Mozilla adds Anti-Tracking Feature that blocks Fingerprinting and Cryptomining

Given the increase in harmful practices such as the mining of cryptocurrency and fingerprinting, Mozilla has introduced a new anti-tracking function for its Firefox browser. The Internet browser firm has added a feature that will allow users to block fingerprinting and cryptomining sites. Mozilla has partnered with Disconnect to block the fingerprinting and cryptomining scripts, based on a compiled list of domains that have been collected over time. These new protections are available in Firefox Nightly Beta 68 and Beta 67, but they are disabled by default.

When you are on the latest version of Firefox, Nightly Beta 68 or Beta 67, the anti-tracking feature needs to be enabled manually. Go to Main Menu > Preferences > Privacy and Security > Under 'Content Blocking', click on Custom > Check Cryptominers and Fingerprinters so that they both are blocked. After you enable it, Firefox will block any scripts that have been identified by Disconnect to participate in the process of fingerprinting or cryptomining.

Firefox claims that in Nightly these protections will get turned on by default in the coming few weeks, and in a future release, these protections will be enabled by default for all Firefox users.

For those who don't know, fingerprinting scripts is an unethical practice carried out by few websites, and they gather a snapshot of your computer's configuration to build a digital fingerprint that can be used to keep a track of you across the web, even after you clear your cookies.

On the other hand, Cryptocurrency mining scripts, run costly operations on your web browser without your consent and knowledge. It uses the computer's CPU to mine cryptocurrency, slowing down the PC, draining the battery and racking up the electric bill.

The Firefox Nightly Beta 68 and Beta 67 releases can e downloaded from the Mozilla website.