On May 4, the Indian software-as-a-service company Zoho launched its web browser Ulaa. It claims to be a privacy-first browser and comes with ad blockers and end-to-end encryption to provide users with a safe browsing experience. Ulaa has been built by modifying parts of the open-source browser project Chromium engine (a set of open-source code used by search engines like Microsoft Edge, Chrome, and Brave), but unlike Chromium, it does not share browsing data with Google. Ulaa is available for download on Windows, MacOS, Android (beta version) and iOS devices. Why it matters: At present, according to Statista, the internet browser market is squarely dominated by Google Chrome, and this makes it very difficult for new players to make their mark. But Chrome’s domination doesn’t mean that it is the safest browser to use. The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has previously found bugs in the browser that could disclose sensitive information to attackers. Similar concerns have also emerged with Safari (according to Times Now) and Firefox as well. With over 12.67 lakh cyber attacks reported in India in 2022, Ulaa could end up addressing growing cybersecurity concerns, provided that it lives up to its claims. Ulaa’s key features: Removal of all third-party tracking such as web bugs and scripts. Auto updates and release of security patches within 24 hours. Uses DuckDuckGo as its default search engine. Five different modes— Each of the modes works in isolation and their data is kept compartmentalized: Personal mode (saves browsing history, search records,…
