and suspected forgery site checks or not. 3rd party extensions
1. Google toolbar
Lets take a look at probably the most popular toolbar. While
the Google toolbar itself is fairly harmless, the problem with it is
that it submits the site addresses you visit to the Google. They are supposedly
using them to find new pages to index. But objectively that is a pretty
large security problem. So it’s better to disable it if you have it
installed.
2. Firefox extensions
While Firefox has a marvelous extensions out there you have keep
in mind additional risks associated
with their usage. Main privacy problems with addons are:
Might be storing your browsing history.
In severe cases might be leaking it to some 3rd party.
Installations might be purposely infected by viruses
or trojan
programs – consider using only signed extensions.
Particular addons are sending information to
3rd party sites.
Some examples – if you use popular AdBlock Plus program and manually add
some extra blocks then their addresses will be stored inside browser
and might be an unpleasant surprise later.
It is possible to reconfigure Firefox
in a such way it leaves fairly minimal browsing traces on the user’s
system. The problem with it is that a browser configured in a such way
is not very user friendly. Only solution to this in, my opinion, is to
use two browsers – one configured in a secure manner, other one
unsecure. So then by default you use the secure one, while switching to
unsecure one for sites that refuse to work otherwise.
<< Back to Caching and Bookmarks
