1. Web Browser Extensions: How risky are extensions & how can you choose safe ones?

	Extentions are nothing but a piece of software, that used to increase the functionality to the browsers and user experince. Extentions for chrome, firefox, edge, opera, all other web browsers has official stores or repositories where we can download and install them with a few clicks. Google chrome browser have chrome web store, the Mozilla Firefox have Firefox Add-ons website, Microsoft Edge have Microsoft Edge Add-ons to downoad the extentions which are safe way to chose Extentions from.
	
	 For example we have a social media application extention in google chrome which is owned by third party. Now we install the extention and want to see whats happening in your profile or your page like likes, comments, new frinds or new folowers of your page and you can post images too. But extentions requests permissions while installing to collect the information, like your browsing history, cookies to imporve the performance, or personal information. The risk with the extentions possess as it is continously collecting the browsing history, including the websites we visit, the content we interact with, and even our login credentials for social media platforms. 
	If one day the extension's developer servers got breached, exposing the sensitive information collected from us to hackers. Now our personal information, browsing history, and social media activity are compromised. Then with it potentially leading to identity theft, targeted advertising, or other privacy violations.

 	So we have to chose a safe extention to perform browsing in internet, users should exercise caution when installing them. First thing to remember is to download these extentions from official Chrome Web Store for Google Chrome extensions or the Firefox Add-ons website for Firefox extensions. Avoid downloading extensions from third-party websites, Some extensions may pose security risks, such as data privacy concerns or malware distribution. so it's essential to research and reviews, ratings of the extension before downloading it and user base of the extention carefully before installation.
	Additionally, keeping extensions updated and regularly reviewing permissions for fixing security vulnerabilities. Check the update frequency of the extension and choose ones that are actively maintained by the developer. If an extension asks for unnecessary permissions that seem unrelated to its functionality then denie those requests, Only grant permissions that are essential for the extension to perform its intended tasks.


2. Securing Your Browser: Best methods & their trade-offs for a safer browsing experience.

	Securing browser is crucial for any individual to enhance browsng experinece, protecting personal informatioin and various online threats, preventing malware infections, malecious attacks.

Updating Browser:
	Every browser should be updated with the latest version provided by the broser vendor, these updates include the security patches that fix vulnerabilities and protect against newly discoverd threats.
	
	While updating the browser it can occassionally introdcue the compatability issues with certain websites or extentions.

Installing security softwares/extentions:
	Use top rated antivirus and anti-malware software to protect against various online threats such as malicious websites, malware, phishing. Some extentions may block the unwanted ads and pop-ups which help in reducing risk of encountering malicious content. Some may help in switching websites from insecure HTTP to secure HTTPS for encrypted communication.
	
	Sometimes these softwares/extentions ocassionally block the  authorised websites, so in this case manually adjust the settings in the extentions/softwares.

Strong Password:
	create strong, unique passwords for your online accounts and use a password manager to store and manage your credentials. Password managers can generate passwords, store them so that it can be syncronised for different divices and auto fill login forms.
	
	Password managers posses a huge risk if the extention security breaches, as it stores the valuable data like password and username of the various websites list. So user must ensure the security of the master password and monitor regularly to protect from such kind of risks.

Enable two factor authentication:
	Enabling two-factor authentication/MFA for your online account, Which provide an extra layer of security  to your account. Two factor aIt reqests users to provide a second form of verification, such as a temporary code sent to their mobile device, email, in addition to their password. 
 
	While 2FA significantly enhances account security, it can be inconvenient for users who have to authenticate themselves multiple times, especially when using public or shared devices. Additionally, some 2FA methods, such as SMS-based authentication, may be susceptible to SIM swapping or interception attacks.

Caution when clicking links and downloading files:
	 Be cautious when clicking on links in emails, social media posts, or unfamiliar websites, especially if they appear suspicious or if not asked. Avoid downloading files or opening attachments from unknown sources, as they may contain malware or phishing attempts.
	
	While exercising caution can reduce the risk of falling victim to phishing scams or malware infections, it may also lead to missed opportunities or delays in accessing legitimate content. Users must strike a balance between security and convenience when evaluating the trustworthiness of links and downloads.

Limit the usage of browser extentions:
	 Limiting the number of extentions and review the permissions granted to each extention. Installing extentions from tursted sources is best practice.

	 As the browser extentions can enhance productivity and add useful features, they possess security vulnerabilities and privacy risks if not carefully examined. Users must weigh the benefits of extensions against the potential security implications and exercise caution when granting permissions.

Configure brower settings for enhanced security:
	 Review and adjust your browser's security and privacy settings to maximize protection against various threats. This may include enabling features such as Pop-up blockers,Tracking protection, Safe browsing 
	Increasing browser security settings may sometimes result in reduced functionality or compatibility with certain websites or web applications. Users may need to adjust settings on a case-by-case basis to ensure a balance between security and usability.

3. Two-Step Authentication: Compare methods, strengths, weaknesses & choose the right one.
	Two factor authenticaiton/Multifactor authentication(MFA) is an extra layer of security to an online account. Where a user has to provide two different identification before granting access to an account one in the form of username and password, and anotherin the form of code sent through sms or mail, by an google authenticator, Hardware tokens, Biometric authentication. 
	Some of the methods to authenticate like One time passwords or codes send through sms/mail/voicecall, authenticator apps like googleauthenticator/microsoft authenticator, hardware tokens, biometric authentication of fingerprint of face.
	
One time passwords:
	one of the most common 2fa 
	
 

4. Strong Passwords: What makes them weak, how attackers exploit them & how to create secure, memorable ones.

5. POS Security Threats: Identify vulnerabilities & suggest solutions for malware, breaches & theft.