Mozilla Introduces Tool That Scrubs Leaked Data From the Web

Penka Hristovska
Penka Hristovska Senior Editor
Updated on: October 14, 2024
Penka Hristovska Penka Hristovska
Updated on: October 14, 2024 Senior Editor

Mozilla has introduced a new feature, Mozilla Monitor Plus, that automatically searches data brokers for your personal information and removes any leaked data.

Mozilla Monitor Plus, the enhanced paid version of the Mozilla Monitor service (formerly Firefox Monitor), actively tracks your personal information across over 190 data broker sites that sell data from social media, apps, and browser trackers. When it detects your information on these sites, Mozilla will automatically attempt to have it removed.

Mozilla partnered with Onerep to conduct scans and manage takedown requests, according to Tony Amaral-Cinotto, Mozilla Monitor’s product manager. The service also includes alerts for data breaches for subscribers.

“When we launched Monitor, our goal was to help people discover where their personal info may have been exposed. Now, with Monitor Plus, we’ll help people take back their exposed data from data broker sites that are trying to sell it,” Amaral-Cinotto said.

“Our long-standing commitment to put people’s needs first and our easy step-by-step process makes Monitor Plus unique. Additionally, we combine breach alerts and data broker removal to offer an all-in-one protection tool and make it easier for people to feel and be safe online,” he added.

Mozilla also offers a free, one-time scan for users who want to find out if and where their data might be compromised. To access this scan, you’ll need to create a Mozilla account and provide your first and last name, your date of birth, the current city and state that you live in, and your email address.

Mozilla says this is the bare minimum it needs to deliver precise scan results and it’ll encrypt all of the data you provide for the scan. The tool will also identify any involvement in “high-risk data breaches” which include sensitive information like social security numbers, credit card details, and banking info—and provide guidance on how to remove this data.

For now, Mozilla Monitor and Monitor Plus are only available to people in the US.

About the Author
Penka Hristovska
Penka Hristovska
Senior Editor
Updated on: October 14, 2024

About the Author

Penka Hristovska is an editor at SafetyDetectives. She was an editor at several review sites that covered all things technology — including VPNs and password managers — and had previously written on various topics, from online security and gaming to computer hardware. She’s highly interested in the latest developments in the cybersecurity space and enjoys learning about new trends in the tech sector. When she’s not in “research mode,” she’s probably re-watching Lord of The Rings or playing DOTA 2 with her friends.

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