Mozilla has launched Firefox 149, which includes enhanced privacy protection via an integrated VPN tool that provides up to 50GB of monthly data.
This feature employs a secure proxy server to direct only the browser’s traffic, in contrast to the commercial Mozilla VPN that secures traffic across the entire system.
“Whether you are accessing public Wi-Fi while on the go, looking for sensitive health information, or making personal purchases, this feature offers an easy method to ensure your protection,” states Mozilla.
After signing in and activating the feature, you can conceal your location and IP address by routing your connection through a secure proxy while using Firefox.
Users with a Mozilla account will receive 50 GB of traffic each month. In-browser notifications will inform them when they near the limit.
You can enable the VPN feature using a toggle switch located in the top right corner of the browser interface. Additionally, there is an option to activate the VPN solely on specific websites, up to five, to conserve traffic.
Certain websites and essential services are excluded from VPN routing to prevent account sign-in issues and ensure proper VPN reconnection.
Mozilla states that it will only gather technical data necessary for maintaining the performance and stability of the new service, along with interaction data to analyze usage.
“For instance, we may log whether a connection was successful or unsuccessful, or note that 2 GB of data was consumed on a particular day,” the company clarifies.
The routing server is located in the U.S., chosen based on location and performance to provide the best user experience.
Beginning today, the integrated VPN feature will be gradually rolled out to users in the U.S., UK, Germany, and France. At this time, there is no schedule for extending the service to additional regions.
Firefox 149 also introduces Split View, a feature that has been available in Google Chrome for some time, allowing users to place tabs side by side within the same browser window. Mozilla emphasizes use cases such as planning, comparison, note-taking, and minor administrative tasks like tax filing.
Furthermore, Firefox now automatically blocks notifications and revokes permissions from websites flagged as malicious by the ‘SafeBrowsing’ security system.
Firefox 149 also addresses multiple security vulnerabilities. The list includes 46 issues, with more than half rated as high severity. Several of these involve user-after-free flaws, out-of-bounds errors, JIT engine flaws, and sandbox escape vulnerabilities.
