New ‘Super Cookies’ Can Track Your Private Web Browsing

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New ‘Super Cookies’ Can Track Your Private Web Browsing
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vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21298
Location: Ynys Môn

Posted: Sat Jan 10, 15 9:54 pm Post subject: New ‘Super Cookies’ Can Track Your Private Web Browsing
And Apple users can't get rid of them... Read more: https://uk.businessinsider.com/super-cookies-hsts-security-private-2015-1#ixzz3OSSR93A8

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34335
Location: Hereford

Posted: Sat Jan 10, 15 10:50 pm Post subject:
Well, they can. They just use something other than Safari. Windows users using Safari also can't get rid of them, presumably? One shouldn't confuse hardware with software. There's certainly the ability to clear cookies on iOS devices, depending on the browser.

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21298
Location: Ynys Môn

Posted: Sat Jan 10, 15 10:58 pm Post subject:

Nick wrote:

Well, they can. They just use something other than Safari. Windows users using Safari also can't get rid of them, presumably? One shouldn't confuse hardware with software.

There's certainly the ability to clear cookies on iOS devices, depending on the browser.

Not owning an iOS can you install browsers other than the built in Safari?

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34335
Location: Hereford

Posted: Sat Jan 10, 15 11:02 pm Post subject:
Yep. I use chrome all the time.

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21298
Location: Ynys Môn

Posted: Sat Jan 10, 15 11:06 pm Post subject:

Nick wrote:

Yep. I use chrome all the time.

It was s stupid question. I should know we test against iOS devices.

kGarden

Joined: 01 Dec 2014
Posts: 178
Location: Suffolk, UK

Posted: Sun Jan 11, 15 11:53 am Post subject:

I know squat about HSTS, clearly! :

"Most websites place what’s called a “cookie” on visitors’ computers, which is used to track them and record their preferences. It’s how websites can remember your password, for example."

Really? Can't say I've checked, but I would be worried if Passwords were remembered by cookies My browser pre-fills the ones I've asked it to, I assume it uses something more robust than cookies.

Cookies would store a session number, which would "keep" me logged in, but "passwords"??

"Firefox has since developed a solution to the issue, by no longer carrying HSTS over to private windows. It is, however, a trade-off — favouring “privacy over security,” Greenhalgh writes. If you're trying to buy something from a web site using a private Firefox tab and you load an unencrypted version of the page, then it won't correct you — meaning your credit card info won't be encrypted once you send it."

Surely it would redirect to secure protocol? Otherwise how would it ever switch to secure protocol the very first time you accesses the site?

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 38838
Location: yes

Posted: Sun Jan 11, 15 2:58 pm Post subject:

privacy requires going dark

partial privacy can be achieved with tor,linux and newer versions of pgp in combination afaik

even(especially)secrecy protocols have back doors

look at or say or do what you are willing to share in a way you are willing to share it with those who might be interested .

as far as mainstream commercial stuff they are only interested it what to try to sell you and what sort of risk you pose to their investment in insurance .

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21298
Location: Ynys Môn

Posted: Sun Jan 11, 15 3:00 pm Post subject:

kGarden wrote:

Really? Can't say I've checked, but I would be worried if Passwords were remembered by cookies My browser pre-fills the ones I've asked it to, I assume it uses something more robust than cookies.

They're often stored in a locally stored file as far as I know.

The article is more of a heads up rather than anything proactive someone can do as an end user.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 38838
Location: yes

Posted: Sun Jan 11, 15 3:14 pm Post subject:

re passwords

dont do anything online that requires security and then passwords dont really matter

put a limit on paypal etc that requires a phone call and further security to exceed ,dont do online banking or use a debit card (duh)etc,dontb post birthdays addresses etc.

online security is a myth ,just ask yourself if only god knows everything why does he report to mossad even when he does not mean to?

the correct answer to that question would show promis.

oldish chris

Joined: 14 Jun 2006
Posts: 4148
Location: Comfortably Wet Southport

Posted: Sun Jan 11, 15 4:14 pm Post subject:

I use Firefox.

If I decide to go somewhere inadvisable, (usually to see which sucker's system wants me to log on to their version of Paypal and confirm my details) I use a strange browser called Midori with privacy settings on.

However, when I close my browser down for the day (I like to close down completely, in the olden days we called it a "graceful close-down"), my lappy is still busy, system monitor tells me that its firefox (but its disappeared from the laptop).

I wonder what the bloomin thing is up to? Sorting out its cache of tracking and advertising stuff?

kGarden

Joined: 01 Dec 2014
Posts: 178
Location: Suffolk, UK

Posted: Sun Jan 11, 15 5:25 pm Post subject:

oldish chris wrote:

when I close my browser down for the day (I like to close down completely, in the olden days we called it a "graceful close-down"), my lappy is still busy, system monitor tells me that its firefox (but its disappeared from the laptop).

Pah that's nothing! When I boot up and BEFORE I open Chrome, its grabbed itself a GB or so of memory ... I have NO idea what it is up to at that point ...

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 38838
Location: yes

Posted: Sun Jan 11, 15 8:03 pm Post subject:
that sounds like a serious secure and clean might be required

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21298
Location: Ynys Môn

Posted: Sun Jan 11, 15 8:53 pm Post subject:

oldish chris wrote:

Linus Torvalds knows exactly what you do and when you do it.

oldish chris

Joined: 14 Jun 2006
Posts: 4148
Location: Comfortably Wet Southport

Posted: Mon Jan 12, 15 10:10 am Post subject:

vegplot wrote:

oldish chris wrote:

Linus Torvalds knows exactly what you do and when you do it.

You do realise that you are offending my deeply held beliefs.

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21298
Location: Ynys Môn

Posted: Mon Jan 12, 15 10:46 am Post subject:

oldish chris wrote:

You do realise that you are offending my deeply held beliefs.

Excellent!

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