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Just to add: Scanning networks to gather data seems pretty popular these days - smart tvs have done so, and even the ebay site used to portscan visitors [1]. [

Just to add: Scanning networks to gather data seems pretty popular these days - smart tvs have done so, and even the ebay site used to portscan visitors [1]. [edit] And of course, there's WebRTC leaking your local IP - which ublock origin can specifically block [2]. [1] https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/ebay-port-scans-visitors-computers-for-remote-access-programs/ https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/ebay-port-sca... [2] https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/wiki/Prevent-WebRTC-from-leaking-local-IP-address https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/wiki/Prevent-WebRTC-from-l...

hipsterhelpdesk 5y ago
It only “leaks” your ip if you are trying to use webrtc features with a vpn, otherwise web rtc is perfectly fine to use without concern for most people.
- uniqueuid 5y ago
  Interesting! That's not how I read the ublock origin docs: "Keep in mind that this feature is to prevent leakage of your non-internet-facing IP adresses. The purpose of this feature is not to hide your current internet-facing IP address -- so be cautious to not misinterpret the results of some WebRTC-local-IP-address-leakage tests found online." That said, my Firefox 91 and Safari don't leak local IPs regardless of the ublock setting. Warrants more investigation perhaps.
  - allo37 5y ago
    I believe newer versions of WebRTC use mdns to mask local IPs: https://bugs.chromium.org/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=878465 https://bugs.chromium.org/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=878465
    - uniqueuid 5y ago
      Great find! Here's the IETF draft [1], submitted by Apple (which would explain why I'm not seeing leaks on Safari) [1] https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-mdns-ice-candidates-00 https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-mdns-ice-candida...
nostrademons 5y ago
Is this separate from mDNS [1]? A lot of smart TVs and PCs increasingly use mDNS to support some fairly handy consumer features, like AirDrop, being able to setup your TV with your phone, network printing/scanning, ChromeCast, whole-home control of lights & other IoT devices, etc. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multicast_DNS https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multicast_DNS
- uniqueuid 5y ago
  The incident I'm referring to was about LG [1]. The report includes network captures, so I'd trust it. Apparently, some chinese smart TV brands have been doing similar things, but I wouldn't be surprised if most other vendors have caught up and used stealthier techniques. [edit] Here's the news about those chinese TVs [2] and the original report [3] [1] https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2013/11/lg-smart-tv-snooping-extends-to-home-networks-second-blogger-says/ https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2013/11/lg-sm... [2] https://www.theregister.com/2021/05/04/skyworth_gozen_smart_tv_privacy/ https://www.theregister.com/2021/05/04/skyworth_gozen_smart_... [3] https://www.v2ex.com/t/772523 https://www.v2ex.com/t/772523
  - excitom 5y ago
    Small point: LG is a Korean company, not Chinese.
    - uniqueuid 5y ago
      Right, those are two distinct incidents (and years apart). Sorry if that wasn't clear.
swiley 5y ago
That's a clear violation of the CFAA. This crime carries prison time. How come they threw teenagers in prison but not the people responsible for doing it en mass?
- judge2020 5y ago
  If it's a clear violation maybe sue them for breaching your network?
  - swiley 5y ago
    I don't even have non-free mobile OSes on my network much less this.
- the_mitsuhiko 5y ago
  How is this a violation against the CFAA?
  - swiley 5y ago
    Unauthorized network access? Literally the whole point of the thing.
    - deleted 5y ago
      [deleted]
    - Hnrobert42 5y ago
      I would argue the point was the opposite. It began with a request for authorization.
      - swiley 5y ago
        I don't see how this is any different than walking into a building and telling the concierge you're a maintenance worker.
wyager 5y ago
Many common wifi APs (eg TP-link EAP225) will allow you to create separate wifi networks on different VLANs. You can use this to isolate internet of shit devices onto their own networks where they can’t talk to your other devices, without increasing your hardware costs or causing wifi interference. You’ll need a router/firewall and an AP that are both VLAN-aware. I personally use an EAP225 and some eBay industrial PC running freebsd.
- blacksmith_tb 5y ago
  And/or some routers offer 'AP Isolation' or 'Client Isolation' to prevent devices from communicating with each other (I am always glad to see public networks configured this way, but at home it'd be a pain to not be able to shell from one box into another etc.)
jacquesm 5y ago
Iirc the ebay thing was yet another way to fingerprint you to re-identify fraudulent account creators.
- bigiain 5y ago
  That might be a justification you could slip past a judge who doesn't understand... I wonder if I could rob a bank, then if I got caught claim "I was just checking to make sure they had enough money to cover my deposits!"

