open source software security and privacy issues (tracking users, etc)

[lsat 23]

Google.com PREF cookies in Firefox  (and here) -Mozilla bug which hasn't been fixed for years

 

How to get rid of these cookies

 

 

SourceForge tricks (the author of this revelation is the developer of sqlitebrowser)

[InactiveUser 188]

Chromium: it's impossible to keep Google out of it.

 

If you doubt me, read this old thread on superuser.com or try it yourself:

• change search engine to DDG
• set a blank homepage
• disable "phishing/malware protection" (aka Safe Browsing)
• disable "reports to Google"
• disable "webservice to resolve navigation errors"
• disable "prediction service"

 

With these settings, would you expect Chromium to immediately contact Google? I didn't. Yet, when launching Chromium, I instantly see connection attempts to 5 Google servers:

 

SYN-SENT   173.194.46.64:443
SYN-SENT   173.194.46.67:443
SYN-SENT   216.58.216.74:443
SYN-SENT   173.194.46.72:443
SYN-SENT   173.194.46.66:443

 

Why? What for?

I'll stick with Firefox, thanks!

[wer 14]

Why? What for?

I'll stick with Firefox, thanks!

 

Thanks for your comment. I've been trying Chromium because I wanted to try out FIDO U2F. WebRTC and now this...I'll stick with Firefox as well.

[InactiveUser 188]

popular download manager "JDownloader":

• it's GPL-licensed but "contrary to the license, some source files are not publicly available"
• "JDownloader's installer installed adware without the user's consent"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JDownloader

http://www.herdprotect.com/signer-appwork-gmbh-0100000000012e71e7355c.aspx

 

This application serves as a perfect reminder that a FOSS license is not a guarantee of quality. When installing software, always take into consideration who the developers are and how/if they are trying to monetize their software.

[lsat 23]

 Hola found to be selling users’  bandwidth as botnet

 

Hola  works by linking its users’ Internet connections to, or really through, each other. So, for instance, a user in the U.S. could watch blocked shows by using idle bandwidth from a Hola user as a proxy in France (so as to appear to be watching from France). But there’s a catch. By using the free version of Hola, you are allowing the site to sell your “idle” bandwidth under a brand called Luminati.

[lsat 23]

Google's second generation PREF.

The Empire strikes back

 

I found out that since recently Google has changed its strategy to cover its sneaking to user's machine. Instead of annoying cookies easily exposed by CookieKiller Google diggs into PREF.js in particular directory (for example, in Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\ directory in Windows

 

Firefox menu > Help button > Troubleshooting Information > Application Basics section > Profile folder line > Open Directory button

How to expose  its presence?

Go to youtube and check your country (if you use VPN and there is your contry's name after deleteng Google's PREF cookies with sqlite than it's the case)

how to get rid of PREF?

cut PREF.js and paste it to another location outside system files, then delete it.

 

PREF.js is Mozilla's User Preferences autogenerated js. After the 1st deletion it reapears without Google's blackholes.

 

PS. in such system no DNS leakage is detected.