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It's still so easy in Firefox to install add-ons that spy on your entire browser session and send tons of telemetry data to a backend (Ghostery is a popular exa

It's still so easy in Firefox to install add-ons that spy on your entire browser session and send tons of telemetry data to a backend (Ghostery is a popular example) while the user has no clue that any kind of data transfer even happens. Such behavior shouldn't be something that can be turned on with two clicks.

kekebo 6y ago
Ghostery is even a recommended Addon on AMO [1]. What would really be practical were some kind of extension analyzer/profiler that runs newly installed addons in a sandbox and displays attempted connections and payloads. Or a mode where connections need to be whitelisted, to limit the impact of silent addon takeovers. Too many times I find myself having to download, unpack, and skim through an addon's source to make sure it's not doing anything malicious under the hood. [1] https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/ghostery/ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/ghostery/
- sergeykish 6y ago
  They state it in plain site. Sadly it is not advertised clearly. Yes, that would be good. I would love to hear that someone I trust checked latest version. If enough people joined we can make distribution. And, hey! It is MPL-2 [1], bad defaults can be patched. [1] https://github.com/ghostery/ghostery-extension https://github.com/ghostery/ghostery-extension
sergeykish 6y ago
Privacy Policy [1]: > Human Web > ... turned on by default > Data Collection: In order for Human Web to function we automatically collect non-private URLs, search queries along with search engine results pages, suspicious URLs that could potentially be phishing websites, information related to safe and unsafe trackers, and information related to the prevalence and performance of Trackers. So opt out data collection, I thought better of Recommend Extensions. They really should use leverage to make safe defaults and forbid dark patters. [1] https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/ghostery/privacy/ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/ghostery/priv...
godelski 6y ago
>Ghostery is a popular example I'm a little confused. I used to use ghostery (don't anymore), but there was always an option to have them not collect data. This is even a recommended app! I went to their privacy policy to check > II. Basis to Collect and Use Personal Data There is no obligation on your part to provide your Personal Data. However, if you do, we have a legitimate interest to collect and use it, namely so we can provide products or services, or complete a transaction with you. > III. Notion of Personal Data Personal Data means any information concerning the personal or material circumstances of an identified or identifiable individual such as name and age. Non-personal data are all data that cannot be used to identify an individual, such as statistics about usage of a website.

kekebo 6y ago

Ghostery is even a recommended Addon on AMO [1]. What would really be practical were some kind of extension analyzer/profiler that runs newly installed addons in a sandbox and displays attempted connections and payloads. Or a mode where connections need to be whitelisted, to limit the impact of silent addon takeovers. Too many times I find myself having to download, unpack, and skim through an addon's source to make sure it's not doing anything malicious under the hood. [1] https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/ghostery/ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/ghostery/

sergeykish 6y ago
They state it in plain site. Sadly it is not advertised clearly. Yes, that would be good. I would love to hear that someone I trust checked latest version. If enough people joined we can make distribution. And, hey! It is MPL-2 [1], bad defaults can be patched. [1] https://github.com/ghostery/ghostery-extension https://github.com/ghostery/ghostery-extension

sergeykish 6y ago

Privacy Policy [1]: > Human Web > ... turned on by default > Data Collection: In order for Human Web to function we automatically collect non-private URLs, search queries along with search engine results pages, suspicious URLs that could potentially be phishing websites, information related to safe and unsafe trackers, and information related to the prevalence and performance of Trackers. So opt out data collection, I thought better of Recommend Extensions. They really should use leverage to make safe defaults and forbid dark patters. [1] https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/ghostery/privacy/ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/ghostery/priv...

godelski 6y ago

>Ghostery is a popular example I'm a little confused. I used to use ghostery (don't anymore), but there was always an option to have them not collect data. This is even a recommended app! I went to their privacy policy to check > II. Basis to Collect and Use Personal Data There is no obligation on your part to provide your Personal Data. However, if you do, we have a legitimate interest to collect and use it, namely so we can provide products or services, or complete a transaction with you. > III. Notion of Personal Data Personal Data means any information concerning the personal or material circumstances of an identified or identifiable individual such as name and age. Non-personal data are all data that cannot be used to identify an individual, such as statistics about usage of a website.