Private.sh release extensions for Google Chrome and Firefox

Private.sh has released a Private Search Google Chrome Extension as well as a Private Search Firefox Add-On. The release of these Private.sh browser extensions allows private search engine users a new layer of control over their private internet searches by having the code stored and run locally. 

The Private.sh search experience already offers this feature by default; however, the use of extensions formalizes this code and hands it over to your computer and browser. For those that don’t feel comfortable relying on third party stores, Private.sh also has a solution; advanced users can install signed standalone version of the extensions to avoid dependency on this party stores.

Private.sh was announced in early November 2019 and was started by the privacy enthusiasts that created the award-winning Private Internet Access VPN service, in conjunction with GigaBlast – one of the few websites in the world to have an independent index of the internet available for search. 

Verify the standalone distributions using GnuPG/OpenPGP signatures

Every standalone-release are digitally signed using GnuPG/OpenPGP, allowing users to independently verify the authenticity and integrity of the extension. By verifying that the provided signatures are valid for the corresponding extension you’ve downloaded, you gain strong, cryptographic assurance that the files originated from us and that they have not been altered or tampered with. You can read more about this process and how to validate those signatures by visiting https://private.sh/extension.

Why is the Private Search extension more secure?

Using Private.sh’s extension adds an additional layer of security to your Private Search experience. When visiting our website, the code used to encrypt your search term comes from the website even though it executes client side in your browser through Javascript. When using the Private.sh Google Chrome Extension or Firefox Add-On, all the code not only runs locally on your machine. Once the Private.sh extension code is on your machine, it is all but impossible to tamper with unless an attacker has read/write access to your computer.

Additionally, because all of the assets needed are stored locally on your device in the Private.sh browser extension, your searches will actually load faster. With the Private.sh extension, you’ll be able to have more control of the code. Best of all, you’ll know exactly what version you’re running and that it cannot be tampered with after it is installed. 

While the extensions offer additional privacy and security for Private.sh members, it is worth noting that Private.sh proxies are still utilized as a crucial part of how Private.sh works to cryptographically secures your search. Install the Private.sh extension for your browser of choice to start searching more securely and privately. 

Download the Private Search Firefox Add-On today. Or download the standalone version at https://private.sh/extension yourself and install it via Developer mode.  The Private Search Google Chrome Extension has been submitted to the Chrome Web Store and should be available later this week.