hipsterhelpdesk 5y ago

It only “leaks” your ip if you are trying to use webrtc features with a vpn, otherwise web rtc is perfectly fine to use without concern for most people.

uniqueuid 5y ago
Interesting! That's not how I read the ublock origin docs: "Keep in mind that this feature is to prevent leakage of your non-internet-facing IP adresses. The purpose of this feature is not to hide your current internet-facing IP address -- so be cautious to not misinterpret the results of some WebRTC-local-IP-address-leakage tests found online." That said, my Firefox 91 and Safari don't leak local IPs regardless of the ublock setting. Warrants more investigation perhaps.
- allo37 5y ago
  I believe newer versions of WebRTC use mdns to mask local IPs: https://bugs.chromium.org/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=878465 https://bugs.chromium.org/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=878465
  - uniqueuid 5y ago
    Great find! Here's the IETF draft [1], submitted by Apple (which would explain why I'm not seeing leaks on Safari) [1] https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-mdns-ice-candidates-00 https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-mdns-ice-candida...

nostrademons 5y ago

Is this separate from mDNS [1]? A lot of smart TVs and PCs increasingly use mDNS to support some fairly handy consumer features, like AirDrop, being able to setup your TV with your phone, network printing/scanning, ChromeCast, whole-home control of lights & other IoT devices, etc. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multicast_DNS https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multicast_DNS

uniqueuid 5y ago
The incident I'm referring to was about LG [1]. The report includes network captures, so I'd trust it. Apparently, some chinese smart TV brands have been doing similar things, but I wouldn't be surprised if most other vendors have caught up and used stealthier techniques. [edit] Here's the news about those chinese TVs [2] and the original report [3] [1] https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2013/11/lg-smart-tv-snooping-extends-to-home-networks-second-blogger-says/ https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2013/11/lg-sm... [2] https://www.theregister.com/2021/05/04/skyworth_gozen_smart_tv_privacy/ https://www.theregister.com/2021/05/04/skyworth_gozen_smart_... [3] https://www.v2ex.com/t/772523 https://www.v2ex.com/t/772523
- excitom 5y ago
  Small point: LG is a Korean company, not Chinese.
  - uniqueuid 5y ago
    Right, those are two distinct incidents (and years apart). Sorry if that wasn't clear.

swiley 5y ago

That's a clear violation of the CFAA. This crime carries prison time. How come they threw teenagers in prison but not the people responsible for doing it en mass?

judge2020 5y ago
If it's a clear violation maybe sue them for breaching your network?
- swiley 5y ago
  I don't even have non-free mobile OSes on my network much less this.
the_mitsuhiko 5y ago
How is this a violation against the CFAA?
- swiley 5y ago
  Unauthorized network access? Literally the whole point of the thing.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - Hnrobert42 5y ago
    I would argue the point was the opposite. It began with a request for authorization.
    - swiley 5y ago
      I don't see how this is any different than walking into a building and telling the concierge you're a maintenance worker.

wyager 5y ago

Many common wifi APs (eg TP-link EAP225) will allow you to create separate wifi networks on different VLANs. You can use this to isolate internet of shit devices onto their own networks where they can’t talk to your other devices, without increasing your hardware costs or causing wifi interference. You’ll need a router/firewall and an AP that are both VLAN-aware. I personally use an EAP225 and some eBay industrial PC running freebsd.

blacksmith_tb 5y ago
And/or some routers offer 'AP Isolation' or 'Client Isolation' to prevent devices from communicating with each other (I am always glad to see public networks configured this way, but at home it'd be a pain to not be able to shell from one box into another etc.)

jacquesm 5y ago

Iirc the ebay thing was yet another way to fingerprint you to re-identify fraudulent account creators.

bigiain 5y ago
That might be a justification you could slip past a judge who doesn't understand... I wonder if I could rob a bank, then if I got caught claim "I was just checking to make sure they had enough money to cover my deposits!"