View source for IronVest

{{update|date=January 2017}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2023}}
{{Mdy|date=June 2023}}
'''IronVest''' (formerly '''Abine Blur''' and '''DoNotTrackMe'''),<ref name="faq">{{Cite web|title=Abine FAQs|url=https://abine.com/support.html}} [https://dnt.abine.com/#help Blur], [https://joindeleteme.com/help/ DeleteMe] {{Deadlink|date=June 2023|fix-attempted=yes}}<!--Pages are on Wayback Machine, but FAQs are empty--></ref> is a [[browser extension]] biometric [[fraud]] prevention company that develops and markets fraud prevention products for consumers and businesses, founded in 2022.<ref name=about>{{cite web | title=About Us| publisher=IronVest| url=https://ironvest.com/about-us/ | access-date=15 September 2024}}</ref> The IronVest consumer security and privacy app and browser extension evolved from Blur, a privacy product designed to block trackers and provide masking tools, developed by Abine, a privacy company headquartered in [[Boston, Massachusetts]], and first released for [[Firefox]] in March 2011.<ref>{{cite web|last=Kirk|first=Jeremy|title=Abine Releases Do-not-track Browser Add-on|url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/222182/article.html|publisher=IDG Consumer & SMB|date=15 March 2011}}</ref> There is a free version, and a paid one with more features.
DoNotTrackMe (DNTMe) blocked Internet tracking activity, which Abine defined as "a request that a webpage tries to make your browser perform that will share information intended to record, profile, or share your online activity".<ref>{{cite web |last=Felix |first=Samantha |title=This Is How Facebook Is Tracking Your Internet Activity |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/this-is-how-facebook-is-tracking-your-internet-activity-2012-9 |date=9 September 2012|publisher=Business Insider}}</ref> DNTMe was available for Mozilla Firefox, [[Google Chrome]], [[Safari (web browser)|Safari]], and [[Internet Explorer]] browsers.<ref name=faq/> In July 2012, the company claimed 1,500,000 downloads.<ref>{{cite web |last=Bhatti |first=Jay |date=18 July 2012 |title=Online Privacy Start-up Abine.com crosses 1.5 million downloads of its Do Not Track product |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/online-privacy-start-up-abinecom-crosses-15-million-downloads-of-its-do-not-track-product-2012-7 |publisher=Business Insider}}</ref> In October 2013, Abine reported that they could not develop DNTMe for smartphones and tablets due to technical limitations but were working on other mobile products.<ref name=faq/>
An associated add-on, MaskMe, provided users with masked email addresses without charge, and masked telephone numbers and disposable [[virtual credit card]]s for a subscription charge. A masked email address can be given by a user to an organization so that they can address email to it which is redirected to the user's real address—never provided to the sender. Masked telephone numbers work similarly. Virtual credit cards are used once, [[online]] only, then deleted, so that the card details cannot be used for later fraud. IronVest continues to deliver these products with added security and functionality, such as biometric account access and 2FA SMS protection.
In November 2014, Abine announced Blur as a replacement for their DoNotTrackMe and MaskMe services, with both free and paid options.<ref name="Abine Blog announces Blur">{{cite web | title=Introducing Blur: Protect your passwords, payments, and privacy |publisher=Abine| date=3 November 2014 | url=https://www.abine.com/blog/2014/blur-protects-passwords-payments-privacy/#more-11469 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230322121734/https://www.abine.com/blog/2014/blur-protects-passwords-payments-privacy/#more-11469 | archive-date=22 March 2023 | url-status=deviated}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/abine-blur-premium|title=Abine Blur Premium Review| last=Rubenking | first=Neil J.|magazine=PCMAG|language=en|date=2 July 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.foxbusiness.com/features/dont-expose-yourself-a-guide-to-online-privacy|title=Don't Expose Yourself: A Guide to Online Privacy|date=2017-05-31|work=Fox Business|access-date=2018-03-08|language=en-US}}</ref>
Blur later became IronVest (established in 2022),<ref name=about/> which developed the service further into a security and privacy consumer service. IronVest was rated "outstanding" by [[PCMag]].<ref>{{cite magazine| last=Rubenking | first=Neil J. | title=IronVest Review | magazine=PCMAG | date=19 May 2023 | url=https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/ironvest}}</ref>
IronVest released on 26 September 2023 the first version of a biometric fraud prevention technology delivered to financial institution via a [[software development kit]] (SDK) that claims to eliminate all forms of account takeover or authorized fraud by allowing only authorized users to take actions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AuthenticAction Client SDK|publisher=IronVest|access-date=15 September 2024 |url= https://docsjs.ironvest.com/ironvest-authenticaction-developer-documentation}}</ref>
==See also==
* [[DeleteMe]], another service by Abine
* [[uBlock Origin]] – an ad-blocker
* [[Disconnect Mobile]] {{En dash}} An open source application  to stop third-party trackers.
* [[Ghostery]] {{En dash}} A privacy and security-related browser extension.
* [[Privacy Badger]] – An ad- and cookie-blocker browser extension.
== External links ==
* {{Official website}}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
[[Category:Free Firefox WebExtensions]]
[[Category:Google Chrome extensions]]
[[Category:Internet Explorer add-ons]]
[[Category:2011 software]]
[[Category:Internet privacy software]]