Privacy in private browsing mode
- 1. Private Browsing APARNA HIMMATRAMKA INF 529 31 March 2017 USCViterbi
- 2. Outline • Private Browsing- Introduction • Different Browsers, their characteristics and comparison • Privacy Expectations of Users • Expectation vs Reality • DarkWeb • TOR • Best Practices for Safe Private Browsing
- 4. Private Browsing • When you use private browsing mode, your web browser stores several types of information only temporarily. • Once you leave the private browsing session, the browser will delete that data, including the record of your visit in the browser's history, cookies, and cached image files. • This keeps your browsing private from other people that may use the same computer. • This contrasts with normal browsing, where the browser remembers your history even after you've restarted your browser.
- 5. What information does Private Browsing not save? Form and Search Bar entries: Nothing you enter into text boxes on web pages or the Search bar will be saved for Form autocomplete. Visited pages: No pages will be added to the list of sites in the History menu, the Library window's history list, or the Awesome Bar address list. Passwords: No new passwords will be saved. Download List entries: No files you download will be listed in the Downloads Window after you turn off Private Browsing. (Although the files will be saved) Cookies: Cookies store information about websites you visit such as site preferences, login status, and data used by plugins like Adobe Flash. Cached Web Content and Offline Web Content and User Data: No temporary Internet files (cached files) or files that websites save for offline use will be saved.
- 6. But, what kinds of persistent client-side state can a private session leak? Configuration States: bookmarks, client certificates JavaScript-accessible state: DOM storage New Plug-ins and extensions Downloaded files
- 7. Cookie attacks • Browser cookie that is designed to be permanently stored on a user’s computer. Super-cookie • Recreation of the HTTP cookie when the user visits the original site again Re-spawning
- 8. Different common browsers that offer private browsing Browser Private Mode No of days b/w updates Platform Chrome Incognito 15 Mobile, Desktop, Tablets Mozilla Firefox Private Browsing 28 Apple Safari Private Browsing 54 Apple Phones, Desktops andTablets Internet Explorer InPrivate Browsing 30 Desktop and Windows Phones
- 9. Comparative Analysis of the ‘Big 4’ Browsers
- 10. Google Chrome Analysis • Pros • Security Updates every 2 weeks • All common browsers use Google’s Safe Browsing API • Bug Bounty Program • “Do notTrack” request along the traffic • Malware protection • Cons • Browser Extensions reduce privacy • Closed Source Browser, hence no code-reviewing • Instance based
- 11. Internet Explorer Analysis • Pros • Monthly update window • Leads in detecting Social engineering Malware • Alerts on Attempts to visit Malicious Sites • ‘Tracking Protection’ feature • Cons • Chequered Legacy aka Number of Vulnerabilities • Closed Source Browser, hence no track of code-review • Leaves some trace in the index.dat file on the source machine
- 12. Apple Safari Analysis • Pros • Prevents suspicious sites from loading • Runs webpages in separate processes, thus malware on one webpage doesn’t affect other webpages • Doesn’t let third party leave cache data • Cons • Updates only once in 2 months • Do notTrack Option does not guarantee privacy • Closed Source tool
- 13. Mozilla Firefox Analysis • Pros • Open source tool • First browser to introduce ‘Do Not Track’ • HasTracking Protection • Phishing and malware Protection • Blocks reported attack websites/web forgeries • Warning when installing add-ons • Cons • Updates only once in 28 days • Instance based • Does not block the ads of those companies that agree to abide by Do NotTrack rules.
- 14. Browser add-ons EXTENSIONS AND PLUGINS
- 15. Browser add-ons invading privacy • Browser add-ons (extensions and plug-ins) pose a privacy risk to private browsing because they can persist state to disk about a user’s behavior in private mode. • Numerous attacks on add-ons can reveal a lot of information regarding the user of the browser. • They are not subject to the same scrutiny that the browsers are subjected to.
- 16. • Firefox allows extensions and plugins to function normally in Private Browsing mode.
- 17. • Internet Explorer has a configurable “DisableToolbars and Extensions when InPrivate Browsing Mode Starts” menu option, which is checked by de- fault. • When checked, extensions are disabled, although plugins are still functional.
- 18. • Google Chrome disables most extension functionality in Incognito mode. • However, plugins (including plugins that are bundled with extensions) are enabled. • Users can add exceptions on a per-extension basis using the extensions management interface.
- 19. • Safari does not have a supported extension API. • Using unsupported APIs, it is possible for extensions to run in private browsing mode.
