Mozilla to Beef Up Firefox Security by Adding ‘Have I Been Pwned’ Feature

Hacking is a major source of anxiety among modern internet users. To help alleviate this concern, Mozilla is planning on adding a new security feature to its Firefox web browser. It will basically tell users if they have become or if they were ever victims of hacking. By integrating the feature into the browser itself, users of Firefox will have a much easier time being informed.

This arrangement is made possible through the cooperation between Mozilla and the creator of the feature called “Have I Been Pwned,” Troy Hunt. Hunt revealed this development in a recent blog post, providing more details on what the partnership would entail.

"This is major because Firefox has an install base of hundreds of millions of people," the blog post reads, "which significantly expands the audience that can be reached once this feature rolls out to the mainstream."

The whole thing basically involves one giant database, where users can input their details to see if their accounts were ever compromised by hackers. This responsibility is supposed to be in the hands of tech companies operating platforms that require such login details. However, numerous reports of firms failing to notify users of breaches have proven that this responsibility is not always taken seriously.

In the event that the user’s account has been compromised, the feature will also reveal to what extent they have been made vulnerable, The Next Web reports. Among the worst case scenarios are breaches that result in social security numbers and financial details getting stolen. If a user has become the victim of such developments, being informed about them can allow them to take corrective measures.

For now, the feature is still being tested. Once it’s up and running, millions of Firefox users will either be reassured of their security or they will find out just how compromised they have become.