| openSUSE-Dokumentation Chapter 20. Browsing with Firefox / 20.5. Security | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 20.4. Using the Download Manager | 20.6. Customizing Firefox |  | |
| openSUSE-Dokumentation Chapter 20. Browsing with Firefox / 20.5. Security | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20.4. Using the Download Manager | 20.6. Customizing Firefox | | |
Since browsing the Internet has become more risky, Firefox offers various measures to make browsing safer. It automatically checks whether you are trying to access a site known to contain harmful software (malware) or a site known to steal sensitive data (phishing) and stops you from entering these sites. The Instant Web Site ID lets you easily check a site's legitimacy and a password manager as well as the pop-up blocker offer additional security.
Firefox allows you to check the identity of a Web page with a single glance. The color of the Web site's icon (also called favicon) in the location bar to the left of the address indicates which identity information is available and whether communication is encrypted or not:
The site does not provide any identity information and communication between Web server and browser is not encrypted. This is fine as long as you do not exchange sensitive information with this site. Most web sites will be “gray”.
A blue icon indicates that the domain has been verified by a certificate, so you can be sure that you are really connected to the very site it claims to be. Communication with a “blue” server is always encrypted.
Any site with a green icon completely identifies itself by a certificate that ensures a site is owned by the person or organization it claims to be. This is especially important when exchanging very sensitive data, for example when doing money transactions over the Internet. In this case you can be only sure to be on your bank's Web site when it sends complete identity information. Communication with a “green” server is always encrypted.
To view detailed identity information, click the Web site's icon in the location bar. In the opening pop-up click on to open the Page Info Window. Here, you can view the site's certificate and the encryption level as well as information about stored passwords and cookies.
With the view you can set per-site permissions for image loading, pop-ups, cookies and installation permissions. The view lists all images, background graphics and embedded objects from a site and displays further information on each item together with a preview. It also lets you save each individual item.
Every time you enter a username and a password on a Web site, Firefox offers to store this data. A new toolbar on top of the page opens asking you whether you want Firefox to remember the password. If you accept by clicking , the password will be stored on your hard disk in an encrypted format. Next time you access this site, Firefox will automatically fill in the login data.
To review or manage your passwords, open the password manager by clicking +++. The password manager opens with a list of sites and their corresponding usernames. By default, the passwords are not displayed—click on to display them. Delete single or all entries from the list using or , respectively.
To protect your passwords from unauthorized access, you can set a master password that is required when managing or adding passwords. Open the tab on the dialog and check .
