Security company Avast has launched a secure web browser for Android with “total encryption” inspired by blockchain technology. Among the features are multiple types of 256-bit encryption, decentralized DNS support, and un-stored PIN codes. The release comes on the back of Avast’s 2019 acquisition of Tenta, a private browser backed by Blockchain pioneers ConsenSys, and represents a new dimension in user privacy.
Multiple Encryption Levels and Protocols
The Avast Secure Browser is the latest offering from the reputable security company and features AES-256 and ChaCha 256-bit encryption, as well as the latest TLS/SSL cryptographic protocols for the data transport layer.
The browser also supports multiple DNS options for added security, such as DNS over TLS, DNSSEC and decentralized DNS – with the latter of course being of interest to blockchain enthusiasts. Decentralized DNS addresses, or internet over blockchain, addresses the issues with the current DNS system, which has been around since the 1980s.
Decentralized DNS – the Way Forward
The DNS system is governed and controlled by organizations using centralized databases, which hackers (and authorities) can raid for their own purposes. Blockchain-based DNS does not have any central record to write to, with the registrations being split over a number of nodes, thus making it difficult for peeping Toms to identify a specific user from these fragments.
This doesn’t make a user impervious to unwanted access, but it makes identifying them much harder, something that privacy advocates will like. Indeed, privacy was at the forefront of the browser’s planning, according to Scott Curtiss, Vice President and General Manager of Avast Secure Browser:
Our commitment to being a privacy-by-design technology provider was behind our acquisition of leading private mobile browser Tenta, whose technology has contributed to the development of our new Avast Secure Browser for Android. We know that our customers care deeply about security and privacy and want to be in control of their own personal data without compromising the quality of their online interactions.
Avast isn’t the first company to combine blockchain with web browsing – IBM dipped their toes into similar waters last year, although there were immediate security concerns over their methodology.
Avast seems to have a better grip on what matters however, and with technology such as decentralized blockchain DNS offering such great protection for users we can expect to see many more developments in the future.