- 20. Analysis Conclusion • All of them have their strengths and weaknesses. • All have limitations- including potentially tracking your web traffic ad sending it to third parties
- 21. User’s Expectation of Privacy WHEN BROWSING IN PRIVATE MODE
- 22. Reasons to use private mode in browsers 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 Embarassin g Searches Suggestion s History Public Computer General Searches Finance Shopping Travel Purchases Other Daily 29 38 35 35 49 39 40 19 10 Non-Daily 40 31 34 33 20 26 18 12 10 Reasons for Using Private Browsing by Frequency (USA) Daily Non-Daily
- 23. Privacy Expectations by way of misconceptions Prevents Websites from tacking me Prevents ads from tacking me Prevents search engines from knowing my searches Protects my identity from websites Prevents IP from being seen Prevents my Location being known Prevents Government Tracking % 41 39 36 27 26 26 8 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
- 26. Same folder, after closing the private browsing session
- 27. So, does Internet Explorer ‘InPrivate’ mode do what it’s supposed to? • Sure, it does conceal a user’s browser history from UI and common tools, pretty much as advertised. • But definitely not from aggregation and data collection from the browser and other entities.
- 28. Dark Web & Deep net THE OTHER DIMENSION OF THE INTERNET
- 29. Dark Web and Deep Net • The "dark web" is the encrypted network that exists betweenTor servers and their clients. • Activists will tell you it's our last, best hope for privacy and free speech, all alone in the night. • The "deep web" is simply the content of databases and other web services that for one reason or another cannot be indexed by conventional search engines. • They refer to the unindexed web - databases and other content that search engines like Google, Bing etc can't crawl.
- 31. TOR • Tor is actually an entire system -- tools, browsers, APIs, and network -- dedicated to helping you and your connection remain anonymous. • Once you enter aTor network path, the traffic to and from your destination will be routed through a random set of "Tor nodes”. • AlthoughTor's anonymity can be defeated, it remains one of the best ways to stay anonymous.
- 32. TOR networking as an onion router • Tor passes your data through a network of relay points using layers of encryption (hence the onion metaphor). • Each node that your data passes through peels off another layer of encryption. • The last node your data passes through is known as the exit node, and it peels off the final layer of encryption and then delivers your data to the intended server. • The point of origin, as well as the intermediary nodes, are completely unknown.
- 33. Advantages of TOR • Anonymity it provides • Continuity of service • User friendly interface • Lightweight application, takes less system resources • Allows you to access blocked sites • Can run through USB flash drives
- 34. Disadvantages of TOR • Due to number of relays, its really slow • Some relays can be blocked by ISPs/third parties • Allows users to share illegal contents such as child pornography or online drug sales • Tor can be insecure, because the exit node is unencrypted and anyone who gets hold of the exit node (police, government, attackers) can track you and your activities.
- 35. Best Practices for Safe Private Browsing
- 36. In addition to switching to ‘Private’ mode • Not all extensions are harmful, enable the ‘Do NotTrack’ add-on on some browsers. • Do NotTrack feature can also be added on antivirus software that provide online security (Example, AVG). • Extensions like Hot Spot Shield hides your IP address. • Consider using aVirtual Private Network (VPN). AVPN secures your computer’s internet connection to guarantee that all of the data you’re sending and receiving is encrypted and secured from prying eyes.
- 37. Some Do’s when using TOR browser • Download and installTOR only from the official webpage. • Use ofTOR is always preferred on Linux or derived Operating systems, due to the number of vulnerabilities inWindows OS. • Alternatively, use hardware basedTOR solutions like AnonaBox or a proxy service like ProxyGambit • Don’t use plug-ns, stick to HTPP/HTTPS
- 38. Safer Browsers • Maxthon • Dooble • Avira Scout • Aviator • Comodo Dragon • Yandex • Cocoon • Epic Privacy and many more…
- 39. TESTING YOUR BROWSER http://panopticlick.eff.org/ is a website where you can test four functionalities of anonymization that most browsers claim to provide.
- 40. The hard work of privacy • Each of these anonymizing methods can be defeated, but the more of them you add to your privacy solution, the harder it will be for another person or group to identify you. • There are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of privacy advocates that take one or more of these precautions to protect their privacy. • All the browsers do a good job of hiding your internet tracks from anyone else using the same computer – if they have a casual interest or just peek in the usual locations where history and other tracks are usually stored. • There should certainly be no obvious evidence of your website history if using Private Browsing. However, nobody can guarantee you that you are not tracked.
- 41. QUESTIONS?
- 42. References • https://users.ece.cmu.edu/~jfilleau/bestprivactices/privacy_filleau_zizyte.pd f • https://people.csail.mit.edu/alinush/6.858-fall-2014/papers/private- browsing.pdf • http://www.infoworld.com/article/2975193/security/9-steps-completely- anonymous-online.html • https://www.torproject.org/about/overview.html.en • http://privatebrowsingmyths.com/ • https://www.magnetforensics.com/computer-forensics/how-private-is- internet-explorers-inprivate-browsing-first-define-private/ • http://people.csail.mit.edu/alinush/6.858-fall-2014/l18-priv-browsing.html