Firefox 32.0.3 / Do You Trust Mozilla?

So I downloaded the firefox 32.0.3 update recently. It's presented as a security and stability update, but looking at the details it seems like only a very small part of the update is security related. Other features appear to include caching of recent browser history.

While caching might be useful, it seems like there is some potential vulnerability to privacy as well. I'm using a tracking cookie blocker (privacy badger), but it occurs to me that if there is a way to read cached browser history, it would yield essentially the same information as a tracking cookie.

I'd be happier to just download the pure security features and skip all of the extras, but that does not appear to be an option.

I used to trust anything from Mozilla more or less blindly, but ever since an embedded google search bar came with an update, i've become increasingly suspicious (i've switched the embeded bar to duckduckgo and removed it from the first browser window, but additional windows still include the embedded search). Can't help but wonder if Brendan Eich was an essential pillar of integrity at Mozilla, and things have started to slide since his ouster.

 

I guess beyond the issue of caching itself is the fact that updates that are presented as "security and stability" contain a lot of other stuff in them (e.g., the embeded google search bar). If I download updates, I still have to more or less trust that they don't undermine security and privacy, and I don't have the option to download security updates only.

The existence of Firefox DOM.storgage psuedo-cookies by itself already presents a reason to be skeptical about Mozilla. I suspect that most Firefox users don't even know that these exist (including myself, intill recently), much less how to disable them (you have to enter "about:config" in the navigation bar).

 

Sessions and DOM storage are essential to security. You wouldn't want an unauthenticated user to access your email or bank accounts.

You should be much more concerned about metadata information provided by your browser. If you don't have a common useragent, and you are running JavaScript, Java, and Flash, then you can be identified to a certainty of about 1 in 5,000,000.

https://panopticlick.eff.org/

The modern internet is completely funded by gathering bit of information about you and selling them off bit by bit.

 

My test result;

"Your browser fingerprint appears to be unique among the 4,575,938 tested so far.
Currently, we estimate that your browser has a fingerprint that conveys at least 22.13 bits of identifying information."

 

always been a Firefox user. memory usage can get pretty high though with a whole bunch of tabs opened.

caching may speed up loading pages, but consumes disk space.

 

if you want to, just override the cache:

 

I clear the cache out sometimes but have plenty of disk space so I don't worry too much.

sometimes firefox eats up a gigabyte or two of memory tho on its own. not sure if there are memory leaks maybe, or its some of the elements in the 15 or 20 tabs I usually have open.

seriously tho, I've had tabs sit around open for weeks or months because I thought they might be so important they NEED to be left open because if I just bookmark them I'll forget about them and never look at them.

 

It might be one of your extensions? Or your flash plugin?

 

So apparently there are files that are updated automatically in firefox (e.g. google-malware-shavar) that black or white list certain sites. Ostensibly, this might be done to protect user from malware.

However, this is a process that occurs whether you have automatic updating turned on or not. So even if you've clearly indicated that you don't want automatic updates firefox/mozilla has:

1. Established a relationship with Google without the knowledge of users

2. Is allowing Google access to update files on your machine not only without your knowledge or permission, but in at least some cases completely contrary to your wishes.


Anyone know how to clear out and turn off these updates?

Are there any good aleternatives to firefox that permit greater user control?

 

Cyberfox.

I'm about to start researching Dolphin browser as well.

 

it isnt caching you should worry about.

there is something called webRTC and STUN which stands for Session Traversal Utlities for NAT.

basically its method to determine the IP address of hosts that are behind NAT and its invisible on developer console since it operates outsode of HTTP. so the IP address of your machine, and even the address that your machine is assigned on your local network (such as behind your router, which does NAT) may be leaked, even across a vpn (my vpn doesnt leak the public IP address (it does leak the local), but some do).

you can check yourself here: ideally you should not see any ip addresses on this page if u care about such things.
https://diafygi.github.io/webrtc-ips/

and heres RFC 5389 if anyones curious about how its implemented, and what its used for.
https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc5389

okay, so what if your not cool with this?
you can disable WebRTC in firefox in about:config. find a preference named media.peerconnection.enabled and change the value to be equal to false. then check your browser using the above link (first one). im not sure how to do it in other browsers, u'd have to google it.

edit: not all browsers "support" webrtc such as safari, so if you dont see ur ip addresses on that page it just means ur using a browser that doent implement rfc 5389.

 

^ thank you

 

thanks for this. why cyberfox? why dolphin?

 

38.0 is the most recent of updates I believe .. this is old

 

Cyberfox, essentially is a 64-bit version of Firefox, but it's got MANY more settings to tinker with for much more control over your browsing habits. On their website, they even have builds better suited for AMD or Nvidia/Intel based computers and a portable version, which I think is much 'safer' since it keeps all the files in the folder you decide to place it in. Not only are there more settings to fiddle with in the normal settings window like you see in Firefox, but there's a 'Customize Cyberfox' menu option that has loads more. I like it. Since I found out about it, it's the only thing I use. Most of the addons are compatible with it as well. I highly recommend AdBlock Edge and Ghostery if you don't already use them. Of course, neither one can rid you of the trackers Google uses on their search engine sites.

I just found out about Dolphin browser while I was messing with my old phone. The built-in browser was outdated and incompatible with some website I tried to visit and it recommended I switch to Firefox, Dolphin, Chrome, etc. Dolphin has 3 different Android builds and I've seen good reviews about it concerning speed, reliability and security. Just something I might look into.

 

youtube videos stuttering in 1080p, lots of dropped frames. top shows high cpu utilization by process named plugin-container which i think is the flash plugin. 1080p video seems to work okay when its not youtube.

anyone had this happen recently? it didnt use to do this, and i noticed a few weeks ago (maybe more, idk) they changed something on youtube with the videos, changed the interface and added some features or something.

 

Yeah WTF is with youtube needing a damn supercomputer to watch video's now?

Surf without caching; In firefox, open "New Private Window", in Chrome open "New Incognito window".

... and I Deep Freeze my C drive.

 

everybody has a different browser of choice. :book:

 

For me Firefox is tops I have always used it and it's never let me down, comes with some good add ons and extensions to.